PALO PINTO COUNTY — Two local coaches are among the top coaches in the state after being named “Coach of the Year” by the Texas High School Coaches Association.

The THSCA released their regional Coach of the Year list for the 2025 season, and among the honored are Mineral Wells Head Coach, Jacob Clay for 4A Region 2, Gordon Head Coach Samuel “Ligon” West, and Gordon assistant coach, Jesse Hallmark.

Clay was in his first year as the Rams head coach and led them to the Regional Finals, a feat not accomplished since 1958. The Rams finished the season with a 20-14-1 record with their depth in the lineup being a strength for the Rams and played many games without recording errors.

West and Hallmark led the Gordon Longhorns to a 23-5 record, and a state championship. The Longhorns got a bit of a late start to the season as they had to wait for many of their players to finish the basketball season, but once the team was together, they never looked back. They prepared for district action and playoffs by playing several schools above their classification, including 4A schools like Mineral Wells and Stephenville.

These programs are thankful for the effort put into the players by these men, and we can look forward to many more successful seasons to come under their leadership.