SIX-MAN REWIND: Three area teams headed to Arlington after earning convincing wins in state semifinals

With five teams playing in the four Class 1A state semifinal games, the Big Country Preps coverage area was guaranteed to have a presence in next week’s state championship games. 

As it turns out, our area will have a substantial one.

With Gordon advancing in Division I and Jayton and Richland Springs earning spots in the DII title game, the Big Country Preps area will have three of the four state participants when games kick off next Wednesday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.

For the final time this year, it’s time to take a look at how we got here in the last “Big Country Rewind” column of the 2025 season. We hope you enjoy this look back at last week’s action.

LAST WEEK’S RESULTS

• 

  Rankin 54, Water Valley 46 — Matthew Ramos ran for 207 yards and five touchdowns to lead the Red Devils to an upset win over the the Wildcats. Rankin (12-2), which fell to Water Valley 68-20 in a nondistrict matchup on Oct. 3, used a 30-point second quarter in Saturday’s rematch to increase a narrow 8-6 first-quarter advantage to 38-26 by halftime before holding off the Wildcats in the second half to earn a state championship matchup with two-time defending champion Gordon. Water Valley (13-1) was led in the loss by Landon Lacy, who passed for 282 yards and two touchdowns offensively but was unable to play on defense or serve as the team’s kicker because of a leg injury. Boston Wiese added two rushing touchdowns, a kickoff return touchdown and 72 yards receiving for the Wildcats, while Branson Lacy ran for 73 yards and a TD and received for 44 yards.

• Gordon 69, Gilmer Union Hill 24 — Noah Kostiha passed for 170 yards and five touchdowns, and Stryker Reed ran for 114 yards and three scores to lead the Longhorns to a mercy-rule win over the Bulldogs. Ry Reed also had a productive day for Gordon, receiving for 73 yards and two TDs while adding 38 yards rushing to help the Longhorns (13-0) to their 43rd consecutive victory. Fueled by that trio, GHS built a 21-0 lead by the end of the first quarter and did enough in the second to end the game at halftime due to the 45-point rule. Union Hill got two passing touchdowns from Payton Dunn and a touchdown passing and receiving from EJ Mowrey, but after cutting the deficit to 21-8 with their first touchdown, the Bulldogs fell behind 45-8 before scoring their second.
• Jayton 64, Lamesa Klondike 19 — Bode Ham ran for 236 yards and three touchdowns  and passed for 31 yards and two more scores to fuel the Jaybirds to a 45-point-rule win over the Cougars. Sean Stanaland added 101 yards and two TDs passing for Jayton (14-0), which also got 40 yards and two TDs receiving from Lorenzo Vargas and a 35-yard scoring catch from Colt Gentry. The Jaybirds dominated from the outset, taking a 24-6 lead into the second quarter and increasing that advantage to 56-19 by halftime, before putting the game away with 8:12 remaining in the second quarter. The victory, Jayton’s 29th in a row, earned the defending Division II champion Jaybirds a state championship game matchup with Richland Springs next week.
• Richland Springs 66, Strawn 20 — Cohen Ethridge ran for 200 yards and five touchdowns, returned a kickoff 60 yards for a score and passed for 69 yards and a TD to lift the Coyotes to a convincing win over the Greyhounds. Ethan Deeds also contributed to the win for Richland Springs (12-1), receiving for 45 yards and a touchdown and rushing for 19 yards and a score. Behind that pair, Richland Springs raced out to a 30-8 first-quarter lead and stretched that to 56-14 by halftime, before closing out the win with 5:08 to play in the third quarter on its second safety of the game. Strawn, which was limited to minus-31 yards rushing in the loss, got 102 yards and two TDs receiving and 12 yards and one score rushing from Michael Barcenas in closing its season at 12-2. For more information on this game, see Daniel Youngblood’s game story.

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

• Cohen Ethridge, RB/LB, Jr., Richalnd Springs — Ran for 200 yards and five touchdowns on just 12 carries, returned a kickoff 60 yards for a score and threw for 69 yards and a TD on 6-of-7 passing in the Coyotes’ win over Strawn.
• Bode Ham, RB, Sr., Jayton — Ran for 236 yards and three touchdowns and went 2-of-3 passing for 31 yards and two scores in the Jaybirds’ win over Klondike.
• Noah Kostiha, QB, Sr., Gordon — Completed all five of his pass attempts for 170 yards and five touchdowns in the Longhorns’ win over Union Hill. 
• Landon Lacy, QB, Sr., Water Valley — Completed 18 of 26 passes for 282 yards and two touchdowns in the Wildcats’ loss to Rankin.
• Stryker Reed, RB/DB, Sr., Gordon — Ran for 114 yards and three touchdowns and had two tackles, two tackles for loss, a sack, a fumble recovery and a pass breakup defensively vs. Union Hill. 
• Michael Barcenas, RB, Sr., Strawn — Caught four passes for 102 yards and two touchdowns and ran for a third TD vs. Richland Springs.

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

Rankin 54, Water Valley 46

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

STATE SEMIFINAL

Gordon 69, Union Hill 24

STATE CHAMPIONSHIP

Gordon (13-0) vs. Rankin (12-2): 11 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 17, Arlington’s AT&T 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 64, Klondike 19

STATE CHAMPIONSHIP

Jayton (14-0) vs. Richland Springs (12-1): 2 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 17, Arlington’s AT&T 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

Richland Springs 66, Strawn 20

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 66, Strawn 20

STATE CHAMPIONSHIP

Richland Springs (12-1) vs. Jayton (14-0): 2 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 17, Arlington’s AT&T Stadium

TAPPS SIX-MAN DIV. II

BI-DISTRICT

Rockwall Heritage 68, Abilene Christian 22