BANGS – The first four games of the season have featured their fair share of challenges for the Bangs Dragons, who are looking to right the ship as they host the Grape Creek Eagles at 7 p.m. Friday in the District 2-3A Division II opener – and 2021 homecoming contest.

The season for Bangs (0-4, 0-0) thus far has featured setbacks against Early (48-12), Florence (45-14), Hamilton (62-21) and Hawley (54-0). Meanwhile, Grape Creek (1-4, 0-0) collected a 50-22 win over San Angelo TLCA but has fallen to Stanton (21-7), Christoval (55-7), Coleman (49-0) and Early (49-0).

“Grape Creek has shown flashes of being able to do things really well, but they’re a lot like us in that they’ve had trouble being consistent,” said Bangs fourth-year head coach Kyle Maxfield. “They know what the score is with us so they’re going to come in here with a clean slate as they should. We just need to line up to play.”

Bangs is coming off a bye week where the Dragons attempted to heal up and work to clean up some of the mistakes that plagued the team during pre-district action.

“We had a good open week and got some things accomplished,” Maxfield said. “Sometimes the week after the open week is more of a challenge because we haven’t played in so long, but the last couple of days we’ve had good practices. Our kids realize where we’ve been, but they also realize what’s still ahead and Grape Creek does, too. We know we’re going to get their best shot. When you haven’t been in the win column you have overcome some of the mental parts of the challenge, but our kids have responded really well.”

While not at 100 percent health-wise despite the bye week, the Dragons are in a better situation on the injury front.

“We got a couple of guys back, a couple of linemen that will help us depth wise, but we’re still banged up a little bit,” Maxfield said. “We thought we might be close to 100 percent going into this week’s game, but we get one back and lose one for a little bit, but that’s everybody this time of year. We’re in decent shape.”

Bangs enters the district opener averaging 12 points and 263 yards – 192 rushing and 71 passing – per game, but has committed 15 turnovers thus far.

Guy Powell has been the most consistent weapon for the Dragons with 576 rushing yards and four touchdowns. Kade Minshew (22 of 39 for 179 yards, 1 TD, 6 INTs), Skylar Minshew (7 of 13 for 83 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT) and Powell (1 of 2 for 24 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT) have each thrown a touchdown pass for the Dragons, while leading receivers include Damien Santillanes (8-45), Zack Ferguson (6-110), Powell (4-26), Guy Funk (3-29, TD), Braxton Melling (2-29) and Ian Cortez (1-15, TD).

Defensively, the Dragons are surrendering 52 points and 414 yards – 258 on the ground and 156 through the air – with three takeaways.

Leading tacklers include Nate Stoffer (22 tackles), Powell (18.5 tackles), Keygan Pitts (16.5 tackles), Ethan Ethridge (14 tackles, 1 for loss), Azreal Escobedo (13.5 tackles), and Santillanes (11.5 tackles).

Regarding improvements Maxfield wants to see, he said, “We’ve stressed three things, coming off the ball on both sides, playing faster, and the biggest thing is us taking care of the ball. That’s where our inexperience comes through. Ball security to me has to be the attitude of the whole team, a winner’s mentality of taking care of the ball. Then we have to get some stops on defense and try to create turnovers there, and get everybody to the ball.”

Maxfield expects Friday’s game to come down to the wire, with ball possession being the biggest key to a potential Bangs triumph.

“It’s going to be a four-quarter game,” Maxfield said. “Turnovers are going to be huge along with time of possession. Their style of offense, they can move the ball down the field pretty methodically if you don’t get some stops.”

As for playing in front of a homecoming crowd, Maxfield said, “We haven’t played a home game in a long time. I’m glad our kids get to start district on the home field and hopefully we can get on a run here.”

According to Harris Ratings Weekly, Bangs is a 4-point underdog.

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Bangs Dragons 2021 Football Stats

Through 4 Games (0-4)

TEAM OFFENSE
11.8 points per game (47)
263.3 yards per game (1,053)

191.8 rushing yards per game (767)
71.5 passing yards per game (286)

PASSING
‒ Kade Minshew
22 of 39 for 179 yards, 1 TD, 6 INTs

‒ Skylar Minshew
7 of 13 for 83 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT

‒ Guy Powell
1 of 2 for 24 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT

RUSHING

‒ Guy Powell
576 yards on 84 carries, 4 TDs

‒ Skylar Minshew

64 yards on 19 carries

‒ Damien Santillanes
55 yards on 15 carries

‒ Kade Minshew

38 yards on 21 carries

‒ Hunter Newton
27 yards on 1 carry

‒ Zack Ferguson

6 yards on 1 carry

‒ Ian Cortez

1 yard on 4 carries

RECEIVING
‒ Damien Santillanes
8 catches for 45 yards

‒ Zack Ferguson
6 catches for 110 yards

‒ Guy Powell
4 catches for 26 yards

‒ Guy Funk
3 catches for 29 yards, TD

‒ Braxton Melling
2 catches for 29 yards

‒ Ian Cortez
1 catch for 15 yards, TD

‒ Nate Stoffer
1 catch for 7 yards

‒ Ethan Ethridge
1 catch for 2 yards

‒ Keygan Pitts
1 catch for 2 yards

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TEAM DEFENSE

52.3 points per game (209)

414.0 yards per game (1,656)
258.5 rushing yards per game (1,034)
155.5 passing yards per game (622)

TACKLES

‒ Nate Stoffer
22 tackles

‒ Guy Powell
18.5 tackles

‒ Keygan Pitts
16.5 tackles

‒ Ethan Ethridge
14 tackles, 1 for loss

‒ Azreal Escobedo
13.5 tackles

‒ Damien Santillanes
11.5 tackles

‒ Hunter Bernal
9 tackles

‒ David Herrera
8.5 tackles

‒ Hunter Newton
8 tackles

‒ Donovan Ruiz
7 tackles

‒ Zack Ferguson
6 tackles

‒ Noah Pin
5 tackles, 1 for loss

‒ Ian Cortez
5 tackles, 1 for loss

‒ Warren Theriaque
4.5 tackles, 2 for loss

‒ Guy Funk

4.5 tackles, 1 INT

‒ Sergio Lopez
4 tackles

‒ Isaiah Seratto
3.5 tackles

‒ Skylar Minshew
2.5 tackles

‒ Caedmon Tidwell
2.5 tackles

‒ Weston Jundt
2 tackles

‒ Braxton Melling
1.5 tackle

‒ Brody Newton
1 tackle

‒ Cody Carpenter
0.5 tackle

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TURNOVER MARGIN: (-12)
Bangs 15 — 8 INTs, 7 fumbles

Opponents 3 — 1 INT, 2 fumbles