Three state-ranked local teams – the May Tigers, Richland Springs Coyotes and Coleman Bluecats – look to keep their state championship dreams alive in second-round playoff action this weekend. Brief glimpses of each game follow:
CLASS A DIVISION I REGION IV SEMIFINALS
No. 1 May (11-0) vs. No. 3 Jonesboro (11-0)
6:30 p.m. Thursday at Dublin
If the Class A Division I No. 1 May Tigers are to return to Arlington for the state championship game, they will likely have to defeat three undefeated foes the rest of the way to get there, beginning with the No. 3 Jonesboro Eagles.
The Tigers have defeated Borden County (51-6), Sterling City (104-80), Knox City (65-16), Evant (63-6), Blum (77-14), and Newcastle (55-0), as well as District 13 foes Gorman (54-0), Santa Anna (58-0), Baird (82-34), Lingleville (54-8), and Irion County (68-20).
Jonesboro has knocked off Coolidge (67-26), Perrin-Whitt (47-0), Johnson County Sports Association (58-8), Blum (45-0), Saint Jo (60-54), Valley (70-26), Greenville Christian (56-6), Evant (70-8), Zephyr (59-0), Lometa (62-14), and Leakey (90-40).
For the season, the Tigers are averaging 66 points and 294 yards – 180 rushing and 114 passing – per game, while giving up 17 points per contest.
Leading the way on the ground are Kaden Halk (639 yards, 15 TDs), Avery Williford (604 yards, 16 TDs), Blake Harrell (365 yards, 9 TDs), Damian Salinas (158 yards, 5 TDs), and Braden Steele (147 yards, 2 TDs).
Through the air, Harrell has completed 36 of 60 passes for 908 yards with 18 touchdowns, while Luke McKenzie has connected 18 of 28 attempts for 299 yards with 11 scoring tosses.
Top receiving threats include Halk (13-247, 6 TDs), Williford (11-307, 7 TDs), Kaysen King (9-224, 4 TDs), Salinas (6-157, 5 TDs), and Brian Kunkel (6-132, 3 TDs).
Defensively – where the Tigers have forced 39 turnovers and produced 12 touchdowns thus far, including at least one in each of the first nine games – top tacklers are Salinas (83 tackles, 7.5 for loss, 4 INTs, 3 FRs), Harrell (69 tackles, 10 for loss, 3 FRs), Williford (67 tackles, 25.5 for loss, 4 FRs), Kunkel (63 tackles, 8.5 for loss, 4 FRs), King (46 tackles,8.5 for loss, 1 INT, 4 FRs), and Halk (42 tackles, 3 for loss, 4 INTs, 3 FRs).
Jonesboro is producing 62 points and 331 yards – 241 rushing and 90 passing – per game, while allowing 16 points per outing with 24 takeaways on the season.
Caleb Christel (924 rushing yards, 17 TDs; 657 passing yards, 13 TDs), Jacob Cisneros (297 rushing yards, 8 TDs; 158 passing yards, 5 TDs), Ian Shoaf (504 rushing yards, 14 TDs), Tyler Wilson (370 rushing yards, 8 TDs), Jaden Domel (278 rushing yards, 5 TDs), Manuel Torres (250 rushing yards, 10 TDs), Garrett Young (177 passing yards, 6 TDs), and Nat Hilliker (21-619, 10 TDs receiving) spark the Eagle offense.
Defensive standouts include Christel (83 tackles), Domel (81 tackles), Hilliker (76 tackles), and Zach Chapman(73 tackles)
According to sixmanfootball.com, May is a 16-point favorite.
Thursday’s winner will face either No. 2 Water Valley (11-0) or Lometa (8-2) in the Region IV championship game next week
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CLASS A DIVISION II REGION IV SEMIFINALS
No. 3 Richland Springs (8-1) vs. Oglesby (9-2)
7 p.m. Friday at Comanche
The Class A Division II No. 3 Richland Springs Coyotes continue their march toward a potential 10th state championship as they clash with the Oglesby Tigers.
For the season, District 16 champion Richland Springs is averaging 69 points and 381 yards – 285 rushing and 96 passing per game – with seven turnovers, while giving up 37 points and 279 yards – 213 passing and 66 rushing – per contest, with 15 takeaways.
Leading the way on the ground are Jadeyn Bryant (1,141 yards, 27 TDs), Zane Capps (796 yards, 19 TDs), and Keston Lusty (358 yards, 6 TDs).
Through the air, Bryant has completed 29 of 47 passes for 673 yards with 14 touchdowns, while Capps has connected 10 of 18 attempts for 174 yards with two scoring tosses.
Top receiving threats include Cohen Tharp (13-349, 6 TDs), Nick Nilson (6-131, 3 TDs), Capps (7-156, 3 TDs), Brandon Stewart (6-56, TD), and Lusty (3-61).
Defensive standouts are Lusty (59 tackles, 19 for loss, 5.5 sacks, 1 FR), Capps (52.5 tackles, 14.5 for loss, 2 sacks, 1 INT, 3 FRs), Bryant (43.5 tackles, 13 for loss, 5.5 sacks, 1 INT, 4 FRs), Nilson (35.5 tackles, 6 for loss, 1.5 for loss, 1 FR), Jayden Sutherland (34 tackles, 1.5 for loss, 3 INTs), and Stewart (29 tackles, 9.5 for loss, 4 sacks,1 FR).
Richland Springs is coming off a 58-8 bi-district victory over Sidney, while District 14 champion Oglesby ousted an old postseason rival of the Coyotes – Calvert – by a 48-30 count in bi-district action last week
The Tigers’ losses this season have come at the hands of Waco Live Oak (54-8) and Austin St. Stephens (70-22).
Oglesby is averaging 46 points and 268 yards – 207 rushing and 61 passing – per game, while giving up 21 points.
Offensive standouts include Blake Thompson (972 rushing yards, 15 TDs; 342 passing yards, 5 TDs), Kyler Fossett (580 rushing yards, 8 TDs), Johnny Gomez (411 rushing yards, 9 TDs), Brodie Fisher (294 passing yards, 6 TDs), Cash Lee (9-212, 5 TDs receiving), and Matthew Castillo (9-205, 6 TDs receiving).
Leading the way on defense are Castillo (66 tackles), Lee (61 tackles), Thompson (52 tackles), and Gomez (44 tackles).
According to sixmanfootball.com, Richland Springs is a 45-point favorite.
Friday’s winner will face either Oakwood (7-3) or Cherokee (7-3) in the Region IV championship game next week.
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CLASS 2A DIVISION I REGION I AREA ROUND
No. 5 Coleman (10-0) vs. Post (5-6)
7 p.m. Friday at Colorado City
The Class 2A Division I No. 5 Coleman Bluecats rolled to a bi-district championship a week ago, and now face the reigning Region I champion and state finalist Post Antelopes in second-round action.
District 4 champion Coleman defeated Anson for the second time this season in the bi-district round, cruising to a 62-12 victory last week at Abilene Wylie.
Coleman rushed for 425 of its 436 yards of total offense as Cort McFadden led the attack with 119 yards and a touchdown, Devinar Roberson chipped in 106 yards and two scores, Ryland Gentry contributed 79 yards and a touchdown, and quarterback Jadin Jackson finished with 77 yards and four trips to the end zone.
Jackson also completed passes to R.J. Wright and Braxton Smith.
Defensively, the Bluecats yielded 237 yards – 151 through the air and 86 on the ground – with three interceptions, including a 48-yard pick six by Smith in the third period.
Post picked up a 46-14 win over Farwell last week, the fourth straight win for the Antelopes following a 1-6 start. Post has suffered losses to Tolar (48-0), Fosan (22-6), Littlefield (21-20), Abernathy (33-7), Sundown (7-0), and New Deal (35-6), with regular-season wins over Slaton (25-19), Floydada (42-0), Hale Center (48-30), and Tahoka (62-0).
The Antelopes average 24 points and 259 yards – 220 rushing and 39 passing – per game, while giving up 21 points per outing with 17 takeaways on the season.
Post’s ground game is anchored by Steven Huff (1,032 rushing yards, 12 TDs) and Isaiah Crawford (572 rushing yards, 4 TDs). Leading the way through the air are quarterback Will Fairbanks (393 passing yards, 5 TDs) and receiver. Zach Courtney (18-335, 5 TDs).
Spearheading the attack for the Antelope defense are Sebastian Chapa (148 tackles, 32 for loss), Steve Gonzales (100 tackles, 19 for loss, 3 sacks), Huff (94 tackles, 1 for loss), and Courtney (94 tackles, 21 for loss, 3 FRs)
According to Harris Ratings Weekly, Coleman is a 30-point favorite.
Friday’s winner will face either Hawley (11-0) or Sundown (8-3) in the Region I-2A Division I area round of the playoffs next week.