Article By Greg Jaklewicz
Long Road Ahead for the Bulldogs
Before the team departs, the community is invited to a Wylie Bulldog Send-Off Celebration in front of Wylie High School at 10:45 a.m. The event is open to the public — a chance for fans, families, and students to cheer on the Bulldogs before they hit the road.
Wylie travels 277 miles to face surging Palo Duro in Amarillo
The drive from Wylie High School to the football stadium in Amarillo is longer than the trek from New York City to Washington, D.C.
The trip is 277 miles one way. There and back totals 555 miles.
That would get you from Chicago to Birmingham, Ala.
Welcome to football in Texas.
And here’s hoping the game in Amarillo is over by morning.
Longest Road Trip of the Season
Bulldog fans on Friday embark on the longest road trip of the regular season, journeying to Dick Bivens Stadium in the Texas Panhandle to face the surging Dons. It’s only the second time the teams have played in Amarillo.
Wylie is 1-2 on the road, and its win wasn’t nailed down until the fourth quarter.
Wylie, 4-2 overall, sits atop the District 2-5A standings with a 2-0 record after an entertaining but hard-fought 29-22 win over Southtown rival Cooper. The Dons, open the week before, began district play last week with a stunning 48-6 win over suddenly spiraling Memorial in Wichita Falls.
Palo Duro is 4-1 overall, and that season-best eruption of offense goes with a defense that has allowed just 37 points in five games.
A Closer Look at Palo Duro
Palo Duro’s only loss was 10-0 to Class 6A rival Tascosa in its season opener. Tascosa is 4-2, losing by six points to Lubbock-Cooper and two points to 6A Odessa Permian.
The Dons dinged 5A Division I Amarillo High 35-14. Last week, the Sandies gave Abilene High all it wanted in a 24-21 loss at Shotwell Stadium.
This is from a PD team that was 5-5 in 2024 and missed the playoffs. Wylie destroyed the Dons 70-28 last year at Hugh Sandifer Stadium.
With eight starters back on each side of the ball, Texas Football magazine picked the Dons fourth.
Right now, the Dons are thinking district title.
Coach Martin’s Perspective
Wylie coach Clay Martin didn’t hesitate in stating the 2025 Palo Duro team is better.
“They are very talented. A lot of good athletes, and a lot of these kids who are seniors now, a lot of them have been on the varsity for three years,” he said. “They have a lot of weapons, especially on the offensive side.
“They are a big challenge on both sides of the ball.”
Need a Full Tank
This long trip “creates some challenges” for the visiting team, Martin said.
“We have to travel well. I think we have a great plan,” said Martin, noting there will be breaks for the teams on the way up. “It is different when you ride in a bus for 4½ hours and then play a football game.
“It will be something new for us, for sure.”
In contrast to the distance, this is a short-lived series.
The teams have played just three times, with Wylie winning all three.
The 2022 game was a classic, with Wylie connecting on a short touchdown pass with 33 seconds left to win 27-24 at Dick Bivens.
The game started late—Amarillo and Abilene played into overtime in the first game of the doubleheader—and the Wylie faithful were pulling into their driveways close to 4 a.m. The team arrived an hour later.
What’s at Stake
Wylie is hoping to go 3-0 in district play, a win that would likely secure a playoff spot in this competitive district. The Bulldogs will have Memorial, likely still stinging from an 0-2 start, and preseason favorite Lubbock-Cooper in upcoming back-to-back games.
Along with defending its district title, Wylie knows that the higher the finish, the less chance of another long road trip.
Over the past three years, the Bulldogs have hosted the bi-district game—forcing El Paso High and El Paso Andress (twice) to make the 900-plus-mile roundtrip to Abilene.
Scouting the Dons
Palo Duro is led offensively by junior quarterback Julian Reese II, who has thrown for eight touchdowns after passing for 2,200 yards and 20 scores last year.
His top target is senior Darien Lewis, who accounted for 15 offensive touchdowns, while junior Raymond Johnson IV has led the running game, totaling just under 600 yards in 2024.
Defensively, linebacker Keima’J Barnes recorded 174 tackles as a sophomore, and 240-pound lineman Keimaure Raymond had five sacks as a freshman.
Palo Duro is giving up the equivalent of a touchdown a game.
“They always play great defense, they always fly to the football,” Martin said.
However, Wylie has scored 130 points in the three-game series.
This year’s defense is “extremely aggressive,” Martin said.
“They play a lot of press coverage, they load the box. They try to outnumber you and run to the football. They have the guys with the ability to do that.”
How do you overcome that?
“We have to turn it into a football game and not a track meet,” Martin said. “We have to control the time of possession.”
Offensive Keys
Wylie has done well in that department this year. The Bulldogs kept the ball the entire fourth quarter in their win over Lubbock Coronado and ran out the last 6:25 against Cooper.
Martin said the Bulldogs will continue to throw the football, relying on the improving play of junior quarterback Jadin Karleskint.
Karleskint has completed 72 of 104 passes (69%). His 246-yard game against Cooper pushed him over 1,000 yards for the season with nine touchdown passes—six to Blaze Ruffin in the last four games.
“We’re still going to throw the ball down the field,” Martin said. “Do what we do. A lot of what we do is RPO (run-pass option).”
As Karleskint has matured, Wylie’s offense has opened up both vertically and horizontally.
“It makes it easier to run the football.”
Martin hopes to see Julius Laine and Cooper Jones chew up yards and clock to finish drives. Laine scored the winning TD against Cooper and has 11 total touchdowns this season.
Playing Smart
Wylie survived three first-half turnovers in its win over Legacy, but penalties and miscues have occasionally slowed momentum. Against Palo Duro, those mistakes could prove costly.
“Executing and not making mistakes becomes amplified,” Martin said. “We have to be as close to perfect in execution and taking care of the football as we can.”
He also emphasized the importance of starting fast.
“It will be a lot easier to play the way we want to play,” Martin said. “The beginning of the game will dictate a lot.”
If the Bulldogs start slow?
“Be patient and continue to go with our game plan,” he added. “Being ahead on the scoreboard will help out a lot this week.”
Halftime Help
For the most part, Wylie has been a better team in the second half. Against Cooper, tied 22-all at halftime, the Bulldogs controlled the game with ball possession.
Martin credited coordinators Jason Meng (offense) and Matt Kates (defense) for quick halftime adjustments.
“It starts with those coordinators. They do a really, really good job with that.”
He also praised his players:
“They take what you tell them at halftime and go out and execute it. I’m really proud of the way our kids do that and believe in each other and the coaches.”
Facing Speed and Talent
Wylie had to adjust to Cooper’s speed—a challenge that Martin believes will help against Palo Duro.
“That will help us going into this week,” he said.
The Bulldogs’ defense will need to contain Lewis, Palo Duro’s versatile offensive weapon.
“He’s a dynamic athlete,” Martin said. “He’ll be in the backfield, he’ll be at receiver, he’s thrown several passes. Get him in space is what they are trying to do.”
Series History
Wylie and Palo Duro have played only three times in District 2-5A games:
2024: Wylie 70, Palo Duro 28
2023: Wylie 33, Palo Duro 16
2022: Wylie 27, Palo Duro 24
District 2-5A Standings
Team | District | Season |
|---|---|---|
Wylie | 2–0 (74–46) | 4–2 (203–136) |
Amarillo Palo Duro | 1–0 (48–6) | 4–1 (166–37) |
Plainview | 1–0 (37–22) | 2–2 (203–211) |
Lubbock-Cooper | 1–1 (71–63) | 4–2 (250–200) |
Abilene Cooper | 1–1 (65–56) | 3–3 (220–155) |
WF Memorial | 0–2 (33–90) | 4–2 (200–178) |
WF Legacy | 0–2 (50–94) | 1–5 (95–257) |
Week 6 Results
Wylie 29, Abilene Cooper 22
Amarillo Palo Duro 48, WF Memorial 6
Lubbock-Cooper 49, WF Legacy 26
Plainview open
Week 7 Schedule
Wylie at Amarillo Palo Duro
Lubbock-Cooper at Abilene Cooper
Plainview at WF Legacy
WF Memorial open
Week 8 Preview
WF Memorial at Wylie
Amarillo Palo Duro at Lubbock-Cooper
Abilene Cooper at Plainview
WF Legacy open
Watch Game On Youtube @WylieBulldogProductions