Ellis County Sports Your source for Ellis County Sports News
By Travis M. Smith | Ellis County Sports
Don’t let the heat trick the senses — the boys of fall are back. The Texas high school football season officially kicks off Thursday, Aug. 24, and fans of Ellis County programs should have plenty of reasons to cheer throughout the 2023 campaign.
Without further ado, here is the 40,000-foot preview for every football program in Ellis County. Scroll to your favorite program(s) or read through the entire preview in a single sitting and yell at us on Twitter (or X, whatever it’s called) afterward. The choice is yours.
WAXAHACHIE
Head coach Shane Tolleson will lead a suddenly experienced and battled-tested Indian team into year two of his program with expectations at a 10-year high.
ECS prediction: The Indians defeat DeSoto for the first time since 2005 and finish second in District 11-6A with a 9-1 regular season record.
Click HERE for the full Waxahachie Indian football preview!
MIDLOTHIAN & RED OAK
Wishbone, flexbone or turkey bone — the biggest bone to pick in District 4-5A DI is with the projections by Dave Campbell’s Texas Football.
Midlothian and Red Oak were selected to finish third and fourth in 4-5A, respectively. Lake Belton (8-3, 6-2 in 4-5A) is projected to win the district crown, while Killeen Shoemaker (8-3, 6-2 in 4-5A) is projected second.
Shoemaker lost to both Red Oak (38-35) and Midlothian (32-37) in 2022. Lake Belton narrowly escaped Red Oak (48-47 OT) and then fell to Shoemaker (34-33) and Midlothian (39-37).
Red Oak was amid an odd fumbling of the head coaching position, which ultimately landed in the more-than-capable hands of Melvin Robinson. Midlothian, meanwhile, was in year one-and-a-half of moving further from the flexbone to a more spread offense.
ECS prediction: The Panthers and Hawks finish 1 and 2 atop the District 4-5A DI standings. One will be undefeated in district play, both will be feared in the postseason and…ECS believes the program that’ll finish atop the standings will ultimately be the Hawks. Either way, the district title will come down to Friday, Nov. 3 at Billy Goodloe Stadium in Red Oak.
Click HERE for the full Midlothian Panther football preview!
Click HERE for the full Red Oak Hawk football preview!
MIDLOTHIAN HERITAGE & ENNIS
Coming soon…
LIFE WAXAHACHIE
Coming soon…
FERRIS
Coming soon…
Ferris kicks off the season at 7 p.m. Friday against Lake Worth at DATCU Stadium on the campus of the University of North Texas.
MAYPEARL
Coming soon…
PALMER
Coming soon…
ITALY
Coming soon…
MILFORD & AVALON
Coming soon…
OVILLA CHRISTIAN
Coming soon…
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Travis M. Smith, @Travis5mith
tsmith@elliscosports.com
