<body><div><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=2BXpP3_1E86Bynx00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2BXpP3_1E86Bynx00" width="1200" height="600" >LONE GROVE, Okla. (KXII) - The Lone Grove Longhorns finished 6-5 in 2025, rallying from a 2-4 start to win four straight games to close the regular season and finish second in district. Now the team is returning with firepower in the receiving game and a focus on consistency heading into 2026.Head coach Curtis Cole said the team’s second-half turnaround last season showed what the program is capable of when it executes.“When we stop kind of shooting ourselves in the foot, and we kind of make sure that we are doing our job, and doing everything else and pulling the rope in the right direction, this team is capable of great things,” Cole said. “We kind of showed that toward the back half, to where we started like 1-3 and were able to kind of rattle off quite a few wins to end up finishing second in the district last year.”Players said closing out games early in the season remains a point of emphasis heading into the new year.“I think in the past we’ve had some trouble at the beginning of the season kind of closing out games and stuff, so hopefully we can use the back half of last year to flow into this year and help us,” said Mattox Idleman.Ayble Short said special teams will also be an area of focus.“A lot of the same competition level as we had last year, just gotta get out there and close games through the fourth quarter,” Short said. “And also, we can’t be giving up those big returns on special teams plays so just gotta figure that stuff out first.”The Longhorns lost at home in the playoffs last season, and players said that result has fueled the offseason.“I’d like to host another playoff game this year because we kind of have a sour taste in our mouths about what happened last year, so I’d like to get back and host another one this year,” Idleman said.Cole said the program has set clear goals for the season.“We have kind of some pillars in this of, we’d like to go undefeated through non-district, we would like to win district, and then from there that’s where you get your shot at the gold ball when it comes,” Cole said.The Longhorns open the 2026 season Aug. 28 at Plainview.</div></body>

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LONE GROVE, Okla. (KXII) - The Lone Grove Longhorns finished 6-5 in 2025, rallying from a 2-4 start to win four straight games to close the regular season and finish second in district. Now the team is returning with firepower in the receiving game and a focus on consistency heading into 2026.

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LONE GROVE, Okla. (KXII) - The Lone Grove Longhorns finished 6-5 in 2025, rallying from a 2-4 start to win four straight games to close the regular season 

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