SIX-MAN REWIND: Five area teams earn way into state semifinals, four see seasons end in region finals

With nine area teams involved in region finals last week, the Big Country Preps coverage area was guaranteed to have a strong contingent of teams in this week’s state semifinals.

And the five teams that survived — Water Valley and Gordon in Division I and Jayton, Strawn and Richland Springs in Division II — are now just one win away from earning a trip to Arlington.

Before we look ahead to the matchups that await those squads, it’s time to take a look at how they survived their third-round tests in this week’s “Six-Man Rewind” column. We hope you enjoy this look back at Week 14’s six-man action.

LAST WEEK’S RESULTS

• Water Valley 50, Robert Lee 28 — Branson Lacy ran for 184 yards and three touchdowns, and Landon Lacy passed for 162 yards and a score to lift the Wildcats to a three-touchdown win over the Steers. Water Valley (13-0), which also got a pair of rushing touchdowns from Boston Wiese and receiving touchdown from Rett Dickison, used a 20-8 second quarter to take a 28-14 lead into halftime and held off Robert Lee from there for its second win this season over the Steers. RLHS (11-2) was led in the loss by Brenner Sherwood, who passed for 225 yards and two touchdowns and added 95 yards and  another score on the ground.
• Gordon 71, May 22 — Ry Reed ran for 119 yards and four touchdowns, and Stryker Reed added 93 yards and three scores rushing and a 42-yard TD catch to lead the Longhorns to a mercy-rule win over the Tigers. Noah Kostiha added 94 yards and a TD passing for Gordon (12-0), which was led defensively by Brayden Walters with 16 tackles, two tackles for loss, a sack and an interception. The Longhorns, who have now won 42 consecutive games, led 28-8 after a quarter and were never threatened the rest of the way. May, which saw its season end at 11-2, was led by Lane Goodson with 144 yards and one touchdown rushing and Jackson Lusk with 86 yards rushing and a 16-yard TD reception.
• Jayton 76, Benjamin 62 — Bode Ham ran for 256 yards and three touchdowns and passed for 182 yards and four more scores to fuel the Jaybirds to a shootout win over the Mustangs. Jayton also got big efforts from Colt Gentry (4-103, 3 TDs receiving) and Sean Stanaland (66 yards, 2 TDs passing; 38 yards, 1 TD rushing; 24 yards receiving) in pushing its season record to 13-0. Benjamin (10-1), which was led by quarterback Keegan Hayes, narrowed a 34-22 halftime lead to 40-36 in the third quarter and trailed just 56-48 early in the fourth. But the Jaybirds scored to go up two touchdowns and held off the Mustangs the rest of the way in earning their 28th consecutive win dating back to last season.
• Strawn 46, Three Way 0 — The Greyhounds had no trouble with the Braves, putting the game away by the four-minute mark of the third quarter to improve to 12-1 on the year. Strawn increased an 18-0 first-quarter lead to 36-0 by halftime, before tacking on 10 more points in the third quarter to put the 45-point rule into effect. The loss ended Three Way’s best season in history at 11-2.
• Richland Springs 72, Oglesby 22 — Cohen Ethridge ran for 227 yard and five touchdowns while adding 123 yards and two more scores passing to help the Coyotes to a blowout win over the Tigers. Billy Perry added 33 yards and three TDs rushing for Richland Springs, which avenged playoff losses to Oglesby in each of the past two seasons. The game was tied at 22 with 5:56 remaining in the second quarter, but the Coyotes closed the game with 50 unanswered points to improve their season record to 11-1. Richland Springs outgained Oglesby (11-2) by a 425-217 margin, getting a pair of interceptions from Evan Deeds in the victory.

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

• Bode Ham, RB, Sr., Jayton — Ran for 256 yards and three touchdowns, passed for 182 yards and four TDs and had a 26-yard reception while adding 20 tackles defensively in the Jaybirds’ win over Benjamin.
• Cohen Ethridge, RB, Jr., Richland Springs — Ran for 227 yards and five touchdowns and passed for 123 yards and two TDs in the Coyotes win over Oglesby.
• Branson Lacy, RB, Jr., Water Valley — Ran for 184 yards and three touchdowns and received for 45 yards in the Wildcats’ win over Robert Lee.
• Ry Reed, RB, Sr., Gordon — Ran for 119 yards and four touchdowns and had a 28-yard reception in the Longhorns’ win over May.
• Colt Gentry, TE, Sr., Jayton — Had four catches for 103 yards and three touchdowns and added 13 tackles on defense vs. Benjamin.
• Stryker Reed, RB/DB, Sr., Gordon — Ran for 93 yards and three touchdowns, had a 42-yard touchdown catch and passed for 28 yards vs. May.
• Lane Goodson, RB, Sr., May — Ran for 144 yards and a touchdown vs. Gordon.
• Sean Stanaland, QB, Sr., Jayton — Passed for 66 yards and two touchdowns, ran for 38 yards and one TD and had a 24-yard reception while charting 15 tackles on defense vs. Benjamin.
• Landon Lacy, QB, Sr., Water Valley — Passed for 162 yards and a touchdown vs. Robert Lee.
• Brenner Sherwood, SB, Sr., Robert Lee — Passed for 225 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 95 yards and a TD vs. Water Valley.

PLAYOFF PAIRINGS/RESULTS

REGION II-1A DIV. I (Full bracket)

BI-DISTRICT

Robert Lee 60, Ira 14

Water Valley 62, Hermleigh 14

Newcastle 73, Petersburg 0

REGION SEMIFINALS

Robert Lee 63, Turkey Valley 6

Water Valley 64, Newcastle 29

REGION FINAL

Water Valley 50, Robert Lee 28

STATE SEMIFINALS

Water Valley (13-0) vs. Rankin (11-2): 5 p.m. Saturday, San Angelo Stadium

REGION IV-1A DIV. I (Full bracket)

BI-DISTRICT

Gordon 52, Jonesboro 6

May 70, Gorman 22

REGION SEMIFINALS

Gordon 61, Menard 14

May 72, Medina 24

REGION FINAL

Gordon 71, May 22

REGION FINAL

Gordon (12-0) vs. Union Hill (11-2): 6 p.m. Saturday, Ennis’ Lion Memorial Stadium

REGION II-1A DIV. II (Full bracket)

BI-DISTRICT

Balmorhea 56, Blackwell 8

Benjamin 53, Aspermont 8

Jayton 54, Guthrie 6

Grandfalls-Royalty 79, Bronte 34

REGION SEMIFINALS

Benjamin 68, Balmorhea 16

Jayton 68, Grandfalls-Royalty 18

REGION FINAL

Jayton 76, Benjamin 62

STATE SEMIFINALS

Jayton (13-0) vs. Klondike (11-0): 6:30 p.m. Friday, Colorado City’s Wolf Stadium

REGION III-1A DIV. II (Full bracket)

BI-DISTRICT

Strawn 78, Bowie Gold-burg 12

Bluff Dale 70, Mount Calm 30

Fannindel 54, Woodson 6

Three Way 40, Oakwood 28

REGION SEMIFINALS

Strawn 74, Bluff Dale 26

Three Way 58, Fannindel 36

REGION FINAL

Strawn 46, Three Way 0

STATE SEMIFINALS

Strawn (12-1) vs. Richland Springs (11-1): 5 p.m. Saturday, Stephenville’s Art Briles Stadium

REGION IV-1A DIV. II (Full bracket)

BI-DISTRICT

Zephyr 53, Evant 8

Richland Springs 62, Calvert 0

Cherokee 70, Rochelle 24

Oglesby 54, Blanket 12

REGION SEMIFINALS

Richland Springs 59, Zephyr 12

REGION FINAL

Richland Springs 72, Oglesby 22

STATE SEMIFINALS

Richland Springs (11-1) vs. Strawn (12-1): 5 p.m. Saturday, Stephenville’s Art Briles Stadium

TAPPS SIX-MAN DIV. II

BI-DISTRICT

Rockwall Heritage 68, Abilene Christian 22