Week 4 Rewind
The Friday night menu gets a few more dishes when Abilene High, Cooper, Wylie and Abilene Christian join the mix for the first time, but, before we look ahead to week five, it is time for the week four rewind.
CAUGHT MY EYE
One of the most impressive victories from a Big Country team came courtesy of the SWEETWATER MUSTANGS, who won on the road at #7 Boerne 40-35 Friday night. The Mustang offense is usually the story, and was still impressive, but the defense stepped up in a big way. Giving up 35 points is not usually the standard for a great defensive effort, but when you’ve been giving up an average of 50 points per game and travel a long way to battle a state ranked team, 35 isn’t so bad. Darian Carr had five catches for 136 yards and two touchdowns on offense.
BROWNWOOD got head coach Sammy Burnet back after missing two games with quarantine and got a huge effort from Royshad Henderson in a 36-22 win at Burnett. Henderson racked up 253 yards and three touchdowns on the ground, including a 90-yard touchdown run to put the Lions ahead to stay in the fourth quarter.
The JIM NED INDIANS made it back-to-back big wins over Eastland county teams with a 39-20 victory at #4 Cisco Friday night. Yes, it was a game between a 3A Division I team and a 2A Division I team, but winning at Cisco, no matter the size difference, is always impressive. The Indians trailed 13-12 in the third quarter but reeled off 27 unanswered points to pull away from the Loboes late in the third and in the fourth quarter. Xavier Wishert was once again a beast at running back, tallying 185 yards and three touchdowns, while Tate Yardley was a very efficient 12-15 passing for 146 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Cisco falls to 2-2, but both losses came to bigger schools. The Loboes, who travel to unbeaten Comanche (another 3A school) Friday, should be more than prepared to start district play against Winters on October 9.
No, my wife Allison (Hamlin High School class of 1999) does not make me write nice things about HAMLIN on a weekly basis. It just happens. The Pipers took care of another good team Friday night when they rolled past previously unbeaten Anson 48-6. The Tigers had been very impressive offensively through three weeks, but the Hamlin defense held them to under 200 yards and the offense did more than enough in helping the Pipers build a 41-6 halftime lead. Hamlin has officially won the unofficial Jones County championship for the season with wins over Stamford, Hawley and Anson by a combined 117-12.
The ROBY LIONS continued their hot start to the season, improving to 3-1 with a 63-13 win at Rule. The Lions are 2-1 so far in a stretch of four straight road games that concludes this week at Benjamin. The District 7-1A Division I race is shaping up to be a fun one, with the Lions now looking like a contender in the mix with Hermleigh (4-0), Rotan (3-0), Aspermont (2-2) and Ira (2-2). All five teams are .500 or better four weeks in.
STILL PERFECT
BALLINGER: The Bearcats ralled past Clyde 21-14 Friday night to get to 4-0. Ballinger trailed 14-7 entering the fourth but scored twice in the final quarter to get another victory. Garrett Dixon led the way with 214 yards rushing.
BANGS: The Dragons remain 3-0 after seeing their game against Hamilton cancelled this week. They will face their toughest test of the young season this week as they welcome 3-1 Hawley to town.
HAMLIN: The Pied Pipers host Haskell for homecoming this week before their final non-district test (and, honestly, their final test of the regular season at Windthorst) on October 2.
HERMLEIGH: The Cardinals continue to turn things around this season, getting to 4-0 after a 55-8 win over Robert Lee. They trailed 8-6 at one point but scored the final 49 points to get the 45 by halftime. Hermleigh is up to #31 in the latest sixmanfootball.com division one rankings.
HIGHLAND: Insert corny joke about a basketball game score here. The Hornets proved to be quite unstoppable in a 104-60 win at Loraine Friday night to improve to 4-0. Highland is up to #21 in the rankings after the win and get set for a showdown at Ira this week.
ROTAN: The Yellowhammers did not get to play their contest with Veribest this week, so they remain 3-0 with a trip to 1-2 Robert Lee coming up on Friday.
Two teams fell from the ranks of the unbeaten in week four as Anson lost at Hamlin and Santa Anna fell at home to Brookesmith.
LOOKING AHEAD
Some of the big games on the schedule this week.
Tascosa at Abilene
Cooper at Permian
Wylie at Brownwood
Albany at Anson
Ballinger at Llano
Hawley at Bangs
Cisco at Comanche
Snyder at Jim Ned
Highland at Ira
May at Blum
STANDINGS
District 5-4A Division I
Midlothian Heritage 3-1
Waco La Vega 3-1
Brownwood 2-2
Waxahachie Life 1-2
Stephenville 1-3
Alvarado 1-3
District 1-4A Division II
Greenwood 2-1
Sweetwater 2-1
Snyder 2-2
Pecos 1-2
Monahans 1-3
District 3-3A Division I
Wall 3-1
Jim Ned 2-1
Early 2-2
Clyde 1-3
Breckenridge 0-3
TLCA San Angelo 0-4
District 2-3A Division II
Ballinger 4-0
Bangs 3-0
Ingram Moore 4-0
Brady 2-2
Grape Creek 1-3
Sonora 0-4
District 5-3A Division II
Comanche 4-0
Jacksboro 3-1
Millsap 3-1
Merkel 2-2
Dublin 1-3
Eastland 0-3
District 3-2A Division I
Anson 3-1
Hawley 3-1
Forsan 2-2
Stamford 2-2
Haskell 1-3
Colorado City 0-4
District 4-2A Division I
San Saba 3-1
Coleman 3-1
Cisco 2-2
Goldthwaite 2-2
De Leon 0-4
Winters 0-4
District 5-2A Division II
Hamlin 4-0
Lockney 3-0
Ralls 2-2
Crosbyton 1-3
Roscoe 0-4
District 8-2A Division II
Albany 3-1
Cross Plains 3-1
Santo 3-1
Meridian 2-2
Hico 1-3
District 7-1A Division I
Hermleigh 4-0
Rotan 3-0
Roby 3-1
Aspermont 2-2
Ira 2-2
District 8-1A Division I
Highland 4-0
Sterling City 3-0
Westbrook 4-0
Robert Lee 1-2
Bronte 1-3
District 13-1A Division I
Santa Anna 3-1
May 3-1
Gorman 1-3
Baird 0-3
Lingleville 0-4
District 6-1A Division II
Blackwell 2-2
Loraine 2-2
Olfen 0-1
TLCA Abilene 0-3
Trent 0-4
District 8-1A Division II
Benjamin 3-1
Rule 2-2
Chillicothe 1-2
Harrold 0-1
District 9-1A Division II
Throckmorton 3-1
Woodson 0-3
Lueders-Avoca 0-4
Moran 0-4
District 15-1A Division II
Blanket 3-1
Brookesmith 2-1
Rising Star 2-2
Sidney 2-2
Panther Creek 1-3
We get to talk a little college football for the first time this season, as ACU opened with a good effort in a 17-13 loss at UTEP. The Wildcats outgained the Miners 308-293 in their first game of the season. UTEP already had played games against Stephen F. Austin and Texas this year. ACU returns to action at Army on October 3.
