2025 ETBLITZ FOOTBALL PREVIEW | SABINE / A reset, a new season, and this Cardinals team has talent (Presented by KILGORE MERCANTILE & MUSIC)
EDITOR’S NOTE: This preview is presented by Kilgore Mercantile & Music, at 105 N. Kilgore Street in downtown Kilgore. See something special below!
LIBERTY CITY – An injury early possibly cost Sabine a promising season a year ago when the Cardinals lost standout quarterback Colt Sparks.
But it’s a year later. Sparks is doing well at Texas State University. And the Cardinals? They’re just like everybody else in Texas high school football: they’re starting over.
The upcoming 2025 season is a new beginning. It brings high hopes and optimism throughout East Texas for football teams and their fans. It’s no different around here.
Some things change, but some don’t, though. District 8-3A, Division I) is one of the toughest around with last year’s three top teams (champion) Jefferson, (runner-up) Liberty-Eylau and (third-place) Atlanta expecting to be tough and very competitive again, along with Tatum, coming off a playoff campaign of its own, as a bi-district finalist with a 6-5 record.
Add Gladewater, with a new head football coach (Jermaine Lewis) and White Oak, in its third season under Michael Ludlow as its head football coach, likely to be improved over its 5-5 record a year ago.
It’s a challenge, but those come with the territory on Friday nights of the fall in Texas.
Beginning his fourth season at the helm of Sabine football, Cody Gilbert is all-inoptimistic about improving on a 2-8 overall record (0-6 against district opponents) a year ago.
Gilbert isn’t selling his young players short. “We’re going to be young with lots of sophomores playing vital roles. These guys will have to earn a spot and make a name for themselves in the coming months. We’re going to work toward that,” Gilbert said.
He sees tight end / linebacker Lincoln Royce (6 feet, 195, senior), offensive / defensive lineman Kelton Lee (6-0, 280, senior) and wide receiver / defensive back Cooper Sampson as important pieces in what the Cardinals could accomplish this season. Sampson, also a senior, missed all last season with an injury, but is expected to be ready to return in a positive leadership role. Another solid piece returning from last season’s team will be Cole Loveless (5-9, 145, Sr.), who has shown tremendous growth in the off season as both a wide receiver and defensive back, according to Gilbert.
Joining Loveless in the secondary with veteran experience are seniors Landry Laird (6-1, 170), Charles Gipson (5-9, 160) and Ashton Tave.
Other prospects Cardinal fans look to include linebacker / running back Angel Gaona, running back / defensive back Damin Richardson, quarterback / tight end Griffin Dehoyos, quarterback / defensive back Syler Pierce, offensive lineman Gavin Stewart, wide receiver / defensive back Terry Vanden, linebacker Hunter Murray, offensive / defensive lineman Christopher Marmolejo (6-2, 320) and wide receiver / defensive back Warren Royal (5-9, 155).
Gilbert sees Sabine’s offensive and defensive lines as being strengths, something to build on as the season progresses and hopes Sabine’s youth will rise to the occasion.
Meet The Cardinals is next Wednesday night, Aug. 18, at 6:30 p.m. at the gym.
Sabine kicks off the season at home against Spring Hill on Aug. 29. Sabine’s other non-district games are against Harmony, New Diana and Arp before district play opens at home against Tatum on Sept. 26.
See Sabine’s complete 2025 schedule below. And to be a business on the ETBlitz.com Sabine team poster this season, email Jenna Lucas at ads@etblitz.com. The cost is just $100, and gets your ad on the poster for as long as the Cardinals play – and the poster will be on every Cardinals’ football story on ETBlitz. Here’s an example of what it’ll look like, right after that SHS 2025 football schedule.
