STINNET, Texas (KFDA) – Hunter Ashley enters his first season as West Texas High head football coach following a program that went 14-1 and reached the state semifinals last fall, with a new staff and a new identity built around physicality.
Ashley said the program will look different under his leadership, but the work ethic that drove last year’s success will remain.
“The season they had last year was tremendous. I think it really reinvigorated the community pride that Stinnett’s kind of known for,” Ashley said. “We’re going to be different. I’m different than what was here. But one thing that will remain the same — that team won a lot of games because they worked hard and did things the right way. And we’re going to continue doing that here in Stinnett.”
Team identity
Ashley said physicality will define how the Comanches play on both sides of the ball.
“We talk a lot about physicality. We want to be known as a physical team,” Ashley said. “We’ve got a really tough schedule and we want people to know when they play the Comanches that they’re in for it all night long.”
New leaders stepping up
Ashley said the departure of key seniors has created opportunities for younger players to take on larger roles.
“It’s given our guys a unique opportunity to step into a role that they may not have had to do last year,” Ashley said. “The guys that make the other people around them better, that are able to hold their peers to a high standard — that’s a difficult thing for a high school kid to do. And when those guys are able to hold themselves to the standards that we set forth as coaches, that’s when you can have a really special team.”
Handling the pressure
Ashley said the expectations that come with last year’s success are something the program embraces.
“That pressure that we feel is a privilege. There’s communities in our state that don’t value athletics and football the way the people in Stinnett do,” Ashley said. “We’re a process-oriented team. It’s not always about worrying about the end goal. It’s about figuring out what do I need to do to prepare myself to earn that end goal.”
Message to fans
Ashley said the community can expect an aggressive brand of football from the Comanches this season.
“Our fans ought to expect to see a physical brand of football. Our community deserves it,” Ashley said. “This is a very prideful community. It’s a very small town. The school is the town.”
2026 West Texas High football Schedule
*denotes district game
OpponentDatevs. TuliaAug. 28@ ShamrockSept. 4vs. GuymonSept. 11@ WheelerSept. 18vs. FritchSept. 25@ RopesOct. 1vs. Bovina *Oct. 9@ Vega *Oct. 16OpenOct. 23vs. Gruver *Oct. 30@ Stratford *Nov. 6
Copyright 2026 KFDA. All rights reserved.