Bonham Warrior Athletics

Our 2023 football season has come to an end. Our win/loss record is disappointing. No one will disagree with that. But our record will not define this group. We felt the growing pains of an inexperienced team. But the growth is there. We required our guys to do things they have never done or at least not done in a long time. We have to be better at many things. We will get better at those things. I am very proud of our young men that chose to do things that the average high school student will not. I am proud of our coaches for pouring into our athletes in ways that far outweigh the game of football. We will return in 2024 bigger, faster, and stronger.

Our junior varsity football team had over 40 participants battling for starting roles by the time school began. The junior varsity battled adversity and responded well throughout the year. The coaching staff leaned on our core group of freshmen each week, with the focus on building their fundamentals, knowledge, skill, and ultimately making them better young men for the future. The offensive and defensive line was anchored by sophomores Landon Matlock, Eric Moreno, and freshmen Landyn Reeves. The offensive and defensive skills positions rallied around freshmen Jordan Gonzales and Hayden Webb. We have over 20 freshman in the program. Our goal for this group as we continue to develop them is to keep them together.

As the football season comes to an end here at Bonham and the next sport begins, we want to look back on the season to find not only what we need to work on, but to find the good in the hard work our boys put in. Both 7th and 8th grade teams were unable to secure a win this season while our gray team was able to come away with two wins. Despite having losing seasons, we are able to celebrate some victories along the way. This season we had five boys that were able to move up from the B team to get playing time in starting positions with the A team. The success we had early in the year on B Team was a result of the growth that these boys were having through their development. Our A teams were unable to come home with a win this season, but they were in many one or two score games to some very competitive programs. The ability to grow in our new offense and defense this year was apparent from the first game to the last. Our biggest deficits this year was physicality. Our plan for the offseason is to focus on strength, specifically in our core and agility to help our boys become more explosive off the ball and have more fight through the whistle. Our biggest gain from this year is that you can sense a change in culture taking place. Boys are buying into the program and accepting accountability from their coaches and their peers.

Each week the coaching staff selects Players of the Week.

Offensive Player of the Week

Defensive Player of the Week

Special Teams Player of the Week

Big Hit of the Week

Big Block of the Week

Scout Team Player of the Week

JV Player of the Week

Depending on how the week went, we might not fill all these spots but we try to use this opportunity to highlight the efforts of our players.

Our boys cross country team closed out their season on 10/23 at the regional meet in Grand Prairie. I have described this group all year as the toughest kids we have in the program. What it takes to compete at the level that they do and to bring home medals and plaques on a regular basis is unmatched. We are very proud of the work they have put in over the last several months and the way they represented Bonham ISD. Look our 2024, they are coming!

Our boys basketball program has begun the 2023-2024 campaign. November 6th and 7th was slated for basketball tryouts at all levels. We had 67 total junior high boys come out for tryouts (39 7th graders & 28 8th graders). Those teams were cut down to 20 in each grade level. At the high school 42 boys came out, we kept 34 players for our three teams.

LH Rather Staff

Coach Youngman

Coach Burnett

Coach Ashlock

BHS Staff

Coach Ross

Coach Hodges

Coach Outlaw

Both our JH and HS programs kick off the season on Saturday, November 11 at home. Our Indians are playing Leonard and our Warriors are playing Ector.

I want to highlight some of our coaches. This month is our Boys Soccer Coach, Clay Wilson. Coach Wilson also coaches football for the Purple Warriors.

Clay Wilson

What is your coaching assignment? Assistant Football/ Head Boys Soccer

What is your teaching assignment? Pathways CC

How many years have your been at BISD? 2

How many years have your been teaching and coaching? 15

Where else have your coached? Savoy

What else have you coached? Former AD/Head Football, Basketball, Head Baseball, Cross Country, Track, Golf, and Tennis

Family? Whitney (Wife) Everlee age 5 (daughter) Emmy age 2 (Daughter)

What does your spouse do for a living? Nurse at Baylor Scott and White

What are your hobbies? Hunting, Fishing, Golf, and playing in the garden

What would you be doing if you were not a teacher and coach? I would probably be involved in sports medicine to still work with athletes

What do you enjoy about Bonham ISD? I enjoy the strong traditions that surround Bonham ISD and how they have been preserved over the years