The Spearman Lynx are getting accustomed to making Happy State Bank Stadium a second home every November.
For the third time since 2022 and a second straight year, the Lynx were able to get a convincing 64-33 win against Farwell during a UIL Class 2A bi-district matchup Friday afternoon.
“We’ve had a tough schedule and that pays off this time of year,” Spearman head coach Brandon Reagan said. “We were physical for four quarters and we always talk about that. We have been an underdog that’s won in the playoffs and we didn’t want that to happen to us. I’m just proud of how we played.”
Spearman (7-4) is now set for a playoff rematch from last year when the Lynx battle New Deal (7-4) at 4 p.m. Thursday back at Happy State Bank Stadium. Spearman stunned the Lions in a bi-district clash in 2025 with a 42-21 victory.
The Lynx used a string of momentum swinging plays to take control in the first half. Leading 8-0, Farwell’s Tak Miller had broke loose for a 63-yard touchdown cutting the Lynx lead 8-7 at the 6:20 mark of the first quarter.
The Lynx immediately answered on the ensuing kickoff. Taking it from his own 5-yard line, Giovani Diaz found a seam, then caught the sideline and sprinted 95-yards for a kickoff return TD giving Spearman a 15-7 advantage.
The next drive really hurt the Steers (3-8). Miller led Farwell inside the Spearman 10-yard line. On a third down and goal, Miller was forced out of the pocket and tried to needle a throw into the endzone, but the ball was picked off by Lynx linebacker Vladimer Caro, who returned it 85 yards to the Farwell 15-yard line. Two plays later, the Lynx were back in the endzone on the 14-point swing on a Hudson Swan 13-yard sweep play making it 22-7.
“The interception and the kickoff return hurt us,” Farwell head coach Derrick Shelton said. “We had momentum and had chances but I’m still proud of the guys. We played really hard.”
Reagan echoed Shelton’s comment.
“That’s been a goal for us since the Gruver game earlier in the year is to get out fast,” Reagan said. “I felt like that carried over to this game.”
Spearman had built a 30-7 lead until Farwell made one final push getting 13 unanswered points on a back-to-back second quarter touchdowns from Miller to Ruben Molina putting the score 30-20 at the 1:18 mark.
That was as close as the Steers could get.
Spearman took the control back in the final minute marching right down the field and scoring on the final play of the half on a quarterback Jailen Vasquez 3-yard keeper giving the Lynx a 37-20 advantage into halftime.
“That score was huge for us,” Reagan said. “We had fumbled and let them back in the game a little bit. I thought the offense did a great job of executing on that final drive of the half and we ran the ball when we needed to there. That was a very big touchdown.”
The second half was a punishing exhibition of Spearman’s run attack as the Lynx went on to pull away. That was the biggest difference when it came to this game. The Lynx were able to push the Steers off the ball and let the skill guys go to work.
Spearman rushed for 295 of its 401 total yards.
Vasquez was dynamic in the win rushing for a game-high 150 yards on 19 carries with a touchdown and was 6-of-7 passing for 106 yards. Swan showed how explosive every time he touched the ball. The Spearman Swiss Army Knife ran it nine times for 81 yards with three scores and caught three passes for 73 yards.
“I loved how are offense started,” Vasquez said. “We we were able to score a lot of points and put pressure on them. I have to give credit to the big boys up front. They stepped up big time and we took care of business. The entire group executed and we were able to keep moving on.”
Farwell’s Miller was superb despite the loss throwing for 153 yards with a pair of TDs and rushed for 83 yards with another score. Molina finished with 42 yards receiving and two touchdowns.
Photo gallery by Roy Wheeler:
