MAY – The Class A Division I No. 7 May Tigers escaped with a 55-54 home victory over Fort Worth THESA Friday night, improving to 4-1 in the process.

The Tigers generated 416 yards of total offense – 299 rushing and 117 passing – against TAIAO third-ranked THESA (1-3).

Braden Steele led the charge for May with 235 rushing yards and four touchdowns to go along with 79 passing yards and two more scores, completing 6 of 8 attempts.

Mikey Scheriger chipped in 30 yards rushing while Jackson Lusk added 27 yards and a touchdown and Hagan Hester scored on a 7-yard carry.

Lusk also led May with three catches for 19 yards and another trip to the end zone, Kaden Watkins hauled in two receptions for 59 yards, Ryland Billadeau caught a 26-yard pass, Hester scored on a 10-yard reception and Cayson Dail caught a 6-yard pass. Dail also completed 3 of 4 passes for 38 yards.

Defensively for the Tigers, Lusk led the way with 11 tackles trailed by Steele with nine, Watkins with seven and a fumble recovery, Levi McInnis with seven tackles, Hester with six, Scheriger and Wyatt Hardy with four each, Billadeau with two, and Dail and Cutter Dearick with one tackle apiece.

Next week, May is at Class A Division II No. 9 Oglesby (5-0), which defeated Waco Methodist’s Home, 38-19, Friday night.

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Brookesmith 38, Gustine 18

BROOKESMITH – The Brookesmith Mustangs improved to 3-1 on the season by picking up their first victory on the field over a varsity opponent, 38-18 over Gustine to celebrate homecoming Friday.

The Mustangs’ previous wins this season had come over Mullin via forfeit and the Veribest JV (54-12), with a loss to Kopperl (28-27).

Adyn Ribble rushed for 156 yards and four touchdowns on 10 carries to spark the Brookesmith offense, while Kevin Keith added a 38-yard touchdown run.  Defensive standouts included Ribble, Vegas Gillam and Devon Keith.

Next week, the Mustangs venture to Zephyr (3-2), which is coming off a 52-35 loss to Robert Lee.

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Blanket 51, Moran 6 (Saturday)

MORAN  – The Blanket Tigers chalked up their second victory of the season Saturday, rolling past the Moran Bulldogs, 51-6.  

The Tigers (2-3) produced 285 yards of total offense – 211 on the ground and 86 through the air – against Moran (2-3).

Kannon Kensing finished with 101 yards and four touchdowns, Cameron Aultman tacked on 89 yards and four scores, and A.C. French rushed for 21 yards.

Gage Jones completed 5 of 6 passes  for 64 yards, while Aultman was 1 of 2 for 11 yards. Brennen Varner caught a 30-yard pass, Mason Beck hauled in an 18-yard reception and Aultman caught a 5-yard pass.

Defensively, Kensing led the way with 10 tackles followed by Beck with nine and a fumble recovery, French with five, and Kade Russell with four tackles and a fumble recovery.

Next week, Blanket hosts Evant (0-5), which is coming off  53-6 loss to Rochelle. 

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Coleman 46, Goldthwaite 33

GOLDTHWAITE – The Coleman Bluecats were able to keep the Goldthwaite Eagles at arm’s length and emerge with a 46-33 victory Friday night in the District 5-2A Division I opener for both squads.

Coleman (4-1, 1-0), which notched its fourth win in a row, manufactured 458 yards of total offense – 247 rushing and 211 passing – and overcame four turnovers.

Jadin Jackson rushed for 112 yards and two touchdowns while Brayden Torres chipped in 49 yards on the ground and two scores, and Brent Bouldin tacked on 84 yards rushing. Torres also completed 12 of 15 passes for 211 yards with a pair of scoring strikes and one pick. Hunter Lackey finished with two scoring receptions totaling 79 yards while Jackson added four grabs for 79 yards, Kelan Sikes caught four passes for 32 yards, Paul Salas hauled in a 20-yard reception and Bouldin caught a 2-yard pass.

Goldthwaite (2-3, 0-1), which dropped its second straight contest, produced 308 yards of total offense – 180 on the ground and 128 through the air – but lost a pair of turnovers.

Ethan Deeds completed 8 of 16 passes for 128 yards with two touchdowns and also rushed for 42 yards and another score. Max Storm finished with a team-best 96 yards on the ground while Marcus Stevens chipped in 34. Luke Sanderson caught three passes for 70 yards with a trip to the end zone, while Malachi Stevens added three receptions for 38 yards.

Next week, Coleman hosts San Saba (2-3, 0-1), which upended Hamilton, 32-28, Friday, while Goldthwaite travels to De Leon (4-1, 1-0), fresh off a 40-21 win at Bangs.

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San Saba 32, Hamilton 28

SAN SABA – The San Saba Armadillos halted a three-game losing streak and claimed a crucial 32-28 victory over the Hamilton Bulldogs, winners of their previous three, in the District 5-2A Division I opener for both teams.

San Saba (2-3, 1-0) churned out 363 yards of total offense, including 301 rushing, against a Hamilton (3-2, 0-1) defense that blanked Early, 40-0, the week prior.

Ethan Gonzales anchored the ground game with 215 yards and three touchdowns while quarterback Lane Miller rushed for 87 yards and two scores. Miller also completed 6 of 9 passes for 61 yards as Winton Lackey grabbed three catches for 18 yards and Raymond Saucillo pulled down two receptions for 43 yards.

Defensively for the Armadillos, Glover tallied 12 tackles followed by Lackey and Juan Patino with nine each. Skylar Romero and Sterling Proffitt intercepted passes while Miller recovered a fumble as San Saba created three turnovers.

Next week, San Saba heads to Coleman (4-1, 1-0), which is coming off a 46-33 win over Goldthwaite.

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Cross Plains 32, Smyer 0

ROSCOE – The Cross Plains Buffaloes ended a three-game slide with a 32-0 neutral site victory over the Smyer Bobcats in the pre-district finale.

Cross Plains (2-3) yielded 4 yards of total offense to Smyer (1-4), which suffered its fourth straight loss, as the Buffaloes gave up 68 yards through the air while the Bobcats finished with -64 rushing yards on 19 carries.

Meanwhile, the Buffalo offense churned out 450 yards – 256 rushing and 194 passing – and overcame three turnovers.

Dusty Wyatt rushed for 172 yards and two touchdowns to pace the Buffaloes while Theron Albrecht added 89 yards with a trip to the end zone. Kade Purvis completed 11 of 18 passes for 194 yards with one scoring toss and one interception. Leading receivers were Tyler Mackey with three for 45 yards, Alex Parker with three for 43 yards, Colytn Barron with two for 67 yards and a touchdown, Caleb Blue with two for 29, and Gray Albrecht with one catch for 10 yards.

Defensively for Cross Plains, Colt Sanderson led the way with nine tackles followed by Theron Albrecht with six, and four tackles each from Barron and Blue.

Next week is the Buffaloes’ bye, as District 6-2A Division II action kicks off Oct. 6 at home against Roscoe (3-1), which suffered its first loss to New Home, 22-15, Friday night.

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Richland Springs 42, Coolidge 38

COOLIDGE – A see-saw affair came down to the closing seconds as the Class A Division II No. 10 Richland Springs Coyotes remained undefeated with a late rally to upend the Coolidge Yellowjackets, 42-38, Friday night.

The Coyotes (5-0) were sparked by the efforts offensively of Kenny Triplett, who completed 6 of 9 passes for 89 yards with two touchdowns, rushed for 77 yards, and added an 11-yard catch; Gage Behrens, who rushed for 47 yards and two touchdowns and caught three passes for 23 yards with a trip to the end zone; and Hutton Rogers, who hauled in three receptions for 66 yards and scored twice.

Defensively for the Coyotes, Rogers and Connor Womack logged eight tackles apiece, and Triplett finished with six tackles and a forced fumble against Coolidge (3-2).

Richland Springs will be off next week as its game with Burnet Smoking for Jesus Christian has been canceled due to a lack of players.

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Robert Lee 52, Zephyr 35

ROBERT LEE – The Zephyr Bulldogs’ two-game win streak was halted by the Robert Lee Steers, 52-35, Friday night.

Zephyr (3-2) fell behind 20-0 in the first quarter and was not able to recover as the Bulldogs finished with 265 yards – 137 passing and 128 rushing – with one turnover, while allowing 286 yards, including 237 on the ground, without a takeaway.

For the Bulldogs, Wyatt Stevens completed 7 of 12 passes for 82 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. Rhett Williams caught both touchdowns and finished with three receptions for 37 yards

Jim Evetts rushed for 63 yards and a touchdown; Karsen Floyd added 37 rushing yards and a score to go along with two catches for 15 yards; Tripp Ballard contributed 28 yards with a touchdown on the ground and a pair of receptions for 34 yards; Chayden Woodcock caught a 30-yard pass; and Ethan Byers added a 21-yard reception.

Defensively for Zephyr, Floyd led the way with 11 tackles trailed by Trapper Schoenhals with eight, CJ Byers with six, and Woodcock and Corben Gosnell with five tackles apiece.

Next week, Zephyr plays host to Brookesmith (3-1), which chalked up a 38-18 victory over Gustine Friday night.

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Albany 31, Comanche 13

COMANCHE – The Comanche Indians experienced a second straight setback, falling to reigning Class 2A Division II state champion Albany by a 31-13 count Friday night.

Comanche (3-2), again playing without the services of 2,500-yard rusher from a year ago Sawyer Wilkerson, finished with 282 yards of total offense – 187 on the ground and 95 through the air – against the Albany (5-0) defense.

Indian quarterback Layden Welch completed 11 of 21 passes for 95 yards with two touchdowns – one to Kyler Beaty, who finished with four catches for 22 yards, and one to Ayden Fishback, who grabbed two receptions for 28 yards.

Colt Schwertner rushed for a team-high 105 yards while Welch chipped in 82 on the ground. Cayden Davis added three catches for 34 yards and Raymond Crossland finished with two grabs for 11 yards.

Next week is the bye for Comanche, which begins defense of its District 5-3A Division II championship Oct. 6 at Millsap (2-2), which defeated Clifton, 14-10, Friday night.