The Parker County Commissioners Court and Judge Pat Deen released a proclamation on Jan. 25 that declared Jan. 15, “Bearcat Day” in Parker County, in honor of Aledo’s record-breaking 10th state football championship. 

Assistant head coach and offensive coordinator Robby Jones and senior captains Caden Anderson and Elijah Valencia were honored at the meeting.

“We’re going down in the history books, and that’s a great, great feeling,” Valencia said.

The team’s rocky road to victory was lined with complications from the COVID-19 pandemic, the injury of several starters, including senior quarterback Ethan McBrayer in the opening intra-squad scrimmage, young and inexperienced players and the odds stacked high against the team’s success as a whole.

“It took us losing to Cedar Hill [in the homecoming game] for us to come together as a team and to finally click and be on the same page,” Valencia said.

The team was able to work out the kinks in a big way, not only breaking the championship record but also becoming the only team in UIL history to three-peat twice.

“It is something no team has ever done and to get the day recognized after us is pretty cool,” Valencia said.