Glen Rose 56, Hillsboro 14 — Judd Connally threw for 265 yards and one score and Tyson Sullivan rushed for 125 yards and four TDs to lead Glen Rose (2-5, 2-0) to its second straight win.
The Tigers will play host to Venus next Friday.
Category: Area football
DISTRICT 4-4A DIV. I WEEK 8 REPORT: Stephenville remains unbeaten; Lampasas wins
Stephenville 65, Marble Falls 7 — The Yellow Jackets (7-0, 2-0) raced out to a 49-0 lead by the break before coasting home for the win.
Trot Jordan threw for 161 yards and four scores at Carter VanZandt rushed for 86 yards and two TDs to lead Stephenville.
Marble Falls dropped to 3-5 and 0-2.
DISTRICT 1-4A DIV. II WEEK 8 REPORT: Fort Stockton too much for Snyder; Greenwood routs Monahans
Fort Stockton 49, Snyder 15 — Gerry Diaz passed for 284 yards and four touchdowns, hitting jaden Sotelo three times for 150 yards and three scores, to fuel the Panthers to a blowout win over the Tigers.
Diaz also ran for 98 yards and a pair of TDs in the win, which saw Fort Stockton (5-3, 1-1) take a 21-0 lead after a quarter and increase that to 35-0 by halftime.
DISTRICT 3-4A DIV. I WEEK 8 REPORT: All teams idle in preparation of start of league play
Big Spring (4-2), idle — Like everyone else in this league, the Steers had the week off to prepare for the start of district play next week.
Big Spring, which has won four of its last five games, will open 3-4A DI play next week with a home game against Andrews.
DISTRICT 4-3A DIV. II WEEK 8 REPORT: Wall shuts out Coahoma; Grape Creek downs Stanton
Wall 58, Coahoma 0 — Wall’s Landon York kept his hot hand, hitting 17 of 24 throws for 333 yards and two scores to help Wall to an important league win over Coahoma.
Brady Neal led Wall (8-0, 2-0) on the ground with 107 yards rushing and three scores.
Limited to only 158 total yards, Coahoma fell to 6-2 and 1-1.
DISTRICT 4-2A DIV. I WEEK 8 REPORT: Stamford tops Anson; Hawley and Cisco coast
Stamford 28, Anson 21 — Stamford entered this game as an underdog in the view of many, but left as the victor after forcing four Anson turnovers.
Limited to only 185 yards in total offense for the night, the Bulldogs (4-3, 1-1) still managed to build a 28-6 first-half lead before hanging on for the win.
Despite piling up 371 yards in total offense and outgaining Stamford by nearly 200 yards, Anson (5-2, 0-2) dropped its second straight game after a 5-0 start.
DISTRICT 7-2A DIV. II WEEK 8 REPORT: Hamlin, Cross Plains, Albany victorious
Hamlin 21, Roscoe 14 (OT) — 
Hamlin rushed for 239 yards via committee in a tough overtime win on the road. Reece Rainey led the Pied Pipers (6-1, 2-0) with 85 yards rushing on four carries and one TD.
It was the sixth straight win for Hamlin since a season-opening loss to Anson.
Roscoe (1-6, 1-1) was led by Jace Arnwine, who threw for 136 yards, rushed for 19 and accounted for two scores.
DISTRICT 3-3A DIV. I WEEK 8 REPORT: Jim Ned, Sweetwater, Clyde score Week 8 wins
Jim Ned 49, Breckenridge 7 — Cash Gwinn threw for 186 yards and three scores and Aiden Ellis rushed for 127 yards and another TD as Jim Ned earned its fourth straight win.
The Indians quickly built a 42-7 first-half lead before coasting to the finish.
Breckenridge fell to 2-5 and 0-2.
BIG COUNTRY PREPS GAME OF THE WEEK: Bangs tops Hico 28-27 in classic nail-biter
HICO — Upon examining the videotape of the Big Country Preps Game of the Week, both the Bangs and Hico coaching staffs will no doubt, find dozens of different ways they could have won or lost their matchup on Friday.
As fate would have it, the Bangs Dragons left Tiger Stadium as the victors, sneaking past Hico 28-27 behind a fake PAT kick-conversion pass from Cason Tidwell to Joaquin Rubio with 37 seconds to play. Even the game-winning play forced everyone to hit the rewind button twice, with both a successful Bangs PAT run and failed PAT kick wiped out by penalties, giving both teams a taste of victory before Rubio scored the actual game-winner.
Tidwell topped the stat sheet for both clubs, rushing for 205 yards and four scores on 24 carries on a night that saw Bangs (5-2, 2-0 District 5-2A DI) rally from two separate deficits —13-6 at the break at 27-20 in the fourth quarter.
Hico (4-3, 0-2) was led by Cole Heutzenroeder (15 carries, 132 yards, two TDs) and by Tyler Jackson, who was 7-of-15 passing for 113 yards and another score.
“I just told the kids ‘hey, you’ve got to want it more, because (Hico) wants it more than you do right now,'” said Bangs coach Colton Buzzard, whose team has now won five straight games after an 0-2 start. “That’s not the Dragon way. If we come out and want it more, it’s going to be really hard to beat us.”
FEATURE: Pinkerton thriving as catalyst of Haskell’s offense
Haegen Pinkerton isn’t a one-man show for Haskell’s football team.
But the junior quarterback is many things for the Indians this season. He’s a dual threat. He’s one of the best athletes in 6-2A Division II – if not the best.
He’s a three-year starter. He’s a hard worker and a leader. He makes an impact in multiple sports. And he’s motivated to lead Haskell to the playoffs after the Indians came up short last season.
SIX-MAN LOOKAHEAD: Westbrook-Ira game headlines Week 8 slate as district races heat up
We’ve reached Week 8, and playoff races are starting to take shape in our area six-man districts.
While most of our best matchups are still to come, this week’s slate, which is headlined by a marquee District 7-1A Division I clash between No. 8 Westbrook and fellow toughie Ira, has its share of intriguing games.
Without further adieu, let’s go ahead and jump into this week’s “Lookahead.” We hope you enjoy this preview of the week’s action and encourage you to check out our Six-Man/Class 1A Central page for more information on your favorite team(s).
Big Country Preps’ Pick ‘Em Panel (Week 8)
Each week here at Big Country Preps, we’ll post our picks for all of that week’s 11-man games, in addition to the results of our weekly fan polls for each matchup.
For those interested in voting, polls go up on Sunday night each week and close Thursday evening.
Disagree with our picks or the fan poll consensus? Let us know in the comments section below.
BIG COUNTRY PREPS GAME OF THE WEEK: Bangs takes on Hico in our spotlight matchup
LAST WEEK: 53-7, .883
SEASON TOTAL: 335-79, .809
Week 8.
Can you believe it? I can’t, but every year it’s the same story. Two-a-days end, you blink and it’s Thanksgiving.
At any rate, Friday night will see us venturing to Hico for our Big Country Preps Game of the Week, with the Bangs Dragons (4-2, 1-0) facing the Tigers (4-2, 0-1) on the road in an important District 5-2A DI showdown that will almost certainly play a huge role in playoff seeding.
FEATURE: Senior playmaker Fisher brings steady leadership, consistent production to injury-plagued Mineral Wells offense
Pretty much across the football landscape, there is one opponent nobody wants to play. He doesn’t wear a uniform, and he comes in all manner of configurations. But ask any coach, and he will tell you a bite by the “Injury Bug” can be as devastating as any heartbreaking scoreboard defeat.
Or, as in the case of the Mineral Wells Rams, you can suffer multiple chomps, keep on shooing, and convert disaster into what still might have the promise of a successful season.
It certainly helps the Rams’ cause that the primary swatter is six-feet tall, weighs 180 pounds, runs faster than a speeding cornerback and is able to leap tall safeties to catch pretty much any ball thrown his way.
But (much) more on Jaidun Fisher in a bit. First, consider why the Mineral Wells receiver has been so important this year.
SIX-MAN REWIND: Area teams start separating themselves as district play begins for most area leagues
With Week 7 came the opening of district play for most six-man teams in the Big Country Preps coverage area. And we already have some separation being created in a number of area leagues.
Included in those is District 13-1A Division II, which saw Blanket down Gustine 57-12 in our our “Big Country Lookahead” Game of the Week.
But that was one of many interesting results we’ll be discussing in this week’s “Big Country Rewind” column. We hope you enjoy this look back at Week 7 and encourage you to check out our Six-Man/Class 1A Central page for more information on your favorite team(s).
BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Cooper’s Carillo takes this week’s award
Slowly but surely, the Cooper Cougars have emerged as one of the most explosive teams in the Big Country. And in its latest exploit, CHS rolled up 517 yards in total offense in a 66-16 win over Lubbock Cooper.
At the top of the stat sheet: Cooper quarterback Jaden Carrillo, who hit 18 of 27 throws for 263 yards and six touchdowns. He also rushed 11 times for 80 yards and another score to help the Cougars improve to 4-3 overall and 2-1 in District 2-5A DII.
His six TD passes tied a school record held by Zac Allen and Clayton Nicholas.
WEEK 8 FAN POLLS … Pick this week’s 11-man winners!
Each week here at Big Country Preps, we offer fans the chance to pick the winners of all games involving our local and area football teams. The results of these weekly polls, which will close at 5 p.m. each Thursday, will be included in our weekly Pick ‘Em Panel.
Here are the games for Week 8:
PHOTO GALLERY: Breckenridge-Clyde football (70 images)
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BIG COUNTRY PREPS NOTEBOOK: Hamlin, Brownwood, Glen Rose and Hawley all on tap tonight
FORGET THE SCHEDULE, HAMLIN IS DOING WHAT IT SHOULD BE DOING
With Hamlin extending its winning streak to five, I can hear its detractors (and with some validity) saying that the Pipers have yet to be tested by an upper tier 2A DII team.
Hamlin fell to Division I Anson in an injury-plagued opener, but hasn’t faced a team currently over .500 since.
OK, that’s fine.
But there’s one thing to keep an eye on: Hamlin is doing what a good team would do as a heavy favorite — it’s winning comfortably.
In fact, with the exception of a 19-14 win over Crosbyton, the Pipers have outperformed computer projections on a weekly basis. In other words, this club is better than most believed it would be and without question, it’s better than last year.
Continue reading “BIG COUNTRY PREPS NOTEBOOK: Hamlin, Brownwood, Glen Rose and Hawley all on tap tonight”
DISTRICT 6-2A DIV. II WEEK 7 REPORT: Haskell pulls away from Munday; Windthorst, Electra also victorious
Haskell 44, Munday 20 — The Indians picked up their second consecutive win in district play, cruising past the Moguls for a comfortable victory.
With the score tied at 6-all early, Haskell closed the first half with 24 unanswered points to take a 30-6 lead into halftime. Munday rallied to close the gap to 38-20 in the fourth quarter, but that as close as the score would get.
DISTRICT 8-2A DIV. II WEEK 7 REPORT: Santo cools off red-hot Era; Muenster, Collinsville claim wins
Santo 27, Era 14 — Jackson McKinnerney ran for 108 yards and two touchdowns, and the SHS defense limited Era to 144 yards of total offense to fuel the Wildcats to a two-score win over the Hornets.
Justin Hollingsworth also had a rushing score and Rylan Griffith had 79 yards rushing and passing TD for Santo (5-1, 1-0), which took advantage of a 3-1 edge in the turnover margin.
DISTRICT 3-2A DIV. I WEEK 7 REPORT: Christoval grinds out win over C-City; Sonora, Ozona also earn wins
Christoval 15, Colorado City 6 — The Cougars only generated 174 yards of total offense, but that was enough thanks to a dominant defensive effort against the Wolves.
Trailing 6-0 after a quarter, Christoval (3-3, 1-0) got a touchdown pass from Ty Debusk in the second quarter to take a 7-6 lead into halftime, before getting another TD throw from the quarterback in the third quarter to put the game away.
DISTRICT 3-4A DIV. I WEEK 7 REPORT: Big Spring blows out Kermit; Lake View snaps losing streak
Big Spring 49, Kermit 14 — The Steers bounced back from last week’s loss to Fort Stockton with a blowout win over the Yellow Jackets, dominating from start to finish to improve to 4-2 on the year.
Big Spring built a 35-0 lead by halftime and extended that advantage in the third quarter, before Kermit scored a pair of touchdowns late.
DISTRICT 5-2A DIV. I WEEK 7 REPORT: Bangs blanks Ballinger; De Leon, Hamilton also pick up convincing wins
Bangs 48, Ballinger 0 — Cason Tidwell ran for 185 yards and four touchdowns, and the BHS defense pitched a shutout to fuel the Dragons to a statement win over the Bearcats.
Bangs, which ran for 309 yards as a team, built a 28-0 lead by halftime in improving to 4-2 overall and 1-0 in district with its fourth consecutive victory.
DISTRICT 10-A DIV. I WEEK 7 REPORT: Goldthwaite, Bremond, Chilton and Mart earn Week 7 Ws
Goldthwaite 42, Frost 0 — The Eagles (4-2, 2-1) stayed in the district title hunt with a win over previously unbeaten Frost.
This sets up a huge district matchup with Bremond next Friday at home.
The Polar Bears fell to 5-1 and 2-1.
DISTRICT 5-3A DIV. II WEEK 7 REPORT: Early routs Tolar; Brady, Clifton also cruise in league openers
Early 43, Tolar 14 — Cameron Love ran for 106 yards and a touchdown, while Caden Wilson and Isaac Ibarra each added two rushing scores to help the Longhorns snap a four-game losing streak with a lopsided win over the Rattlers.
Early (2-4, 1-0) ran for 314 yards as a team, getting 70 yards from Stone Ratliff and 69 yards each from Wilson and Ibarra in the victory. Wilson also passed for 67 yards, hitting Andrew for a TD as the Longhorns built a 28-14 halftime lead.
DISTRICT 14-2A DIV. I WEEK 7 REPORT: San Saba, Mason, Harper begin district play with wins
San Saba 47, Johnson City 21
Jason Everett rushed for 163 yards and two TDs on 27 carries to lead the Armadillos to a win in the district opener for both clubs.
It was the third straight victory for the Armadillos, who improved to 4-2 an 1-0.
Johnson City fell to 3-3 and 0-1.
DISTRICT 4-4A DIV. II WEEK 7 REPORT: Glen Rose notches first win; Hillsboro, Benbrook also victorious
Glen Rose 56, Godley 21 — Judd Connally threw for 196 yards and four scores and rushed for 192 yards and two more TDs to lead Glen Rose (1-5, 1-0) to its first win of the season.
Godley (2-4, 0-1) was led by Adam Pempsell, with 192 yards rushing and two TDs.
Glen Rose will face Hillsboro on the road next Friday; Godley will host Benbrook on the same evening.
DISTRICT 4-4A DIV. I WEEK 7 REPORT: Brownwood hands Lampasas its first loss; Burnet tops Marble Falls
Brownwood 42, Lampasas 39 — Judson Coalson threw for 295 yards and five scores as Brownwood knocked off previously unbeaten Lampasas at Gordon Wood Stadium.
The Lions finished with 428 yards in total offense to improve to 4-3 and 1-0.
Let by Bryson Roberts, who threw for 126 yards and four TDs, the Badgers slipped to 6-1 and 0-1.
DISTRICT 3-4A DIV. II WEEK 7 REPORT: Brock, Graham and Minerals Wells all open league play with lopsided wins
Brock 41, Saginaw Eagle Mountain 13 — Holt Frazier threw for 257 yards and three touchdowns, and Bryer McDonald ran for 90 yards and two scores to lead the Eagles to a comfortable win over the Knights.
Charles Hibbler (2-96 receiving), Davis Lee (3-50) and Casen Christenson (4-38) all had receiving TDs for Brock (6-0, 1-0), which shut Eagle Mountain out in the second half after going to halftime up 28-13.
DISTRICT 4-3A DIV. II WEEK 7 REPORT: Wall, Coahoma both win to set up district showdown
Wall 63, Merkel 13 — Landon York threw for 387 yards and seven TDs to keep the Hawks (7-0, 1-0) unbeaten.
Merkel, which is off to its best start in several years, slipped to 5-2 and 0-1.
The Badgers will have their open date next Friday. On the same evening, Wall will travel to Coahoma in a game that will be crucial for both teams’ hopes of winning the district.
DISTRICT 1-4A DIV. I WEEK 7 REPORT: Monahans rallies past Snyder; Seminole rolls through Fort Stockton
Monahans 37, Snyder 33 — Trailing 27-23 at halftime, the Loboes outscored the Tigers 14-6 in the fourth quarter to rally for a thrilling win.
Majestic Williams accounted for four total touchdowns to lead Monahans (1-6, 1-0), including a 23-yard scoring run to put the Loboes ahead in the game’s final minute. That was the third TD run for the senior running back, who also caught a touchdown pass.
DISTRICT 4-2A DIV. I WEEK 7 REPORT: Hawley, Olney, Cisco open district play with wins
Hawley 32, Anson 26 — Aiden Romo threw for 214 yards and four scores to lead Hawley (4-2, 1-0) to a huge win over previously unbeaten Anson in the district opener for both clubs.
Hunter Teichelman led Anson (5-1, 0-1) with 314 yards passing and two scores.
Anson will face Stamford (3-3, 0-1) in a crucial matchup next Friday; Hawley will travel to Olney on the same evening.
DISTRICT 3-3A DIV. I WEEK 7 REPORT: Jim Ned, Sweetwater, Clyde open district play with wins
Jim Ned 56, Comanche 3 — Cash Gwinn threw for 283 yards and three scores and Aiden Ellis rushed for 90 yards and two more TDs as Jim Ned (5-1, 1-0) won the district opener for both schools.
After building a 35-3 halftime lead, Jim Ned ended any hopes of a Comanche miracle with a 21-0 third quarter.
Comanche (3-3, 0-1) was led by Cooper Welch, who threw for 120 yards.
DISTRICT 7-2A DIV. II WEEK 7 REPORT: Hamlin, Roscoe, Albany take district openers
Hamlin 49, Winters 0 — Javier Ramos threw for 117 yards and two scores while Isaiah Hutchings and Cade Jones both added rushing TDs to lead Hamlin (5-1) to its fifth straight win since a season-opening loss to Anson.
Winters, which had won two of its last three starts, fell to 2-4.
BIG COUNTRY PREPS GAME OF THE WEEK: Cisco stuns Stamford 30-20
CISCO — Entering Friday’s district opener with an explosive Stamford team, the Cisco Loboes knew they would have to control the football and keep the SHS offense off of the field to win.
Not only did they achieve that, but the Loboes also managed to hurt Stamford through the air in a 30-20 win in the Big Country Preps Game of the Week.
Colby McIlroy threw for 126 yards and one score and rushed for 62 yards and another TD to lead Cisco (5-1, 1-0 District 4-2A DI), which notched its fifth straight win following a season-opening loss to Clyde.
GAME STORY: Fourth-quarter rally leads Clyde past Breckenridge in district opener
CLYDE — Having a drive where a team needs to gain at least 30 yards to convert a first down is usually something that can derail an offense’s momentum in a football game.
If it happens twice in a game? That’s a recipe for disaster.
Despite the odds being against them, the Clyde Bulldogs overcame two possessions where it needed a least 35 yards for a first down with a fourth-quarter rally to beat Breckenridge 22-14 at Bulldog Stadium to open District 6-3A Division I play on Friday night.
SIX-MAN LOOKAHEAD: Gustine-Blanket matchup tops Week 7 slate as most of area enters district play
Week 7 is upon us, and that means most of our area six-man teams are kicking off district play this week.
While most Big Country district openers are expected to have lopsided results, there are a handful of intriguing matchups, headlined by our Game of the Week between District 13-1A Division II playoff hopefuls Gustine and Blanket.
Let’s go ahead and dive into that one and the area’s other top Friday matchups in this week’s Six-Man Lookahead column. And make sure you check out our Six-Man/Class 1A Central page for more information on your favorite team(s).
FEATURE: Resilient Hamlin Pied Pipers riding wave into league play despite rash of injuries
More often than not, a football team’s season is defined in some manner by injuries. A key physical setback involving a star — or, worse, several breaks/tears/pulls to multiple players — can completely alter dreams that appeared oh, so promising back in August.
Then again …
If you’re the Hamlin Pied Pipers, you just call on the “next man up” and keep on rolling.
By halftime of the Pied Pipers’ season-opening game against Anson, coach Jason Botos had witnessed four starters being helped to the sideline by the school’s training staff. The post-game diagnosis list included a torn ACL, a broken collar bone, a broken ankle and a significantly damaged shoulder.
Not surprisingly, the final score — Anson 49, Hamlin 6 — showed the immediate toll injuries can take. What happened thereafter, however, showed a team forged amid the school’s first playoff appearance in half a decade in 2024 still hungering for that kind of success. And, injuries or no injuries, this feisty bunch plans to play to — and perhaps through — mid-November once again.
FEATURE: Jackson’s growth sparking Hico’s offensive success
More than anything, quarterback Tyler Jackson just feels comfortable running Hico’s offense.
The senior gained confidence during the Tigers’ state-qualifying 7-on-7 campaign and learned from playing the position the past two years.
But the game has slowed down now for Jackson, who is a key reason why Hico is entering district with a 4-1 record and averaging 40 points per game.
Big Country Preps’ Pick ‘Em Panel (Week 7)
Each week here at Big Country Preps, we’ll post our picks for all of that week’s 11-man games, in addition to the results of our weekly fan polls for each matchup.
For those interested in voting, polls go up on Sunday night each week and close Thursday evening.
Disagree with our picks or the fan poll consensus? Let us know in the comments section below.
BIG COUNTRY PREPS GAME OF THE WEEK: Stamford, Cisco clash in our spotlight game
LAST WEEK: 31-6, .838
SEASON TOTAL: 282-72, .796
A football season just doesn’t seem complete without at least one visit to Chesley Field in Cisco for our Big Country Preps Game of the Week. That opportunity is now as the Loboes (4-1) play host to Stamford (3-2) in the District 4-2A DI opener for both clubs on Friday.
This is a high-profile matchup featuring two of the most storied programs in the Big Country, so it’s a natural for our spotlight game.
SIX-MAN REWIND: Area’s top teams deliver statements in blowout-laden Week 6
While Week 6 was heavy on high-profile matchups, it didn’t deliver many competitive games.
All but a handful of area games were decided by 30 points or more, including all of the matchups featured in last week’s “Six-Man Lookahead” column.
It’s time now to take a look back at how those games played out, and which players throughout the Big Country Preps coverage area shined brightest in Week 6. We hope you enjoy this rewind and encourage you to check out our Six-Man/Class 1A Central page for updated standings, scores and upcoming matchups.