There is no better way to put it; the Peaster Greyhounds are coming off of the greatest season in program history. A single playoff win has set the tone for the future of the Peaster football program. Head coach Trevor Owens has the Greyhounds expecting great things when nobody else in the state is giving them a second look, and the 2025 season should be an exciting one for the Greyhounds. With eight starters returning on offense and seven on defense, this could be the year Peaster gets some well deserved attention.
The experience should pay off very well, and it all starts with junior quarterback Layton Kennedy. Despite coming up in the middle of the season in 2024, Kennedy was still able to throw for 1,834 yards and 18 touchdowns. This year he is projected to double those numbers. Even with the tough competition, it should not be difficult to reach his expectations with weapons all around him.
Aside from Kennedy at quarterback, the biggest name to know for the Greyhounds is Cade McCollough. In class 3A it is normal for players to play both sides of the ball. In the case of McCollough, he may never leave the field. Offensively he will be a weapon at receiver after a year where he tallied 486 yards and 6 touchdowns. Colt Turner is another weapon at receiver that has gone under the radar due to missing most of 2024 with an injury. Add to that Slayte Robertson (643 yards and 9 touchdowns) and the Greyhounds might just have the best passing game in class 3A.
In the running game, Peaster has a pair of players that can make a difference, starting with sophomore Hudson Salyers who rushed for 697 yards and 10 touchdowns a year ago as a freshman. He can also be joined by Kaden Albert who tallied 700 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground.
Defensively, the Greyhounds may just be the best in the state at any classification. Star players Mark Tullous, Rhett Kelley, Hagen Hadley and Chase Aleksick all return after a stellar season with McCallough and Turner also making a difference. Between the aforementioned defensive players, the Greyhound defense had 10 interceptions and 31 tackles for loss. Even with the positive outlook on offense, it may be safe to say the strength of Peaster is in its defense.
Schedule & Analysis
at Tolar
at Ferris
vs Jacksboro
vs Early
at Bowie
vs Iowa Park
at Paradise
vs Ponder
at Boyd
vs Vernon
Floor: 4-6
Peaster has one misfortune going against it. This is one heck of a district. Semifinalist Paradise is one thing, but the Vernon Lions bringing back as much as they are, Iowa Park always being a contender and Ponder quietly climbing the ranks, this could be a tough year if the Greyhounds take it too lightly. Add to that a pair of tough non-district matchups with Tolar and Jacksboro, this could very well be a sub-500 year for Peaster which could result in falling short of the playoffs.
Ceiling: 9-1, District Champions
While I struggle to see the Greyhounds beating Jacksboro, I do think this could be the year that sets the stage for every Peaster team in the future. While Paradise will be favored at home, I can see an upset possibly happening given the fact that the Panthers got hit hard by graduation and went through a coaching change. Every game this season will likely be close but I do see this being a very good year for Coach Owens and his squad.
Nolan’s Prediction: 8-2, 2-seed
Again, Jacksboro is tough to beat and I have a hard time envisioning that upset. If the upset does happen, then I believe Peaster can win a state championship in a wide open 3A Division I. However, I have to stick with my gut. I see two losses to Jacksboro and Paradise, and Peaster once again ends up as the second seed. However, I do believe Peaster has it in them to get to a regional final and a rematch with Paradise. From there, all bets are off.
