Month: August 2022

by Evan Ren

2022 BALLINGER FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Bearcats setting the bar high, despite graduation losses

 

BALLINGER — After a successful run under former Chuck Lipsey that saw Ballinger qualify for the playoffs in five straight seasons, the Bearcats may have to take a step back and rebuild in 2022. 

Graduation hit Ballinger hard during the spring, leaving first-year coach Ty Lang with only nine returning lettermen and 11 of 22 starting positions with a vacancy. 

So not only will the Bearcats be learning a new system this season, but they’ll be playing with less Friday night experience than most of the teams on their schedule. 

Continue reading “2022 BALLINGER FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Bearcats setting the bar high, despite graduation losses” →

by Evan Ren

SAN SABA FEATURE: Long-time Armadillo assistant has made a career of serving his community

SAN SABA — When San Saba assistant football coach Ronnie Schulze started working with the Armadillos, Laverne & Shirley was the top-rated show on television, bell bottom pants were considered hip and gasoline was a staggering $0.59 per gallon. 

The year was 1977, and Schulze had just made a crucial decision — leaving an enjoyable life as a professional musician in a country western band to put a whistle around his neck as an assistant football coach for San Saba ISD.  Forty-five years later, not only is Schulze glad he made the move, but he’s still doing it, assisting the Armadillo varsity. 

“I traveled up and down the road with the band for seven years after I got out of college,” Schulze said. “But my wife and I started having children and she’s a teacher here and I just decided it was time for a change. … San Saba was my first and only job and it’s close to home so it worked out really good for me.” 

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by Evan Ren

2022 SAN SABA FOOTBALL PREVIEW: More maturity, easier schedule should help Armadillos

 

SAN SABA — After the most successful three-year run in program history with a combined 35-5 record, the San Saba Armadillos finally came down to earth in 2021, finishing at 2-9 with a young team in a rebuilding cycle. 

Graduation had hit San Saba hard following the 2020 campaign, leaving coach Andreas Aguirre with few seniors and far less experience to work with.  The ‘Dillos also had the additional hurdle of a brutal schedule — a direct bi-product of their three-year run of success which left few teams other than powerhouses willing to play them. 

“That schedule we had last year was very daunting for those kids,” Aguirre said. “They were young at some positions, but we’ve got some kids who have grown up since then, so I’m hoping we can get going back down the right path.”

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by Zach Duncan, Special to Big Country Preps

GOLDTHWAITE FEATURE: Campbell twins ready for final year on the gridiron

Carsyn and Cutter Campbell have been competing against each other their whole lives.  

It doesn’t matter if it’s on the football field or at their house, Goldthwaite’s senior twins are always seeing who the “big dog” is.  

“Whether it’s the first one who gets to the truck or who can eat the most food, we’re fighting for it,” Carsyn said. “Everything is a competition. We’ll end up tying or one of us will win, then the other will win the next time. We don’t have a legit answer on who’s the better twin.”  

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by Zach Duncan, Special to Big Country Preps

GOLDTHWAITE 2022 FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Youthful Eagles welcome a new coach and a new system

GOLDTHWAITE — Andy Howard is more than comfortable being back on Goldthwaite’s sidelines.  

It’s the hometown of his wife, where his four kids still go to school and where he spent from 2015-18 coaching the Eagles’ defense under Greg Proffitt.  

After being at Brownwood the past three-plus years, Howard returns to lead a football program that has four state titles on its resume but also hasn’t enjoyed a winning season since 2016.  

Continue reading “GOLDTHWAITE 2022 FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Youthful Eagles welcome a new coach and a new system” →

by Evan Ren

DE LEON FEATURE: Lessons learned from an 0-10 campaign push Bearcats into the weight room

DE LEON — Nothing motivates a football team more than the nagging fatigue of losing. And in the case of the De Leon Bearcats, they got more than their fair share of it with an 0-10 mark last year.

De Leon was young. It’s numbers were low and it was in the midst of learning a new system under first-year coach Jacob Marwitz. It couldn’t have been a more challenging scenario and the Bearcats’ record reflected it. 

There is, however, reason for optimism in the DHS camp, spurred on by a new devotion to weight training that has heard the Bearcats clanging and banging metal in the fieldhouse since their last game.

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by Evan Ren

2022 DE LEON FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Bearcats feeling positive heading into ’22 season

 

DE LEON — For 15 straight games, the De Leon football team has been on the losing side of the equation. 

Not since a 20-19 win over Seymour on Sept. 25 of 2020 have the Bearcats tasted victory. And even then, it was DHS’ only win in a 1-9 season. Dating back three full years, De Leon is 5-27 overall and hasn’t beaten a team with a winning record since the 2019 playoffs. 

There are, however, reasons to believe that the Bearcats are about to turn a corner and become competitive again. One look at the increase in participation at DHS and it’s easy to see how that is possible.

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by Daniel Youngblood

COLEMAN FEATURE: Senior RB/LB Gentry a physical force for resurgent Bluecats

Coleman senior Ryland Gentry isn’t afraid of contact. In fact, the 6-foot-1, 190-pound standout quite likes it.

A big and physical kid who splits his time between running back and linebacker for the Bluecats, Gentry brings a punishing style of play to both sides of the ball.

And with excellent results to show for that hard-hitting brand of football, it’s little wonder that Gentry is one that coach John Elder views as a model example for the younger players in his program.

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by Daniel Youngblood

2022 COLEMAN FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Experienced Bluecats gearing up for another big year

After pushing through a tough three-year rebuilding stretch to post a winning record in 2020, the Coleman Bluecats broke out in a major way last season, winning 11 games on their way to the Region I-2A Division I semifinals.

With 15 lettermen back from that team, including seven offensive and eight defensive starters, coach John Elder’s squad will be looking to build on that success this fall.

Returning a number of their biggest playmakers from last year’s team, which outscored its opponents by a combined score of 492-72, the Bluecats will enter the 2022 campaign in a position they haven’t been in in years — ranked in the top 10 in their class (No. 9) and considered one of the favorites in their region (Region II-2A DII). While there’s a weight that comes with those expectations, it’s far outweighed in Coleman by the excitement to get the season underway. 

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by Evan Ren

BANGS FEATURE: Dragons running back Guy Powell a diamond in the rough

BANGS — While playing for a young 1-8 team in the midst of a rebuilding cycle, Bangs running back Guy Powell wasn’t exactly a household name among Big Country football fans last season. 

That, however, may be changing in the very near future. 

Powell, you see, was among the most productive skill people in the area last season, despite playing for a club that was breaking in a large number of inexperienced people.  He also overcame the added handicap of being the primary focus of opposing defenses. 

But this year, with a more mature supporting cast and a larger offensive line in front of him, Powell may very well have a banner season as a senior.  

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by Evan Ren

2022 BANGS FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Bigger, more experienced Dragons optimistic heading into 2022 season

 

BANGS — While the Bangs football team may not be a popular choice this year among preseason prognosticators, there are reasons to believe the Dragons are being undervalued. 

The common viewpoint: Bangs is little more than a contender for a low playoff seed in 2022 — with half of its starters missing from last year’s 1-8 squad and holes being filled by promotees from a 3-7 JV team. 

The Dragons, however, have a couple of reasons for optimism, beginning with a rapidly growing offensive line with people like Isaiah Serrato (5-9, 240, Sr.), David Herrera (5-9, 240, Sr.), Noah Pin (5-10, 300, Jr.), Donovan Ruiz (6-0, 280, Sr.,) and Brody Newton (6-2, 250, Jr.) all vying for spots. 

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by Daniel Youngblood

WINTERS FEATURE: Small, quick Blizzards ready to prove that heart matters more than size

With limited size on its lines and a diminutive skill player nucleus, the Winters football team will be smaller than most of the teams it plays this year. But coach Matt McCarty is banking on his squad’s speed and quickness to make for its lack size.

Averaging around 200 pounds on the lines and featuring a fair number of playmakers in the 5-foot-4 to 5-7 range, the Blizzards know they won’t be able to line up and run through or over people. But they like their chances of running by and around them.

Coming off a disappointing 2-7 campaign in which it missed the playoffs for the first time since 2016, WHS has every intention of making a postseason return this fall. And it plans to do so by ignoring what it doesn’t have and embracing what it does.

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by Daniel Youngblood

2022 WINTERS FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Young Blizzards hoping to get back in playoff picture

Coming off four consecutive playoff seasons, the Winters football team struggled to find its stride in 2021, resulting in a disappointing 2-7 campaign.

With 14 lettermen returning from that team, including seven starters on each side of the ball, the Blizzards are hoping for a more successful run in 2022.

Sharing District 4-2A Division I with state powers Hawley and Cisco, as well as playoff regulars Anson and Stamford, WHS will have its work cut out for it this fall. But coach Matt McCarty and his squad are excited about the challenge in front of them — even if they’ll be tackling it with a young squad that features only three seniors.

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by Daniel Youngblood

STAMFORD FEATURE: Talented young skill players driving impressive youth movement for Bulldogs

On paper, 2021 was a rough year for the Stamford football team. Playing their first season under coach Britt Hart, the Bulldogs stumbled through a 3-7 campaign.

But looking beyond the varsity record — or perhaps more accurately, just putting it in the proper context — there were plenty of positives to draw from the Bulldogs’ season.

While the final mark is what it is, the season itself was a glimpse into the future. And with a talented freshman class filling a surprising number of key roles on the varsity team, and the junior varsity squad posting a 9-1 record despite that, Hart feels it was the beginning of what could be a special run for his program. 

One area the second-year Stamford coach is most excited about is his backfield, where quarterback Case Beeson and running back Kaston Vega saw extensive playing time as freshmen a year ago. Add in fellow sophomore Christian Duran, who will compete with Beeson for the QB job after a strong 7-on-7 season, and Hart believes he has the skill position nucleus for the next outstanding Bulldogs team.

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by Daniel Youngblood

2022 STAMFORD FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Still-young Bulldogs expecting greater success in ’22

Judging strictly by last year’s record, you might not expect much out of the Stamford football team in 2022. But those within and around the program see plenty of reasons to be optimistic.

Not only do the Bulldogs return 16 of 20 lettermen from last year’s team, including eight offensive and nine defensive starters, but they’ll be filling what few holes they have with promotees from a 9-1 junior varsity team, while welcoming a freshman class that went undefeated last year in eighth grade.

So if second-year coach Britt Hart sounds excited about the immediate and long-term future of his program, there’s justification for it. And while Stamford will still be young after starting five freshmen last fall, much more is expected from this year’s team than the one that limped to a 3-7 record a year ago.

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by Evan Ren

EVAN REN: Hawley will be better than last year, but may not have a chance to prove it

HAWLEY — As you know, there are no guarantees in football. We just like to pretend that there are. 

So if you ask me about what’s going to happen with a Big Country football team this year, I’m going to have an opinion and I’m going to confidently deliver it as though I were Nostradamus.  And my colleague, Dan Youngblood, will sound even more self-assured.

Ask me about the Hawley Bearcats, however, and it’s a different story.

Ask me about Hawley and I’m tempted to hedge my bets (figuratively speaking). On the one hand, I genuinely believe that by season’s end, the Bearcats will be fielding a better product that they did in 2021 (as long as they stay healthy). On the other hand, their path to Arlington is a minefield — one that the Bearcats managed to navigate last season because they didn’t take a single misstep. 

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by Evan Ren

2022 HAWLEY FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Could Hawley be even better than last year’s state runner-up team?

 

HAWLEY — After posting a 15-1 overall record and advancing to the Class 2A DI state championship game, the Hawley Bearcats could be forgiven for taking a brief step back to rebuild. 

It many cases, that is what is expected in the wake of such success. But in Hawley’s case, the Bearcats may be even better in 2022, if they can successfully fill a few vacancies. 

Entering this year with a jaw-dropping 81-22 overall record at HHS, coach Mitch Ables has 18 returning letterman from last year’s state runner-up club, seven offensive and eight defensive starters, including most of their key skill personnel. 

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by Daniel Youngblood

COLORADO CITY FEATURE: New coach Monty Leaf excited for opportunity to lead Wolves turnaround

New Colorado City coach Monty Leaf has West Texas football in his blood.

The son of longtime coach Buster Leaf, who spent the bulk of his 24-year head coaching career in Lubbock and the surrounding area, Monty has a greater appreciation and familiarity than most with football in this region.

So when he had the chance to move from Eustace, where he went 7-12 over two seasons, to Colorado City, the younger Coach Leaf couldn’t pass up the opportunity. 

Despite the Wolves’ recent struggles — they’ve won just one game in the last three seasons — Leaf sees his newest challenge as exactly that: an opportunity. And he plans to tackle it with an infectious energy and optimism that he hopes will rub off on his players over time.

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by Daniel Youngblood

2022 C-CITY FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Wolves looking to put past struggles behind them

First-year Colorado City football coach Monty Leaf knows the Wolves’ record the past three years. He just doesn’t see any value in discussing it or what role it plays in assessing his team’s chances of competing this season.

Ultimately, he said, it won’t be the past that dictates whether or not C-City is successful in 2022. It will be the decisions made and level of execution in the present and future.

And even though the players he’s inheriting have yet to experience winning football on a personal level, he’s seen plenty to like in his short time on campus. 

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by Evan Ren

CISCO FEATURE: Veteran Long returns for final season behind center at Cisco

 

CISCO — For two full seasons, Cisco’s Hunter Long has been the trigger man of the CHS offense. But with all the success the Loboes have enjoyed in that span (posting a 21-7 record with a pair of deep playoff runs), he’s had closer to three full seasons condensed into two.

Now entering his senior year as one of the most seasoned signal callers in the Big Country, Long is hoping to parlay that experience into a season-ending trip to Arlington — something the Loboes haven’t achieved since they won a Class 2A DII state title back in 2013. 

“Thinking about it makes me a little sad because I don’t want it to end,” Long said. “I’m just going to go out and play like it’s my last game, every game.” 

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by Evan Ren

2022 CISCO FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Veteran Loboes look to contend for regional title

CISCO — The annual question revolving around perennial power Cisco isn’t if the Loboes will be good. It’s generally how good?

The 2022 campaign is no different, with 17 Cisco lettermen returning from an 11-3 team, including six offensive and nine defensive starters. 

“We like what we have on both sides of the ball,” third-year coach Kevin Stennett said. “Our issue right now will be depth and it’s been like that for the last several years. 

“As long as we keep the guys who are starting healthy and keep them going throughout the season, we should be ok.” 

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by Evan Ren

ANSON FEATURE: McCombs headlines new athletic era at Anson

ANSON — As a 1990 graduate of Hamlin High School and a long-time assistant at Anson under Darryl Cash in the 2000s, new Anson coach Cory McCombs has practically returned to his own backyard. 

McCombs, who guided Lockney to a 7-4 record in his first season there last year, desired a return home to the Big Country. He got it with Anson’s job offer, giving him a chance to replace former coach Chris Hagler, who resigned in February. 

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by Evan Ren

2022 ANSON FOOTBALL PREVIEW: McCombs returns to Big Country to start new era at AHS

 

ANSON — Transition years to a new coaching staff are usually a challenge, with new formations, new terminology and new methods of practicing. 

Rebuilding years are usually a challenge as well, with very few seniors, lots of fresh faces, less physical maturity and new team leaders emerging. 

When both challenges occur in the same year, patience can be required. 

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by Daniel Youngblood

FORSAN FEATURE: Multi-talented senior Park looking to keep Forsan on winning track

Forsan senior Nolan Park is a unique football player. A multi-year starter on both lines for the Buffaloes, the 6-foot-1, 215-pounder is also one of the top kickers and punters in Region I-2A Division I.

One of just 11 returning lettermen for FHS this season, Park occupies four starting spots and makes his presents felt in all phases of the game. 

And if that weren’t enough, he’s also one of the Buffaloes’ most dependable leaders — providing an important bridge from last year’s large and talented senior class to the future of the Forsan program.

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by Daniel Youngblood

2022 FORSAN FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Buffaloes look to build on success despite graduation losses

Coming off their first 10-win season since 1986, the Forsan Buffaloes will have a lot to replace in 2022. But longtime coach Jason Phillips doesn’t want anyone using his program’s heavy graduation losses as an excuse for a rebuilding year.

Yes, the Buffs did lose an instrumental senior class that led a program-wide resurgence across multiple sports. And yes, they’ll need some newcomers to step into new and larger roles if they hope to achieve their goals this year. 

But with 11 lettermen back from last year’s 10-2 squad and call-ups from a solid 6-3 junior varsity group providing reinforcements, Phillips feels he has a strong enough foundation laid to build on what his team did last fall.

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by Daniel Youngblood

HICO FEATURE: Lone senior Ty Crawford ready to lead the Tigers in any way he can

As the only senior on a young Hico team, Ty Crawford will carry a lot of weight on his shoulders this fall.

But after helping the Tigers to a 5-6 record — their highest win total since 2017 — last year, the 5-foot-10, 235-pound defensive lineman feels well equipped to handle that load.

Crawford, who will also take on some fullback duties on offense this season, is ready to put his leadership skills to the test in 2022 and to try to help the HHS program maintain the progress it made in coach Todd Swearengin’s first year at the helm last season.

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by Daniel Youngblood

2022 HICO FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Young Tigers eager to prove themselves in Swearengin’s second year

To an outsider, 2022 might look like a retooling year for the Hico Tigers. But second-year HHS coach Todd Swearengin doesn’t necessarily see it that way.

Despite graduating 14 of 21 lettermen from last year’s squad, including seven offensive and eight defensive starters, Swearengin feels his Tigers are equipped to build on the success they enjoyed in 2021, when their 5-6 record marked Hico’s highest win total since 2017.

With loads of first-time starters and new play-callers on both sides of the ball, the youthful Tigers will face a steep learning curve. But even with just one senior on his roster, Swearengin is confident in his team’s willingness and ability to compete.

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by Daniel Youngblood

SANTO FEATURE: Junior quarterback Thornton already a flexbone veteran

For some coaches, especially those running option offenses, the loss of a multi-year starter at quarterback can be a stress-inducing thing. And then there’s Santo coach Devin Mann, whose succession plan under center has him sleeping like a baby.

Despite graduating standout quarterback Case Procter, who led the Wildcats to 11 wins in 2021, Mann couldn’t be more confident in his quarterback situation this fall. And the reason for that is simple.

As the son of offensive coordinator Randy Thornton, his new signal caller, junior Hut Thornton, has the flexbone offense in his genes.

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by Daniel Youngblood

2022 SANTO FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Experienced Wildcats looking to take another step forward in 2022

Coming off an 11-2 season in which their only losses were to 13-1 Albany and eventual state champion Windthorst, the Santo Wildcats have put themselves in the conversation with the top teams in Class 2A Division II.

With the bulk of its talent back from last year’s team, coach Devin Mann’s squad is looking to continue its climb up that ladder in 2022.

A tough new district with Muenster, Lindsay, Collinsville and Celeste will provide a new challenge for the Wildcats. But with 17 of 24 lettermen returning, including eight starters on both sides of the ball, Mann is hoping that combination of talent and experience will allow his program to further establish itself as a threat in a loaded Region II-2A DII.

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by Brandon McAuliffe

2022 MUNDAY FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Moguls looking to turn the corner under new coach

Webb Murphy knows the history of the Munday Mogul football program, both all-time and recent.

The first-year head coach is excited about having the opportunity to put his stamp on the program and get the Moguls gunning for their fourth state championship after previously winning titles in 1984, 2007 and 2012.

But in taking over a squad that has gone 3-32 over the past four seasons, he also knows it’s not going to be a quick fix.

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by Evan Ren

HASKELL FEATURE: 15 Indian seniors have one last shot at posting a winning record

HASKELL — It has been seven years since the Haskell Indians finished on the high side of .500 in football. 

In 2015 under coach Grady Benton, the Indians posted a 7-4 mark.  And before that, it hadn’t been done since 2009 under coach Kent Colley.  Consecutive winners haven’t occurred at Haskell since 2004-07 under Brad Brunson (now the defensive coordinator at Cisco).  

There are, however, some rumblings currently going on at Haskell that the long drought could be coming to an end — spurred on by a highly motivational second-year coach (Mitch McLemore) and an extremely large group of seniors for a Class 2A DII team (15).   

Continue reading “HASKELL FEATURE: 15 Indian seniors have one last shot at posting a winning record” →

by Evan Ren

2022 HASKELL FOOTBALL PREVIEW: McLemore optimistic heading into 2022 campaign

HASKELL — While it is common for teams to take a step forward in their second year under a new coach, the Haskell Indians are as well- prepared as any school their size to do exactly that. 

Now in their second season under coach Mitch McLemore, the Indians are armed with 25 upper classmen, including 15 seniors. 

Seventeen lettermen return from last year’s 2-8 squad, including seven starters on both sides of the ball, with promotees from a 6-3 JV team available to help fill the vacancies.

“We’re excited, I’ll put it that way,” McLemore said. “We’re expecting between 46 and 52 total players (in the program) and as far as varsity players, we have several returners. 

“We also have some sophomores who will probably lend a hand as well.” 

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by Daniel Youngblood

ROSCOE FEATURE: Junior playmaker Seth Wilcox ready to be ‘the guy’ for Plowboys

Last year as a sophomore, Seth Wilcox established himself as a big-time playmaker for Roscoe, amassing almost 1,200 total yards and 15 touchdowns from his receiver position while intercepting seven passes from his spot in the Plowboys secondary.

But as good as he was, he did most of that as the Robin to then-senior Antonio Aguayo’s Batman.

The speedy Aguayo was option 1A for Roscoe, hauling in 1,273 yards and 11 touchdowns receiving while rushing for 583 more yards and seven additional scores to lead the Plowboys to a surprising 10-2 campaign.

With Aguayo having graduated, Wilcox is now poised to assume the mantle as RHS’ “go-to guy,” and Jake Freeman is excited to see the levels to which the standout junior can take his game this fall.

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by Daniel Youngblood

2022 ROSCOE FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Plowboys looking to build on breakout 2021 campaign

Last year’s 10-2 campaign was a big deal for the Roscoe Plowboys for a lot of reasons. Coming off a three-year stretch in which they had won a combined five games, including a 1-10 season in 2020, the Plowboys completed one of the biggest year-over-year turnarounds the Big Country has ever seen.

But that accomplishment, which included the program’s first district championship since 2015 and first playoff win since 2016, was just the beginning, if you ask 10th-year coach Jake Freeman.

With 18 lettermen back from that squad and a number of sophomores and juniors in prominent spots, Roscoe is still in the beginning stages of what should be a multi-year winning window, and the best may be yet to come.

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by Daniel Youngblood

HAMLIN FEATURE: With year of experience under its belt, Pipers offensive line expects improvement

Last year, a young and injury plagued line took its lumps for Hamlin, resulting in an 0-10 campaign during which the Pied Pipers scored just 28 points all season.

With everyone back this year, including the senior trio of Nick Walker, Samuel McNeely and Isaac Flores, coach Chris Evans has much higher hopes for that unit in 2022.

Led by those three veterans, the HHS O-line is both deeper and more experienced than it was a year ago. And with a full year now in Evans’ schemes, it’s also expected bring a higher level of aggression and confidence to the field this fall.

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by Daniel Youngblood

2022 HAMLIN FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Pipers looking for progress in Evans’ second year

Taking over a team that had graduated almost all of its talent from an 11-win squad in 2020, Chris Evans knew his first year at Hamlin would be spent re-laying the program’s foundation.

While he inherited a Pied Pipers program that was coming off a stellar 13-year run under former coach Russell Lucas, Evans was essentially starting from scratch with a young, numbers-challenged group that saw injuries exacerbate both issues during a winless campaign last fall.

Despite last year’s struggles, however, Evans is much more optimistic about his team’s chances to compete in Year 2. And he’s looking forward to watching his players tackle that challenge head-on. 

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by Daniel Youngblood

DANIEL YOUNGBLOOD: Tragedy in Cross Plains puts football in proper perspective

More than three weeks ago, I called up Cross Plains coach Daniel Purvis to get his thoughts on his team for our annual preseason preview.

It was exactly the type of conversation I’ve come to expect with Coach — full of the enthusiasm and optimism that make him one of my first and favorite phone calls every summer. 

By the time I hung up with him, he had me fired up about the 2022 Buffaloes and fully expecting to write about a season full of promise. The preview would detail Cross Plains’ unique mix of speed and size and the feature would highlight the Buffs’ speedy senior skill players — pretty standard stuff for this time of year.

Unfortunately, I never got to write those stories as planned. Instead, tragedy struck the Cross Plains football team and community when a car wreck in the early morning of hours on Aug. 7 took the life of senior running back Ryan Hopkins and left sophomore lineman Bentley Hall injured.

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by Daniel Youngblood

2022 CROSS PLAINS FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Speedy Buffaloes look to compete in tough district

NOTE — Cross Plains will be playing this season in memory of standout senior Ryan Hopkins, who died as a result of injuries suffered in an automobile accident on Aug. 7. Coach Daniel Purvis’ comments on his team and the season were made prior to that accident, in which sophomore lineman Bentley Hall also was injured.

Sharing a district with perennial power Albany and a talented Roscoe squad that won 10 games last fall, Cross Plains coach Daniel Purvis knows his team won’t be picked to win its league by most pundits. But with 16 of 19 lettermen returning, including a bevy of starters on both sides of the ball, he feels good about the team he’ll be putting on the field this fall.

The 2022 Buffaloes will have speed all over the field and be bigger on the lines than they’ve been in years. 

It’s that combination, along with the experience gained during last year’s 6-5 campaign, that have Cross Plains and its coach optimistic in their ability to compete despite the tough district alignment the Buffs find themselves in.

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by Evan Ren

EVAN REN: Albany’s Denney Faith has faith that his players will put No. 1 ranking into perspective on their own

ALBANY — Football coaches are a superstitious lot. 

They don’t like things that upset the routine. They don’t like anything that can water down their team’s motivation and they certainly don’t like anything that adds fuel to the opposition’s fire. 

Needless to say, many of them aren’t too keen on being picked as the No. 1 team prior to the season. It’s one of those things can upset the apple cart in all three of the aforementioned ways. And believe it or not, 2022 is Albany coach Denney Faith’s first experience in dealing with it.

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by Evan Ren

2022 ALBANY LIONS FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Lofty expectations greet talented Albany heading into 2022

 

ALBANY — If some preseason prognosticators have it right, the Albany Lions could field a team good enough to win the Class 2A DII state championship in 2022. 

Dave Campbell’s Texas Football Magazine, for instance, has the Lions ranked No. 1 in the state heading into this season.  Big Country Preps, on the other hand, sees Albany as a top-five team, an overwhelming district favorite and a top regional championship contender.

A No. 1 ranking in our view, will require a few early questions to be answered, due to graduation. 

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by Brandon McAuliffe

2022 ABILENE TLCA FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Eagles looking for successful transition to 11-man game

Jeremy Kirk knows what’s being written about his squad as he prepares for his second year at the helm of the Abilene TLCA program and leads the Eagles from the six-man ranks into Class 2A Division II.

Nobody is giving the Eagles much of a chance to be successful, and that’s how the coach likes it.

He wants to be the underdogs, but he also built a schedule that should see the Eagles get off to a competitive start with a pair of games against other programs that are transitioning to 11-man sandwiched around a matchup with the rebuilding Munday Moguls.

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by Brandon McAuliffe

2022 SIX-MAN PREVIEW: Can the Big Country sweep the state titles again?

After sweeping the 2021 Class 1A state championships with Strawn and Westbrook, the biggest question entering this year is if the Big Country can pull off the feat again.

The state titles were the first in six-man for the area since Strawn won back-to-back titles in 2017 and 2018.

For most, being the defending state champion puts a big enough target on their back. This year, the Wildcats enter the year as the top-ranked team in Division I, while the Greyhounds (No. 5) are one of three Big Country teams in the top five of Division II.

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by Brandon McAuliffe

FEATURE: Volleyball makes triumphant return to Merkel

MERKEL — In 1967, the Merkel volleyball team lost in the state semifinals before knocking off Kemp in a three-set thriller to finish in third place in Class B in the program’s lone state tournament appearance.

Just 19 years later, the program was disbanded, leaving the town and community with no teams to support all week prior to the football games on Friday nights.

Tuesday night at Badger Gymnasium, that history was changed.

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