BLANKET – The Blanket Tigers clinched a playoff berth and set up a Week 11 winner-take-all showdown with the Zephyr Bulldogs for the District 15-A Division II championship thanks to Friday’s 58-28 victory over the Sidney Eagles.

Blanket (8-1, 3-0), manufactured 452 yards of total offense – 367 rushing and 85 passing – against the Sidney (3-5, 1-2) defense en route to an eighth consecutive victory.

Brayden Day led the way on the ground for Blanket with 218 yards and three touchdowns while Levi Vazquez chipped in 149 yards and three more scores.

Through the air, Mason Beck was 5 of 7 for 85 yards and two touchdowns. Ayden Wheeler grabbed two receptions for 51 yards and scored once and Issac Smith contributed a pair of catches for 26 yards with a trip to the end zone. Vazquez also caught a 5-yard pass.

Defensively for the Tigers, Day recorded 15 tackles and intercepted two passes, including one that was returned for a touchdown. Vazquez finished with 10 tackles and an interception; Smith logged nine tackles and recovered a fumble; Kannon Kensing chipped in nine tackles; Brandon Larance tallied six tackles; and Beck finished with three tackles.

Next week Blanket travels to Zephyr (8-1, 3-0), which had its district bye this week, at 7:30 p.m. Friday in a battle of teams in the midst of eight-game win streaks.

***

Jonesboro 65, May 40

JONESBORO – The Class A Division I No. 2 May Tigers were denied in their bid for a seventh consecutive league championship as the No. 7 Jonesboro Eagles rallied for a 65-40 victory Friday night in District 14-A Division I action.

May (8-1, 3-1) led 24-14 after one quarter, 32-22 at halftime and 40-36 through three periods, but Jonesboro (8-1, 3-0) dominated the fourth quarter.

The Tigers passed for 180 yards but were limited to 66 yards rushing, finishing with 246 total yards on the night.

Luke McKenzie completed 4 for 11 passes for 115 yards and two touchdowns through the air, while Braden Steele went 6 for 15 for 65 yards.

Steele caught the two touchdown passes totaling 88 yards, while Ben Harrell added three grabs for 47 yards and McKenzie chipped in three catches for 19. Alexis Mejia finished with two receptions for 19 yards, Kross Kenyon hauled down a 28-yard reception and Bryson Guerrero made a 9-yard catch.

On the ground, Landon Cheatham rushed for 30 yards and two touchdowns, Steele chipped in 32 yards, and Hagan Hester rushed for a 4-yard gain.

Cheatham also returned a kickoff 80 yards for a May touchdown.

Leading the way defensively for May were Harrell (14 tackles, a punt blocked, a pass defended, and a tackle for loss), Guerrero (13 tackles), Steele (9 tackles), Cheatham (6 tackles, 1 fumble recovery, 1 tackle for loss), Kenyon (6 tackles, and 2 blocked kicks), Mejia (2 tackles), and Adam Blankinship (1 tackle).

May is off next week and awaits District 15-A Division I champion Irion County (8-0) in the bi-district round of the playoffs.

***

Cherokee 2, Brookesmith 0 (forfeit)

For the second week in a row, the Brookesmith Mustangs were forced to forfeit their District 16-A Division II football contest due to injuries and illness.

Brookesmith (1-8, 1-2) is scheduled to finish its season next week at Rochelle (6-3, 12), coming off its bye, while Cherokee (8-0, 3-0) has locked up the No. 1 playoff seed and 16-A Division II championship with a visit from Lohn slated for next week.

***

Comanche 49, Merkel 14

MERKEL – The playoff-bound Comanche Indians secured no worse than a share of the District 5-3A Division II championship and locked up the league’s top playoff seed with a 49-14 triumph over the Merkel Badgers Friday night.

Comanche (8-1, 4-0) compiled 510 yards of total offense, including 404 rushing, in the victory over Merkel (3-6, 2-2).

Sawyer Wilkerson again led the charge on the ground with 283 yards and two touchdowns, while quarterback Layden Welch chipped in 84 yards on the ground and three scores. Welch also threw for 106 yards and a pair of touchdowns, completing 6 of 14 passes with one interception.

Miguel Martinez finished with a team-high three catches for 72 yards and both touchdowns through the air for Comanche, while Kyler Beaty grabbed two catches for 33 yards and Wilkerson chipped in a 1-yard reception.

Defensive stalwarts for the Indians included Israel Medrano with 12 tackles, Welch with eight, Easton Gonzalez and Cayden Davis with six apiece, and Pierson Sorrells and Cade Bauman with four each. Gonzalez, Bauman and Dom Rios each recorded a sack, Beaty intercepted a pass, and Sorrells recovered a fumble.

Next week, Comanche closes it regular season at home against Eastland (1-8, 1-3), which is coming off its first win over Dublin, 35-27. Even with a loss, the Indians could finish no worse than tied with Jacksboro atop the District 5-3A Division II standings and having defeated Jacksboro, Comanche owns the tiebreaker and thus the top playoff seed.

***

Coleman 50, De Leon 0

COLEMAN – The playoff-bound Class 2A Division I No. 9 Coleman Bluecats showed no ill effects from their bye week as they hammered the De Leon Bearcats, 50-0, Friday night in their home finale.

With the win, Coleman (7-2, 4-1) finds itself heading to Bangs (6-3, 2-1) in next week’s regular season finale in a game that will determine the No. 2 and No. 3 playoff seeds from District 5-2A Division I.

Coleman generated 332 yards of total offense – 250 rushing and 82 passing – and yielded 115 yards – 59 through the air and 56 on the ground – to De Leon (4-6, 1-5), which concluded its season Friday night. The Bluecats also forced three turnovers and did not cough up the ball.

Quarterback Jadin Jackson rushed for 114 yards and a 69-yard touchdown, while Ryland Gentry chipped in 96 yards on the ground and scored once from 14 yards out.

Through the air, Jackson connected on 7 of 8 passes for 82 yards and three touchdowns – 30 yards to Hagen Cavanaugh, 16 yards to Braxton Smith, and 7 yards to Keaton Beets. Hogan Johnson led all Bluecats with three catches for 20 yards.

Coleman also scored on defense and special teams as Smith returned an interception 41 yards for a touchdown, and Cavanaugh took a punt back 46 yards for six points.

***

Cross Plains 67, Abilene TLCA 0

CROSS PLAINS – The Cross Plains Buffaloes registered their second straight District 6-2A Division II victory, 67-0 over Abilene TLCA Friday night, and locked up a playoff berth in the process.

Cross Plains (7-2, 2-2) amassed 560 yards of total offense – 289 rushing and 234 passing – with one turnover, while holding Abilene TLCA (0-9, 0-4) to 140 yards – 118 on the ground and 22 through the air, with one turnover.

Kade Purvis connected on 12 of 19 passes for 234 yards and five touchdowns for the Buffaloes. Leading receivers included Asher Moses with three catches for 81 yards and touchdown; Ryder Reed with three receptions for 65 yards and a pair of scores; Ryan Reed with three catches for 54 yards and a trip to the end zone; and Dusty Wyatt with three grabs for 33 yards and a touchdown.

On the ground, Noah Moses rushed for 86 yards and a touchdown along with Riley Conlee with a 76-yard scoring sprint, Tyler Mackey with 49 yards and a score, Theron Albrecht with 38 yards and a touchdown, and Cullen Ellis with 30 yards and a trip to the end zone.

Next week, Cross Plains heads to second-place Miles (7-2, 3-1), fresh off a 77-26 victory over Roscoe Friday night, looking to improve its postseason seeding. Currently, the Buffaloes are sitting as the fourth seed and would remain there with a loss as they could finish no worse than tied with Hamlin, which they defeated to earn that tiebreaker advantage.

***

Richland Springs 65, Lohn 0

RICHLAND SPRINGS – On Thursday night, the playoff-bound Richland Springs Coyotes put the finishing touches on their regular season with a 65-0 thrashing of the Lohn Eagles.

The Coyotes (7-1, 3-1) raced out to a 51-0 lead after one quarter against Lohn (0-8, 0-3), as Richland Springs finished with 185 yards of total offense – including 172 rushing – while allowing 11 total yards with four takeaways.

Six different Coyotes rushed for touchdowns – Kenny Triplett (55 yards), Billy Perry (2 yards), Hutton Rogers (29 yards), Gage Behrens (21 yards), Cody Martin (20 yards), and Justin Hutchins (14 yards).

Cohen Tharp, who led Richland Springs with six tackles, added a defensive touchdown for the Coyotes as he returned an interception for six points midway through the first period.

Richland Springs will head into the playoffs as the No. 2 seed from District 16-A Division II where it awaits the winner of Friday’s Blanket-Zephyr game that will determine the District 15 champion.

***

Tolar 56, Goldthwaite 0

TOLAR – The Goldthwaite Eagles on Friday night remained winless while the Class 2A Division I No. 5 Tolar Rattlers kept their perfect record intact and clinched the top playoff seed from District 5-2A Division, as well as no worse than a share of the league championship.

Goldthwaite (0-9, 0-5) trailed Tolar (9-0, 5-0) by a 9-0 count after one quarter, 36-0 at halftime and 50-0 through three frames.

The Eagles were limited to 110 yards of total offense, with 102 coming on the ground. Goldthwaite also turned the ball over twice, but forced three Tolar turnovers.

Carsyn Campbell led Goldthwaite with 78 rushing yards, Cutter Campbell added 28 and Bryce Brookings chipped in 18 yards on the ground.

Zach Rodriguez completed 1 of 8 passes for 8 yards with one interception.

The Rattlers reeled off 347 total yards – 215 rushing and 132 passing – as Peyton Brown led the charge with 144 yards and three touchdowns on the ground.

Goldthwaite wraps up its season next week at Hamilton (4-5, 2-3), which suffered a 34-27 loss to Bangs Friday, while Tolar shoots for an unblemished regular season at San Saba (6-3, 2-3), which had its district bye Friday night.