BANGS – Though the Bangs Dragons have tallied just one victory in 2021, that came in District 2-3A Division II action and another over the Ballinger Bearcats at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Memorial Stadium would send head coach Kyle Maxfield’s squad to the playoffs.

Bangs (1-6, 1-2) and Ballinger (4-3, 1-2) are currently tied for fourth place in the district standings, a game ahead of Ingram Moore (2-6, 0-3) – whom both teams have defeated. The winner of the Bangs-Ballinger contest would take a one-game lead into the final contest of the regular season, and even if the two teams finished tied after Week 11, Friday night’s winner would own the head-to-head tiebreaker.

“You get to this point in the season, and your goal all along was to try and get in the postseason and now it’s here,” Maxfield said. “Our kids have stuck with it and tried to get better each and every week and I really feel like they’ve given us everything they’ve got. Whatever our ‘A’ game looks like on Friday, that’s what we need to get this win. We’ve got a lot of injuries here and there, just like everybody else, but it seems like it’s hit us a little bit harder than it normally does.”

After dropping their first two district outings, Ballinger bounced back last week with a 61-0 thrashing of Ingram Tom Moore, which Bangs defeated, 43-21, the week prior.

“Ballinger was really playing well before district then they had some key injuries to their team so they had to regroup,” Maxfield said. “They’ve had to figure out ways to get it done, and the first two district games they were still searching but they’re hitting on all cylinders now.”

The Dragons, meanwhile, are coming off a 50-25 loss to district front-runner Sonora (5-3, 3-0). Bangs gave up 428 total yards and finished with 305 yards.

“Against Ingram Moore it felt like we were playing downhill and attacking, but this past week we kind of sat on our heels for whatever reason,” Maxfield said of last week’s defensive performance. “We were still playing hard, just not attacking as much. We’re going to try and get back to that, put some pressure on them and put them in tough situations.”

Over the last two games, Bangs is averaging 34 points after producing just 12 points on average the first five contests.

“Guy (Powell) has been really consistent, but they’re going to load up to stop him,” Maxfield said. “We’ve done a better job of spreading the ball around and it’s going to take more of that. We have to get other people some touches. We took some shots the other night that were there, we just didn’t execute quite like we should have. But it’s going to take all 11 of us on each side of the ball to get it done.”

Bangs heads into contest averaging 18 points and 304 yards – 234 rushing and 70 passing – per game with 16 turnovers.

Powell has rushed for 1,245 yards on 154 carries with nine touchdowns, while Kade Minshew (30 of 64 for 303 yards, 4 TDs, 6 INTs) and Skylar Minshew (14 of 21 for 162 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT) have guided the air attack. Leading receivers include Zack Ferguson (9-218, 3 TDs), Powell (9-38, TD), Damien Santillanes (8-45), Keygan Pitts (4-62), Nate Stoffer (4-39), and Guy Funk (3-29, TD).

Ballinger counters with a defense that gives up 23 points per game with 16 sacks and 12 takeaways – all fumble recoveries.

Leading the charge for the Bearcat defense are Nakia Villarreal (54 tackles, 9 for loss, 4 sacks), Martin Quiroga (53 tackles, 4 for loss, 3 sacks), Beau Perkins (52 tackles, 5 for loss), Trey Matschek (45 tackles), and Zach Canada (41 tackles, 9 for loss, 2 sacks).

On the flip side of the ball, Ballinger produces 29 points and 344 yards – 184 rushing and 160 passing – per outing.

Briley Clinton (664 passing yards, 8 TDs, 2 INTs) and Carter Arrott (458 passing yards, 2 TDs, 5 INTs) have both seen significant time at quarterback. Leading rushers are Perkins (503 rushing yards, 5 TDs), Arrott (362 rushing yards, 6 TDs), Canada (128 rushing yards, 3 TDs), and Nathan Rivera-McDuffee (114 yards, 3 TDs). Top receivers include Matschek (38-511, 4 TDs), Blake Collom (14-265, 4 TDs), and Perkins (13-106, TD).

The Dragon defense is yielding 42 points and 372 yards – 249 rushing and 123 passing – per outing, with six takeaways.

Standouts include Powell (55 tackles, 3 for loss, 1 sack), Stoffer (52 tackles, 2 for loss, 1 sack), Pitts (34 tackles, 4 for loss , 2 sacks), Ethan Ethridge (30.5 tackles, 2 for loss, 1 sacks, 1 INT), Ian Cortez (16.5 tackles, 1 for loss), Funk (15 tackles, 1 INT), and Hunter Bernal (15 tackles).

According to Harris Ratings Weekly, Bangs is a 28-point underdog.

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Bangs Dragons 2021 Football Stats

Through 7 Games (1-6, 1-2)

TEAM OFFENSE
18.4 points per game (129)
304.0 yards per game (2,128)

234.1 rushing yards per game (1,639)
69.9 passing yards per game (489)

PASSING
‒ Kade Minshew
30 of 64 for 303 yards, 4 TDs, 6 INTs

‒ Skylar Minshew
14 of 21 for 162 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT

‒ Guy Powell
1 of 2 for 24 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT

RUSHING

‒ Guy Powell
1,245 yards on 154 carries, 9 TDs

‒ Skylar Minshew

140 yards on 33 carries

‒ Kade Minshew

108 yards on 36 carries, 4 TDs

‒ Damien Santillanes
55 yards on 15 carries

‒ Ian Cortez

46 yards on 13 carries

‒ Hunter Newton
27 yards on 1 carry

‒ Ethan Ethridge

22 yards on 3 carries

‒ Zack Ferguson

6 yards on 1 carry

RECEIVING
‒ Zack Ferguson
9 catches for 218 yards, 3 TDs

‒ Guy Powell
9 catches for 38 yards, 1 TD

‒ Damien Santillanes
8 catches for 45 yards

‒ Keygan Pitts
4 catches for 62 yards

‒ Nate Stoffer
4 catches for 39 yards

‒ Guy Funk
3 catches for 29 yards, TD

‒ Braxton Melling
2 catches for 29 yards

‒ Ian Cortez
1 catch for 15 yards, TD

‒ Ethan Ethridge
1 catch for 2 yards

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TEAM DEFENSE

42.4 points per game (297)

372.7 yards per game (2,609)
249.3 rushing yards per game (1,745)
123.4 passing yards per game (864)

TACKLES

‒ Guy Powell
55 tackles, 3 for loss, 1 sack

‒ Nate Stoffer
52 tackles, 2 for loss, 1 sack

‒ Keygan Pitts
34 tackles, 4 for loss , 2 sacks

‒ Ethan Ethridge
30.5 tackles, 2 for loss, 1 sacks, 1 INT

‒ Ian Cortez
16.5 tackles, 1 for loss

‒ Guy Funk

15 tackles, 1 INT

‒ Hunter Bernal
15 tackles

‒ Hunter Newton
13.5 tackles

‒ Azreal Escobedo
13.5 tackles

‒ David Herrera
12.5 tackles, 1 for loss

‒ Damien Santillanes
11.5 tackles

‒ Noah Pin
11 tackles, 2 for loss

‒ Zack Ferguson
11 tackles, 1 INT

‒ Sergio Lopez
9.5 tackles, 2 for loss

‒ Donovan Ruiz
7 tackles

‒ Braxton Melling
7 tackles

‒ Weston Jundt
6 tackles

‒ Warren Theriaque
5 tackles, 2 for loss

‒ Isaiah Seratto
5 tackles

‒ Skylar Minshew
4 tackles, 1 INT

‒ Caedmon Tidwell
2.5 tackles

‒ Kade Minshew
2 tackles

‒ Luke Duncan
1 tackle

‒ Brody Newton
1 tackle

‒ Cody Carpenter
0.5 tackle

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TURNOVER MARGIN: (-10)
Bangs 16 — 8 INTs, 8 fumbles

Opponents 6 — 4 INTs, 2 fumbles