Andrews 42, Big Spring 20 — Andrews (6-2, 1-0) amassed 519 yards in total offense with near-perfect balance, rushing for 254 and passing for 264.
Brett Leach accounting for all of the passing yardage, hitting 16 of 26 throws with three TD strikes. Esau Flores led the Andrews ground game, with 126 yards and a score on 17 carries.
LAST WEEK: 33-7, .825
SEASON TOTAL: 285-71, .801
In a week that features four or perhaps five games that could easily qualify for our Big Country Preps Game of the Week, there is alas, a safe choice.
When in doubt, one can seldom go wrong with the annual Stephenville-Brownwood clash — a storied feud now in its 80th chapter dating back to 1937.
This year, the Lions (4-2, 1-0) play host to the Yellow Jackets (4-3, 1-1) in a game that will likely decide the No. 2 seed in District 5-4A Division I — perhaps the best overall 4A league in Texas.
Big Spring (idle) — Coach Mitch McLemore’s Steers (2-5, 0-0) enjoyed an open date on Friday in preparation for their district opener with Andrews on Oct. 26.
Big Spring will enter league play with a three-game losing streak, including shutout losses to Canyon and Dumas in the latter two.
LAST WEEK: 37-5, .860
SEASON TOTAL: 252-64, .797
Before the season, many viewed Colorado City (6-0, 1-0) as the odds-on favorite to take District 2-3A Division II, and I agreed with them.
But as each new season evolves, surprises typically emerge and that’s certainly the case in this league where Idalou (5-1, 1-0) and Abernathy (5-1, 1-0) have shown themselves as too good to simply label as No. 2 or 3 seeds.
Dumas 55, Big Spring 0 — The Demons simply shut Big Spring down, holding the Steers to just 207 yards in total offense.
Spencer Williams led the way for Dumas, passing for 103 yards and a score and rushing for 100 and another TD to help the Demons improve to 5-2.
LAST WEEK: 27-7, . 794
SEASON TOTAL: 215-59, .785
The first game out of the chute in a merciless district is often the most important one — especially if the game doesn’t involve the league favorite.
Applying that axiom to District 3-3A DI, a league opener between Breckenridge and Jim Ned is vital, given that Wall is expected to beat everyone. That makes every other contest indispensable between five teams vying for three remaining playoff spots.
Canyon 38, Big Spring 0 — Lawton Rikel passed for 169 yards, rushed for 78 and accounted for three scores to keep Canyon (6-0) unbeaten .
Big Spring (2-4), which was limited to 174 total yards, was led by Ethan Cortez with 104 yards passing.
LAST WEEK: 42-6, . 875
SEASON TOTAL: 188-52, .783
With a limited selection of games this week, one hopes to locate a contest that belongs on the top shelf and I believe we’ve found it — albeit, with a three-hour drive to get there.
The Big Country Preps Game of the Week will travel all the way to Iraan on Friday, where the Braves (5-0) will take on Winters (5-0) in a battle of unbeatens.
In the last non-district matchup for both clubs, this game easily represents the toughest challenge either have faced this season.
With district play either here or approaching for the 16 11-man leagues involving Big Country football teams, every game has heightened importance from this point forward.
In this week’s Capital Farm Credit Wednesday Night Podcast, Big Country Preps’ Evan Ren and Daniel Youngblood forego a guest to discuss each district race and examine each of our 40 school’s chances of reaching the postseason.
In all my years of covering Big Country athletics, I’ve never seen a more impressive group of Player of the Week-worthy candidates all negated by one performance.
Last week produced at least five or six performances that would normally claim the accolade, only to be pushed down the ladder by what can only be described as an insane night for Stamford quarterback Peyton Bevel.
In leading Stamford to a 90-62 win over De Leon, Bevel set state records for passing yardage (789) and touchdown passes (12) and even tacked on an additional 65 yards rushing in his spare time while claiming his third Player of the Week award in five games.
Wall 40, Big Spring 12 — Mason Fuchs threw for 148 yards and two scores and rushed for 121 yards and a third TD to lead the Wall Hawks to a lopsided win over the Steers (2-3).
Ethan Cortez was a bright spot for Big Spring, hitting 15 of 24 throws for 135 yards and two scores.
Another difficult challenge awaits the Steers on Friday when Canyon (5-0) visits Memorial Stadium in Big Spring.
LAST WEEK: 37-7, .841
SEASON TOTAL: 146-46, .761
Prior to this season, I had chosen the Dublin Lions for a Game of the Week only once in 12 years.
This season, the Lions (4-0), who are off to their best start of this century, have landed the marquee game twice. This week, they’re off to Breckenridge (2-2) to face what I believe is the best team they have met to date.
The Buckaroos, who are coming off back-to-back losses to monster teams from Cisco (34-13) and Brock (20-9), are far better than that .500 mark would indicate.
Big Spring 39, Pecos 20 — Ethan Cortez threw for 200 yards and three scores and CJ Harris rushed for 97 yards and another touchdown to lift Big Spring (2-2) on the road.
The Steers limited Pecos (1-3) to just 213 yards in total offense while gaining 347.
LAST WEEK: 38-13, .745
SEASON TOTAL: 109-39, .736
The Big Country Preps Game of the Week heads east tonight to Eastland, a day early due to anticipated thunderstorms in that area on Friday.
On tap: Childress (3-0) pays visit to EHS (3-0) in what should be the most difficult test for the unbeaten Mavericks to date.
If all goes as anticipated, those in attendance should be treated to a premiere quarterback matchup, pitting Childress’ Luke Latimer and Eastland standout Behren Morton.
LAST WEEK: 38-7, .844
SEASON TOTAL: 71-26, .731
Prior to the season, had someone suggested that the Dublin/De Leon matchup would be our Big Country Preps Game of the Week for Week 3, I would have politely shrugged it off.
But after two games, Dublin (2-0) has literally made it happen.
Off to their first 2-0 start since 2007, the Lions will play host to a 2-0 De Leon team many believe will win their region and have a shot at reaching Arlington.
In the midst of it: A Divison I-caliber quarterback in De Leon’s Kevin Yeager (29 of 47, 471 yards, 5 TDs ), an area upstart in Dublin’s Cy Wing (19 of 37, 454 yards, 4 TDs) and a pair of excited communities.
Big Spring 33, Sweetwater 7 — The Steers not only snapped their 26-game losing streak Friday, they did so in dominating fashion at the Mustang Bowl.
Building off last week’s performance against Midland Greenwood, Big Spring kept Sweetwater off the board for the final three quarters while scoring all 33 of its points over the middle two periods. Sophomore quarterback Ethan Cortez and senior receiver Jeremiah Cooley led the effort for the Steers, who will take on Monahans this week.
Big Spring is already in the playoffs by virtue of playing in a four-team district, but coach Mitch McLemore has his team looking dangerous early in the season.
7:30 p.m. Friday at the Mustang Bowl, Sweetwater
LAST WEEK: 33-19, .634
SEASON TOTAL: 33-19, .634
Whenever perennial powerhouses Cisco and Wall square off, it’s a candidate for the spotlight, and this year is no exception.
Friday, the Big Country Preps Game of the Week heads south, when the Loboes (1-0) visit Wall (0-1) with a fair amount of intrigue attached.
The Hawks, who are coming off a 27-21 loss to No. 3 Class 2A Mason, haven’t started a season at 0-2 since 2008. Yet Friday, they’ll be confronted with a Cisco team fully capable of pushing them down memory lane.
This is too high-profile to ignore. People want to know just how good this Cisco team is and with Wall being a proven commodity, this is a great measuring stick.
The first week of the high school football season in the Big Country saw its share of thrilling finishes and surprising outcomes.
In this week’s Capital Farm Credit Wednesday Night Podcast, Big Country Preps’ Evan Ren and Daniel Youngblood forego a guest to discuss all the action and excitement of the season’s opening week.
There can only be one first-ever Big Country Preps Player of the Week.
In the future, as BigCountryPreps.com progresses and grows, our Player of the Week will be a staple of our coverage. The accolades will accumulate. Some names and performances will be more memorable than others.
But the first of all time is something we will always look back on.
That honor goes to Early senior quarterback Ryan Trompler, who accounted for six touchdowns in the Longhorns’ 60-20 win at Bangs on Friday.
Midland Greenwood 21, Big Spring 12 — Coach Mitch McLemore’s Steers looked good in their opener, holding a strong Greenwood offense to just three touchdowns while putting up 355 yards of total offense.
Most of that production came through the air, where sophomore quarterback Ethan Cortez hit on 16 of 27 passes for 275 yards and two touchdowns with one interception. That Big Spring’s quarterback play was so solid against a talented and experienced defense is a good sign for the Steers going forward because this is a team with a lot of skill talent around that position.
Mark my words: Big Spring’s losing streak, which hit 26 games with Friday’s loss, is coming to an end in the near future — perhaps even this week at Sweetwater.
Got the truck started yet?
Ready to jump on one of those farm-to-market roads to watch high school football into the late hours on a Friday night?
You’re not alone.
And, as tradition would have it, I tip my cap to those of you who will be hitting the trails each week in search of pigskin. My salute: a preseason menu of sorts.
Each week for the next 11 weeks, Big Country Preps will be searching for its Game of the Week, and we’re already looking ahead. We now present our preliminary list of Big Country Games worth traveling for, but keep in mind: the following list is subject to change as surprises and disappointments emerge.
And as we all know … surprises and disappointments always emerge.
So, without further delay, here is our list of Big Country games worth traveling for in 2018.
I’ll see you on the road.
LAST WEEK: 0-0, .000
SEASON TOTAL: 0-0, .000
In picking our first-ever Big Country Preps Game of the Week, I literally could have thrown a dart at the top seven or eight games and came away with a matchup that was justifiable.
Yes, Week 1 of the 2018 season is that good.
My eventual choice: Brock at Brownwood — a matchup pairing last year’s Class 3A Division I state runner-up with a Class 4A Division I team expecting to be in the thick of one of the toughest district races in Texas.
7:30 p.m. Friday at Memorial Stadium, Big Spring
With less than a week to go now until the high school football season kicks off in earnest, it’s prediction time here at Big Country Preps.
Site co-founders Evan Ren and Daniel Youngblood have put their opinions on paper to tell you how they see the 2018 football season playing out, predicting the order of finish for all 16 11-man districts featuring Big Country squads.
Take a look and let us know where you disagree in the comments section below.
If all you know about Big Spring senior Jeremiah Cooley is that he’s a gifted athlete, you’re missing the best parts of his story.
If all you know about his brother, Michael Felton, is that he’s a junior high coach for the Steers, you’ll soon learn why.
Cooley, a Hurricane Katrina survivor, has been through a lot to get where he is today. And perhaps no one is more responsible for shaping him into the young man he’s become than Felton, who — at 25 years old; he’ll turn 26 next month — is legal guardian to Cooley and his other five siblings.
That arrangement, born about a year ago of circumstances beyond either’s control, has at times been a turbulent one. But the two have found a groove off the field that could help Cooley achieve his lofty goals on it.
Mitch McLemore’s first year as the Big Spring football coach came with its share of growing pains. Facing a difficult schedule with a young roster, the Steers finished 0-10, experiencing their second consecutive winless campaign and extending their losing streak to 25 games dating back to September of 2015.
With that pain now in the rear view, McLemore is ready to enjoy the growth in Year 2. And buoyed by the return of 20 lettermen, including six starters on both sides of the ball, the former Stamford assistant has full faith that better days lie ahead.