Pete’s Pigskin Preview: Klondike Cougars
2025: 13-1, reached state semifinals
KLONDIKE, Texas (KCBD) - The Klondike Cougars are returning many explosive playmakers from a 13-1 team that spent all of last season as the consensus No. 2 team in Texas. Their first 11 games ended with the 45-point mercy rule, and then overcame road blocks in the playoffs from Motley County 46-34, and Miami 60-36, before losing in the state semifinals to No. 1 Jayton. Head coach Dalton DeGraffenreid believes his team has enough firepower to make another run in 2026
“We’ve got a lot coming back as far as experience. We don’t have a ton of numbers coming back, but the ones we do have coming back are pretty good ones. We returned some All-Staters and so (RB/WR) Cannon McGee, he’ll be a four-year starter for us next year, and so it’s kind of his team now,” he said. “You see those kids grow up and then they get to be in the driver’s seat when they’re seniors and he’s got some help around him, and so we’re hopefully looking for another good year.”
Along with McGee, other key returners include S Kane Gonzales, OLB Adrian Reyes, FB Cannon Scott.
Pete’s Pigskin Previews are sponsored by Grid Iron Bells.
2026 schedule, kickoff times are 7 p.m. unless noted otherwise.
- 8/28 Strawn @ Jayton, 8 p.m.
- 9/4 Aspermont
- 9/11 BYE
- 9/18 Water Valley
- 9/25 Wellman-Union, 7:30 p.m.
- 10/2 BYE
- 10/9 Westbrook*
- 10/16 Ira*
- 10/23 @ Borden County*
- 10/30 Sands*
- 11/6 @ O’Donnell*, 7:30 p.m.
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