Following a pre-district slate filled with ups and downs, the Brownwood Lions on Friday begin the program’s quest for its first district championship since 2010 in one of the toughest Class 4A Division I leagues in the state.

First on slate for the Lions (2-3, 0-0) are the No. 10 Midlothian Heritage Jaguars (4-1, 0-0), who will make their first-ever appearance at Gordon Wood Stadium at 7:30 p.m. Friday in the 5-4A Division I opener.

Heritage’s only loss this season came at the hands at now No. 1 Melissa, a 48-28 decision in Week 4. The Jaguars have tallied wins against Everman (50-23), Kennedale (22-7), Decatur (48-14), and Springtown (49-13).

The Lions are coming off a 49-21 loss at 5A Division II Abilene Wylie and have also dropped contests to 4A Division II No. 2 China Spring (56-21) and Midland Greenwood (21-20). Brownwood has knocked off Lampasas (58-55) and Burnet (31-26), with both wins this season coming at Gordon Wood Stadium.

Brownwood has been preparing for the district opener for more than a week, as the Lions’ bye fell last week along with Heritage.

“They have the ability, they just have to put it all together,” Lions fourth-year head coach Sammy Burnett said in regard to preparation for the district opener. “If we can play a complete game, play all three phases of the game, we’ll give ourselves a chance to be successful. And if we don’t, the outcome could be gloomy and not what you want. Our focus has been to play as a team, do your job, trust that your teammate is doing his, don’t try and do someone else’s job, do yours and allow your teammates to be successful, play with great passion, play physical and cut out the turnovers and the penalties.

“We didn’t have a great Monday this week, we had a come to Jesus meeting with the kids, and they responded well Tuesday and Wednesday. I look forward to them having the opportunity to put themselves in a position to be successful. We told them we’re going to put you in a position, it’s going to be how you trust yourself and trust your teammates and how you play with passion every play and see if we can get in the win column like we did with Lampasas at the beginning of the year. The remark I made to them was think about what we did, how we played that game, and how we overcame high and lows in that game to win it at the end. Let’s cut out the mistakes, and we have an opportunity to be successful.”

Heritage enters the contest averaging 38 points and 397 yards – 212 passing and 185 rushing – per game.

Quarterback Kaden Brown has completed 73 of 111 passes for 1,047 yards with seven touchdowns and one interception, and also rushed for 265 yards and eight scores. Jason Barela (361 rushing yards, 4 TDs; 13-167, 2 TDs receiving) is the leading rusher for the Jaguars and third-leading receiver. Other weapons for Heritage include Antonio Pride (21-275, 2 TDs), Xavier Moten (17-291, 3 TDs), and Stetson Sarratt (10-175, TD) in the passing attack, and Mason O’Neal (152 yards, 3 TDs) on the ground.

“Their offense is really good and extremely big up front,” Burnett said. “Center Hunter Trojacek is a big kid and does a good job setting them up in their fronts and how they’re protecting and how they’re blocking. They’re led by their quarterback, Kaden Brown, who’s a really special runner and thrower. He does a great job as an operator and stays calm and collective back there. Their running back is a pretty special kid, too, sort of a Reece Rodgers type back, a real shifty kind of guy. They also have a couple of tall receivers that do a good job catching the football. We’re going to have our hands full, we just need to get lined up properly, do what we’re taught to do and be as physical as possible.”

The Lions counter with a defense that allows 41 points and 451 yards – 267 rushing and 184 passing – with nine takeaways.

Standouts include Dryden Anderson (49 tackles, 4.5 for loss, 2.5 sacks, 1 FR), Jaylan Brown (41 tackles, 2.5 for loss, 1 FR), Quentin Thompson (38 tackles), Jordan Leach (29 tackles, 0.5, 1 FR, 1 INT), Owen Huntsinger (28 tackles, 1 for loss, 1 INT), Noah Barron (25 tackles, 0.5 for loss), Quinten McCarty (22 tackles, 3.5 for loss), Case Markham (21 tackles), Brandon Holland (19 tackles, 1 for loss, 0.5 sacks), Cole Miller (17 tackles, 0.5 for loss, 1 INT), Azariah Dillard (14 tackles, 0.5 for loss, 1 FR), Zaiden Lopez (12 tackles), and Ethan Pesina (10 tackles, 0.5 for loss, 1 FR).

Behind the line of Pesina, Slayde Espinoza, Alex Reyna, Damian Sanchez, and Brandon Still, Brownwood’s offense is generating 30 points and 385 yards – 265 rushing and 120 passing – with six giveaways.

Konlyn Anderson has churned out 949 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground, while quarterback Chance Jones has thrown for 600 yards with eight scoring tosses and one interception, and chipped in 260 rushing yards with three trips to the end zone. Leading receivers include Jason Jackson (22-300, 5 TDs), Elias Huerta-Doud (13-155, TD), Thad Hinds (7-88, 2 TDs), and Anderson (4-27).

Heritage’s defense is surrendering 21 points per outing and is sparked by Sam Hopkins (47 tackles,1 FR), Greg Johnson (41 tackles, 1 FR), Samuel Sinclair (35 tackles), Ben Eskins (23 tackles), Luke Howard (21 tackles, 1 FR), and Brandon Thomas (21 tackles, 1 INT, 1 FR).

“Their defensive ends are very good, their back end is pretty special and they know what they’re doing, they know how to react to what you’re doing,” Burnett said. “For us, we have to be able to run the football. I say that all the time, that’s the strength of what we do, and if there is a weakness on their defense, which it’s hard to find one, I think we could expose them a little bit in the run game. If we do that, then we’ll be able to throw the ball. We’re still going to take advantage of the RPOs, if they’re going to give us numbers outside we’re going to have a run play called and if they give us numbers in the box we’re going to throw it out there and try and get the ball lateral to one of those receivers and try and make yards. That’s as good to me as running the sweep.

“We’re going to try and go as fast as we possibly can. Melissa did a good job going fast against them which didn’t allow them to stem and stunt the way they wanted to. It makes them get in more of a base defense.”

According to Harris Ratings Weekly, Brownwood is a 31-point underdog.

***

Brownwood Lions Football 2021 Season Stats
Through 5 Games (2-3)

TEAM OFFENSE
30.2 points per game (151)
385.0 yards per game (1,925)
265.0 rushing yards per game (1,325)
120.0 passing yards per game (600)

PASSING

‒ Chance Jones
51 of 110 for 600 yards, 8 TDs, 1 INT

RUSHING
‒ Konlyn Anderson
949 yards on 145 carries, 7 TDs

‒ Chance Jones
260 yards on 50 carries, 3 TDs

‒ Jaylan Brown
121 yards on 16 carries

‒ Jason Jackson
2 yards on 1 carry

‒ Grant Hennington
2 yards on 1 carry

RECEIVING
‒ Jason Jackson
22 catches for 300 yards, 5 TDs

‒ Elias Huerta-Doud
13 catches for 155 yards, TD

‒ Thad Hinds
7 catches for 88 yards, 2 TDs

‒ Konlyn Anderson
4 catches for 27 yards

‒ Brayden Daub
2 catches for 19 yards

‒ Taylor Bessent
2 catches for 9 yards

‒ Case Markham
1 catch for 4 yards

***

TEAM DEFENSE
41.6 points per game (208)
451.4 yards per game (2,257)
267.0 rushing yards per game (1,335)
184.4 passing yards per game (922)

TACKLES
‒ Dryden Anderson
49 tackles, 4.5 for loss, 2.5 sacks, 1 FR

‒ Jaylan Brown
41 tackles, 2.5 for loss, 1 FR

‒ Quentin Thompson
38 tackles

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

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

‒ Noah Barron
25 tackles, 0.5 for loss

‒ Quinten McCarty
22 tackles, 3.5 for loss

‒ Case Markham
21 tackles

‒ Brandon Holland

19 tackles, 1 for loss, 0.5 sacks

‒ Cole Miller
17 tackles, 0.5 for loss, 1 INT

‒ Azariah Dillard
14 tackles, 0.5 for loss, 1 FR

‒ Zaiden Lopez
12 tackles

‒ Ethan Pesina
10 tackles, 0.5 for loss, 1 FR

‒ Elias Huerta-Doud

9 tackles, 1 FR

‒ Jason Jackson
8 tackles

‒ Christian Chambers

8 tackles

‒ Morsello Hooker
5 tackles

‒ Taylor Bessent
4 tackles

‒ Chris Robinson
3 tackles

‒ Uriah King
3 tackles

‒ Thad Hinds
2 tackles

‒ Brayden Daub
2 tackles

‒ Slayde Espinoza
1 tackle, 1 for loss

‒ Jakson Yoder
1 tackle

***

TURNOVER MARGIN: (+3)
Brownwood 6 — 5 fumbles, 1 INT
Opponents 9 — 6 fumbles, 3 INTs

***

PENALTIES

41 penalties for 370 yards

(8.2 flags for 74 yards per game)