Southeast Texas high school football: Most underrated teams entering 2024

SBLive is scouring the Lone Star State to identify the most under-the-radar teams entering the season

La Porte football during spring game. /

The Texas High School football season is approaching as the calendar prepares to flip into the best time of the year — the start of games in August. The first games will be on Aug. 29. 

Many of the top-tier programs remain among the upper echelon, but who are some of the teams that are flying under the radar heading into 2024? 

SBLive is scouring the Lone Star State to identify the most under-the-radar schools entering the state that could be worth watching for the upcoming season. After zeroing in on the five most underrated teams in North Texas (and then some), we turn to Southeast Texas.

Here are five schools to watch out for in Southeast Texas — the Houston area and the surrounding region:

ALDINE NIMITZ COUGARS (6A)

2023 record: 8-3 | 2024 schedule 

Coach Cornelius Harmon is guiding a program that has posted back-to-back winning seasons. The eight wins are the most for the program dating back to the 2004 season, according to MaxPreps stats. That comes on the heels of losing seasons the previous 9 years. The Cougars return a total of 18 starters this year — 9 on the offensive side of the ball. Junior WR Malachi Augustus and senior WR Ke’Lyn Washom provide a 1-2 punch outside and both put up big numbers last year. Washom had a 61-903-12 line, while Augustus checked in with 45-930-10. The latter has an offer from Tulsa and Washington, while Washom has gotten offers from Wyoming, UNLV, Washington and Stephen F. Austin.  Senior LB Javar Thomas enters the fall with 11 offers and 8 of them came since the calendar flipped to 2024. Texas, Washington, Houston and Baylor have extended offers since January to the 3-star recruit. Cougars have made the playoffs the past three years but haven’t won postseason game since 2003. 

BAY CITY BLACKCATS (4A)

2023 record: 8-4  | 2024 schedule

For years, the Blackcats were among the top teams in the state, reaching the finals four times during a 15-year stretch from the 1990s to 2000s. Since then, Bay City hasn’t advanced past the area game. This year, Bay City returns 15 starters and is primed to move to the third round for the first time since 2003 — the last time they made the finals. Senior RB Jada Andrews put up big numbers last year with 1,647 yards rushing and 296 yards catching the ball with 29 combined touchdowns. The offense also returns senior QB Alex Estrada, a third-year starter now who passed for 2,585 yards and 27 scores last year. Senior WR Xylan Williams — who has an offer from Temple — had 1,777 yards and 12 touchdowns as a go-to-target for Estrada. Senior LB Jaden Malone is one of 7 starters back on defense and is coming off a 117-tackle campaign in 2023.

KLEIN CAIN HURRICANES (6A)

2023 record: 8-4 | 2024 schedule

The Hurricanes are heading into this fall looking to make the playoffs for the sixth year in a row — not bad for the school in Spring that has only been open since 2017. For the past four years, Klein Cain has won the first playoff game but hasn’t been able to clear the hurdle of game No. 2 in the postseason. The quest to move on will be boosted by 7 starters back on offense and 8 on defense. On defense, senior LB Trent Lancaster (129 tackles, 36 TFL, 5 fumble recoveries) and Junior LB Caleb ‘CJ’ Mooring (104 tackles, 4 sacks) are the headliners back.  The offense features senior WR Max Hendrick, a first-team all-district pick who had 46 catches for 800 yards and 5 touchdowns last fall. He enters this year with a handful of Division I offers. Senior WR Blaine Bullard is a Texas A&M baseball pledge who had 1,229 yards receiving and 11 touchdowns last year. 

LA PORTE BULLDOGS (5A)

2023 records: 8-3 | 2024 schedule

The Bulldogs return 9 starters on offense and 8 on defense, which bodes well to build on last year’s playoff trip — the first since 2017. In the era of spread offense, the Bulldogs run an old-fashioned Wing-T on offense. The Bulldogs attempted 48 passes last year while running the ball just shy of 400 times. The top three ball carriers, in terms of yardage, return for La Porte. Senior RB Tyrese Barnes ran for 1,243 yards and 13 scores, while señor RB Ricky Sandolph racked up 1,075 yards and 23 touchdowns. The defense features junior LB Ashton Ruffin, who had 102 tackles and was the district defensive newcomer of the year.

HOUSTON MATH, SCIENCE & TECH CENTER TIGERS (6A)

2023 record: 4-6 | 2024 schedule

Three years after a winless season, the Tigers are on the upswing in District 18-6A. Now, the test is to see if they can make the playoffs for the first time since 2003 and only the third time since 1980. The 2003 team's 5 wins have been the most for the program over the past two decades. Senior QB Trevan Williams was a first-team all-district player and the Tigers have four starters back on the offensive line to protect him. Junior Steve Warren is back after earned first-team all-district honors last year and was the team’s top tackler. The Tigers enter 2024 with a new head coach as Damin Schexnaydar was hired in June after former head coach Charles Brown took a job at Katy Mayde Creek. Coach ‘Shake’ will have nine starters back. 

TEAMS IN THE MIX

Katy Paetow, Bridgeland, Katy Jordan, Houston Stratford, Port Arthur Memorial, Anahuac, Huntsville

-- Cody Thorn | @SBLiveTX