New Diana football gets statement win in week one, continues ascent under head coach Jason Pitts

DIANA, Texas ( KETK ) – Jason Pitts was an assistant coach on Argyle football’s undefeated state-title winning team in 2013.

Pitts, who is in his third season as head coach of the New Diana football team, said this year’s Eagles squad is reminiscent of that 2013 Argyle team.

It didn’t take long for New Diana to turn some heads this season.

The Eagles rolled past Mount Vernon 68-17 on the road in week one.

“We kind of wanted to come make a statement. I’m hoping that that just carries on and builds up each week. It doesn’t get any easier. You got Gladewater this week. They just beat Daingerfield who was number two in the state in 3A-D2,” Pitts said.

Pitts took New Diana from a 2-8 team in 2022 to a 9-3 playoff team last year.

The Eagles return eight offensive starters and nine defensive starters and are experienced with 18 seniors on this year’s team.

Pitts and his players believe this could be a special season for the Eagles.

“They’ve bought into it and they look…I had people telling me last year these don’t look like Diana kids. So they’ve bought in to what we’re selling. And now they’re putting it out there on the field and they expect the same things we expect,” Pitts said.

If you’re an old-school R&B fan you’ve probably heard of the Brothers Johnson.

In Diana, it’s another “Brothers Johnson” who have the Eagles football team ready to soar this season.

SFA commit and senior Jaiydyn Johnson is the Eagles two-way standout who can impact the game at receiver and corner.

His little brother, sophomore DeJuan Johnson, is New Diana’s dynamic quarterback who can make plays with his arm and his feet.

“We push each other. He mess up I’ma tell him and help him fix it. I mess up he gon tell me so we make sure we going 100 percent,” Jaiydyn said.

“We push each other to the high standard and we just be that, do what we are and we come out great,” DeJuan said.

They tasted the playoffs last year but are ready to go even deeper this time around.

“It would mean a lot just to go far and just end with a bang my last year and then going to college feeling…having some pride about something,” Jaiydyn said.

“We’re trying to go deep. We’re trying to get better than we was last year. And we’re working hard to get to that point where we’re trying to play almost during Christmas you know and past Thanksgiving so yeah we’re gonna get there and prove everybody wrong,” DeJuan said.

New Diana (1-0) hosts Gladewater (1-0) Friday, Sept. 6 in a week two showdown. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. at Eagle Stadium in Diana.

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