For the third time in four years, the Brownwood Lions and Kennedale Wildcats will meet up in the opening round of the Class 4A Division I state playoffs. At 7:30 p.m. Friday in Glen Rose, the District 5-4A Division I fourth seed Lions (4-6) hope to finally have an answer for the District 6 champion Wildcats (9-1), who won the last two postseason meetings.

The Lions are coming off a 63-7 loss to No. 2 Stephenville, which snapped a two-game win streak, while Kennedale completed an unblemished run through league play with a 63-0 triumph over Benbrook – the Wildcats’ seventh shutout of the year.

Brownwood and Kennedale have one opponent in common this season – No. 10 Midlothian Heritage. The Lions dropped a 43-25 decision at Gordon Wood Stadium in district action on Oct. 8, while the Wildcats fell by a 22-7 count in Week 2.

According to Harris Ratings Weekly, Brownwood is a 14-point underdog.

“We’ve had a good week of practice and it started with the kids’ mentality and desire to go out and try and win a bi-district championship,” said Lions fourth-year head coach Sammy Burnett. “Our kids were really focused, and they’ve work hard.”

Kennedale enters the contest having allowed just 43 points all season, with 26 takeaways. Brownwood counters with an offense generating 32 points and 388 yards – 278 rushing and 110 passing – per outing, with 12 turnovers on the year.

“I think we have a great game plan offensively,” Burnett said. “We play a style of offense that I don’t know if they’ve seen this year. We’re going to run the football and they may stop us, they may hit us in the backfield once or twice because with the defense they run, there’s going to be some busts and they’re going to send more than we can block. But we’ll also make them miss and we’ll also run through some tackles and we’re just going to pound the football and mash on them. Then all the sudden you take a 2-yard gain and turn it into a 20-yard gain and maybe even take it to the house.

“We’re going to be committed to the run. They’re going to play zero coverage sometimes just to heat us up, they’ll play man free where the free safety is reading the quarterback and playing run or pass, and then they’ll play some cover 3. And if we get some press man situations we believe we have some guys that can press the field vertically and we’re going to take some shots and see if we can win some 50-50 battles and come up with some big plays.”

Behind the front line of Ethan Pesina, Brandon Still, Slayde Espinoza, Alex Reyna, Roan Aguinaga, and Damian Sanchez, tailback Konlyn Anderson has churned out 1,788 yards and 19 touchdowns, quarterback Chance Jones has amassed 655 yards and six scores, and Jaylan Brown has provided 244 yards and a score as a change of pace in the backfield.

Through the air, Jones has connected on 86 of 181 passes for 1,103 yards with 15 touchdowns and a pair of interceptions. Top receiving threats include Jason Jackson (36-590, 9 TDs), Elias Huerta-Doud (24-264, TD), Thad Hinds (10-132, 3 TDs), Anderson (7-37), and Case Markham (3-47, TD).

Leading the charge for the Kennedale defense are Poasa Utu (81 tackles, 34 for loss, 14 sacks), Antoine Martin (75 tackles, 25 for loss, 5 sacks), R.J. Pepper (72 tackles, 15 for loss), Braden Waters (70 tackles, 15 for loss), Chris Washington (64 tackles, 17 for loss, 4 sacks), Jacorey Jackson (4 fumble recoveries), Travis Neyhart (3 fumble recoveries), Jaylan Webb (4 interceptions), and Tyler Choice (3 interceptions).

On the flip side of the ball, containing Kennedale’s ground attack will be critical for the Lions defense.

The Wildcats produce 45 points and 295 yards – 258 rushing and 37 passing – per game. Kennedale has attempted just 55 passes all season and completed 24. Paul Donkor has completed 23 of 52 passes for 365 yards with five touchdowns, while leading receivers include Webb (11-174, 2 TDs) and Shane Hull (6-55, TD).

Meanwhile, six Kennedale rushers have eclipsed 200 yards on the ground this season – E.J. Higgins (754 rushing yards, 14 TDs), Jerree Mills (417 rushing yards, 5 TDs), Kenaj Washington (391 yards, 6 TDs), Cameron Lyles (285 yards, 7 TDs), Donkor (260 yards, 5 TDs), and Damari Harrell-Jones (207 yards, 3 TDs).

“Kennedale is a veer team and they run the dive, quarterback option and pitch off it,” Burnett said. “They also like to run old school type stuff like the buck sweep, the scat, the trap and they will pull up and try and throw the ball from time to time. Usually when they do they’re effective because they lull you to sleep with the run and pop you with pass if you don’t have disciplined eyes. We’ve been focusing with the kids on their reads and being strong with their eyes. Defensively, I think we’ve narrowed down our scheme to where it’s extremely simple for us.”

The Lions defense gives up 41 points and 479 yards – 278 rushing and 201 passing – per contest, with 16 takeaways.

Standouts include Dryden Anderson (90 tackles, 7.5 for loss, 3 sacks, 1 FR), Quentin Thompson (79 tackles, 2 FRs), Brown (69 tackles, 3.5 for loss, 1 FR), Jordan Leach (58 tackles, 0.5, 1 FR, 1 INT), Quinten McCarty (47 tackles, 4.5 for loss), Cole Miller (41 tackles, 1.5 for loss, 0.5 sacks, 1 INT), Markham (34 tackles, 2 INTs), Zaiden Lopez (33 tackles, 2 for loss), Pesina (32 tackles, 2 for loss, 1 sack, 1 FR), Brandon Holland (31 tackles, 2 for loss, 0.5 sacks, 1 FR), Azariah Dillard (29 tackles, 1 for loss, 1 FR), Logan Posey (20 tackles, 1 for loss), and Jackson (20 tackles, 1 for loss, 1 INT).

Friday’s winner will advance to face either Argyle (9-1) or Wilmer-Hutchins (3-5) next week in the 4A Division I Region II area round of the playoffs.

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Brownwood Lions Football 2021 Season Stats
Through 10 Games (4-6, 2-3)

TEAM OFFENSE
32.1 points per game (321)
388.1 yards per game (3,881)
277.8 rushing yards per game (2,778)
110.3 passing yards per game (1,103)

PASSING

‒ Chance Jones
86 of 181 for 1,103 yards, 15 TDs, 2 INTs

RUSHING
‒ Konlyn Anderson
1,788 yards on 292 carries, 19 TDs

‒ Chance Jones
655 yards on 129 carries, 6 TDs

‒ Jaylan Brown
244 yards on 39 carries, TD

‒ Case Markham
61 yards on 5 carries

‒ Azariah Dillard
23 yards on 6 carries

‒ Uriah King
10 yards on 5 carries

‒ Ethan Pesina
2 yards on 1 carry, TD

‒ Jason Jackson
2 yards on 1 carry

‒ Joshua Hennington
2 yards on 1 carry

RECEIVING
‒ Jason Jackson
36 catches for 590 yards, 9 TDs

‒ Elias Huerta-Doud
24 catches for 264 yards, TD

‒ Thad Hinds
10 catches for 132 yards, 3 TDs

‒ Konlyn Anderson
7 catches for 37 yards

‒ Case Markham
3 catches for 47 yards, TD

‒ Brayden Daub
2 catches for 19 yards

‒ Taylor Bessent
2 catches for 9 yards

‒ Christian Chambers
1 catch for 4 yards, TD

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TEAM DEFENSE
41.1 points per game (411)
478.8 yards per game (4,788)
277.7 rushing yards per game (2,777)
201.1 passing yards per game (2,011)

TACKLES
‒ Dryden Anderson
90 tackles, 7.5 for loss, 3 sacks, 1 FR

‒ Quentin Thompson
79 tackles, 2 FRs

‒ Jaylan Brown
69 tackles, 3.5 for loss, 1 FR

‒ Jordan Leach
58 tackles, 0.5, 1 FR, 1 INT

‒ Quinten McCarty
47 tackles, 4.5 for loss

‒ Cole Miller
41 tackles, 1.5 for loss, 0.5 sacks, 1 INT

‒ Case Markham
34 tackles, 2 INTs

‒ Zaiden Lopez
33 tackles, 2 for loss

‒ Ethan Pesina
32 tackles, 2 for loss, 1 sack, 1 FR

‒ Brandon Holland

31 tackles, 2 for loss, 0.5 sacks, 1 FR

‒ Azariah Dillard
29 tackles, 1 for loss, 1 FR

‒ Owen Huntsinger
29 tackles, 1 for loss, 1 INT

‒ Noah Barron
25 tackles, 0.5 for loss

‒ Logan Posey
20 tackles, 1 for loss

‒ Jason Jackson
20 tackles, 1 for loss, 1 INT

‒ Taylor Bessent
16 tackles, 1 sack

‒ Elias Huerta-Doud

14 tackles, 1 FR

‒ Thad Hinds
9 tackles, 2 for loss

‒ Uriah King
9 tackles, 1 for loss

‒ Christian Chambers

9 tackles

‒ Morsello Hooker
5 tackles

‒ Brayden Daub
4 tackles, 1 FR

‒ Tobey Yeats

4 tackles

‒ Chris Robinson
3 tackles

‒ Seth Adkins

2 tackles

‒ Konlyn Anderson

2 tackles

‒ Slayde Espinoza
1 tackle, 1 for loss

‒ Jakson Yoder
1 tackle

‒ Slayde Espinoza

1 tackle

‒ Joshua Hennington

1 tackle

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TURNOVER MARGIN: (+4)
Brownwood 12 — 10 fumbles, 2 INTs
Opponents 16 — 10 fumbles, 6 INTs

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PENALTIES

68 penalties for 588 yards

(6.8 flags for 58.8 yards per game)