West Orange-Stark High School will open their season at home against Newton at Dan R. Hooks Stadium.
ORANGE, Texas — The West Orange-Stark Mustangs, four-time 4A Division 2 state champions, are preparing for the upcoming football season at Dan R. Hooks Stadium in West Orange, led by head coach Hiawatha Hickman and a core group of returning players from last year’s 9-3 squad.
The Mustangs advanced to the second round of playoffs last season before falling to Hamshire-Fannett in the District 9 championship game. Despite the setback, the program returns key players, including standout junior running back Khelvy Jefferson.
Jefferson, who stands 5-foot-3, rushed for over 1,300 yards as a sophomore last season. Coach Hickman praised the player’s work ethic and strength, noting Jefferson’s dedication to training.
“You know what he doesn’t have in height, he has in everything else,” Hickman said. “He’s a 350 pound bencher, you know, he squats the world and, you know, nobody’s here before him and nobody leaves after him.”
The coach emphasized Jefferson’s leadership role on the team, describing him as “an old veteran now” and “one of our leaders.”
West Orange-Stark’s offensive strategy centers on a strong running game supported by an impressive offensive line. The team’s emphasis on “the war in the trenches” has been a consistent strength, with the coaching staff planning to utilize Jefferson’s abilities behind their experienced front line.
“We’re gonna line up and hand it to him as many times as we can see how that works out for us,” Hickman said of Jefferson’s role in the offense.
The Mustangs also return significant experience on defense, particularly in the front seven, where many players gained valuable experience as underclassmen last season.
“You look at our defenses holder right now, we got quite a few,” Hickman said about returning defensive players. “That makes us feel good about what we do when we got guys that’s done it before.”
The coach explained that having experienced players allows the team to implement more advanced defensive schemes compared to the previous season.
West Orange-Stark will open their season at home against Newton at Dan R. Hooks Stadium. The program, described by some as “a household name not just in Southeast Texas but in the state of Texas,” continues to maintain its reputation as one of the state’s premier football programs.
Coach Hickman stressed the team’s offseason focus on preparation for what he called “this long haul of tough schedule that we play,” emphasizing that advancement in the playoffs must be earned through consistent effort and execution.
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