The following are previews for the games that are still on for Friday:
Brookesmith (6-2, 3-0) at Sidney (5-3, 2-1)
7:30 p.m. Friday
The Brookesmith Mustangs have already secured at least a piece of their first district championship since 1985, but can claim the 15-A Division II title outright and the top seed for the playoffs with a win over the Sidney Eagles.
Despite owning at least a share of the district title, Brookesmith has not yet clinched a playoff berth. If Sidney were to defeat Brookesmith, then Sidney, Brookesmith and Blanket (7-3, 3-1) – which is picking up a forfeit win over Panther Creek – would finish in a three-way tie for first place. With only two playoff berths per district, a points tiebreaker would determine which two teams would advance to the season and which team would be forced to stay home.
Brookesmith is coming off a 68-52 win over Blanket, while Sidney had a bye week after suffering a 52-28 loss to Blanket,
The Mustangs are producing 50 points and 266 yards – 213 rushing and 53 passing – per game.
Leading rushers include Avery Williford (937 rushing yards, 18 TDs) and Johnathan Willoughby (524 rushing yards, 13 TDs). Clayton Adame has thrown for 200 yards with six touchdowns and two interceptions and Willoughby has passed for 136 yards with three scores and one pick. Leading receivers include Randall Williams (9–208, 5 TDs) and Williford (4-92, 3 TDs).
On the defensive end, Brookesmith is giving up 37 points and 245 yards – 170 on the ground and 75 through the air – per contest.
Defensive leaders include Tristen Slayton (74 tackles, 5 for loss, 2 FRs), Williford (65 tackles, 8 for loss, 3 INTs, 1 FR), Willoughby (58 tackles, 3 for loss, 2 INTs, 2 FR), Williams (29 tackles, 12 for loss, 1 sack, 1 FR), and Adame (15 tackles).
Sidney averages 41 points and allows 28 per game.
According to sixmanfootball.com, Brookesmith is a 6-point favorite.
#10 Cisco (6-3, 4-0) at #5 San Saba (7-1, 4-0)
7:30 p.m. Friday
The District 4-2A Division I champion, and top two playoff seeds, will be determined Friday night as the San Saba Armadillos, ranked No. 5 in the state by Harris Ratings Weekly, host the No. 10 Cisco Loboes.
In district play, San Saba has defeated Goldthwaite (64-6), Winters (49-0), De Leon (47-0), and Coleman (43-10). Meanwhile, Cisco has knocked off Winters (28-14), De Leon (48-6), Coleman (27-0), and Goldthwaite (48-7).
For the season, San Saba averages 43 points and 477 yards – 322 rushing and 155 passing – per game, while giving up 11 points per contest with three shutouts.
Risien Shahan has thrown for 1,125 yards with 12 touchdowns and two interceptions. Leading rushers include Stone Sears (1,195 yards, 16 TDs), Weston Lackey (526 yards, 5 TDs), Shahan (423 yards, 8 TDs), and Justin Yarbrough (330 yards, 5 TDs). Primary receiving threats include Logan Glover (15-428, 4 TDs), Sears (10-268, 2 TDs), Yarbrough (10–214, 2 TDs), and Reagan Mejia (9-186, 3 TDs).
Leading the way for the San Saba defense – which has tallied 22 sacks and 20 takeaways — are Landon Yarbrough (87 tackles, 8 for loss, 2 sacks, 1 FR), Justin Yarbrough (69 tackles, 8 for loss, 1 sack, 3 FRs), Shahan (61 tackles, 6 for loss, 3 sacks, 1 FR, 1 INT), Bryan Reza (56 tackles, 7 for loss, 1 sack), Bladen Cally (55 tackles, 10 for loss, 2 FRs), Dylan Ware (52 tackles, 5 for loss, 2 sacks), Glover (50 tackles, 1 FR), and Sears (46 tackles, 14 for loss, 6 sacks, 1 FR).
Cisco enters the contest averaging 27 points and 324 yards – 243 rushing and 81 passing – per game, while yielding 14 points.
Quarterback Hunter Long leads the Loboes in both rushing (978 yards, 8 TDs) and passing (725 yards, 9 TDs, 5 INTs) yards. Jerrod Fisher (533 yards, 6 TDs) and Andrew Acosta (280 yards, 2 TDs) are also weapons out of the backfield while receiving threats include Chilsom Lewis (8-166, 2 TDs), Dawson Hearne (8-157, 4 TD), Layne Edgar (8-122, TD), and Stephen Bird (7-130, TD).
According to Harris Ratings Weekly, San Saba is a 17-point favorite.
De Leon (1-8, 0-4) at Goldthwaite (2-7, 0-4)
7 p.m. Friday
Due to Coleman ISD shifting to remote learning because of a COVID-19 outbreak, thus forcing the high school to cancel its remaining athletic events until a Nov. 30 return to in-person learning, the District 4-2A Division I battle between the Goldthwaite Eagles and De Leon Bearcats will now determine the league’s fourth and final playoff seed.
Goldthwaite is coming off a 48-7 loss to Cisco last week, while De Leon was defeated by Winters, 41-21.
Against Cisco, the Eagles mustered 176 yards – 142 on the ground and 34 through the air – with two turnovers. Angel Morales led Goldthwaite with 105 rushing yards while Jackson Patrick completed 3 of 7 passes for 34 yards with a 24-yard scoring toss to Aaron Anzua.
Defensively, Goldthwaite gave up 457 yards of total offense – 361 rushing and 96 passing – and did not force a turnover.
The Bearcats average 10 points and 271 yards – 237 rushing and 34 passing – per game, while yielding 35 points per outing.
Quarterback Lane Powledge has passed for 246 yards with one touchdown and four interceptions, while leading rushers include Trey Lopez (785 yards, 5 TDs), Emery Amick (525 yards, 4 TDs), and L.J. Herron (274 yards). Dawson Mathews (6–232, TD) is the leading receiver.
According to Harris Ratings Weekly, Goldthwaite is a 2-point favorite.
Lingleville (1-8, 0-3) at #5 May (8-1, 3-0)
7:30 p.m. Friday
The Class A Division I No. 5 May Tigers have already clinched the top seed from District 13 and at least a share of their fifth straight league as they seek an outright crown at home Friday night against the Lingleville Cardinals.
Coming out of their bye week, the Tigers are averaging 57 points and 334 yards per game – 227 rushing and 107 passing.
The ground attack is led by Rory Bustamante (472 rushing yards, 9 TDs), Kaden Halk (420 rushing yards, 10 TDs), Isidro Salinas (432 rushing yards, 9 TDs) and Damian Salinas (253 rushing yards, 6 TDs).
Through the air, Bustamante has thrown for 515 yards with nine touchdowns and one interception while Blake Harrell has added 426 yards with eight scoring tosses and one pick.
Leading receivers include Chris Flenniken (11-240, 5 TDs), Halk (9-216, 3 TDs), and Hayden King (8-252, 5 TDs).
Defensively, May is surrendering 18 points per game with 23 takeaways – 11 interceptions and 12 fumble recoveries – with five returned for touchdowns.
Standouts include King (81 tackles, 24.5 for loss, 1 FR), Isidro Salinas (62 tackles, 8 for loss, 1 INT), Flenniken (54 tackles, 13 for loss, 2 FR, 1 INT), Halk (42 tackles, 1 for loss, 4 INTs), Brian Kunkel (39 tackles, 7.5 for loss, 3 FRs), Bustamante (38 tackles, 2 for loss, 3 INTs, 2 FRs), Damian Salinas (32 tackles, 2.5 for loss, 1 FR, 1 INT), Harrell (27 tackles, 2 for loss, 1 FR), and Aaron McGinn (23 tackles, 1 for loss, 1 INT, 1 FR).
According to sixmanfootball.com, May is a 45-point favorite.
Merkel (3-5, 1-3) at Comanche (7-2, 2-2)
7:30 p.m. Friday
The Comanche Indians will attempt to lock up the third playoff seed from District 5-3A Division II as they welcome the Merkel Badgers in Friday night’s regular season finale.
With a win, Comanche is the third seed, while a loss would likely result in a three-way tie between the Indians, Merkel and Millsap (6-3, 2-2) – which plays Eastland (6-3, 4-0) Friday night – for third place. A points tiebreaker would then determine the third and fourth playoff seeds and which team would stay home for the playoffs.
The Indians generate 25 points and 302 yards – 229 rushing and 73 passing – per game, while allowing 12 points on average. Comanche has also recorded 17 takeaways – including 14 interceptions – and 22 sacks.
Quarterback Hudson Welch has thrown for 735 yards with five touchdowns and five interceptions, while top rushers include Luke Wilson (716 yards, 7 TDs), Logan Wilkerson (576 yards, 9 TDs), Oscar Rios (398 yards, 2 TDs), Bryce Hermesmeyer (112 yards, 2 TDs) and Jorge Rios (109 yards, 1 TD). Top receiving threats include and Taelon Sorrells (14-173, TD) and Hermesmeyer (12-217, 2 TDs).
Comanche’s defense is spearheaded by Cash Cook (113 tackles, 11 for loss, 2 sacks), Wilkerson (67 tackles, 6 for loss, 1 sack, 1 FR) Christian Holmes (66 tackles, 9 for loss, 54 sacks), Harrison Kolb (59 tackles, 1 for loss), Wilson (54 tackles, 2 for loss, 2 INTs, 1 FR), Jorge Rios (48 tackles, 3 for loss, 2 sacks, 1 FR), Matthew Gonzales (33 tackles, 6 for loss, 2 sacks), and Hermesmeyer (33 tackles, 3 for loss, 3 INTs).
Merkel averages 29 points and 344 yards per game – 212 rushing and 132 passing – while giving up 34 points.
Preston Jackson (613 passing yards, 4 TDs, 4 INTs) and Joey Zink (418 passing yards, 3 TDs, 2 INTs) have shared time at quarterback. Isaac Sebastian (1,042 rushing yards, 14 TDs) leads the ground game while top receivers include J.J. Myers (24-405, 3 TDs), and Jace Thompson (17-291, 3 TDs).
Standouts on defense include D’Alan Cotton (82 tackles, 3 for loss), Elijah Salas (74 tackles, 3 for loss), Myers (69 tackles, 1 for loss), Zink (63 tackles), Jarrett Fulfer (62 tackles, 6 for loss), and Elijah Flores (62 tackles, 2 for loss). Thompson has intercepted five passes.
According to Harris Ratings Weekly, Comanche is a 21-point favorite.
Cross Plains (7-2, 3-1) at Meridian (3-5, 1-3)
7 p.m. Friday
The Cross Plains Buffaloes will conclude their regular season against the Meridian Yellow Jackets in a game being made up due to COVID-19 postponement in October.
Regardless of the outcome, Cross Plains will be the No. 2 seed out of District 8-2A Division II due to falling to first-place Albany and defeating third-place Santo.
Cross Plains is looking to rebound from last week’s 35-0 loss to Albany in which the Buffaloes finished with just 91 yards and total offense and committed two turnovers. Defensively, Cross Plains yielded 385 yards – 236 on the ground and 149 through the air – with one takeaway.
Justin Gresham passed for 61 yards for Cross Plains as Noah Moses caught two passes for a team-high 44 yards. Cody McWilliams was the top rusher, though he was limited to 22 yards on 10 carries.
Meridian’s lone district win was a 62-0 triumph over Ranger.
According to Harris Ratings Weekly, there is no line for the game. Cross Plains is ranked 49 points higher than Meridian.