Temple Pitmasters Qualify for 2027 State BBQ Cookoff

The Temple High School BBQ team earned a spot at the Texas High School BBQ Association State Championship after placing second at a regional cookoff.

Updated on Nov. 12, 2026 in Barbecue

Temple Pitmasters Qualify for 2027 State BBQ Cookoff

The Temple High School Pitmasters BBQ Team finished second at the regional cookoff in Copperas Cove on Saturday, November 7, and qualified for the 2027 Texas High School BBQ Association State Championship. The team won first place in pork chops and chicken wings, placed second in ribs, and finished third in Dutch-oven desserts.

Why it matters

Qualifying for the state championship marks a step forward for the program's competitive standing among Texas high school barbecue teams. The regional results show strength across several meat and dessert categories ahead of the state event.

The team placed first in pork chops and chicken wings, second in ribs, and third in Dutch-oven desserts at the regional cookoff, which required five items turned in on a rigid timeline. Full scoring totals and the field of competing teams were not reported.

The players

Temple High School Pitmasters BBQ Team

The Temple High School barbecue team competes in regional and state cookoffs sanctioned by the Texas High School BBQ Association.

Texas High School BBQ Association

The Texas High School BBQ Association organizes statewide barbecue cookoff competitions for high school teams across Texas.

The details

Teams at the regional cookoff in Copperas Cove competed across categories including chicken wings, pork chops, ribs, burgers and Dutch-oven desserts, turning in five items on a rigid timeline. Senior Hunter Frank was a member of last year's state and national qualifying Pitmasters team.

Saturday, November 7: The Pitmasters finished second at the regional cookoff in Copperas Cove.
Last year: Hunter Frank was part of the state and national qualifying team.
May 1: The Texas High School BBQ Association State Championship takes place at Burnet High School in Burnet.

Season Trajectory

The team's qualification for the Texas High School BBQ Association State Championship extends a recent run of competitive results, following Hunter Frank's place on last year's state and national qualifying squad. The May 1 state event at Burnet High School will show whether the program can carry its regional success onto the statewide stage.

Temple-area families following high school sports can track the Pitmasters' progress toward the May 1 state championship in Burnet. Fans planning to attend will need to travel to Burnet for the state event.

The takeaway

A regional placing across several categories can be a useful benchmark for teams preparing for statewide competition. Following local school sports results closely helps families stay informed about upcoming state events.