Week 14 Rewind
Only the best of the best remain as we are down to five Big Country teams in the postseason after a great post-Thanksgiving Friday of playoff football. Here’s a recap of the action.
4A DIVISION II REGION I SEMIFINALS
CELINA 46, SNYDER 6
The Bobcats jumped on the Tigers early and never gave them a chance, leading 39-0 by the half on their way to a 46-6 win. Snyder could only muster 118 yards of total offense and did not get on the scoreboard until late in the game. The Tigers end a great bounce-back season with a 9-4 record after going just 2-6 in 2020. They played Thanksgiving football for the first time since 2011 and snapped a six-game playoff losing streak along the way. Celina improves to 11-1 and will face district rival Aubrey in the regional final. The Bobcats beat them 49-14 back on Oct. 8.
Photo: Cody Coil/Big Country Blitz
3A DIVISION I REGION I SEMIFINALS
BROCK 70, JIM NED 25
The injury depleted Indians ran into a Brock Eagle buzz saw that takes over as the state title favorite in 3A Division I. Brock limited Jim Ned to 228 yards of total offense, 160 of those and all three touchdowns came from Xavier Wishert in his high school football finale, and racked up 657 yards of their own on the way to the win. Jim Ned was one of six defending state champions to lose, as Aledo, Argyle, Carthage, Canadian and Sterling City all also bowed out of the playoffs. The Eagles led 14-0 after one and 28-0 in the second quarter before the Indians scored on a 32-yard Wishert run. Brock extended the lead to 35-6 by the half and to 49-6 after a pair of quick touchdowns in the third. Jim Ned’s winning streak is snapped at 26-games, tied for the 80th best streak in the storied history of Texas high school football. Wishert ends the year with an even 2,500 yards and 32 touchdowns rushing and ends his career as the program’s all-time leading rusher with 5,303 yards and 72 scores. Brock moves on to meet district foe Whitesboro on Thursday night. The Eagles beat the Bearcats 42-21 in October.
Photo: Cody Coil/Big Country Blitz
2A DIVISION I REGION I SEMIFINALS
HAWLEY 21, COLEMAN 7
The Bearcats outmuscled the Bluecats in an old-fashioned brutal playoff battle Friday night in Abilene. Hawley got a pair of touchdown runs from Austin Cumpton and a touchdown pass from Rodey Hooper to Aeneas Segura in the fourth quarter to help put things away. Coleman’s only score came on an 11-yard Cort McFadden run in the second quarter that pulled them within 14-7 after the Bearcats scored the first two touchdowns of the game. Hawley only picked up 238 yards of total offense and held Coleman to 222. The Bluecats went on a 19-play drive to start the third quarter that took over 11 minutes off the clock, but did not put any points on the board when Christian Villeda’s 37-yard field goal try came up just short. Coleman ends a great run with an 11-1 record, while 13-0 Hawley moves on to meet Cisco in the quarterfinals Friday night at 7 p.m. at Shotwell Stadium.
Photo: Cody Coil/Big Country Blitz
Photo: Cody Coil/Big Country Blitz
Photo: Alexander Garza
CISCO 34, NEW DEAL 14
The Loboes march on by doing what they do best: running the football and playing great defense. Cisco ran for 270 yards and held the high-powered New Deal rushing attack to just 84 yards to improve to 11-2 and set up a regional final date with Hawley. The Loboes led 13-0 by the end of the the first quarter and were on top 20-7 at the half. Hunter Long ran for a pair of second half touchdowns to help Cisco put the game away. Trent Huston led the way with 159 yards rushing and a pair of touchdowns. New Deal wraps up the year with an 11-2 record.
Photo: Gary Stennett
Photo: Gary Stennett
2A DIVISION II REGION II SEMIFINALS
ALBANY 34, MUENSTER 21
Albany is in the state quarterfinals for seventh time in the past ten years after taking down second-ranked Muenster Friday afternoon. The Lions led 28-0 by halftime and cruised to the win. Albany outgained the Hornets 439 to 277, led by a 162-yard, one touchdown rushing effort from Jaheim Newton. Cole Chapman threw for 176 yards and a pair of scores, one to Cooper Fairchild and another to Adam Hill. The Lions improve to 12-0 and will meet defending state champion Windthorst for the regional title Friday night in Graham. This will be the sixth playoff meeting between the two schools since 2003, and the Trojans have won the previous five, including an 18-13 third round victory in 2020.
Photo: Kelly Basting
1A DIVISION I REGION II CHAMPIONSHIP
WESTBROOK 44, STERLING CITY 41
The Wildcats beat the Eagles for a second time this season to advance to the state semifinals. A year ago Sterling City handed the Wildcats their only two losses of the year, including a victory in the state quarterfinals on their way to winning it all. Westbrook trailed 29-20 at the half and 35-20 early in the third before reeling off the next 24 points to go ahead for good. Jimmy Roberts returned an interception 53-yards early in the fourth to push the lead to 44-35 and Westbrook held off a late rally to get the win. Roberts also ran for two touchdowns and Cedric Ware added a rushing touchdown and a receiving touchdown to lead the Wildcat offense. Shammah Stark threw two touchdown passes. Westbrook (9-4) has now won seven straight games after staring the season 2-4 and will meet 10-3 Happy in the state semifinals. The Cowboys knocked off Turkey Valley 38-36 last week to advance.
Photo: Dency McClure/Texas 1A Fan
Photo: Westbrook ISD
1A DIVISION I REGION IV CHAMPIONSHIP
MAY 70, WATER VALLEY 49
The Tigers eliminated an unbeaten team for a second straight week, getting past Water Valley in Robert Lee Saturday night to move on to the state semifinals. May trailed 14-8 after one quarter but rallied to take a 30-22 lead into the locker room at halftime. The Wildcats narrowed the gap to 30-28 early in the third but that was as close as they could get, as Kaden Halk, Avery Williford and Blake Harrell paced the Tiger offense in the second half. May improves to 13-0 and will meet Region III champion Abbott (13-0) in the state semifinals Saturday at 6 p.m. in Dublin.
Photo: Brownwoodnews.com
UP NEXT - PLAYOFF PAIRINGS
2A DIVISION I REGION I CHAMPIONSHIP
Hawley (13-0) vs Cisco (11-2) - Friday, 7 p.m. - Shotwell Stadium, Abilene
2A DIVISION II REGION II CHAMPIONSHIP
Albany (12-0) vs Windthorst (12-1) - Friday, 7 p.m. - Graham
1A DIVISION I SEMIFINALS
Westbrook (9-4) vs Happy (10-3) - Friday, 7 p.m. - Slaton
May (13-0) vs Abbott (13-0) - Saturday, 6 p.m. - Dublin
