The following are glimpses at this week’s local games:
Blanket (6-2, 2-0) at Brookesmith (5-2, 2-0)
7:30 p.m. Friday
The District 15-A Division II championship will likely be decided Friday night as the Blanket Tigers seeking a third straight crown, but the Brookesmith Mustangs again stand in the way.
Blanket has logged district wins over Rising Star (60-14) and Sidney (52-28), while Brookesmith has knocked off Rising Star (60-8) and Panther Creek (via forfeit).
The Tigers enter the contest averaging 46 points and 282 yards – 216 rushing and 66 passing – per game.
Leading rushers include Hector Castaneda (802 yards, 19 TDs), Brayden Day (508 yards, 16 TDs) and Damon Carrillo (188 yards, 6 TDs), while Carlos Morales has thrown for a team-high 470 yards wit four touchdowns and five interceptions. Top receivers include Tyler Simpson (13-261, 2 TDs), Brady Furry (3-88, TD), Hayden Rodgers (3-43), Day (3-19), and Mario Morales (2-37).
The Tigers give up 19 points and 177 yards – 106 through the air and 71 on the ground –per outing.
Standouts include Castaneda (68 tackles, 5 for loss, 4 INTs), Simpson (63 tackles, 6 for loss, 1 safety), Day (55 tackles, 9 for loss, 1 sack), Rodgers (52 tackles, 3 for loss), Carrillo (46 tackles, 2 for loss, 2 INTs) and Furry (34 tackles, 1 INT).
The Mustangs are producing 47 points and 239 yards – 194 rushing and 45 passing – per game.
Leading rushers include Avery Williford (721 rushing yards, 15 TDs) and Johnathan Willoughby (407 rushing yards, 11 TDs) while Clayton Adame has thrown for 200 yards with six touchdowns and two interceptions. Leading receivers include Randall Williams (7-186, 4 TDs) and Williford (4-92, 3 TDs).
On the defensive end, Brookesmith is giving up 34 points and 255 yards – 172 on the ground and 83 through the air – per contest.
Defensive leaders include Tristen Slayton (59 tackles, 5 for loss, 2 FRs), Williford (58 tackles, 8 for loss, 2 INTs, 1 FR), Willoughby (45 tackles, 3 for loss, 2 INTs, 2 FR), Williams (28 tackles, 12 for loss, 1 sack, 1 FR), and Adame (15 tackles).
According to sixmanfootball.com, Blanket is a 20-point favorite.
Zephyr (1-7, 0-2) at Evant (4-2, 0-2)
7:30 p.m. Friday
The Zephyr Bulldogs will wrap up their 2020 football season Friday night at Evant, looking to upset the District 15-A Division I rival Elks for their second win of the season.
The season the Bulldogs have defeated Paint Rock (51-6) with losses against Jonesboro (48-0), Lometa (53-7), Sidney (48-0), Veribest (42-32), Stephenville Faith (72-66), Blanket (59-14), and Cherokee (65-8).
Evant has picked up wins over Cranfills Gap (62-14), Penelope (88-66), Blanket (52-28), and Gordon (72-52) with losses against Lometa (52-40) and Jonesboro (78-31).
According to sixmanfootball.com, Zephyr is a 45-point underdog.
#19 Cross Plains (7-1, 3-0) at #5 Albany (7-1, 4-0)
7:30 p.m. Friday
The Cross Plains Buffaloes return to the field for the first time since Oct. 9 as they visit the Class 2A Division II No. 5 Albany Lions in a battle for the District 8 championship.
Cross Plains’ last game was a 27-14 victory over Santo, which will have taken place 21 days prior to Friday’s showdown.
In that outing, the Buffaloes defense forced seven turnovers – five fumble recoveries and two interceptions – and allowed 224 yards, including 201 on the ground.
Offensively, Cross Plains finished with 190 yards – 120 rushing and 70 through the air.
Cason Allen rushed for 59 yards and two touchdowns, passed for 45 yards and another score, and caught a 13-yard pass. Cody McWilliams added 48 yards on the ground and scored once, while Wade Byrd finished with two receptions for 57 yards with a trip to the end zone.
Albany is average 46 points and 432 yards – 292 rushing and 140 passing – per game. Defensively, the Lions yield 11 points points per game with 17 sacks and 21 takeaways. Albany has recorded five shutouts including a string of four in a row before last week’s 34-14 come-from-behind win over Santo.
Leading the way for the Albany offense are quarterback Barrett Beal (1,107 passing yards, 15 TDs, 6 INTs; 139 rushing yards, 4 TDs), running backs Jaheim Newton (933 rushing yards, 8 TDs), Coy Lefevre (454 rushing yards, 8 TDs), Brooks Neece (313 rushing yards, 8 TDs; 18-212, 2 TDs), and Isaiah Dockins (254 yards, 8 TDs), and receivers Cole Chapman (29-443, 5 TDs), and Robert Bailey (9-137, 3 TDs).
Defensive standouts include Parker Henry (68 tackles, 14.5 for loss, 4 FRs), Ryan Mark (51 tackles, 5 for loss), and Wesley Estridge (50 tackles, 14.5 for loss).
According to Harris Ratings Weekly, Cross Plains is a 20-point underdog.
#3 San Saba (6-1, 3-0) at Coleman (6-2, 2-1)
7 p.m. Friday
The Class 2A Division I No. 3 San Saba Armadillos look to remain atop the District 4 standings with the Coleman Bluecats will attempt to bounce back from just their second loss.
San Saba notched its third straight lopsided district win last week, hammering De Leon, 47-0, which followed wins over Goldthwaite (64-6) and Winters (49-0).
Coleman suffered its first district loss at Cisco, 27-0, last week, after defeating Goldthwaite (28-7) and De Leon (35-0).
For the season, San Saba averages 43 points and 478 yards – 316 rushing and 162 passing – per game, while giving up 11 points per contest with three shutouts, including the last two outings.
Risien Shahan has thrown for 1,021 yards with 11 touchdowns and two interceptions. Leading rushers include Stone Sears (984 yards, 15 TDs), Weston Lackey (440 yards, 4 TDs), Shahan (411 yards, 7 TDs), and Justin Yarbrough (275 yards, 3 TDs). Primary receiving threats include Logan Glover (14-410, 4 TDs), Yarbrough (9-1196, TD), Sears (8-214, 2 TDs), and Reagan Mejia (7-172, 2 TDs).
Leading the way for the San Saba defense – which has tallied 20 sacks and 18 takeaways — are Landon Yarbrough (80 tackles, 78 for loss, 2 sacks, 1 FR), Justin Yarbrough (53 tackles, 6 for loss, 3 FRs), Shahan (50 tackles, 4 for loss, 3 sacks, 1 FR), Dylan Ware (46 tackles, 4 for loss), Bryan Reza (45 tackles, 6 for loss), Bladen Cally (45 tackles, 8 for loss, 2 FRs), Sears (40 tackles, 12 for loss, 6 sacks, 1 FR), and Glover (39 tackles, 1 FR).
In Coleman’s loss to Cisco last week, the Bluecats managed just 80 yards of total offense – 62 rushing and 18 passing – while committing two turnovers. Defensively, Coleman gave up 368 yards, with 310 coming on the ground.
Bluecat quarterback Corbin Rosales rushed for 26 yards, Ryland Gentry added 21 and Devinar Robinson finished with 20. Rosales also passed for 18 yards as Dylan Mickler grabbed a 16-yard reception and Ezequiel Valdez made a catch for 2 yards.
According to Harris Ratings Weekly, San Saba is a 37-point favorite.
Goldthwaite (2-6, 0-3) at #9 Cisco (5-2, 3-0)
7 p.m. Friday
The Goldthwaite Eagles are in need of an upset to jumpstart their playoff hopes as they visit the Class 2A Division I No. 9 Cisco Loboes in District 4 action Friday night.
Goldthwaite was dropped all three of its league outings to San Saba (64-6), Coleman (28-7), and Winters (28-13). Cisco has kicked off district play with wins over Winters (28-14), De Leon (48-6), and Coleman (27-0).
In last week’s loss to Winters, Goldthwaite outgained the Blizzards in total yardage, 262-242, and both teams committed two turnovers – though the Eagles had an interception returned 61 yards for a touchdown.
Goldthwaite’s Angel Morales rushed for a team-high 94 yards, Jackson Patrick added 73 yards and a touchdown, and Aaron Anzua chipped in 32 yards. Patrick completed 4 of 16 passes for 46 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. Anzua caught three passes for 35 yards and scored once and Cason Guthrie hauled in an 11-yard reception.
Cisco enters the contest averaging 25 points and 320 yards – 241 rushing and 79 passing – per game, while yielding 17 points.
Quarterback Hunter Long leads the Loboes in both rushing (900 yards, 7 TDs) and passing (629 yards, 7 TDs, 5 INTs) yards. Jerrod Fisher (410 yards, 3 TDs) and Andrew Acosta (217 yards, 1 TD) are also weapons out of the backfield while receiving threats include Dawson Hearne (7-151, 4 TD), Stephen Bird (7-130, TD) and Chilsom Lewis (7-116, TD).
According to Harris Ratings Weekly, Goldthwaite is a 41-point underdog.
#18 Comanche (7-1, 2-1) at Jacksboro (5-3, 2-1)
7:30 p.m. Friday
The Class 3A Division II No. 18 Comanche Indians visit the Jacksboro Tigers in game that will likely decide the second playoff seed from District 5.
Comanche rebounded from its only loss of the season to Eastland (31-17), with a 26-15 triumph over Millsap last week. The Indians have also knocked off Dublin (38-6) in district competition.
Jacksboro suffered a 50-23 loss to Eastland last week which came on the heels of district wins over Merkel (30-13) and Dublin (47-7).
The Indians generate 26 points and 314 yards – 238 rushing and 76 passing – per game, while allowing 10 points on average. Comanche has also recorded 17 takeaways – including 14 interceptions – and 20 sacks.
Quarterback Hudson Welch has thrown for 683 yards with five touchdowns and three interceptions, while top rushers include Luke Wilson (652 yards, 6 TDs), Logan Wilkerson (541 yards, 9 TDs), Oscar Rios (366 yards, 2 TDs), Bryce Hermesmeyer (112 yards, 2 TDs) and Jorge Rios (109 yards, 1 TD). Top receiving threats include Hermesmeyer (12-217, 2 TDs) and Taelon Sorrells (11-149, TD).
Comanche’s defense is spearheaded by Cash Cook (94 tackles, 8 for loss, 2 sacks), Christian Holmes (53 tackles, 7 for loss, 4 sacks), Harrison Kolb (51 tackles, 1 for loss), Wilkerson (48 tackles, 5 for loss, 1 sack, 1 FR), Wilson (42 tackles, 1 for loss, 2 INTs, 1 FR), Jorge Rios (41 tackles, 3 for loss, 2 sacks, 1 FR), Matthew Gonzales (33 tackles, 6 for loss, 2 sacks), and Hermesmeyer (33 tackles, 3 for loss, 3 INTs).
According to Harris Ratings Weekly, Comanche is a 4-point favorite.