Fan Vote | Who should be 2025-26 All-Big Country Boys High School Athlete of the Year?
From the football field to the track and from the basketball court to the baseball diamond, the Big Country area’s top high school athletes left their mark on the 2025-26 school year with record-breaking performances and outstanding individual achievements.
Now with the high school track and field season officially in the books, it’s time to answer a major question – Who was the Big Country’s best boys high school athlete during the 2025-26 school year?
We want to hear from you! The Reporter-News has selected 16 of the top Big Country-area high school athletes as finalists for the 2025-26 Readers’ Choice All-Big Country Boys High School Athlete of the Year.
Finalists were selected based upon statistics, individual accolades, team success, record-breaking performances and feedback from area coaches representing a wide array of different UIL-sponsored sports.
The Readers’ Choice All-Big Country Boys High School Athlete of the Year poll will open on Monday, July 20, and close at 5 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 4.
Here is a closer look at every candidate for the ARN’s 2025-26 Readers’ Choice All-Big Country Boys High School Athlete of the Year award:
Athletes listed in alphabetical order below.
Camden Ables, Hawley, Jr.
Ables was one of the Big Country’s best two-way high school football players during a standout junior season at tight end where he hauled in 45 passes for 792 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns as well as 27 tackles, four tackles for loss, four pass breakups, 1.5 sacks, an interception and a forced fumble to help Hawley reach the area round of the 2A DI UIL Playoffs. He also won a gold medal at the 2026 UIL State Track and Field Meet in the Class 2A boys discus (172-3).
Jarrell Best, Roscoe, Sr.
Few players had as much impact on their team’s success than Best, who captained the Plowboys to the District 8-2A title, a 34-3 overall record and a regional semifinal appearance in the 2A DII UIL Boys Basketball Playoffs. Best — the District 8-2A MVP and a Class 2A all-state selection by the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches — posted 19.5 points, 7.6 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 3.3 steals per game for Roscoe.
Kolton Dearth, Stephenville, Sr.
Dearth — an Army football signee — won a gold medal for Stephenville in the Class 4A shot put (61-2.5) at the 2026 UIL State Track and Field Meet and anchored the Yellow Jackets’ dominant defense on the football field during a 16-0 season that ended with Stephenville’s seventh football state title in school history. He shined at defensive tackle, earning the District 4-4A DI MVP award after racking up 79 tackles, 25 tackles for loss and two sacks.
George Ferguson, Abilene High, Jr.
Ferguson was one of the Lone Star State’s most electric pitchers during the 2026 Texas high school baseball season, earning both the District 4-5A MVP award and the Class 5A Pitcher of the Year award from the Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association. He recorded a 0.10 ERA with 135 strikeouts, 17 hits and five walks allowed in 66⅔ innings pitched for Abilene High. Ferguson also tallied nine complete-game shutouts, three no-hitters and one perfect game to cap off a sensational junior year for the Eagles.
Colt Gentry, Jayton, Sr.
Gentry was one of the driving forces behind the Jaybirds’ dual runs to a second straight six-man football state championship and a third consecutive UIL boys basketball state title. He made a name for himself as a sharpshooter and tough defender during a dominant senior year on the basketball court, earning the District 13-1A MVP and TABC all-state honors after averaging 17 points, seven rebounds, four steals and three assists per game.
Jordan Gutierrez, Hico, Sr.
After advancing to the UIL State Track and Field Meet as a junior at Class 1A Iredell as a junior, Gutierrez raised the bar during a dominant senior season at Hico. The senior made it back to the 2026 UIL State Track and Field Meet and ran away with three gold medals for the Tigers in the Class 2A division, winning first place in the 100-meter dash (10.57), the long jump (22-10.5) and the 200-meter dash (21.30).
Huffman Heatly, Albany, Sr.
Heatly was a defensive standout for the Lions on the football field, recording 32 tackles, five interceptions and four pass breakups, as well as 40 receptions for 574 yards and five touchdowns to earn first team all-district honors at both defensive back and wide receiver. He earned a share of the District 10-2A MVP award in basketball after tallying 11.6 points, 11.5 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game for an Albany squad that finished 24-2 overall. He also made meaningful contributions to Albany’s baseball team.
Max Jones, De Leon, Sr.
Jones’ breakaway speed made him one of the Big Country’s most explosive athletes on the football field in 2025 and on the track in 2026. He helped De Leon reach the regional semifinals of the 2A DI UIL Football Playoffs after hauling in 63 catches for 985 receiving yards and eight touchdowns, while adding 35 tackles, eight pass deflections and four interceptions defensively too. He also won a silver medal in the Class 2A boys 400-meter dash (48.50) at the 2026 UIL State Track and Field Meet.
Breck Lawson, Tuscola Jim Ned, Sr.
Lawson capped off a strong senior year with an impressive track and field season in which he won a bronze medal in the Class 3A boys triple jump (43-0.25) at the Region I-3A UIL Regional Track and Field Meet in Abilene, and also helped Jim Ned’s 4×400 and 4×100-meter relay teams earn fifth (3:15.80) and sixth-place finishes (41.99), respectively, at the 2026 UIL State Track and Field Meet. He was also a dominant two-way player on the Indians’ football squad that reached the regional semifinals of the 3A DI UIL Football Playoffs, earning District 3-3A DI MVP honors after racking up 31 tackles, 14 pass deflections, four tackles for loss, four interceptions and two forced fumbles defensively with 51 receptions for 782 yards and seven touchdowns offensively.
Aidyn Lee, Goldthwaite, Jr.
Lee was a talented, impact player who started for Goldthwaite in three varsity sports during a standout junior year. He hit .325 with a .934 OPS for the Eagles’ baseball team and helped Goldthwaite reach the area round of the 2A DII UIL Football Playoffs as both a wide receiver and ball-hawking defensive back. Lee left his mark most on the basketball court, though, tallying 14.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 2.7 steals per game to earn the District 29-2A MVP award, TABC All-Region honors and help Goldthwaite reach the regional semifinals of the UIL playoffs.
Hudson Luft, Ira, Sr.
Luft was standout on both Ira’s boys basketball squad that advanced to the regional finals of the 1A DI UIL Playoffs and the Bulldogs’ football team that clinched a bi-district berth in the 1A DII six-man football playoffs. But Luft’s presence was felt most on the baseball diamond, where he shined at shortstop earning a Class 1A THSBCA All-State selection after hitting .473 with 28 runs scored, 22 RBIs, 14 stolen bases, eight doubles, three triples and a home run.
Stryker Reed, Gordon, Sr.
Reed — an Air Force football and track signee — shined for the Longhorns during their 15-0 run to a third consecutive six-man football state championship, was a key fixture in Gordon’s top-five TABC-ranked boys basketball squad and served as one of the most consistent hitters on the Longhorns’ baseball squad that made a run to the Class 1A UIL Baseball State Championship. He also qualified for the 2026 UIL State Track and Field Meet in a jaw-dropping five events — winning a bronze medal in the Class 1A boys pole vault (14-0) and three gold medals in the 110-meter hurdles (14.20), 300-meter hurdles (37.24) and as the second leg of Gordon’s 4×400-meter relay team (3:23.04).
Carter Toof, Cisco, Jr.
Toof played a major role in helping the Loboes capture the District 4-2A DI football championship and advance to the regional finals of the 2A DI UIL Football Playoffs, collecting first team all-district honors after racking up 39 tackles, nine pass deflections, seven interceptions and two tackles for loss defensively with 22 receptions for 294 yards and five touchdowns offensively. He played an even bigger role in Cisco’s basketball success, earning District 10-2A Co-MVP honors and a TABC All-Region selection after finishing a strong junior season as the Big Country’s leading scorer averaging 28.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.4 steals and 2.3 assists per contest.
Carlos Vega, Stamford, Jr.
Vega was a monster for the Bulldogs defensively on the football field and at the plate for Stamford on the baseball diamond. He racked up 110 tackles, four tackles for loss, two pass breakups and 1.5 sacks in just nine games on the football field. Then on the baseball diamond, Vega tallied a .369 batting average with 38 RBIs, six triples, four doubles and three home runs in addition to posting a 1.69 ERA on the mound through 33 innings pitched for the Bulldogs.
Luke White, Hamlin, Sr.
White was a first team all-district pick for the Pied Pipers at both wide receiver and defensive back after he helped Hamlin reach the 2A DII UIL Football Playoffs with 85 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, eight pass deflections, five forced fumbles and two defensive touchdowns to go along with 762 total yards of offense and six touchdown catches. He was also named to the 2026 THSCA Class 1A Super Elite Team after a standout season in the outfield during Hamlin’s run to the state semifinals of the Class 1A UIL Baseball Playoffs.
Jariyis Williams, Munday, Sr.
Williams was a star on the basketball court during the Moguls’ run to the 1A DI UIL state semifinals, averaging 14.7 points, 11.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 2.1 steals and 1.1 blocks to earn a TABC All-Region selection and District 16-1A Offensive MVP honors. Williams also made a name for himself as a track star, running the anchor leg in Munday’s 4×400-meter relay team that won a silver medal (3:27.07) at the 2026 UIL State Track and Field Meet. He also won a bronze medal in the high jump (6-2) at the Region II-1A UIL Regional Track and Field Meet in Abilene.
This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: Fan Vote | Who should be 2025-26 All-Big Country Boys High School Athlete of the Year?
