The first of the nine districts covered by BrownwoodNews.com begins its league slate Friday night, with six of the seven District 5-2A Division I squads clashing. A total of nine local games are on the weekend docket as the regular season reaches its halfway point.

Coleman (3-1, 0-0) at Goldthwaite (2-2, 0-0)

7 p.m. Friday

Reigning District 5-2A Division I runner-up Coleman heads to Goldthwaite, which is seeking to jump into the playoff picture in 2023 after a winless district campaign a year ago.

Coleman is coming off a 26-20 home victory over Class 3A Division I Llano while Goldthwaite was dealt a 35-6 setback by Granger last week.

The Bluecats carry a three-game win streak into the district opener as, after dropping a 29-20 decision to Mason to start the season, Coleman has since knocked off Ballinger, 40-0, Brady, 30-14, and Llano.

The Eagles’ campaign began with a 28-14 road loss to state-ranked Crawford, but Goldthwaite then picked up its first two wins under second-year head coach Andy Howard, 28-19 over Santo and 40-27 over Rosebud-Lott, before being derailed by Granger.

In Coleman’s win over Llano, Brayden Torres connected on an 80-yard touchdown pass with Hunter Lackey that pushed Coleman in front for good, snapping a 20-all tie, with 10:04 remaining.

Coleman limited Llano to 208 yards of total offense – 107 rushing and 101 passing – with a pair of turnovers. Meanwhile, the Bluecats produced 352 yards, including 232 through the air, as Coleman overcame two turnovers of its own.

Torres completed 12 of 20 passes for 232 yards with three touchdowns while rushing for 60 yards and another score. Lackey finished with five catches for 153 yards and two trips to the end zone, Blaze Hronek grabbed six catches for 91 yards and scored once, and Brent Bouldin chipped in 58 yards on the ground.

Bouldin led Coleman’s defense with 10 tackles, including one for loss, while Lackey added seven tackles and an interception and Skyler Clark also tallied seven tackles. Hronek and Paul Salas logged five tackles apiece while Darren Hurtado chipped in three tackles with a fumble recovery.

In Goldthwaite’s loss at Granger, the Eagles were limited to 190 yards of total offense – 140 rushing and 50 passing – with one turnover.

Gary Wiedebusch rushed for a team-high 78 yards and a touchdown followed by Max Storm with 30 and Marcus Stevens with 18 yards. Bryce Brookings went 4 of 10 through the air for 42 yards while Ethan Deeds was 2 of 7 for 8 yards with an interception. Luke Sanderson caught a team-best four passes for 42 yards.

According to Harris Ratings Weekly, Coleman is a 17-point favorite.

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Fort Worth THESA (1-2) at May (3-1)

7:30 p.m. Friday

The Class A Division I No. 7 May Tigers look to generate their second win streak of the season, and notch their first victory at home, as they play host to Fort Worth THESA Friday night.

The Tigers are coming off a 49-30 win at Garden City last week, while THESA defeated Westlake Academy, 54-16, in its most recent outing.

Against Garden City, May produced 533 yards of total offense – 379 rushing and 154 passing.

Braden Steele rushed for 273 yards and five touchdowns while completing 4 of 11 passes for 130 yards and two more scores, and also caught a 5-yard pass. Jackson Lusk finished with three grabs for 64 yards and a touchdown and Wyatt Hardy pulled down a 30-yard scoring reception.

Other offensive standouts included Lane Goodson with 77 yards rushing and a 4-yard catch prior to leaving the game with a broken leg; Mikey Scheriger with 29 yards on the ground; and Cayson Dail was 2 of 2 for 19 yards passing and caught a 19-yard reception.

Leading the charge on the defensive end were Lusk (14 tackles, 1  interception), Steele (12 tackles, 1 fumble recovery), Goodson (11 tackles, 2 caused fumbles, 1 interception), Kaden Watkins (10 tackles and a fumble recovery), Scheriger (10 tackles), Hagan Hester (7 tackles), Hardy (5 tackles), Ryland Billadeau (3 tackles), Cutter Dearick (2 tackles), and Leevi Stephens (1 tackle).

In THESA’s win over Westlake Academy, Jaxson Naumann rushed for 160 yards and three touchdowns; Layton Francis threw for 122 yards and three scores and added 88 yards and a rushing touchdown; Trac Carlson contributed 110 yards on the ground; and Ryan Pereira (3-37), Andrew Keller (1-40), Braden Sciandra (1-7) each caught a touchdown.

Caleb Bright and Andrew Keller led the defense with nine and eight tackles, respectively.

According to sixmanfootball.com, May is a 45-point favorite.

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Zephyr (3-1) at Robert Lee (3-1)

7:30 p.m. Friday

The Zephyr Bulldogs will attempt to stretch their win streak to three games as they visit the Robert Lee Steers, who are also in the midst of a two-game win streak.

On the heels of a 38-34 win at Rising Star, Zephyr chalked up a 48-2 homecoming victory over Lohn last week as the Bulldogs yielded just 37 yards on 36 plays and forced a pair of turnovers.

Zephyr’s offense generated 217 yards – all rushing – on just 17 snaps as Tripp Ballard finished with 98 yards and a pair of touchdowns, Karsen Floyd rushed for 49 yards and a score, Jim Evetts tacked on 38 yards with a trip to the end zone, and Chayden Woodcock contributed two touchdowns and 34 rushing yards.

The Bulldogs also scored on a 53-yard punt return by Floyd.

Defensively for the Bulldogs, Ballard and CJ Byers each recorded seven tackles trailed by Floyd and Trapper Schoenhals with six each, Woodcock with five, Corben Gosnell with four, and Evetts and Wyatt Stevens with three tackles apiece.

Robert Lee has downed Baird, 46-32, and Blackwell, 58-8, in its last two outings. The Steers also own a victory over Rotan, 46-0, and a loss to Sands, 53-44.

Players to watch for the Steers include Ryan Mendoza, Brayden Sherwood, Tristan Grantham, Jose Heredia, and Brody Pitcock.

According to sixmanfootball.com, Zephyr is a 16-point underdog.

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Blanket (1-3) at Moran (2-2)

5 p.m. Saturday

The Blanket Tigers target their second victory of the season while preventing the Moran Bulldogs from creating a win streak as the two squads square off Saturday.

Blanket suffered a 59-38 road loss to Santa Anna last week, while Moran eked out a 68-67 victory over Mullin.

In the Tigers’ setback, Blanket finished with 218 total yards – 179 rushing and 39 passing.

Cameron Aultman rushed for 109 yards and two touchdowns while Kannon Kensing chipped in 70 rushing yards and a score on the ground, and returned a kick 45 yards to the end zone. Brennen Varner completed 4 of 8 passes for 39 yards with Mason Beck grabbing two catches for 30 yards, while Aultman added an 8-yard reception and Kensing made a 1-yard catch.

Defensively, Beck led the way with 12 tackles followed by A.C. French with nine, Kensing with six and a fumble recovery, and Aultman and Abel McLaughlin chipped in four tackles apiece.

In Moran’s one-point victory last week, Ellis Hise rushed for 287 yards and six touchdowns while passing for 114 yards and two more scores. Caleb York caught caught three passes for 75 yards and two scores, while Hise hauled in a 14-yard scoring reception from Garrett Hamilton.

Along with the win over Mullin, Moran has defeated Lohn, 40-0, with losses to Baird, 54-6, and Aspermont, 48-6.

According to sixmanfootball.com, Blanket is a 45-point favorite.

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Gustine (2-1) at Brookesmith (2-1)

7:30 p.m. Friday

Coming off a bye week, the Brookesmith Mustangs return to the field for homecoming action Friday night as they tangle with the Gustine Tigers.

Brookesmith owns a win by forfeit over Mullin in the season opener, and a 54-12 triumph over the Veribest JV. The Mustangs dropped a 28-27 decision at Kopperl for their only loss.

Gustine is coming off a 46-32 win over Priddy as the Tigers have also defeated Buckholts, 48-0, with a loss against Paint Rock, 58-12.

According to sixmanfootball.com, Brookesmith is a 3-point underdog.

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Albany (4-0) at Comanche (3-1)

7:30 p.m. Friday

In a battle of state-ranked foes, the defending Class 2A Division II state champion Albany Lions will attempt to keep their record unblemished as they visit the Class 3A Division II No. 12 Comanche Indians, coming off their first loss of the season to Class 2A Division I No. 3 Tolar.

In Comanche’s loss last week, the Indians were limited to 228 yards of total offense – 130 on the ground and 98 through the air – as they played without 2,500-yard rusher from a season ago, Sawyer Wilkerson.

Comanche quarterback Layden Welch completed 10 of 20 passes for 98 yards with one touchdown to Cayden Davis, who grabbed six catches for 70 yards. Welch also rushed for 47 yards with a trip to the end zone, while Colt Schwertner contributed 83 yards rushing, Kyler Beaty caught three passes for 11 yards, and JJ Davis and Kazdon Thedford added catches of 11 and 6 yards, respectively.

Defensively for the Indians, Diego Gutierrez led the way with nine tackles followed by Thedford with eight, including three for loss and a sack. Chance Boswell and Alex Terrell were each credited with seven tackles.

Albany knocked off reigning Class 2A Division I state champion Hawley, 27-14, last week as the Lions average 36 points and 431 yards – 261 rushing and 170 passing – per game. Adam Hill has churned out 739 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground, Chip Chambers has thrown for 683 yards and six touchdowns with six interceptions, and Cason Fairchild leads the way with 14 catches for 401 yards and four touchdowns.

Jaxson Hoel leads Albany’s defense with 34 tackles, including 4 f or loss, and 1 interception, followed by Hill with 33 tackles, 8 for loss and 4.5 sacks, and Luke Marshall with 28 tackles, including 5 behind the line of scrimmage, and 1 interception.

According to Harris Ratings Weekly, Comanche is a 7-point underdog.

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Hamilton (3-1, 0-0) at San Saba (1-3, 0-0)

7 p.m. Friday

The San Saba Armadillos will attempt to halt a three-game losing streak, while the Hamilton Bulldogs are riding a three-game win streak into town in the District 5-2A Division I opener for both squads.

Since its 40-3 win over Florence in the season opener, San Saba has since fallen to Junction, 34-22, Johnson City, 56-34, and Eldorado, 20-14. Hamilton has followed a 20-14 loss to Millsap in Week 1 with victories over Bosqueville, 55-0, Santo, 20-14, and Early, 40-0.

In San Saba’s loss to Eldorado last week, the Armadillos manufactured 304 total yards – 234 rushing and 70 passing – with a pair of turnovers.

Ethan Gonzales rushed for 167 yards and a touchdown and added six catches for 42 yards, while Lane Miller contributed 67 yards and a score on the ground to go along with a 12 of 20 passing effort for 70 yards with a pair of picks. Winton Lackey caught three passes for 19 yards and Cash Bryant added two grabs for 9 yards.

Defensively for the Armadillos, Lackey led the way with 12 tackles followed by Glover with 11 and an interception and Juan Patino with six and a fumble recovery. Jefferson Stencil also scooped up a loose ball for San Saba.

In Hamilton’s 40-point win over Early, the Bulldogs allowed just 170 yards of total offense – 92 rushing and 78 passing – with four interceptions.

Offensively, Hamilton amassed 333 yards, with 264 coming on the ground, and only one turnover. Izaac Wood led the Bulldogs with 133 yards on the ground, while quarterback Jaxon Edwards chipped in 38 yards rushing and a score, and Erich Eilers finished with 34 yards and reached the end zone once. Through the air, Edwards connected on 4 of 7 passes with a pair of scoring strikes to Eilers and Cooper LeGrande.

According to Harris Ratings Weekly, San Saba is a 17-point underdog.

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Cross Plains (1-3) vs. Smyer (1-3)

7 p.m. Friday at Roscoe

Both the Cross Plains Buffaloes and Smyer Bobcats will look to end three-game skids as the two square off in a non-district neutral site encounter Friday night.

Since a 51-28 win over Winters in the opener, Cross Plains has dropped games to De Leon, 42-7, Hico, 31-7, and Junction, 41-6. Meanwhile, Smyer started its campaign with a 22-14 triumph over Crosbyton followed by losses to Ralls, 36-6, Floydada, 42-20, and Clarendon, 64-26.

In the Buffaloes’ loss to Junction last week, Cross Plains coughed up the ball five times – three fumbles and two interceptions – and finished with 153 yards of total offense, with 100 coming on the ground. Cross Plains also gave up 344 total yards – 276 on the ground and 68 through the air – and forced one turnover.

For the Buffaloes, Dusty Wyatt scored on a 74-yard run but finished with six carries for 67 yards. Theron Albrecht and Tyler Mackey added 14 rushing yards each.

Through the air, Kade Purvis connected on 6 of 13 passes for 53 yards with two picks. Mackey and Gray Albrecht each caught two passes for 17 yards, Wyatt made a 15-yard grab and Cotlyn Barron added a 5-yard reception.

Defensively, Wyatt tallied eight tackles followed by Colt Sanderson with six, Theron Albrecht and Barron with five apiece, and Alex Parker and Ryder Reed with four tackles each.

Smyer is led by running back Preston Moore, with 242 yards and three touchdowns on the ground; quarterback Peyton Casillas, who has thrown for 260 yards and two touchdowns; and receiver Cody Armes, with nine grabs for 165 yards and three scoring receptions.

Defensive standouts include Mathue Corder with 33 tackles, including 5 for loss, and 1 fumble recovery; Dylan McPhail with 28 tackles, 7 for loss, and 2 sacks; Brayden Wade with 24 takedowns and 3 for loss,;and Gavin St. Clair with 23 tackles and 3 behind the line of scrimmage.

According to Harris Ratings Weekly, Cross Plains is an 18-point favorite.

***

Richland Springs (4-0) at Coolidge (3-1)

7 p.m. Friday

The Class A Division II No. 10 Richland Springs Coyotes seek a fourth straight victory to start the season as they venture to Coolidge to battle the one-loss Yellowjackets, ranked No. 19 in Class A Division I by sixmanfootball.com.

Richland Springs is coming off a 52-6 Saturday win over Chester in Bryan, the Coyotes’ first game away from home this season.

Standouts included Billy Perry, who rushed for 79 yards and two touchdowns, caught two passes for 74 yards and score again and tallied 3.5 tackles with 1 behind the line of scrimmage; Troy Shelton with 63 rushing yards and a touchdown to go along with 6 of 7 passing for 57 yards and another score; competed a 38-yard touchdown pass and finished 3.5 tackles, 1 interception and 1 fumble return for a touchdown; Hutton Rogers, who logged 5 tackles with 1 for loss; and Connor Womack who recorded 3 tackles and 1 interception.

Coolidge enters the contest in the midst of a three-game win streak with victories over Oakwood, 52-6, Avalon, 70-23, and Fort Worth THESA, 59-12. The only blemish on the Yellowjackets’ schedule came in the season opener against Jonesboro, 64-18.

Players to watch for Coolidge include Hunter Lowry, Tyler Miller, and KT Adams.

According to sixmanfootball.com, Richland Springs is a 1-point favorite.