Wylie heads to Lubbock focused on fixing the mistakes from Week 1 and showing improvement against a talented Plainsmen team.

Article by Greg Jaklewicz

Photos Courtesy of TexPix.com

Lubbock Monterey stormed back to win Friday. Wylie did not.

Down 28-9 at halftime to rival Coronado, a team the Plainsmen walloped 42-7 in 2025, Monterey rallied for a narrow 36-35 win to start the season.

The Plainsmen scored with 25 seconds to go on a touchdown pass from E’Davion Taylor to Majd Alturk.

In south Abilene, the Bulldogs fell behind Brownwood 13-0 and could not complete a pass to the end for a touchdown with 30 seconds to play. The 13-7 loss was the second in three games for Wylie against Class 4A Brownwood.

Monterey and Wylie again square off at Lowrey Field in Lubbock in the second game of the season. A year ago, the Plainsmen dominated the second half, erasing a 7-3 halftime deficit to top Wylie 24-21.

Wylie led twice in that game, the last time at 14-10. Monterey scored twice for a 24-14 lead before the Bulldogs cut it to three points. An interception of quarterback Jadin Karleskint prevented Wylie from attempting a tying field goal.

The Bulldogs did not score an offensive touchdown until midway through the third quarter. Their first-half points came on an interception return for a touchdown.

Game 2 this year is important for Wylie.

Coach Clay Martin said it “is about us.”

“We have to have a better performance and show improvement from Game 1,” he said. “We need to continue to improve. That’s essential.”

Monterey magic

Taking a one-point win over a team that went 1-9 a year might raise eyebrows, but Wylie coach Clay Martin said Coronado has improved.

At Sandifer Stadium last fall, Wylie clobbered Coronado 70-14. The teams meet Sept. 24 back at Lowrey Field.

And don’t discount Monterey.

The Plainsmen were without its starting quarterback, Jonah Reed, who faced Wylie in 2025. His replacement, freshman Hayden Dewbre, struggled in the first half.

Monterey moved receiver Taylor to quarterback and he threw three second-half scoring passes, including a 52-yard to Alturk with 6:00 to play that got the Plainsmen to within 35-30.

Legin Williams, who scored a TD for Monterey last year against Wylie, got the Plainsmen on the board with a TD run in the first half. He had 64 yards on the ground for the game to lead his team. Oryan Jackson added 53 yards.

Alturk made the most of his two catches with two scores but the go-to receiver was Noah Alexander, who had 10 catches for more than 100 yards and a short TD catch thrown by Taylor.

Monterey totaled 373 yards on offense. Last year, the Plainsmen had 361 against the Bulldogs.

“Monterey is extremely talented,” said Martin, who believes Reed will be back at quarterback.

“They will be a big challenge for us. They have several options at quarterback for sure.”

‘We’re building toward Friday’

Wylie’s loss to Brownwood was not expected.

The Bulldogs shot themselves in the paw with a touchdown called back due to a penalty, a missed goal, a fumble inside the 10, a blocked field goal, and a motion penalty with the football at the Lions 16 late in the game that made a first down or touchdown harder to get.

Martin said the team’s spirit was down, as would be expected, Saturday but it was time to move on. They let a winnable game get away.

“There were a lot of good things … the outcome obviously wasn’t what we were looking for,” he said. “A lot of good takeaways. All of the problems we had on Friday night are fixable.

“We didn’t execute when we had to. It was an event that took place and we don’t feel any different about our team. There was time to mope and pout but once you get to Monday, it’s back on. We’re just building toward Friday.”

The Bulldogs played solid defense, giving up points on short fields. The Lions’ touchdown came on a drive to start the second half. Wylie, in contrast, drove inside the Brownwood 5 on its first possession but came away with no points. That alone was a difference in the outcome.

“We played a good football team that played really well,” Martin said of the Lions.

Brownwood had a simple plan - run the ball and throw a few key passes. Challenge Wylie on defense.

Running back Trent Buffington ran for 115 yards on 26 carries to help his team control the clock. On Brownwood’s touchdown drive, quarterback Riggs Gray completed three passes. Another completion later in the game set up an important field goal that gave Brownwood a 13-0 lead. That forced Wylie to need two touchdowns to win.

“I thought we played well defensively with the exception of the one drive after halftime,” Martin said. “A limited amount of missed assignments.”

Brownwood operates out of the I-formation with its quarterback under center. It’s an offense not used much anymore.

“It’s a physical game and I thought we were able to do a decent job against the run,” Martin said.

Wylie gained almost 300 yards but the Lions did not give up the big play, with one exception. A 35-yard pass from Karleskint to Dylan Regala in the fourth quarter showed what the Bulldogs could do.

However, on Friday they did it just once.

Boxing match

Wylie went to its “box” offense in the second half hoping to change things up and perhaps wear down Brownwood’s defense. That worked, as the Bulldogs moved down the field. Wylie got to the Lions 10 only to have a field goal blocked.

“It’s an old school offense from back in the day. It’s something we’ve had since coach (Jason) Meng has been here,” Martin said. Wylie usually goes with it in short-yard situations and/or near the goal line. This was more mid-field.

“I think it can be something effective for us throughout the year,” he said. It can be explosive; Landry Pate broke a 17-yard, the longest by a back the entire game.

Down in the game, it showed the Bulldogs believed they still could win the game.

“I really feel like we didn’t panic,” Martin said. “We kept playing hard all the way to the end. We gave ourselves a chance to steal one, and we just couldn’t get it done.”

Outside of Pate’s run and a 27-yard scamper by Karleskint when he saw open field on a rollout, Wylie’s running game was soft, totaling less than 100 yards. Brownwood crowded the line of scrimmage, making it harder to run.

“We have to get better at taking advantage of what the defense gives us. The alignment of the defense determines if you’re running the football,” Martin said. Wylie had at least 10 running plays called that turned into passes.

Karleskint threw for 175 yards, twice finding Regala open in the end zone. Only one scoring throw counted.

“I think as the year goes on you’ll see the running game get stronger, the comfortability of the backs,” Martin said. “It’s one of the least experienced positions we have.”

The Bulldogs gained just 56 yards rushing last year against Monterey.

Around the district

It was a good start for the two Wichita Falls schools. Memorial played a Thursday night game and took a decisive win over Fort Worth Paschal.

On Friday, Legacy, which finished in the lower half of the standings last year, took down Grapevine, 24-21. Legacy has won just three times in its first 21 games but two wins have been season-openers.

Returning district champ Palo Duro lost to crosstown rival Amarillo High 21-7 after winning that game easily last year. The Dons also lost their opener in 2025, then won 10 straight games,

Abilene Cooper lost a lead and then to Azle. Cooper was second in the district last year.

An eye-opener was Frenship’s 50-17 thrashing of Lubbock-Cooper. Wylie has to play at Frenship in non-district play.

Only Memorial and Lubbock-Cooper are at home this week.

2026 District 2-5A standings

Aug. 27 game

WF Memorial 54, FW Paschal 34

Aug. 28 games

Brownwood 13 Wylie, 7

Azle 24, Abilene Cooper 21

Amarillo High 21, Palo Duro 7

Frenship 50, Lubbock-Cooper 17

WF Legacy 24, Grapevine 21

Friday’s games

Wylie at Lubbock Monterey

Palo Duro vs. Amarillo Caprock

Abilene Cooper vs. Abilene High

Greenwood at Lubbock-Cooper

WF Legacy at FW Eastern Hills

Canyon Randall at FW Memorial

WATCH HERE!!!!