Blitz Picks - State Championship Edition

WEEK 1 PICKS: 34-41, 82.9%
WEEK 2 PICKS: 40-50, 80%
WEEK 3 PICKS: 39-51, 76.5%
WEEK 4 PICKS: 36-44, 81.8%
WEEK 5 PICKS: 42-48, 87.5%
WEEK 6 PICKS: 26-31, 83.8%
WEEK 7 PICKS: 40-43, 93%
WEEK 8 PICKS: 36-43, 83.7%
WEEK 9 PICKS: 36-45, 80%
WEEK 10 PICKS: 41-47, 87.2%
WEEK 11 PICKS: 34-39, 87.2%
WEEK 12 PICKS: 31-37, 83.8%
WEEK 13 PICKS: 21-25, 84%
WEEK 14 PICKS: 11-11, 100%
WEEK 15 PICKS: 4-7, 57.1%
WEEK 16 PICKS: 1-1, 100%
SEASON: 472-563, 83.8%

The end of the season is sadly here, but there is a shot at great jubilation for three of our Big Country teams.

Albany and Benjamin look to go back-to-back, while Westbrook takes a shot at a rare three-peat starting Wednesday in Arlington.

#1 ALBANY (15-0) VS. #2 MART (15-0) - THURSDAY, 11 A.M. - AT&T STADIUM

SERIES HISTORY: Albany leads 1-0

State Title History
Albany: state champs in 1960, 1961 and 2022. Runner-up in 1954, 1991, 2009, 2014 and 2015.
Mart: state champs in 1957 (co-champs), 1969, 1999, 2006, 2010, 2017, 2018, 2019. Runner-up in 1986, 2000, 2008, 2012, 2020, 2022.

The rematch we all thought we might get when the season started has become a reality as Albany and Mart will do battle with the 2A Division II state championship on the line Thursday morning at AT&T Stadium.

Albany shocked some folks last season with a 41-21 win over the top-ranked Panthers to finally help long-time head coach Denney Faith win a state championship. This time around, it’s Albany that’s been the number one ranked team all season, but they still will likely be the underdog against Mart. This is the Panthers sixth trip to the state title game in seven years.

The Lions were tested in non-district play in a close win at Lubbock Trinity Christian and a victory over Hawley, but cruised through the rest of the regular season and, other than what could have been an upset loss to Muenster, have not had much trouble in the playoffs.

Mart has six shutouts this season and has put at least 50 points on the board in six games this season.

Albany also has six shutouts and six games with 50 points or more.

Adam Hill has been a beast all season for the Lions and will be the focal point of their offense again this week, behind a strong offensive line led by Zane Waggoner and Lanxton Viertel. Don’t count out the passing game, however, as the Chip Chambers-to-Cason Fairchild connection has been very good all year.

The Mart offense features a pair of 1,000 yard rushers in quarterback De’Montrel Medlock and running back JD Bell. They have been more successful running the ball than passing for the most part this season.

Both defenses feature big-time playmakers as well, with Hill, Waggoner, Jaxson Hoel, Tyler Chapman and Wyatt Windham leading the Lions, and Cornelius Gillaspy and Abram Ross among the players to watch for Mart.

Points Per Game
Albany: 44.5
Mart: 48.5

Points Allowed Per Game
Albany: 7.8
Mart: 9.2

Best Win
Albany: 27-14 over Hawley
Mart: 48-8 over Marlin

STAT LEADERS

Chip Chambers: 152-256, 2438 yds, 35 TD, 12 int; 92 yds, 2 TD rushing
Adam Hill: 2502 yds, 42 TD rushing; 15 rec, 244 yds, 6 TD; 98 tkl, 28 tfl, 15.5 sacks
Cason Fairchild: 62 rec, 1143 yds, 14 TD; 48 tkl, 5 int
Jaxson Hoel: 143 tkl, 9 tfl, 3 sacks, 2 fr; 5 rec, 42 yds
Branson Beal: 380 yds, 4 TD rushing; 36 rec, 511 yds, 9 TD; 65 tkl, 6 tfl, 3 int
Zane Waggoner: 107 tkl, 13 tfl, 6 sacks
Luke Marshall: 100 tkl, 7 tfl, 4 int
Tyler Chapman: 126 tkl, 5 tfl; 286 yds, 5 TD rushing
Wyatt Windham: 72 tkl, 3 int; 4 rec, 111 yds
Calhan Fairchild: 42 tkl, 3 int; 19 rec, 258 yds, 3 TD

De’Montrel Medlock: 87-134, 1692 yds, 18 TD, 1 int; 1274 yds, 23 TD rushing
JD Bell: 2336 yds, 41 TD rushing; 7 rec, 108 yds, 1 TD; 32 tkl, 7 tfl, 2 int
DAngelo Rhodes: 29 rec, 428 yds, 3 TD; 65 tkl, 11 tfl, 4 sacks
Ethan Hocking: 24 rec, 580 yds, 6 TD
Richard Green: 27 rec, 560 yds, 4 TD
Cornelius Gillaspy: 109 tkl, 11 tfl
Abram Ross: 99 tkl, 5 tfl
Landyn Hinton: 76 tkl, 10 tfl

The Pick: Albany

#4 WESTBROOK (13-1) VS. #1 GORDON (14-0) - WEDNESDAY, 11 A.M. - AT&T STADIUM

SERIES HISTORY: First meeting

State Title History
Westbrook: state champs in 2021, 2022
Gordon: state champs in 1996, 1999

The Wildcats are back at state yet again and looking for a third straight 1A Division I state championship.

Their opponent is unbeaten Gordon, who has not had to play a full game all season. Gordon blew past Jonesboro 54-8 last week and is in the final game of the season for the first time since 1999.

Westbrook also has a dominating win over Jonesboro this season, topping the Eagles 60-14 in week two.

Both teams have also faced Garden City. Westbrook won 60-8, Gordon won 58-12.

Gordon knocked Abbott, the team the Wildcats beat to win it all in 2022, out of the playoffs 64-16 two weeks ago in the game that likely decided who would reach Arlington on that side of the bracket.

These two teams are probably the best six-man defensive teams in the state. Gordon only allowed one team, Garden City with 12, to reach double-digits in the regular season. Westbrook was just about as good, only allowing Knox City (34), Jonesboro (14) and Hermleigh (30) to reach double figures before the playoffs.

Westbrook has many weapons on offense, but both Grayson Jeffrey and Keagan Gilbreath shouldering the load. Both have rushed for over 1,000 yards on the season and have combined for 63 touchdowns on the ground. Riley Reed and Stryker Reed are the guys to stop on the Gordon offense.

Gilbreath, Jeffrey, Parker Matlock, Ethan King, Aiden Sullivan and Damien Stewart are all at 90+ tackles on the season, with Matlock leading the way with 116. Sullivan has been a force with eight sacks, ten forced fumbles and ten fumble recoveries, while Gilbreath leads the way with five interceptions.

Expect this one to go the distance in a low scoring for six-man final score.

Points Per Game
Westbrook: 57.6
Gordon: 58.7

Points Allowed Per Game
Westbrook: 16.3
Gordon: 8.2

Best Win
Westbrook: 32-16 over Happy
Gordon: 54-8 over Jonesboro

STAT LEADERS

Keagan Gilbreath: 13-24, 326 yds, 8 TD passing; 1456 yds, 36 TD rushing; 10 rec, 167 yds, 2 TD; 101 tkl, 8 tfl, 5 int
Grayson Jeffrey: 10-23, 236 yds, 2 TD passing; 1294 yds, 27 TD rushing; 12 rec, 241 yds, 3 TD; 97 tkl, 2 int, 7 pbu
Parker Matlock: 27-49, 434 yds, 8 TD, 2 int passing; 4 rec, 102 yds, 2 TD; 116 tkl, 24 tfl, 5 fr, 2 ff, 1 int
Brannon Larson: 311 yds, 8 TD rushing; 2 rec, 61 yds, 2 TD; 29 tkl, 3 tfl
Aiden Sullivan: 14 rec, 318 yds, 5 TD; 90 tkl, 16 tfl, 8 sacks, 10 ff, 10 fr
Bo Payne: 8 rec, 76 yds, 4 TD; 61-81 PAT
Damien Stewart: 93 tkl, 13 tfl
Ethan King: 99 tkl, 8 tfl, 9 sacks, 5 fr, 3 ff

SixManFootball.com Spread: Gordon by 4

The Pick: Westbrook

#1 BENJAMIN (14-0) VS. OGLESBY (13-0) - WEDNESDAY, 2 P.M. - AT&T STADIUM

SERIES HISTORY: First meeting

State Title History
Benjamin: state champs in 2022
Oglesby: first appearance

The seemingly inevitable Benjamin return to the state championship game is here, and the Mustangs are the heavy favorites to go back-to-back.

Unbeaten Oglesby stands in the way, looking to cap off a dream season with an upset over the Grayson Rigdon-led Mustangs.

Rigdon is now appearing in his third straight state championship game, one as a freshman at Strawn and last season at Benjamin. He ran for 255 yards and five touchdowns in last season’s title game victory over Loraine and hasn’t slowed down since.

Oglesby running back Kyler Fossett has some Rigdon-like statistics, at least in the running game. He has amassed over 2600 yards and 52 touchdowns rushing.

Benjamin has played just one full game this season, a 112-84 shootout victory in the area playoffs against Newcastle.

Oglesby has been pretty dominant as well, winning ten of its 13 games by mercy rule, including a 54-8 win over 1A D1 state power May. The Tigers got past Richland Springs 62-48 in the semifinals to advance to state for the first time in program history. They went 11-1 last season, falling to Oakwood in the second round of the playoffs.

The teams have no common opponents. Oglesby went perfect against a pretty difficult schedule, as Buckholts was the only team the Tigers played this season that did not make the playoffs. Benjamin faced some stiff competition as well, beating 1A D1 Follett, Roby, and McLean and TAPPS Division II runner-up Abilene Christian along the way.

Oglesby has to be good if they can beat the likes of May and Richland Springs, but until somebody stops Rigdon, I’ll ride with the Mustangs.

Points Per Game
Benjamin: 68.2
Oglesby: 57

Points Allowed Per Game
Benjamin: 18.1
Oglesby: 14.3

Best Win
Benjamin: 85-40 over Jayton
Oglesby: 62-48 over Richland Springs

STAT LEADERS

Grayson Ridgon: 1443 yds, 29 TD rushing; 37-45, 715 yds, 9 TD passing; 22 rec, 634 yds, 18 TD rec; 72 tkl, 3 ff, 6 ff, 7 int, 6 defensive TD; 4 KO returns for TD, 1 punt return for TD
Keegan Hayes: 375 yds, 6 TD rushing; 30-47, 758 yds, 21 TD, 1 int passing; 14 rec, 325 yds, 5 TD; 90 tkl, 2 ff, 1 fr, 2 int, 2 defensive TD
Tallon Hayes: 47 yds, 1 TD rushing; 1-3, 20 yds, 1 TD passing; 8 rec, 70 yds, 1 TD; 91 tkl, 4 ff, 1 int, 4 fr
Weston Weatherford: 14 rec, 255 yds, 3 TD; 66 tkl, 1 ff, 1 fr, 1 int
Malcham Williams: 59 tkl, 1 int, 1 fr

Hunter Walter: 35-64, 907 yds, 14 TD, 4 int
Kyler Fossett: 2612 yds, 52 TD rushing; 1 rec, 16 yds; 68 tkl
EJ Aviles: 733 yds, 15 TD rushing; 70 tkl
Landon Williamson: 24 rec, 716 yds, 13 TD; 96 tkl, 3 int, 3 fr, 6 ff
Jack Hendricks: 79 tkl, 4 tfl, 6 sacks
Jakson Tippit: 70 tkl, 9 tfl, 9 fr, 6 ff

SixManFootball.com Spread: Benjamin by 41

The Pick: Benjamin