SIX-MAN LOOKAHEAD: Week 10 slate offers scary good time for area six-man fans

Spooky season is nearing its end, but Week 10 will leave fans of Big Country six-man football with a Halloween bag full of king-sized treats.

As you might expect with just two weeks remaining in the regular season, we’ve got a bunch of games with playoff and district title implications. And it’s time to talk about them here.

So take a break from your trick or treating and enjoy this look at the area’s top matchups. And when you’re done reading, make sure to check out our Six-Man/Class 1A Central page for standings, schedules and results.

GAME OF THE WEEK

• Iredell (7-2, 3-0) at Three Way (8-0, 2-0) — There has been no bigger surprise in the state this season than the Three Way Braves, who are still unbeaten after going winless a year ago. But this week, in our “Six-Man Lookahead Game of the Week,” they’ll face their stiffest test to date. Facing a slate of teams that have combined to go 30-48 this fall, Three Way has been nothing short of dominant, outscoring its opponents by a combined 412-14 margin. Can the Braves continue that level of play against a Iredell team ranked No. 7 in Class 1A Division II by TexasFootball.com? Time will tell. If they can win that one, they’ll claim the District 13-1A DII championship and will very likely be heading into the playoffs on a 10-game winning streak.
  

OTHER TOP MATCHUPS

• Hermleigh (7-1, 3-0) at Ira (5-3, 2-1) — All signs point to a clash between Westbrook and Hermleigh for the District 7-1A Division I championship in Week 11. But before the Cardinals can worry about that game, they’ve first got to beat an Ira team that will be looking to fight its way back into the playoff picture after falling to WHS 58-12 on Oct. 18. Hermleigh is the favorite here, and is considered a prohibitive one by some sources. But this could be a trap — and one the Cardinals can’t afford to fall into if they hope to enter that Westbrook game with a playoff spot locked up.
• Robert Lee (6-3, 2-1) at Veribest (6-2, 1-1) — Of all the games scheduled for Friday, this might be the most competitive. With a spread between four and seven points depending on the source, this matchup is almost universally expected to be a tight one. And it’s a massively important game for both teams, as it will very likely decide the second playoff seed in District 8-1A DI behind leader and presumptive champion Water Valley. The Steers are a slight favorite, but this one could go either way. Expect a thriller between two teams playing for their postseason lives.
• Baird (7-2, 3-0) at Gordon (8-0, 2-0) — Top-ranked Gordon is an overwhelming favorite here, and deservedly so. No one has played the Longhorns closer than 45 points this season, and only one of their last five opponents has even scored against them. But Baird has made this a championship game in District 13-1A DI with wins over Gorman (50-19), Lingleville (50-40) and Ranger (60-12), so the matchup bears mentioning. Can the Bears shock the six-man world and do to Gordon what no team has done this season? Unlikely. But they have the opportunity, and that’s no small thing after missing the playoffs last season.
• Richland Springs (8-0, 2-0) at Rochelle (4-3, 2-0) — The No. 2 Coyotes come into this one undefeated and favored to win comfortably, but the Hornets are a vastly more battle-tested team. Richland Springs’ eight opponents thus far have combined to go just 28-47, with only one of those teams — Burkeville (5-2) — posting a winning record. Rochelle’s opponents, meanwhile, have put together a composite record of 47-25, and the Hornets only losses are to DI No. 4 May (85-40) and strong teams from Lometa (72-38) and Water Valley (73-28). This game, which will decide the District 15-1A DII championship, will provide a good measuring stick for both teams with the playoffs approaching in just two weeks.

UNDER THE RADAR

While the sections above are meant highlight the week’s biggest, most meaningful and/or most high-profile matchups, here we’re looking for competitive games that might not draw the same level of attention state- and area-wide. Here are a handful of under-the-radar matchups worth keeping an eye on in Week 10:

• Vernon Northside (4-4, 0-2) at Bryson (4-4, 0-2) — This game won’t decide anything in District 6-1A DI, where Knox City, Newcastle and Perrin-Whitt are battling for two playoff spots, but it should be a competitive game between two teams looking to take some positive momentum into the offseason.
• Bronte (2-6, 1-1) at Trent (4-4, 1-1) — This is a virtual playoff eliminator in District 6-1A DII, where no one is undefeated and four of the five teams entered the week with a single district loss. The winner will control its postseason destiny, while the loser will fall out of the hunt entirely.
• Guthrie (3-5, 1-2) at Harrold (3-4, 1-1) — Barring a miracle, neither of these teams is making the playoffs out of District 7-1A DII. But this could be a thrilling matchup between teams trying to finish the season strong.
• Rising Star (4-5, 1-2) at Gustine (6-1, 1-1) — With losses to Zephyr and Blanket, Rising Star has all but been eliminated from playoff contention in District 13-1A DII, but the Wildcats could spoil the Tigers’ hopes with a strong follow up to last week’s 44-6 win over Sidney. Gustine, meanwhile, is looking to stay in the hunt after falling to Blanket in its league opener.
• Brookesmith (4-4, 1-2) at Lohn (5-3, 1-1) — Neither of these teams is likely to factor into the playoff race in District 15-1A DII, but both will be looking to score a win here in a game that is expected by most to be tight to the finish.

NOTEBOOK

Jaybirds close out perfect regular season

The Jayton Jaybirds, ranked No. 1 in Class 1A DII, wrapped up a perfect regular season at 10-0 on Thursday with a 54-0 win over Aspermont.

That victory, the Jaybirds’ third shutout in a row and fifth this season, closed a dominant run through District 8-1A DII play following a noteworthy nondistrict slate that featured blowout wins over a number of excellent DI teams.

On the year, Jayton has outscored its opponents 613-96, sending the Jaybirds into their Week 11 open date and eventually the playoffs riding a wave of momentum few in the state can match.

Perrin-Whitt edges Knox City for big district win

In Division I action, Perrin-Whitt picked up a huge win over Knox City on Thursday, edging the Greyhounds 48-42 to create a logjam at the top of District 6-1A DI.

That outcome creates a virtual three-way tie for first between Knox City (7-3, 3-1), Perrin-Whitt (7-2, 2-1) and Newcastle (5-4, 2-1) and will likely have points deciding which of those three teams spends the playoffs at home.

Knox City, which will have Week 11 off, defeated Newcastle 50-48 before losing to Perrin-Whitt, while the Pirates lost to NHS 77-36 before scoring Thursday’s upset.

Newcastle closes out the season with a home game against Bryson while Perrin-Whitt travels to Vernon Northside.

PREDICTIONS

• LAST WEEK: 20-4, .833
• SEASON TOTAL: 214-56, .793

Vernon Northside (4-4, 0-2) at BRYSON (4-4, 0-2)

KNOX CITY (7-2, 3-0) at Perrin-Whitt (6-2, 1-1)

HERMLEIGH (7-1, 3-0) at Ira (5-3, 2-1)

HIGHLAND (3-5, 1-2) at Rotan (3-5, 0-3)

Roby (3-5, 0-3) at WESTBROOK (6-2, 3-0)

Robert Lee (6-3, 2-1) at VERIBEST (6-2, 1-1)

Irion County (3-5, 1-1) at WATER VALLEY (6-2, 2-0)

Baird (7-2, 3-0) at GORDON (8-0, 2-0)

GORMAN (3-5, 1-1) at Ranger (2-6, 0-2)

MAY (8-0, 1-0) at Lometa (6-2, 0-1)

Santa Anna (3-5, 0-1) at JONESBORO (6-1, 1-0)

BRONTE (2-6, 1-1) at Trent (4-4, 1-1)

LORAINE (5-4, 2-1) at Olfen (0-5, 0-2)

BENJAMIN (5-1, 2-0) at Crowell (3-5, 2-0)

GUTHRIE (3-5, 1-2) at Harrold (3-4, 1-1)

JAYTON (9-0, 3-0) at Aspermont (5-3, 2-0)

PAINT CREEK (5-3, 0-2) at Lueders-Avoca (0-8, 0-2)

STRAWN (5-2, 1-0) at Moran (1-7, 0-1)

WOODSON (5-3, 1-0) at Throckmorton (0-8, 0-1)

IREDELL (7-2, 3-0) at Three Way (8-0, 2-0)

Rising Star (4-5, 1-2) at GUSTINE (6-1, 1-1) 

ZEPHYR (7-1, 2-0) at Sidney (3-4, 0-2)

MULLIN (2-6, 0-2) at Cranfills Gap (0-9, 0-3)

EVANT (3-5, 2-0) at Priddy (1-6, 1-1)

Brookesmith (4-4, 1-2) at LOHN (5-3, 1-1)

RICHLAND SPRINGS (8-0, 2-0) at Rochelle (4-3, 2-0)

Keller Harvest Christian (2-6, 0-2) at ABILENE CHRISTIAN (4-3, 1-1)

IDLE: Newcastle (5-4, 2-1); Paint Rock (0-8, 0-3); Lingleville (1-6, 0-3); Blackwell (3-6, 2-1); Rule (4-5, 1-2); Blanket (7-1-1, 2-1)