Week 14 Rewind
Abilene High 27, Justin Northwest 16
Abilene High forced four turnovers for the second straight week (and had zero themselves) to get past the Texans and into the fourth round of the playoffs for the first time since 2011.
The Eagle defense came up with big stop after big stop in the second half and got a key touchdown drive from the offense to all but put the game out of reach after the Texans got within 20-14.
Abilene High now takes a nine-game winning streak into a state quarterfinal showdown with top-ranked Aledo.
BEST INDIVIDUAL EFFORTS
Dylan Slack: 18-21, 177 yds, 2 TD
Chad Lara: 134 yds, 1 TD rushing
Bryson Perez: 2 rec, 32 yds, 1 TD
Brayden Henry: 3 rec, 23 yds, 1 TD; 8 yds rushing; 1-2, 5 yds passing
Brelon Badon: 5 rec, 57 yds
Beckham Paul: 12 tkl
Bryce Neves: 9 tkl, 2 tfl
Caden Rainwater: 9 tkl
Tre Sharp: 3 tkl, 2 int
UP NEXT
Abilene High (11-2) vs. Aledo (13-0) - Friday, 7 p.m. - Tarleton State, Stephenville
Photo: Derrick Stuckly/Brownwoodnews.com
Brownwood 37, Springtown 17
The Lions outlasted the Porcupines, who were playing without their top quarterback and running back, to move on to the regional finals for the first time since 2015.
Brownwood scored 20 second quarter points to lead 20-3 at the half, saw Springtown get as close as 20-17, but scored 17 unanswered in the fourth to pull away for the win.
The Lions forced four turnovers and only had one of their own. A 90-yard interception return for a touchdown by Zakk Zabecki sealed the deal with just over two minutes left in the game.
Springtown outgained Brownwood 458 to 306 but could not turn as many yards into points as they needed to earn the upset win.
BEST INDIVIDUAL EFFORTS
Ike Hall: 5-9, 86 yds, 2 TD passing; 158 yds, 2 TD rushing
Jaylan Brown: 61 yds rushing
Carson Noe: 3 rec, 74 yds, 2 TD
UP NEXT
Brownwood (12-1) vs. Decatur (9-4) - Friday, 7 p.m. - McLane Stadium, Waco
Brock 75, Clyde 21
The Bulldogs battled back and forth early with the Eagles, but Brock pulled away in the second quarter to advance and end a great season for Clyde.
Clyde tied the game at 14 early in the second but saw the Eagles score the next 20 points to lead 34-14 at halftime. They added five more touchdowns in the third quarter to put the game away.
The Bulldogs played much of the game without injured star quarterback Blake Carr, who ended the year with 2482 yards passing, 1713 yards rushing, and pass or ran for 55 touchdowns.
Clyde made the third round of the playoffs for just the second time in program history. They improved from four wins to 11 in their third year under head coach Danny Dudgeon.
BEST INDIVIDUAL EFFORTS
Blake Carr: 4-6, 153 yds, 1 TD, 1 int passing; 30 yds rushing
Dai’jon Booker: 3 rec, 126 yds, 2 TD
Fabian Gomez: 1 rec, 51 yds, 1 TD; 27 yds rushing
Photo: OurGunter
Gunter 45, Comanche 0
The Indians ran into the buzzsaw known as Gunter and saw a very good season come to an end.
Gunter, the top-ranked 3A D2 team in the state, led just 3-0 after one quarter but put three second-quarter touchdowns on the board to pull away.
The Tigers outgained Comanche 392 to 170, holding the Indians to just 65 yards on the ground.
Comanche ends the season at 8-5, reaching the third round for the first time since 2018.
BEST INDIVIDUAL EFFORTS
N/A
Hawley 31, Sonora 8
The Bearcats shut out Sonora in the second half to pull away for the victory.
Hawley led 14-8 at halftime and kept the powerful Bronco offense off the board over the final 24 minutes to advance to at least the fourth round for the fourth time in five seasons.
The Bearcats knocked Sonora out of the playoffs for the second year in a row and will now move on to face unbeaten Stratford.
BEST INDIVIDUAL EFFORTS
Keagan Ables: 13-21, 232 yds, 1 TD; 76 yds, 2 TD rushing; 11 tkl, 1 int
Landon Sykora: 89 yds rushing; 5 tkl
Allyn Barker: 23 yds, 1 TD rushing; 7 tkl
Diontay Ramon: 7 rec, 115 yds, 1 TD; 2 tkl, 1 tfl, 1 sack
Tate Scott: 2 rec, 71 yds; 7 tkl, 2 tfl
Eli Daniel: 7 tkl, 2 tfl, 1 int
UP NEXT
Hawley (11-2) vs. Stratford (13-0) - Friday, 6 p.m. - Lowrey Field, Lubbock
Albany 19, Muenster 14
The Lions were tested for the first time in months and held on to beat Muenster and advance.
Cason Fairchild intercepted a pass with 37 seconds left on the clock to help the defending state champs hold off the Hornets.
Albany actually trailed 7-6 at the half but scored once in the third quarter and another time in the fourth to go ahead 19-7.
The Lions held Muenster to negative yards rushing but gave up 302 yards through the air.
Albany has now won 24-games in a row and is in at least the quarterfinals for the third season in a row.
BEST INDIVIDUAL EFFORTS
Adam Hill: 158 yds, 1 TD rushing; 7 tkl, 1 tfl, 1 sack
Cason Fairchild: 2 rec, 44 yds, 2 TD; 6 tkl, 2 int
Wyatt Windham: 7 tkl, 1 int
Jaxson Hoel: 8 tkl
UP NEXT
Albany (13-0) vs. Collinsville (12-1) - Thursday, 7 p.m. - Iowa Park
Photo: Lexi Serna Photography
Collinsville 50, Roscoe 12
The Plowboys saw their dream season come to an end with a loss to state-ranked Collinsville.
Logan Jenkins threw for 356 yards and five touchdowns and ran for 39 yards and another score to pace the powerful Pirate offense.
Roscoe ends up at 10-3, improving by four in the win column this season.
BEST INDIVIDUAL EFFORTS
Jace Arnwine: 18-33, 258 yds, 2 TD, 1 int
Photo: SMcCowen Photography
Westbrook 110, Borden County 65
The Wildcats outlasted the Coyotes in a classic six-man shootout to advance to the state semifinals against Happy.
Borden County led 23-14 after one quarter, but the Wildcats went ahead to stay by the half at 48-37. The Coyotes got as close as five points in the third quarter, but Westbrook outscored them 30-8 in the fourth to end the game early.
Westbrook now has 12 straight mercy rule wins after their season-opening loss to Knox City.
BEST INDIVIDUAL EFFORTS
Keegan Gilbreath: 294 yds, 5 TD rushing; 1-2, 24 yds, 1 TD passing; 2 rec, 62 yds, 1 TD
Grayson Jeffrey: 231 yds, 6 TD rushing; 1-1, 14 yds passing; 3 rec, 33 yds; 8 tkl
Aiden Sullivan: 2 rec, 74 yds, 1 TD; 52 yds, 1 TD rushing; 6 tkl
Parker Matlock: 6-6, 155 yds, 2 TD passing; 1 rec, 24 yds, 1 TD; 9 tkl, 1 sack, 1 int
UP NEXT
Westbrook (12-1) vs. Happy (12-1) - Friday, 6:30 p.m. - Lubbock Christian
Photo: May Tiger Teams
Jonesboro 86, May 39
The Eagles topped the Tigers for the second time in 2023 and advanced to the state semifinals against Gordon.
Jonesboro led 56-39 at halftime and shut out May in the second half to win.
BEST INDIVIDUAL EFFORTS
Ben Harrell: 14-28, 257 yds, 4 TD passing; 56 yds rushing
Jackson Lusk: 10 rec, 153 yds, 3 TD
Ryalnd Billadeau: 3 rec, 84 yds, 2 TD
Mikey Scheriger: 14 yds, 1 TD rushing; 37 yds, 1 TD passing; 2 rec, 16 yds
Photo: SMcCowen Photography
Benjamin 85, Jayton 40
The Mustangs pulled away from the Jaybirds and pulled off a 45-point mercy rule victory in a highly anticipated battle of unbeaten teams.
The teams traded scores back and forth early before Benjamin, relying on Grayson Rigdgon, built a lead they’d never give up.
Benjamin has now won 27 games in a row and advances to the state semifinals against Klondike, a team Jayton beat earlier this season 55-34.
BEST INDIVIDUAL EFFORTS
Grayson Rigdon: 278 yds, 5 TD rushing; 10-11, 218 yds, 3 TD passing; 14 tkl, 1 ff
Keegan Hayes: 126 yds, 3 TD rushing; 6 rec, 110 yds, 1 TD; 9 tkl
Weston Weatherford: 2 rec, 110 yds, 2 TD; 9 tkl
Tallon Hayes: 8 tkl
UP NEXT
Benjamin (13-0) vs. Klondike (11-1) - Saturday, 2 p.m. - Sweetwater
Photo: Mike Jones/Brownwoodnews.com
Richland Springs 78, Cherokee 54
The Coyotes beat their district rivals for the second time this season to advance to the state semifinals against Oglesby.
Richland Springs is in the semifinals for the fourth time in five years after missing out in 2022.
BEST INDIVIDUAL EFFORTS
Billy Perry: 231 yds, 4 TD rushing; 4-7, 68 yds, 1 TD passing
Cohen Ethridge: 105 yds, 4 TD rushing
UP NEXT
Richland Springs (13-0) vs. Oglesby (12-0) - Saturday, 4 p.m. - Dublin
Photo: Abilene Christian School
Abilene Christian 52, Lucas Christian 42
The Panthers are back in the state championship game for the first time since 2011, thanks to a ten-point win over Lucas Christian.
Abilene Christian has now beaten the Warriors in the playoffs two seasons in a row.
The Panthers will meet Conroe Covenant, who beat Pasadena First Baptist 74-62 in their semifinal matchup, for the state title on Thursday.
BEST INDIVIDUAL EFFORTS
Brooks Armstrong: 215 yds, 5 TD rushing; 7 tkl
Davis Patteson: 87 yds, 1 TD rushing; 1-1, 18 yds, 1 TD passing; 1 rec, 17 yds; 8 tkl
Isaac Presley: 2 rec, 56 yds, 1 TD; 10 tkl
UP NEXT
Abilene Christian (11-2) vs. Conroe Covenant (12-1) - Thursday, 7 p.m. - Waco ISD Stadium
