Going into last week’s game against Cedar Park Vista Ridge with his team off to an 0-2 start, Abilene High senior Jayton Stuckey challenged his younger teammates to persevere. 

A key contributor for an AHS team that overcame an 0-3 start to reach the third round of the Class 6A playoffs last fall as a junior, the standout linebacker saw firsthand how quickly a season can change when a talented team just stays the course. And he wanted to relay what his experience had taught him to those who weren’t part of last season’s run.

That message proved valuable on Friday, when the Eagles found themselves down to the Rangers 19-9 with less than seven minutes remaining. And following the words and actions of the senior captain, AHS rallied back for a 23-19 win.