WHITE SETTLEMENT – The Aledo Bearcats started off district play in dominant form Friday night, Sept. 13, at Brewer High School. The Bearcats scored a barrage of points early, the stingy defense did not surrender a single point, and the special teams unit was firing on all cylinders in a complete performance for Aledo, who won its district opener by a final score of 64-0.
“It feels really good,” Aledo senior wideout Blake Burdine said. “We’re just focusing on getting better each week and staying consistent but it feels really good to get a win like this.”
The Bearcats were both formidable and consistent with their output on the field against Brewer, who was forced to punt the football 11 times against a salty Bearcat front that continually infiltrated the Bears’ backfield. Offensively, Aledo scored on all but four of its 13 offensive possessions and also got several quality punt returns from junior Lamel Swanson on special teams.
“All phases played pretty good, offense, defense and special teams,” Bearcats head coach Robby Jones said. “I thought at times we were a little sloppy so we can clean those things up – that shows you how spoiled we are here at Aledo. We can win 64-0 and we’re talking about how we can be better, but those are our expectations here – to be one of the elites in the state.”
Aledo looked the part of an elite team as it opened up scoring in its primordial 2024 district contest at the 10:13 mark of the first quarter. On that drive, junior quarterback Nash McElree hit Burdine in stride on a touch pass from 22 yards out as Burdine raced from left to right, bolted down the sideline, and leapt over the pylon while absorbing contact from Brewer defenders for a quick 7-0 lead. Later, star junior running back Ray Guillory capped off an eight-play, 50-yard drive with a 5-yard touchdown run to double the lead with 8:54 to go in the opening quarter.
As the defense continued to usher Brewer off the field within three plays per drive, the Bearcat offense kept pushing points on the scoreboard. Aledo overcame a lost fumble and a turnover on downs on consecutive possessions after finding the end zone in the middle of the second quarter as Kaden Winkfield ran it in from 34 yards out at the 6:19 mark before halftime. Bearcats senior Waldron Byars scored on the two-point conversion try for a 22-0 lead.
After the Bearcat defense forced another Brewer punt, the offense kept its stride as Lincoln Tubbs scored on a 22-yard run to make it 29-0 less than two minutes later. Aledo found the end zone one more time before halftime as Guillory made his presence known with a 4-yard score. Guillory logged a 29-yard run earlier in the drive to help set up his touchdown run that stretched Aledo’s lead to 35-0 at intermission.
“We’re just rallying around each other, trusting in one another and in our coaches,” Burdine said. “We know what we’re capable of so the goal is just to not try and do too much.”
Once the clock showed zeroes across the board, McElree finished with unofficial totals of 11-for-13 passing for 201 yards and two scores along with five carries for 29 yards. Jones said the plan is to have starting quarterback Gavin Beard back on the field from an upper body injury in their Homecoming game Friday, but said McElree provides “a really good alternative plan” should his services be called upon under center.
“Nash played well. I liked seeing him hit the deep ball there in the second half, which was something we talked about at halftime,” Jones said. “We’ve been kind of careful with him but we decided to let him start taking some shots down the field, and he was able to make plays for us.”
Burdine also shined for the Bearcats, who recorded both their highest scoring output and posted their first shutout of the 2024 season. The senior finished with four catches for 117 yards and two touchdowns and is eager to continue the trend.
“It’s pretty rewarding. Everybody grinds in the offseason,” Burdine said. “We work harder than everyone else and we pride ourselves on that, so it makes it pretty special what we’ve got going this season.”
Finley also shined out wide with a team-high five receptions for 71 yards while Guillory rushed for two scores and 82 yards. Winkfield ended his productive night with six carries for 83 yards and two touchdowns while junior reserve running back Brady Powell ended the night as the team’s leading rusher. He registered 10 carries for 99 yards and a touchdown all in the second half.
The dominant win marked Aledo’s 120th consecutive district victory, an active streak dating back to the 2007 season.
“It’s a great program accomplishment because that’s many, many years of guys putting in the work and getting it done out on the football field during district play,” Jones said of the streak. “For us, it’s good for us because it keeps us in the top of the district standings, and we want to win every football game no matter the circumstance.”
The Bearcats (2-1, 1-0) will take the field again at 7 p.m. Friday at Tim Buchanan Stadium against Birdville as Aledo celebrates its Homecoming night.
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