Coming off an unexpected bye week due to COVID-19, the undefeated Bangs Dragons are back in action Friday night looking to wrap up pre-district action with a perfect record.

The Hawley Bearcats (3-1), however, stand in the way as they will visit the Dragons (3-0) at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Bangs Memorial Stadium.

Bangs’ game against Hamilton was canceled last week as some of the Dragons have been plagued with the coronavirus as of late.

“Last Tuesday night had a player test positive for COVID so we contacted our opponents and Hamilon was concerned about heir kids coming over here because we’ve had some coaches it’s run through, too,” said Bangs head football coach Kyle Maxfield. “We’re clean now. We have one varsity kid at home quarantined with it. It was more them concerned for their kids and you have to respect that decision, but at the same time we were disappointed because we were looking forward to playing Hamilton.”

Hawley has defeated Roscoe (61-7), beat Merkel (35-21) and Winters (36-13) with its lone loss to Hamlin (35-6).

“They’re solid, but nothing flashy on either side of the ball,” Maxfield said. “The Hamlin score is kind of misleading. I thought the game was a lot closer than that until the fourth quarter. Hamlin went down and scored, then Hawley went down to score but didn’t get it in, . Then Hawley punched one in right before the half to make it 14-0. In the second half, Hamlin got a few more scores. If Hawley goes in and gets that’s score and it’s 14-7 or 7-7 at the half, I think it’s a whole different game. They held their own against Hamlin.”

The Bearcats average 343 yards per game – 205 rushing and 138 passing.

“Coach (Mitch) Ables and that staff broke all kinds of record for Hawley last year and I think it was most wins in Hawley school history,” Maxfield said. “You can tell there’s a lot of residue left from that team. They’re missing a couple of key guys from last year but I think they are at the point where Coach Ables has got program to where they just reload.”

Quarterback Xavier Rodela has thrown for 498 yards with six touchdowns and three interceptions, while rushing for 289 yards and two more scores. Austin Cumpton is the top ground gainer for Hawley with 479 yards and 10 touchdowns. Leading receivers include Chandlin Myers (9-161, 2 TDs), Cumpton (8-118, TD), Aeneas Segura (7-138, TD) and Will Scott (6-98, 2 TDs).

“Their quarterback, they want the ball in his hands when it’s third down whether it’s running the ball or throwing it,” Maxfield said. “I don’t know what they have in the water over there but they still have huge players.”

On defense, leading tacklers for the Bearcats include Bo Thompson (34 tackles, 4 for loss), Corley Williams (24 tackles, 6 for loss, 3 sacks), Hez Parker (21 tackles, 3 for loss) and Scott (21 tackles, 2 for loss). Hawley has recorded eight sacks and six takeaway in four games.

“Their mike linebacker is really big and when he comes downhill if you hit him up high, he’s knocked some big lineman back in the backfield,” Maxfield said. “We have to be smart about how we attack him and block him.”

Bangs counters with an offense that produces 42 points and 442 yards – 314 rushing and 128 passing – per outing.

Ethan Sanchez has rushed for 619 yards and seven touchdowns in just three games, followed by quarterback Ethan Cortez with 157 yards and two scores. Cortez has also connected of 16 of 25 passes for 384 yards and six scores, while primary receiving threats include Brayton Wedeman (6-179, 3 TDs), Sanchez (3-134, 2 TDs), Damien Santillanes (3-12), Guy Powell (2-34) and Trevor Bowers (1-25, TD).

Defensively, the Dragons are yielding just 6 points and 228 yards – 133 on the ground and 95 through the air – per game.

Standouts include Sanchez (29 tackles, 1 INT, 1 FR), Damian Santillanes (28.5 tackles, 2 for loss, 1 sack, 1 FR), Wedeman (19.5 tackles, 1 INT), Charlie Smith (13.5 tackles, 1 for loss), Bowers (13 tackles, 1 for loss), Logan Bishop (12.5 tackles, 1 for loss), and Wyatt Lykins (10 tackles).

“Knock on wood we’ve done a great job in the turnover battle and Hawley’s not a team that coughs it up much, but we have to find a way to win the turnover battle,” Maxfield said. “We also need to continue to win the special teams battle. That will help us a lot. To give ourselves a chance to win against Hawley we can’t beat ourselves, we have to take care of the ball, and we have play hard for four quarters.”

Coming off one bye week and with another coming next week prior to the District 2-3A Division II opener, Maxfield likes where the Dragons are at this point in the season.

“We’ve played nine game seasons before,” Maxfield said. “With us, we would like with the COVID issues we’ve had and a few injuries here and there, we would like to go into battle with Hawley, have a good contest with them, see where we’re at, then have a week to kind of reboot and get some guys healthy going into district. I think that’s the best scenario for us right now.”

According to Harris Rating Weekly, this game is considered a toss up.

Bangs Dragons 2020 Football Stats

Through 3 Games (3-0)

TEAM OFFENSE
41.7 points per game (125)
442.0 yards per game (1,326)
314.0 rushing yards per game (942)
128.0 passing yards per game (384)

PASSING
‒ Ethan Cortez
16 of 25 for 384 yards, 6 TDs

RUSHING
‒ Ethan Sanchez
619 yards on 46 carries, 7 TDs

‒ Ethan Cortez
157 yards on 21 carries, 2 TDs

‒ Guy Powell
87 yards on 16 carries

‒ Damien Santillanes
38 yards on 5 carries, 1 TD

‒ Harley Keely
36 yards on 6 carries

‒ Tait Bowers
5 yards on 1 carry

RECEIVING
‒ Brayton Wedeman
6 catches for 179 yards, 3 TDs

‒ Ethan Sanchez
3 catches for 134 yards, 2 TDs

‒ Damien Santillanes
3 catches for 12 yards

‒ Guy Powell
2 catches for 34 yards

‒ Trevor Bowers
1 catch for 25 yards, 1 TD

TEAM DEFENSE

6.3 points per game (19)

228.4 yards per game (685)
132.7 rushing yards per game (398)
95.7 passing yards per game (287)

TACKLES

‒ Ethan Sanchez
29 tackles, 1 INT, 1 FR

‒ Damian Santillanes
28.5 tackles, 2 for loss, 1 sack, 1 FR

‒ Brayton Wedeman
19.5 tackles, 1 INT

‒ Charlie Smith

13.5 tackles, 1 for loss

‒ Trevor Bowers
13 tackles, 1 for loss

‒ Logan Bishop
12.5 tackles, 1 for loss

‒ Wyatt Lykins
10 tackles

‒ Braden Montgomery

7.5 tackles, 1 for loss

‒ Trey Ivey

7 tackles

‒ Donovan Ruiz

7 tackles, 1 for loss

‒ Evan Belez
5.5 tackles, 1 INT

‒ Guy Powell
4.5 tackles

‒ Harley Keely
4 tackles

‒ Trevor Lorah
3.5 tackles

‒ Logan Massey
3.5 tackles

‒ Ethan Cortez
3 tackles

‒ Jesse Sterling
2 tackles

‒ Tait Bowers

2 tackles

‒ Austin Tilley
1 tackle

‒ Jackson Light
1 tackle

‒ Dakota Baker
1 tackle

‒ Luke Duncan
1 tackle

‒ Braxton Melling

.5 tackle, 1 FR