Malik Dismuke, Waxahachie Offensive Line Make a Statement Against Denton Guyer

Waxahachie walked into Denton Thursday night facing arguably the biggest test an offensive line can get in Texas high school football.

Denton Guyer entered the matchup with a defensive front Dave Campbell’s Texas Football ranked No. 1 in Class 6A, featuring Texas Tech commit Khyren Haywood, TCU commit Darrien Neal, Oregon commit Zane Rowe and rising edge rusher Logan Lokey. That group combined for 73 tackles for loss and 24 sacks in 2025, and Lokey had already recorded five sacks through Guyer’s first two games this season.

Waxahachie’s offensive line didn’t back down from it.

The Indians beat Guyer 44-30 on the road, improving to 3-0, and running back Taylen Strange rushed for 192 yards and three touchdowns.

The skill players made plays. Waxahachie’s defense made game-changing plays of its own. But watching the game on film, one position group consistently stood out from the first quarter through the fourth:

The offensive line.

Malik Dismuke Sets the Tone

Senior Malik Dismuke was the tone-setter.

What immediately jumps out on film is his get-off. Dismuke gets out of his stance quickly, plays with good pad level and consistently plays behind his pads. But what separated his performance Thursday was the mentality after contact.

He finishes blocks.

Against a Guyer defensive front loaded with college prospects, Dismuke played aggressively and assertively. There was no hesitation about who was lined up across from him. When Waxahachie committed to establishing the run, Dismuke consistently brought the physicality necessary to move bodies and create space.

That mentality matches what Waxahachie head coach Lawrence Williams told Dave Campbell’s before the season. Speaking about Dismuke and Grant Gonzales, Williams said the two don’t care if the entire stadium knows Waxahachie is running behind them — they expect to get the yards anyway. Dismuke is a Louisiana Tech commit, and DCTF specifically highlighted the athleticism and physicality he brings to the line.

Thursday night looked exactly like that description.

Grant Gonzales: Reliable in Protection

Senior Grant Gonzales stood out particularly in pass protection.

At 6-foot-6 and roughly 300 pounds, Gonzales has the frame, but his ability to protect was more impressive than simply his size. Against Guyer’s collection of pass rushers, he consistently gave Waxahachie time to operate.

Gonzales earned First-Team All-District honors last season and is currently committed to North Texas.

Against this caliber of defensive front, keeping the quarterback clean for extended stretches says plenty about the quality of Waxahachie’s protection.

Carson Mansfield: Power With Athleticism

Then there is junior Carson Mansfield, who may have as much upside as anybody in the group.

Mansfield stood out both in pass protection and as a run blocker. For a player listed around 6-foot-5 and 300-plus pounds, he moves exceptionally well. His quickness shows when he has to get out of his stance, redirect or get his body into position in the run game.

The strength is there, too.

Waxahachie’s own recruiting profile lists Mansfield with a 525-pound squat, and his current offer sheet includes Texas Tech, SMU, Kansas, Louisiana Tech and Baylor.

After watching him against Guyer, it isn’t difficult to understand the recruiting attention.

Liam Anderson Brings the Motor

Junior Liam Anderson brings another element to the group.

He’s quick, strong and plays with a high motor. Anderson repeatedly competed through the whistle and showed the ability to stay engaged rather than simply making initial contact.

And the strength isn’t just something that shows up on film. Before the season, Williams described Anderson as probably the strongest player in Waxahachie’s program.

That strength, paired with his quickness, gives Waxahachie another physical presence inside.

Gakobi Mason Adds Another Athletic Piece

Senior Gakobi Mason rounds out the group evaluated here and gives Waxahachie another athletic interior lineman.

Listed at 5-foot-10, 290 pounds on the current roster, Mason has the movement ability to complement the bigger bodies around him.

That matters because there doesn’t appear to be an obvious weak link to target.

Different linemen bring different strengths, but together they form a unit capable of playing multiple styles.

Waxahachie Didn’t Avoid Guyer’s Strength — It Challenged It

That’s what made Thursday night’s performance stand out.

The easiest response to a defensive front featuring Haywood, Neal, Rowe and Lokey would be designing the entire game plan around avoiding those players.

Waxahachie didn’t.

They ran the football with intention.

There were mistakes along the way, including turnovers that helped Guyer control portions of the game. Guyer made plays and showed exactly why its defensive front entered the season with so much attention. But Waxahachie continued leaning on its offensive line, and eventually the offense began playing at the pace its front was establishing.

Strange finishing with 192 rushing yards and three touchdowns against this defense is significant.

It also doesn’t happen in isolation.

The five guys creating the lanes deserve their share of the credit.

One of Texas’ Best Offensive Lines?

Calling Waxahachie’s offensive line one of the best in Texas isn’t a projection based on one game.

Dave Campbell’s already ranked the Indians among the five best offensive lines in Class 6A entering the season.

Thursday provided evidence that they may belong even higher in that conversation.

Waxahachie went on the road against a Guyer team featuring what DCTF ranked as the best defensive line in Class 6A, fell behind, dealt with turnovers and still finished the night with 44 points and a 14-point victory.

Malik Dismuke brought the nastiness. Grant Gonzales held up in protection. Carson Mansfield showed why Power Four programs are recruiting him. Liam Anderson brought strength, quickness and a relentless motor. Gakobi Mason added another athletic piece inside.

There are bigger names elsewhere on Waxahachie’s roster.

But against Denton Guyer, the story was up front.

Waxahachie’s offensive line was as good as advertised.