ETB FOOTBALL PREVIEW | West Rusk’s schedule one of state’s hardest, & Raiders can rise to the challenge
NEW LONDON – If business in West Rusk’s 3A Division II football district wasn’t tough enough a year ago, the University Interscholastic League’s latest re-alignment certainly didn’t help.
Adding Jefferson, previously from District 8-3A Division I, should make it even more difficult and interesting for the likes of West Rusk, Troup and Arp.
Each is ranked among the top 10 in preseason 3A Division II polls. But so is Jefferson: three teams in the same district, all state-ranked.
Ranked in Region III is nice, but in Dave Campbell’s Texas Football preseason rankings is even better where Troup is second overall in 3A-DII; newcomer Jefferson is eighth; and Arp, 21st.
Rafe Mata returns for his fourth season as the head football coach of the Raiders.
Through Oct. 18 of last season, West Rusk found itself just a game behind Troup and a game ahead of Arp in the district standings. But the Raiders lost two of their final three regular-season games to Troup and Arp, subsequently finishing third in the district’s playoff pecking order.
This is now, though, and the Raiders are prepping to make another run at district and then hopefully in the playoffs. They’ve made the postseason each of the previous three seasons (7-4, 4-7 and 10-3), reaching the regional semifinals after going unbeaten in district in 2023.
“We’re excited about the upcoming season,” Mata said. “We have some growth we needed to take care of after last season and our players have responded. They have used the summer to get better as individuals and as a team.”
Mata welcomes six returning offensive starters and five on defense from the 2025 team.
Leaders on this year’s team should be Kam Brown, Chris Sanchez, Kemontrea McGregor and Kyron Reed. There’s surprise that Brown (6-foot-4, 175 pounds, a defensive back and wide receiver) being on this list since he was voted to last year’s Texas SportsWriters first team all-state as a defensive back and is a member of this year’s DCTF 2026 preseason 3A first team defense.
Brown can play either safety or corner in the secondary. Last season he had nine picks, returning two of those for touchdowns.
Sanchez (5-10, 165, also a DB), and McGregor (5-10, 185, DB/WR) added to the mix in the secondary should give the Raiders a formidable defense against any opponents’ passing attack.
Other defensive returnees of note are Anthony Starling (6-3, 240, a lineman on both sides of the ball), Tucker Heathco (a linebacker / running back) and Terrance Newton (a defensive end).
Offensive linemen of note returning are Reed (OT), Kaleb Wilson (OG), Rex Henshaw (OT), and Jose Sanchez (OG).
Other key performers are Gunner Harp (6-1, 165, WR/DB), and Rhett Jackson (6-0, 195, LB/FB).
Also Jaylon Gardner (WR/DB), Caiden Landon (LB/RB), Drake Mills (LB), Daylan Williams (RB).
West Rusk opens its season on the road at Tatum on Aug. 28 with a 7 p.m. starting time before returning home to entertain Diboll (Sept. 4) and Gladewater on Thursday, Sept. 10.
The Raiders close non-district with games at Garrison on Sept. 18 and at White Oak on Sept. 25 at 7 p.m.
Following an open date on Oct. 2, West Rusk visits Arp, hosts New Diana and visits Jefferson on Oct. 23 and Troup on Thursday, Oct. 29 before its regular- season finale at home against Winona on Nov. 6.