District 1-1A Division I
Passing attack leads Wildorado to victory
Utilizing a passing attack that produced seven touchdowns, Wildorado won the battle of the Mustangs with a 68-50 victory over Claude on Friday night in a key District 1-1A Division II showdown.
The win puts Wildorado (5-2 overall, 2-0 in district) in charge of its own destiny for the playoffs at 2-0 in the district race. Wildorado now needs a win over Booker or Boys Ranch in the final game of the year to secure a playoff berth.
Midway through the second quarter, Claude (5-4, 1-2) took the lead on a 53-yard scoring strike from Holden Tice to Trapper Godfrey that gave the hometown Mustangs a 24-22 lead.
That, however, was the last lead of the night that Claude held. Wildorado answered that score quickly as quarterback Braddek Darnell hit Blu Washington on a 57-yard pitch and catch to give the visitors a 28-24 lead.
On Claude’s next possession, Wildorado’s much maligned defense, forced an incompletion from Tice on fourth down in the visitor’s territory.
Claude, desperately needing a score before half, saw disaster strike on the next possession. Tice tossed a short pass that Hollis Albracht stepped in front of and made a couple of nifty moves to house the interception from 32-yards out and leave the hometown team trailing at half, 42-24.
To start the second half, Wildorado put this one out of reach as the dangerous combination of Darnell and Washington hooked up twice more from 43 and seven yards and build a 56-24 lead. Darnell finished the night with six scoring tosses while Washington caught four scoring strikes, ran one in from 29-yards out and had the pass to Darnell for another.
In the other game in the district, Booker gave up the first six points of the night to Boys Ranch before turning it on and scoring 51 unanswered points to walk away with a 51-6 win at home over the Roughriders (0-9, 0-3).
Chase Nelson figured into the scoring in all three phases for the Kiowas (7-1, 2-0) as he was 3-of-5 for 115 yards and two scores, carried the ball for 31 yards and a touchdown and hauled in two passes for 40-yards and two scores. Julian Barton also got into the action catching two balls for 90 yards and a score.
District 2-1A Division I
Happy rallies for dramatic win
A 26-yard touchdown run from Braylan King with 1:25 remaining in the game helped Happy rally to defeat Springlake-Earth, 48-46, at Wolverine Stadium Friday night.
The win snapped a 17-game district winning streak for the Wolverines (4-4, 2-1) and helped the Cowboys (7-1, 2-0) remain undefeated in district play.
Billed as the top Six-Man game in the state, neither team disappointed as there were eight lead changes in the second half. Down 30-26 entering the fourth, Happy struck quickly on a 19-yard scamper from King to go up 34-30.
Thanks to a personal foul against the Wolverines on the extra point attempt, Happy went with the onside from the Springlake-Earth 35-yard line. Hayes Bressler executed the kick to perfection causing the pigskin to pop up high at the 21 where Kaden Baker grabbed it at the 19 and was tackled four yards later. On the very next play, Jaxon Stoker raced 15 yards for a score and the Cowboys suddenly found themselves up by 12, 42-30.
Unfazed, the Wolverines Froylan Agundiz answered on the very next play from scrimmage. The lefty gunslinger launched a long pass to Timothy Tovar for a 40-yard scoring strike that pulled the home team back to within four. The Springlake-Earth defense held Happy on their next possession and Agundiz made them pay again. A quick strike to Nehemiah Castillo crossing over the middle resulted in a 25-yard touchdown and a 46-42 lead with just over four minutes remaining.
The Cowboys took the ensuing kickoff at their own 20 and began their march to victory.
Facing a fourth and one at their own 34, Stoker plowed forward for two yards to extend the drive. A couple of plays later, Bressler scrambled to the midfield stripe on a short gain, but a Wolverine defender grabbed his facemask which gave Happy a first down at the Springlake-Earth 26.
King took the handoff on the very next play, found a crease on the right side of the line, then quickly found the sideline and raced in untouched for the score and a 48-46 lead with 1:25 to play.
Agundiz quickly moved the Wolverines to the Happy 39-yard line but Castillo could not bring in the snap with forty seconds remaining and King dove in and grabbed the loose ball to seal the win for Happy.
King paced the Cowboys with 147 yards on 18 carries notching three scores and registered a sack and two fumble recoveries on the defensive side. Stoker picked up 98 hard earned yards and two scores while Bressler tossed two scoring strikes.
Nazareth (6-3, 2-1) received a forfeit from Hart (0-6, 0-2) in the only other scheduled game in the district.
District 5-1A Division I
Valley races past Silverton
Make it three straight wins for Valley as they used a strong first half to take down Silverton, 57-12, on Thursday night in Silverton.
Playing one of the toughest schedules in the state, the Patriots dropped five straight games, but they are quickly erasing those bad memories and making themselves strong contenders for a playoff spot in District 5-1A.
The Patriots (3-5, 2-0) started out strong as Taevion Ramos scored the first two times, he touched the ball, but Silverton’s Zaden Ortiz scored twice to keep the Owls in it, trailing 21-12 late in the first quarter.
After Ortiz’s second score, Silverton (2-7, 0-3) went for an onside kick which turned out to be a turning moment in the game.
Carson Tucker scooped it up and raced right to left across the field before turning the corner and racing in for the score. That touchdown was a back breaker as Valley scored the final 28 points of the half to lead 49-12 and finished this one off early in the third quarter.
Ramos led the way for the Patriots registering three rushing touchdowns while hauling in a scoring pass from Tucker. Eric Petitt also found paydirt for Valley three times in the contest. Now, the red-hot Patriots host Spur next week in a battle for first place.
The Bulldogs (8-0, 2-0) had no problem taking down Petersburg (4-5, 2-1), 66-18, on Friday night on the road. Josh Ortiz racked up 200 yards rushing and two scores to lead the way for the unbeaten Bulldogs.
District 1-1A Division II
Follett grabs district title; Groom cruises past Lefors
Having lost two of its best players over the last couple of weeks, no one would have blamed Miami for looking at their matchup with Follett as a lost cause, but the Warriors (4-3, 0-1) gave the Panthers everything they had, falling at home 84-41.
With the win, Follett (6-3, 3-0) won the district title as they have two bye weeks to end the regular season. The Panthers will now await the playoffs and a matchup with the runner up team out of District 2-1A.
The No. 8-ranked Panthers were up 12-6 after one quarter but extended that lead to 44-19 at intermission.
The gutsy Warriors refused to go away though as they kept Follett within ear shot, 50-33 at the end of the third. However, the Panthers roared in the fourth to ice this one away and bring home another gold ball for the trophy case.
Behind the punishing blocking of Bryson Shuck and Trayson Corley, Greyson Peet put on a show as Groom cruised past Lefors, 86-40, at home Friday night.
Peet only registered 18 carries but posted 357 yards of rushing and six touchdowns while also going 7-of-12 through the air for 138 yards and three scores. Shuck not only blocked but had a great offensive night as well posting two rushing touchdowns and a receiving one while registering 13 tackles and a forced fumble in the win.
Corley had a rushing and receiving score as well and Kenneth McGinty had 14 tackles for the Tigers (4-4, 1-1).
District 2-1A Division II
Motley County, Paducah coast to wins
A week after picking up their first win of the season, Hedley (1-8, 1-2) found the folks in Matador less than hospitable as Motley County (8-0, 2-0) hammered the Owls, 62-7, Friday night.
That win keeps Motley County undefeated on the season with a big matchup on the road next week against Paducah.
Speaking of the Dragons (5-2, 2-0), they may have registered the stat of the year in their 58-0 road shutout of Patton Springs on Friday night.
Paducah only ran two plays on offense in this game. That’s right, two offensive plays while putting up 58 points on the scoreboard.
The Dragons scored on both as Darren Mackey tossed two scoring passes of fifteen and three yards. Defensively, Mackey registered five interceptions on the night and returned four of those for scores. Paducah forced eight total turnovers against the Rangers with freshman Nico Zapata double dipping with a pick six and a scoop and score in the game.
Around the State
Holy Cross Catholic Academy moved back over the .500 mark with a 61-6 thrashing of Plainview Classical (0-4) Friday night. The Mustangs (4-3) can secure their first winning record since 2011 with a win next against Amarillo PCHEA.
In a tight TAPPS District I, Division III game, San Jacinto fell to Lubbock Christ the King, 44-37, at home Friday night. Marshall Mincher put together a strong game for the Patriots (2-6, 0-1) rushing for 156 yards on twelve carries with four of those resulting in touchdowns. Jonathan Cruz added 72 yards and a couple of scores while Benton Meyers led the defense with 13 tackles.
In a battle for the top spot in District 13-1A Division II, Zephyr ran away from Blanket, 56-14, as CJ Byers took the second half kickoff back for a score to extend their 10-point lead to 30-14 and never looked back.
Wyatt Stevens had a big night for the Bulldogs (7-1, 2-0) rushing for 148 yards and three scores, tossing two touchdown strikes and picking off three Tigers (7-1, 2-1) passes on defense.
Sanderson (6-1, 1-1) kept its playoff hopes alive on the back of Kai Hilliard in beating Fort Davis 74-68 in overtime Friday night. Hilliard’s stats were something out of a video game as the talented junior ran for 199 yards on only 13 carries, scoring on two of those, but it was his arm that was the difference.
Hilliard went 27-of-36 for 386 yards and seven touchdowns. He also returned a kickoff for a score and registered 14 tackles and an interception on defense.
No. 8 Water Valley (6-2, 2-0) took control of District 8-1A Division I with a tight 62-50 win on the road Friday night against Robert Lee (6-3, 2-1). Landon Lacy threw for 174 yards and four scores in the Wildcats win.
In District 4-1A Division I, No. 4 Buena Vista (8-0, 3-0) got all it could handle from Garden City (2-6, 0-2) on the road, notching a 60-48 win Friday night.