After back-to-back home wins the 2-2 Tioga Bulldogs head back out on the road for a date with the 5-0 Tom Bean Tomcats on Friday.
The undefeated Tomcats roll into the game clicking like a welloiled machine, outscoring their last three opponents— Valley View, Prairiland and Whitewright— 169-20.
“This is a team playing some really good football right now,” said Zach Birdwell, Tioga athletic director and head football coach. “They’re very well coached and led by a high-level quarterback. … They’re averaging close to 50 points a game and would probably be over 50 if they had played a whole game versus Chisum, so they’re a good ball club. It’s impossible for them to be undefeated and not be.”
The Tomcats finished 6-4 and fifth in 2A-1 Region II District 6 last season but are playing like a much-improved squad in 2025, averaging an almost 40-point margin of victory to open the season.
Tom Bean’s offense is led by field general Donnie Hooten, who has already thrown for over 1,700 yards and 19 touchdowns through five games.
“First and foremost, we have to get a little pressure on him,” Birdwell said. “If he’s allowed to just sit in the pocket and throw, he’s going to pick apart any defense, but Coach [Beau] Burriss and the defense have a plan on the back end. Our secondary has been really sound this year, and we’re just looking forward to the challenge.”
On the other side of the ball, Tom Bean’s defense has been equally impressive, holding their opponents to 14 points or less in four of five games so far this season.
Free safety Brayden Bomar, who has accumulated 41 tackles and 4 interceptions, and linebacker Tatum Hanson, with 71 tackles, headline the Tomcats’ defense.
“Our offensive game plan never really changes,” Birdwell said. “We want to be able to take care of the football and play with some tempo and take what the defense gives us. We finally found our groove in these last couple of games, really finding what we can do, so no matter what look the defense gives us, we’re going to have answers for it.”
A win over Tom Bean would go a long way toward helping the Bulldogs retain their district championship, and Birdwell said his team will be ready for the moment.
“This is the biggest game of the year for us this year, but not because of who it is or the implications, but because it’s the game we get to control,” he said. “There’s no extra motivation needed. Our kids plan to keep this district championship, coming back here for another year, and we know, regardless of who we’re playing, everybody’s going to want to take that from us, and we’re going to continue to work hard to make sure nobody does.”
Tioga and Tom Bean are scheduled to get underway at 7 p.m. Friday at Tomcat Stadium.
