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C.E. King head football coach Cory Laxen is the Chronicle’s Coach of the Year.<\/p>\n
Jason Fochtman\/Staff photographer<\/p>\n
Cory Laxen is a \u201cHouston guy,\u201d through and through.<\/p>\n
Growing up on the east side of the city and attending Galena Park High School shaped his perspective on life, the game of football and his latest endeavor \u2014 coaching.<\/p>\n
So when Laxen was appointed as the head football coach at C.E. King, he could relate to the kids walking the hallways of the high school located just a stone\u2019s throw from his old stomping grounds.<\/p>\n
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Top 100: These Houston high school athletes helped define 2025-26<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cI think everything happens for a reason, and given this opportunity, I knew I had to take full advantage of it,\u201d Laxen said. \u201cI mean, I\u2019m from the east side already. I kind of know where these kids stay. I know what they go through. I\u2019ve been through what they\u2019ve been through. We all speak the same language. They know who I am. I\u2019ve been a Houston guy forever. So for me to be able to come back to the east side and be a head coach and lead these kids and coaches, it\u2019s just a blessing.\u201d<\/p>\n Laxen has been the Panthers\u2019 head coach for a year and five months. During that relatively short span of time, he and his staff and players have completely reset the expectations for the program. C.E. King finished its season at 5-5 in 2024, missing the playoffs for the first time in seven years.<\/p>\n The following January, Laxen took over and shifted the culture.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Girls Athlete of the Year: Barber’s Hill Pitcher wins award after throwing a perfect game to win a state title<\/a><\/p>\n During his first season at the helm in 2025, the Panthers tied North Shore and Summer Creek for first place in the District 23-6A standings finished their historic campaign with a 13-3 record. C.E. King made its first appearance at state, falling to DeSoto in the Class 6A Division II title game.<\/p>\n Laxen was selected as one of 12 finalists for the Chronicle\u2019s inaugural Coach of the Year award for his efforts and received the most votes from readers over a two-week period to claim the honor.<\/p>\n \u201cI think the kids saw the results of what it looks like to not have leaders,\u201d Laxen said. \u201cSo the motivation that whole offseason was to be able to create leadership, to create confidence and just have fun playing the game of football. I think by doing that, they\u2019ve seen how good they could be.\u201d<\/p>\n