Stephenville Yellowjackets fall to Ruston, a Louisiana high school football powerhouse

Stephenville Head Coach Sterling Doty knew the challenge his team was facing, squaring off against the Ruston Bearcats -- the top-ranked team in Louisiana’s highest classification and defending, unbeaten Bayou State champions.

The Yellowjackets were unable to slow down an explosive Ruston offense, falling 63-17, in a non-district neutral-site matchup on Oct. 5 at Lobo Stadium in Longview. It was the first-ever gridiron meeting between the two teams.

“Ruston is such a talented, well-coached team,” said Stephenville Head Coach Sterling Doty. “They have playmakers everywhere. Give them credit.”

Stephenville actually kept the game within striking distance for most of the first half.

The Yellowjackets went three-and-out to start the game. Stephenville’s Caleb Taylor broke through and blocked a Ruston punt on its opening possession, giving the Yellowjackets the ball at the Bearcats 35.

That would turn out to be the only time Ruston had to punt in the contest. A 20-yard completion from Ryan Gafford to Tristian Gentry advanced the ball to the 15. However, Ruston’s Terry Lewis came up with an interception to thwart the drive.

Ruston capitalized on the turnover, marching 82 yards in just five plays, as backup running back Dylone Brooks sprinted 63 yards for a touchdown.

Stephenville reached the Ruston five on its ensuring series, but had to settle for a Cade Whitehead 22-yard field goal to narrow the margin to 7-3.

Ruston responded with a six-play 65 yard drive that resulted in a 20-yard TD run by Jordan Hayes, as Stephenville trailed 14-3 entering the second stanza.

The Yellowjackets reached the Bearcats 45 on its next series, but a 10-yard sack of Gafford on fourth-and-two early in the period gave Ruston excellent field position at the Stephenville 45. And the Bearcats took advantage, with Hayes rambling in for a three-yard TD run that left the Yellowjackets with a 21-3 deficit 5:59 before halftime.

A 36-yard TD strike from Gafford to Gentry narrowed the gap to 21-10 on the next series.

The momentum was short-lived. On Ruston’s first play from scrimmage on its possession, Tulane pledge Quarterback Josh Brantley tossed a 67-yard TD to Joran Parker, quickly regaining control.

Stephenville did not quit. Punting to Ruston on its next possession, Stephenville’s Tanner Smith recovered a muffed punt at the Bearcats 20. It took just four plays to capitalize as Sawyer Wilkerson’s two-yard TD run got the Yellowjackets back to within 11 at 28-17.

That would be as close as Stephenville would get.

LSU commit Aidan Anding returned the ensuing kickoff 95 yards for a TD with 1:17 left.

After a quick three-and-out from Stephenville, a short punt gave Ruston the ball back, at the Yellowjackets 44, with 26 ticks left before halftime. After an incomplete pass, Brantley found sophomore Ahmad Hudson on a 44-yard TD with just six seconds left, as Stephenville was left with an insurmountable 42-17 deficit at intermission.

“We did some good things today actually,” said Head Coach Doty. “We just could not get to halftime soon enough. I thought when we got it 28-17 that gave us some momentum. But those two scores just before halftime we just could not overcome.”

Ruston removed any doubt of a letdown coming out of the break. Brantley again teamed with Hudson on a 56-yard TD pass on a five-play 78 yard drive. Then Anding came up with an interception that led to a 12-run Lander Smith TD run.

Stephenville ran only 10 offensive plays total in the second half, while Ruston had 26 snaps.

“We knew we had to take some chances today,” said Coach Doty. “We will learn from this and get ready for our next game. We have a bye week coming up before we start district play, so we move forward.”

Stephenville, No. 2 in the 4A D1 Texas Football state poll, and top-ranked in the Star-Telegram’s area 4A rankings, was led by Gafford, who finished with 183 passing yards (16 of 28 with two interceptions) and the one TD pass.

Gentry, a Texas Tech pledge, had a team-leading seven catches for 101 yards and one score.

Wilkerson finished with 52 rushing yards on 13 carries and the one TD.

The 63 points allowed by Stephenville was the most it had surrendered since 2020, when it fell to Melissa 65-58.

Ruston (5-0, 0-0), in winning its 19th straight game, amassed 533 yards total offense compared to 250 for Stephenville.

Brantley registered 242 passing yards on just nine completions. Brooks and Hayes totaled 95 and 78 rushing yards, respectively. Hudson had a whopping 108 yards on three catches and the two TDs.

A huge target at 6-7 230, Hudson is listed as the No. 32 recruit nationally (No. 2 in the state) by 247Sports in the 2027 class. Hudson already has offers from Texas A&M, LSU, Florida and others.

Ruston has won nine Louisiana state titles, with last year’s crown its first since 1990.

Stephenville has won six state titles -- in six title game appearances. Coach Doty, who has guided the Yellowjackets since 2019, won a 4A DI state title in 2021 with a 38-21 triumph over Austin LBJ.

Doty was an offensive lineman on a pair of Stephenville state championships coached by Art Briles in 1998 and 1999, and went on to University of Houston, where he also played for Briles.

The Stephenville Yellowjackets play their home games at Tarleton State University’s Memorial Stadium, a rental contract that expires next summer.

Next season, a brand-new 7,500-seat Stephenville ISD Stadium will open as the team’s new home, marking the first time the six-time state champions will have their own stadium.

When completed, the home-side press box area makes the stadium the tallest building in Stephenville. Construction on the new facility is on target in time to host May 2025 commencement festivities.

A November 1st district game versus Brownwood will be the last regular-season home game scheduled at a stadium that Stephenville football has called home for the last 48 years.

“A lot of special memories at that place,” said Doty. “It will be a sad time at that last game. But at the same time we are all looking forward to our new stadium.”

Stephenville (5-1, 0-0), following a bye week, will open its 4-4A DI district play hosting Marble Falls on Oct. 18 with a 7:30 slated kickoff.