Clyde 34, Breckenridge 14 — Blake Carr threw for 205 yards and three scores and rushed for 134 yards and another TD to help Clyde lock down the No. 1 seed.
The Bulldogs (9-1, 4-1) rolled up 465 yards in total offense and blew the game open with a 20-0 second half.
Stephenville 23, Waco La Vega 14 — The Yellow Jackets used a dual threat 360 yards to get past La Vega in the regular season finale for both clubs.
SHS (8-2, 4-0) pounded out 151 yards rushing and threw for 209 to lock up the No. 1 seed.
LAST WEEK: 47-5, .903
SEASON TOTAL: 438-91, .827
With the column hitting at more than 90 percent accuracy last week, we now close the regular season on the upswing and with something uncommon: A local Big Country Preps Game of the Week.
While our weekly picks column generally highlights the top area game outside of the Abilene city limits, this week seems to call for us to stay at home with rivals Wylie (6-3, 3-1) and Cooper (4-5, 3-1) fighting for sole possession of the No. 2 seed in District 2-5A Division II.
THE BEST OF BCP WEDNESDAY NIGHT PODCAST: Area sports official Rob Durham joins the show. Original airdate: 10-26-22
NOTE: This will be our final installment of Big Country Volleyball Statistical Leaders for the 2023 season
Big Country Preps is publishing area volleyball statistical leaders each Tuesday at 7 p.m. roughout the regular season.
This database will be continually updated for our subscribers throughout the remainder of the season, using only those statistics submitted by area coaches.
With much of the reporting from Friday’s 34-30 win by Hawley over Stamford going to a stunning game-winning touchdown scored by Camden Ables, someone got lost in the shuffle.
That would be our Big Country Preps Player of the Week, Diontay Ramon, a Hawley senior receiver-DB without whom, the Bearcats’ last-minute miracle never would have materialized.
For starters, Ramon hauled in 11 catches for 100 yards and a touchdown. He also had four carries for 23 yards and another score, but we’re just warming up.
Hico 27, Meridian 7 — The Tigers (7-3, 4-2) concluded their regular season with a win at home. And will now enjoy an open date in Week 11, during which their playoff seeding will be determined by the outcome of the Wortham-Dawson game.
Price Mullin rushed for 124 yards and Buck Powell rushed for 105 to lead Hico, which overcame four fumbles and an interception with 304 yards rushing as a team.
Windthorst 54, Seymour 22 — The Trojans (7-2, 5-0) clinched the district title with a lopsided win over second-place Seymour.
Brock Belcher threw for 137 yards, rushed for 127 and accounted for four TDs to lift Windthorst, which blew the game open with a 32-14 second half.
Roscoe 34, Miles 33 — Ivan “The Terrible” McCann bulldozed his way to 231 yards rushing and four scores to lift Roscoe to an important district win over visiting Miles.
The Plowboys led 34-21 late in the third quarter before absorbing back to back Miles touchdowns, both of which were followed by missed PATs.
Cisco 38, Anson 19 — The Loboes kept their district title hopes alive with a win over Anson on the road.
Kannon Orsagh threw for 109 yards and two scores and Gus Hart rushed for 74 yards and another TD to lead Cisco, which needs to defeat league-leading Hawley next week to give itself a chance at the No. 1 seed.
Coahoma 41, Lubbock Roosevelt 22 — Jaidyn Vineyard rushed for 204 yards and three TDs on 23 carries and Boy Cox threw for 217 yards and three more TDs to lead the Bulldogs to a crucial win over Roosevelt.
By pulling off what many see as an upset, the Bulldogs have now forced a four-way tie for second place — a log jam that will be (at least partially) broken up next Friday.
Wall 50, Early 6 — The Hawks locked up the district title behind 429 yards rushing as a team.
The Hawks used seven different ball carriers on the night, four of whom found the end zone. Garrett Guy, topped the stat sheet with 98 yards and one TD.
Jim Ned 36, Vernon 32— Brayden Shipman rushed for 241 yards and two scores, including a 63-yard run with 1:00 left in the game to set up the game-inning TD.
With the win, Jim Ned (7-2, 3-1) is now in a first-place tie with both Iowa Park (4-5, 3-1) and Clyde (8-1, 3-1) with one game left in the regular season.
Stephenville 34, Alvarado 7 — Ryan Gafford threw for 209 yards and three scores to lead the Yellow Jackets (7-2, 3-0) to an easy win over Alvarado.
Tristian Gentry, the Big Country’s leading receiver, was the top target, hauling in seven catches for 161 yards.
Hawley’s game-winning play is viewable at the 1:30 mark of the video above. It came on
4th and 8 at the Stamford 45 with 0:47 to play.
HAWLEY — Call it a great play, call it luck or call it a miracle. But Hawley freshman Camden Ables was praying from the time the ball was snapped until the end of an incredible game-winning play that saw him twist, turn and break five tackles in a 45-yard TD reception on 4th-and-8 with 47 seconds to play in a thrilling 34-30 win over Stamford.
Ables’ TD was the final score in Friday’s Big Country Preps Game of the Week — a roller coaster affair that had already seen three lead changes in a battle for first place in District 4-2A DI. The play spoiled a dramatic Stamford comeback, that saw the Bulldogs (7-1, 4-1) rally from separate deficits of 6-0 and 20-10.
“I knew the ball was coming to me but I was kind of praying the whole time “Lord, please help me catch this ball,” Ables said. “When I got to the end zone, it felt (like it) was not real. It was unbelievable.”
The Bearcats (7-2, 5-0) then iced the game after Diontay Ramon picked off a Christian Duran pass with 0:41 to play.
LAST WEEK: 44-7, .862
SEASON TOTAL: 391-86, .820
It really didn’t take long for people to start talking about the Hawley – Stamford matchup in 2023. In fact, this one was on our calendar as a possible Game of the Week before the season even started.
Who will win? That depends on who you speak with. Our Twitter poll is split virtually down the middle and even the computers see this one as a near tossup.
Stamford (7-0, 4-0 District 4-2A DII) enters this game scarcely challenged, rolling over the opposition by an average tally of 45-8. Hawley (6-2, 4-0), on the other hand, comes in with some battle scars after a brutal schedule featuring Jim Ned, Lubbock Roosevelt and Albany.
Big Country Preps is publishing area volleyball statistical leaders each Tuesday at 7 p.m. roughout the regular season.
This database will be continually updated for our subscribers throughout the remainder of the season, using only those statistics submitted by area coaches.
Every now and then, the biggest performances come at precisely the right time. And in the case of our Big Country Preps Player of the Week, that couldn’t be more true than it is now.
With his team laboring through a five-game losing streak and in danger of losing a playoff spot, Big Spring’s Kavien Ford came up with one of the best performances we’ve seen this year when he rushed for 374 yards and seven scores on 39 carries in a 63-43 win over San Angelo Lake View.
The win put Big Spring (2-6, 1-1) in a three-way tie for second place with one game remaining in the regular season. It also kept Lake View in sole possession of last place.
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Continue reading “PHOTO GALLERY: Roscoe-Albany football (45 images)”
Hico 49, Hubbard 0 — Hico (6-3, 3-2) maintained its hold on the No. 3 seed with a win over struggling Hubbard (0-8, 0-4).
Price Mullin led the Tigers with 127 yards and two scores on only eight carries. Carson Keller got into the act as well, throwing for 128 yards and two more TDs.
Windthorst 28, Archer City 27 — The Trojans (6-2, 4-0) escaped a major upset behind quarterback Brock Belcher, who threw for 201 yards, rushed for 156 and accounted for all four WHS TDs.
Archer City produced a surprising 386 yards against their heavily favored opponent, including 195 yards rushing.
Cross Plains 28, Hamlin 6 — Dusty Wyatt rushed for 227 yards and three TDs to lift Cross Plains to an important district win over Hamlin.
Leading 13-6 at the break, the Buffaloes took firm control of the game with a pair of second-half touchdowns.
Winters 48, Colorado City 7 — The Blizzards (1-8, 1-4) rolled up 374 yards rushing to earn their first win of the year.
Alejandro Garcia rushed for 164 yards and four scores and Chris Martinez rushed for 166 yards and two TDs to lead Winters, which avoided its first winless season in 100 years with the win.
Coahoma 70, Stanton 28 — Boyd Cox threw for 249 yards and five scores and Jaidyn Vineyard rushed for 127 yards and three more TDs to lead Coahoma to a lopsided win over Stanton.
Leading 49-14 at the break, the Bulldogs used six different ball carriers and had seven different players catch at least one pass.
CHS finished with 423 total yards while forcing three Stanton turnovers.
Wall 69, San Angelo TLCA 12 — Gunner Dillard threw for 194 yards and three scores and rushed for 51 yards and three more TDs to lead the Hawks in a rout of TLCA.
Wall (6-2, 3-0) raced out to a 55-0 halftime lead before putting things into cruise control.
Clyde 48, Bowie 21 — The Bulldogs (8-0, 3-0) remained unbeaten, clinched a playoff spot and took another step toward a district title with a road win at Bowie.
Blake Carr threw for 260 yards and five scores and Fabian Gomez rushed for 97 yards and another TD to lift Clyde, which can clinch the district championship with a win at Iowa Park next week.
Waco La Vega 49, Alvarado 28 — Bryson Roland rushed for 244 yards and three scores to lead La Vega to an important win over Alvarado.
The Pirates (5-3, 1-1) built a 28-7 first-half lead, then held off a late Alvarado rally to collect the win.
ALBANY — For Albany, it was not unlike countless of big district games the Lions have played over the years. For the upstart Roscoe Plowboys, it was an opportunity to challenge a perennial area power for the district lead with the entire area paying attention.
And for 24 minutes, Roscoe (a 31-point underdog) appeared ready to shock the Big Country, forcing four first-half turnovers and heading into the locker room trailing 10-7. It was Albany, however, which had experience in closing big games and suddenly turned this one into a rout with a 34-0 second half run to win 44-7.
Adam Hill rushed for 253 yards and two scores and caught a 15-yard TD pass to lead top-ranked Albany (8-0, 3-0 District 6-2A DII), which survived a five-turnover night by limiting Roscoe (6-2, 2-1) to only 149 total yards and no offensive touchdowns.
“(Roscoe) was really playing well,” Albany coach Denney Faith said. “They were loading the box to stop Adam and doing some things that caught us off guard. They came out and played a great first half and we had to do a lot better.”
STEPHENVILLE — In a game some expected to be a shootout, the Stephenville Yellow Jackets used some old-fashioned power football to hand China Spring a 31-21 loss in the Big Country Preps Game of the Week.
Tate Maruska rushed for 125 yards and two scores and Ryan Gafford was 13 of 18 for 175 yards to lead Stephenville (6-2, 2-0), which overcame an early 7-0 deficit to earn its fourth straight win.
China Spring (6-3, 2-1), which saw a three-game winning streak snapped, was held to a season-low point total. Cash McCollum led the Cougars with 177 yards passing and three TDs. But ground-oriented China Spring was held to an uncharacteristically low rushing total of 119 yards, led by Kyle Barton with 63.
“I think their game plan was to run the football and chew up clock,” Stephenville coach Sterling Doty said of the Cougars. “Their first drive for a touchdown took up (seven) minutes of the first quarter. They wanted to slow it down, keep their defense on the sideline and use their rushing attack to their advantage.”
LAST WEEK: 40-8, .833
SEASON TOTAL: 347-79, .814
As Week 9 of the 2023Texas High School football season gets underway, there are multiple high-profile games that would qualify as our Big Country Preps Game of the Week.
But we’re settling for a rare Thursday night matchup at Tarleton State University where seventh-ranked 4A DI Stephenville (5-2, 1-0) will play host to fourth-ranked China Spring (6-2, 2-0) in a game will give the victor sole possession of first place in District 5.
Picking who wins it may come down to throwing darts, but I do believe China Spring has one key advantage.
Big Country Preps is publishing area volleyball statistical leaders each Tuesday at 7 p.m. roughout the regular season.
This database will be continually updated for our subscribers throughout the remainder of the season, using only those statistics submitted by area coaches.
Big numbers are one thing. But when they come in the clutch in a multitude of areas, that’s difficult to top for our weekly Big Country Preps Player of the Week award.
This time around, it’s Sweetwater junior running back-linebacker Korda Moore taking the top spot for the week ending Oct. 14.
Moore had a big night in last week’s dramatic 45-41 win over Midland Greenwood, with 25 carries for 187 yards and four TDs. He also caught three passes for 65 yards and two more scores.
But he wasn’t finished there. He also completed a 23-yard pass and scored on two two-point conversion runs to finish with 40 total points on the night.
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Continue reading “PHOTO GALLERY: Dawson-Hico football (51 images)”
Haskell 34, Archer City 33 — In a wild game featuring four lead changes, the Indians (3-4, 3-1) scored an important win over Archer City to remain in contention for a high playoff seed.
Haegan Pinkerton rushed for 104 yards and two scores and Trevor Henry added 100 yards rushing and another score to lift Haskell.
Roscoe 57, Abilene TLCA 0 — In a game that was halted in the second half due to an injury scare, the Plowboys remained in district title contention with a win over the Eagles.
Jace Arnwine threw for 213 yards and two scores and Aiden Cema rushed for 116 yards and two more TDs to lift Roscoe (6-1, 2-0), which faces defending state champion Albany next week for sole possession of first place in the district.
Stamford 28, Cisco 13 — The Bulldogs set themselves up for a potential district title showdown with Hawley with a tough win at Cisco.
Christian Duran rushed for 73 yards and three scores and threw for 128 yards to lead Stamford (6-0, 3-0), which put the game away with two fourth quarter touchdowns.
Idalou 54, Coahoma 10 — Tate Hendley threw for 144 yards and three scores and rushed for 63 yards and two more TDs to lead Idalou over Coahoma.
Idalou, which struggled through a 1-4 non-district start is now 3-4 overall and 2-0 in District 4-3A DII.
Wall 61, Ballinger 6 — The Hawks used 10 different ball carriers to produce 392 rushing yards in a win over their area rival.
Luke Kemp topped the stat chart with 104 yards rushing and two scores on only three carries for Wall, which improved to 5-2 and 2-0.
Vernon 42, Breckenridge 20 — The Lions pounded out 388 yards rushing to hand Breckenridge a loss at Buckaroo Stadium.
Breckenridge, which hurt itself with three turnovers, was limited to 286 yards in total offense. Camden Escalon led the Bucks with 226 yards passing a two scores.
Stephenville 59, Waxahachie Life 19 — Ryan Gafford threw for 263 yards and two scores and Latrell Titus rushed for 167 yards and five TDs to lift SHS (5-2, 1-0) to an easy win over the Mustangs.
The Yellow Jackets rolled up 549 yards in total offense, while limiting Life to 280.
HICO — Entering Friday’s Big Country Preps Game of the Week, the Hico Tigers wanted to run the ball, control tempo and contain Dawson’s big play threats in order to win a crucial matchup in Disctrict 10-2A DII. They achieved all three.
Unfortunately for the Tigers, they hurt themselves with three drive-killing turnovers and further aided Dawson with three 15-yard penalties in a 14-7 loss to the Bulldogs at Tiger Stadium.
Brant Boatright threw touchdown passes of 48 and six yards and Colby Springer rushed for 108 yards on 16 carries to lift Dawson (6-1, 3-0), which held on to its one-score lead throughout a scoreless second half.
LAST WEEK: 41-7, .854
SEASON TOTAL: 307-71, .812
Big Country Preps makes a point of sharing the love and we look for opportunities to take our Game of the Week to as many different places that make sense each year.
Yet since our inaugural season in 2018, a rebuilding Hico football team missed our spotlight game for five straight seasons.
That drought ends this week when BCP visits Hico for the first time as the Tigers (5-2, 2-1 District 10-2A DII) host Dawson (5-1, 2-0) in a crucial matchup with high seed implications.