Week 8 Rewind

The playoffs are just three weeks away, for class 4A and down anyway, and district title races and battles for playoff positioning are heating up. Some district championships are all but decided, while others are still up in the air. Throw a few COVID cancellations in the mix and it could be a wild last three weeks of the season. Buckle up!

CAUGHT MY EYE

District 8-2A Division II play has been a breeze through three games for ALBANY. The Lions have been dominant to say the least, beating Meridian, Hico and Ranger by a combined 176-0. Throw in a 43-0 win over Haskell in the non-district finale and they’ve pitched four straight shut outs to the tune of 219-0. Granted, the competition hasn’t been all that great, but all you can do is win the games on your schedule. Albany visits Santo Thursday before closing things out in what should be a district championship battle with Cross Plains.

The BROWNWOOD LIONS did not play a game this week, but they now have the opportunity to play two games that had been ruled as forfeit’s. You can read all about the decision here, but the District 5-4A Division I executive committee reversed course, revamped the schedule, and is giving Brownwood a chance to play Waco La Vega and Midlothian Heritage instead of taking forfeits because of positive COVID tests. Now the Lions will have to play four games in just over two weeks:
Friday, October 23 vs Alvarado
Wednesday, October 28 at Waxahachie Life
Monday, November 2 at Waco La Vega
Saturday, November 7 at Midlothian Heritage
Win two of those and Lions will be in the playoffs for the 12th straight season.

CISCO certainly has statewide respect as they returned to the Texas Football Class 2A Division II rankings last week despite having a 3-3 record (with all of their non-district games coming against 3A schools). The Loboes are now 4-3 after demolishing De Leon 48-6 last week and sit in a three-way tie with Coleman and San Saba atop the 4-2A DII standings.

Clyde did not play last week but improved to 2-0 in district play with a forfeit win over San Angelo TLCA. The Bulldogs have a big ballgame coming up at Early this week. Clyde and Early are in the driver’s seat for playoff spots, but a road win by the Bulldogs will keep them in the chase for a district title with games against Wall and Jim Ned to close out the season.

COOPER saw Noah Garcia return to action, and the senior running back helped the Cougars claim their District 3-5A Division I opener over Justin Northwest 54-21. Garcia’s 257 yard, four touchdown effort made him Cooper’s all-time leading rusher with 4,386 career yards and counting. The Cougars led just 24-21 in the third quarter, but pulled away the rest of the way for the win.

In a huge matchup for playoff positioning, EARLY shut out Breckenridge 21-0 to pick up district win number one. The victory gives the Longhorns the inside track over Breckenridge for a postseason spot, which would be their first since 2008. The Longhorn defense allowed just 118 yards, helping them pick up their second shut out victory of the season.

EASTLAND passed a big test with a 31-17 win at Comanche Friday night. The Mavericks scored almost as many points in the game, 31, as the Indians had given up all season, 33, entering the contest. Eastland has won four straight after an 0-3 start and is tied atop the District 5-3A Division II standings with Jacksboro at 2-0. The two teams face each other in Eastland this week.

HASKELL kept their playoff hopes alive with a 34-0 shut out win at Colorado City. It snapped a two-game losing skid and evened the Indians district record at 1-1 heading into a key home game against Forsan.

HERMLEIGH improved to 8-0 on the season, 2-0 in district play, with a 56-28 win at Roby. The Cardinals are in good position for the playoffs, but have games at home against Rotan and at Ira to close the season. Hermleigh now has more wins this season than the last two combined and will have a shot at their first trip to the postseason since 2015 with success down the stretch.

The IRA BULLDOGS are the biggest threat to the Cardinals district title hopes, and they proved it with a 70-18 win at previously unbeaten Rotan this past week. Ira has won four games in a row and six of their last seven. Their only losses are to state ranked Jayton and Knox City.

You could argue nobody (maybe Sweetwater) in the Big Country is hotter than JIM NED. The Indians took care of Wall 28-8 in a battle of state ranked teams Friday night to take over as favorites to win the District 3-3A Division title. The win is the Indians third over a ranked team in their last four games. Xavier Wishert continued to roll, racking up another 200+ yard game and scoring three of the four Jim Ned touchdowns. The Indians held Wall to 222 yards of total offense, and the Hawks did not complete a single pass in the game.

MAY had no problem getting past Santa Anna 51-0 Friday night. The Tigers racked up 315 total yards in one half of action, and, more impressively, held the Mountaineers to -25 yards of offense in a dominating win. Seven different Tigers scored touchdowns in the game. May will visit Baird in a game that should decide the District 13-1A Division I title this week.

Another week, another win for SWEETWATER. The Mustangs outgunned Pecos 62-39 to stay atop the District 1-4A Division II standings Friday night. Leo Holsey continued his great junior season, rushing for four touchdowns and passing for five more in the Mustangs victory. Sweetwater has just one more game on the schedule at home against Monahans on October 30.

STILL PERFECT

ABILENE CHRISTIAN: The Panthers improved to 3-0 with a 53-28 win over Lubbock All Saints Saturday afternoon. TAPPS made a decision this past week that every team would make the playoffs (ACS was more than likely headed to the postseason anyway), so the final three games of the season are basically warmup games, starting with a trip to Wichita Falls Notre Dame this week.

BANGS: The Dragons pulled away from Ingram Moore 47-15 Friday night to get to 6-0, 2-0 and tied with Ballinger and Sonora atop the District 2-3A Division II standings. Bangs trailed the Warriors 15-7 in the first half, but scored the final 40 points of the game to cruise to the win. The Dragons visit Sonora in a key game Friday, then head to Ballinger the next week.

HAMLIN: The Pipers rolled past Roscoe 49-13 Friday night to improve to 7-0 on the season with just two games to go. In a reshuffled district schedule, Hamlin will host 1-6 Crosbyton on Thursday before ending the regular season at Lockney with some Monday Night football November 2.

HERMLEIGH: The Cardinals are 8-0 after their win over Roby and getting set for a key district game against 6-1 Rotan this week.

WYLIE: The Bulldogs were scheduled to return to action this week at home against Plainview, but that game has now been rescheduled for November 27. Wylie remains 2-0 and looking for a replacement game this week. If they can’t find one, they will go 28 days between games when they visit Wichita Falls Rider to open district play on October 30.

LOOKING AHEAD

There are some great games to get out and see this week.

Odessa Permian at Abilene High
Cooper at Granbury
Alvarado at Brownwood
Midland Greenwood at Snyder
Breckenridge at Wall
Clyde at Early
Jim Ned at TLCA San Angelo
Ballinger at Ingram Moore
Bangs at Sonora
Jacksboro at Eastland
Merkel at Dublin
Hawley at Anson
Colorado City at Stamford
Forsan at Haskell
Coleman at Cisco
Winters at Goldthwaite
Crosbyton at Hamlin (Thursday)
Roscoe at Ralls (Thursday)
Albany at Santo (Thursday)
Ranger at Cross Plains (Thursday)
Roby at Aspermont
Rotan at Hermleigh
Robert Lee at Highland
May at Baird
Lingleville at Santa Anna
TLCA Abilene at Trent
Moran at Lueders-Avoca
Harrold at Rule
Brookesmith at Rising Star
Abilene Christian at Wichita Falls Notre Dame

STANDINGS

District 2-6A

Odessa Permian 1-0, 3-1
San Angelo Central 1-0, 1-3
Wolfforth Frenship 1-0, 2-2
Odessa 0-0, 0-1
Midland Lee 0-1, 3-1
Abilene 0-1, 0-3
Midland 0-1, 0-4

This week: Odessa Permian at Abilene High; San Angelo Central at Wolfforth Frenship; Midland at Odessa

District 3-5A Division I

Cooper 1-0, 2-1
Brewer 1-0, 2-2
Granbury 1-0, 2-2
Arlington Heights 0-0, 3-0
Azle 0-0, 2-1
Justin Northwest 0-1, 2-2
Crowley 0-1, 0-4
Saginaw 0-1, 0-4

This week: Cooper at Granbury; Saginaw at Azle; Crowley at Brewer; Arlington Heights at Justin Northwest;

District 3-5A Division II

Wylie 2-0
Wichita Falls Rider 3-1
Lubbock Cooper 3-1
Plainview 2-2
Canyon Randall 2-2
Wichita Falls 1-1

This week: Wylie TBA; Lubbock Cooper at Canyon Randall; Wichita Falls and Wichita Falls Rider are off

District 5-4A Division I

Midlothian Heritage 3-0, 6-2
Waco La Vega 2-0, 5-1
Stephenville 2-1, 4-4
Waxahachie Life 1-2, 2-5
Brownwood 0-1, 2-4
Alvarado 0-3, 2-6

This week: Alvarado at Brownwood; La Vega at Heritage; Waxahachie Life at Stephenville

District 1-4A Division II

Sweetwater 3-0, 6-1
Greenwood 2-1, 4-3
Monahans 1-1, 3-5
Pecos 0-2, 2-3
Snyder 0-2, 2-4

This week: Greenwood at Snyder; Pecos at Monahans; Sweetwater is off

District 3-3A Division I

Jim Ned 2-0, 5-1
Clyde 2-0, 3-4
Wall 1-1, 4-3
Early 1-1, 4-3
Breckenridge 0-2, 0-6
TLCA San Angelo 0-2, 0-7

This week: Jim Ned at TLCA San Angelo; Clyde at Early; Breckenridge at Wall

District 2-3A Division II

Bangs 2-0, 6-0
Ballinger 2-0, 7-1
Sonora 2-0, 3-4
Ingram Moore 0-2, 5-2
Brady 0-2, 2-5
Grape Creek 0-2, 1-6

This week: Bangs at Sonora; Ballinger at Ingram Moore; Brady at Grape Creek

District 5-3A Division II

Eastland 2-0, 4-3
Jacksboro 2-0, 5-2
Comanche 1-1, 6-1
Millsap 1-1, 5-2
Merkel 0-2, 2-4
Dublin 0-2, 1-5

This week: Jacksboro at Eastland; Merkel at Dublin; Comanche at Millsap

District 3-2A Division I

Anson 2-0, 5-1
Hawley 2-0, 5-2
Forsan 1-1, 3-3
Haskell 1-1, 2-4
Stamford 0-2, 3-4
Colorado City 0-2, 0-7

This week: Hawley at Anson; Colorado City at Stamford; Forsan at Haskell

District 4-2A Division I

Coleman 2-0, 6-1
San Saba 2-0, 5-1
Cisco 2-0, 4-3
Goldthwaite 0-2, 2-5
De Leon 0-2, 1-6
Winters 0-2, 1-6

This week: Coleman at Cisco; Winters at Goldthwaite; De Leon at San Saba

District 5-2A Division II

Hamlin 2-0, 7-0
Lockney 1-0, 6-0
Ralls 0-1, 4-3
Crosbyton 0-1, 1-6
Roscoe 0-1, 0-7

This week: Crosbyton at Hamlin (Thursday); Roscoe at Ralls (Thursday); Lockney is off

District 8-2A Division II

Albany 3-0, 6-1
Cross Plains 2-0, 6-1
Santo 2-1, 5-3
Meridian 1-1, 3-3
Hico 0-3, 1-7
Ranger 0-3, 0-7

This week: Albany at Santo (Thursday); Ranger at Cross Plains (Thursday); Meridian at Hico

District 7-1A Division I

Hermleigh 2-0, 8-0
Ira 2-0, 6-2
Rotan 0-1, 6-1
Roby 0-2, 4-4
Aspermont 0-1, 3-4

This week: Rotan at Hermleigh; Roby at Aspermont

District 8-1A Division I

Sterling City 1-0, 7-0
Westbrook 1-0, 7-0
Robert Lee 1-0, 2-4
Highland 0-1, 4-3
Bronte 0-2, 1-6

This week: Sterling City at Westbrook; Robert Lee at Highland; Bronte is off

District 13-1A Division I

May 2-0, 7-1
Baird 1-0, 3-4
Gorman 1-1, 4-4
Lingleville 0-1, 1-6
Santa Anna 0-2, 5-3

This week: May at Baird; Lingleville at Santa Anna; Gorman is off

District 6-1A Division II

Blackwell 2-0, 5-3
Loraine 1-0, 4-3
TLCA Abilene 0-0, 0-4
Trent 1-1, 1-7
Olfen 0-2, 0-4

This week: TLCA Abilene at Trent; Olfen at Loraine; Blackwell is off

District 8-1A Division II

Benjamin 3-1
Rule 5-2
Chillicothe 3-3
Harrold 0-2

This week: Harrold at Rule; Benjamin at Chillicothe

District 9-1A Division II

Throckmorton 1-0, 5-1
Woodson 1-0, 1-4
Moran 0-1, 0-8
Lueders-Avoca 0-1, 0-7

This week: Woodson at Throckmorton; Moran at Lueders-Avoca

District 15-1A Division II

Sidney 2-0, 5-2
Blanket 1-0, 5-2
Brookesmith 1-0, 4-2
Rising Star 0-2, 3-5
Panther Creek 0-2, 1-7

This week: Brookesmith at Rising Star; Sidney at Blanket; Panther Creek is off