Here are the Big Country’s receiving leaders through Week 9:
Category: Eastland Mavericks
EVAN REN: Sunday odds and ends (Eastland, Westbrook and a dash of COVID)
There’s something dangerous brewing in Eastland County, and I’m not referring to COVID.
When a short-handed Eastland High team started the season off at 0-3, the Mavericks may have looked like a train wreck on paper to someone monitoring the scores from across the state.
But those of us who keep track of area football knew better. The combination of an early discipline issue and an outbreak of COVID had left the Mavericks with a skeleton crew and they took the beatings to prove it.
They are now making up for lost time.
District 5-3A Div. II Week 9 Report: Eastland routs Jacksboro
Eastland 55, Jacksboro 20 — An improving Eastland defense forced five turnovers to give the Mavericks (5-3, 3-0) a stranglehold on the district title.
Behren Morton threw for 236 yards and three scores to lead Eastland, which would have to fall to both Dublin and Merkel over the final two weeks of the season in order to lose the league championship.
PHOTO GALLERY: Eastland-Comanche football (50 images)
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GAME STORY: Eastland rallies to beat Comanche on the road
COMANCHE — Behren Morton hit Payton McClain with three scoring passes as Eastland handed previously unbeaten Comanche a 31-17 loss at CHS.
Trailing 7-0 early on, the Mavs (4-3, 2-0 District 5-3A DII) rallied with 24 straight points to earn their fourth straight win after an 0-3 start. Eastland’s 31-point night was far and away the most points allowed by Comanche, which had yet to surrender more than seven points to anyone in 2020.
The Indians fell to 6-1 and 1-1 with the loss.
District 5-3A Div. II Week 8 Report: Jacksboro remains in title contention with win over Dublin
Jacksboro 47, Dublin 7 — JHS (5-2, 2-0) amassed 412 yards rushing to remain in contention for the district title.
Forcing four Dublin turnovers, the Tigers led 34-0 at the break and 47-0 at the end of three quarters before coasting to the finish line.
District 5-3A Div. II Week 7 Report: Comanche remains unbeaten with win over Dubin
Comanche 38, Dublin 6 — The Indians used six different ball carriers to chart 323 rushing yards as a team in a big win over area rival Dublin.
Leading 14-0 at the break, Comanche blew the game open with a 21-0 third quarter.
BIG COUNTRY PREPS GAME OF THE WEEK: Sweetwater hosts Greenwood in huge district clash (w/ Evan Ren’s Big Country picks)
LAST WEEK: 29-5, .853
SEASON TOTAL: 217-60, .783
Every district has key games you can spot weeks in advance. And every season has games that are worth circling on the calendar.
Friday will bring us to the Mustang Bowl in Sweetwater for exactly that — a crucial district 1-4A DII showdown between SHS (4-1, 1-0) and Midland 
Greenwood (3-2, 1-0) with the driver’s seat in the league race at stake.
Big Country Preps has something at stake as well, with me having picked Sweetwater to win district prior to the season, when most of the media had chosen Greenwood.
I’m either right or I’m not. And this is likely to be the game which proves it, either way.
BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Eastland’s Behren Morton takes the top spot
Prior to the game, the numbers pointed to a track meet. But nobody was prepared for the more than 1,600 yards in combined total offense produced in last week’s 91-71 Eastland victory over Panhandle.
It should come as no surprise that the Big Country Preps Player of the Week participated in this artillery barrage, disguised as a football game.
Eastland senior Behren Morton earns the top spot, after hitting 22 of 32 throws for 405 yards and five touchdowns. The Texas Tech-bound QB also rushed nine times for 196 yards and three scores and was 12 of 13 on extra points.
By night’s end, he had a direct hand in eight touchdowns and 60 points. And no, this was not a six-man football game.
Continue reading “BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Eastland’s Behren Morton takes the top spot”
District 5-3A Div. II Week 6 Report: Eastland outlasts Panhandle in slugfest
Eastland 91, Panhandle 71 — A track meet was anticipated, but it produced something well beyond that description.
An incredible 1,694 yards in combined total offense were produced in one of the highest-scoring games in Texas football history.
BIG COUNTRY PREPS GAME OF THE WEEK: Hawley tangles with upstart Dragons (w/ Evan Ren’s Big Country picks)
LAST WEEK: 36-12, .750
SEASON TOTAL: 152-47, .763
I have not been to Bangs for a Game of the Week since 2013 — the last time the Dragons posted more than six wins in a season and the last winning record they had prior to last year’s 6-5 mark.
That drought ends tomorrow, when I travel to BHS for an interesting showdown between the Dragons (3-0) and Class 2A Division I power Hawley (3-1).
Bangs has the better overall numbers, but Hawley has faced a slightly tougher overall schedule, making this pick a perplexing one.
Big Country Preps’ Pick ‘Em Panel (Week 4)
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 Evan Ren’s Twitter polls for each matchup.
For those interested in voting, polls go up on Monday night each week and close Thursday morning.
Disagree with our picks or the Twitter consensus? Let us know in the comments section below.
Continue reading “Big Country Preps’ Pick ‘Em Panel (Week 4)”
BIG COUNTRY PREPS GAME OF THE WEEK: Jim Ned heads to Cisco for interclass showdown
LAST WEEK: 42-9, .824
SEASON TOTAL: 116-35, .740
Week 4 arrives and I’m finally hitting my stride on pick accuracy.
It’s been an odd year thus far, both in terms of results and overall feel. It’s been tough to gauge.
Nonetheless, we’re hitting the road once again this Friday, with the Big Country Preps Game of the Week landing at Chesley Field in Cisco, where the Loboes (2-1) will play host to a Jim Ned club that is two divisions larger than they are.
District 5-3A Div. II Week 3 Report: Comanche keeps roll going against Early
Comanche 35, Early 7 — The Indians controlled the clock and the game with 277 yards rushing on 33 carries to improve to 3-0.
Luke Wilson led the way with 144 yards and two scores. Logan Wilkerson added 72 yards and two more touchdowns to lift Comanche, which led 28-7 at the break.
Big Country Preps’ Pick ‘Em Panel (Week 3)
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 Evan Ren’s Twitter polls for each matchup.
For those interested in voting, polls go up on Monday night each week and close Thursday morning.
Disagree with our picks or the Twitter consensus? Let us know in the comments section below.
Continue reading “Big Country Preps’ Pick ‘Em Panel (Week 3)”
Big Country Volleyball Statistical Leaders (through Sept. 7)
Big Country Preps will publish area volleyball statistical leaders each Tuesday at 7 p.m.
This database will be continually updated for our subscribers throughout the remainder of the season, using only those statistics submitted by area coaches.
Teams that do not submit their statistics in a given week will not be listed when our stats are posted, but will be added to the lists below as they are received in the coming days.
District 5-3A Div. II Week 2 Report: Badgers rally for win over Stanton
Merkel 24, Stanton 22 —Three different Badgers — Joey Zink, Preston Jackson and Isaac Sebastian — all threw touchdown passes as Merkel improved to 2-0.
The Badgers trailed 22-18 heading into the fourth quarter before rallying for the win.
Continue reading “District 5-3A Div. II Week 2 Report: Badgers rally for win over Stanton”
Big Country Preps’ Pick ‘Em Panel (Week 2)
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 Evan Ren’s Twitter polls for each matchup.
For those interested in voting, polls go up on Monday night each week and close Thursday morning.
Disagree with our picks or the Twitter consensus? Let us know in the comments section below.
Continue reading “Big Country Preps’ Pick ‘Em Panel (Week 2)”
BCP GAME OF THE WEEK: Pipers return to Hawley in rematch of classic (w/ Evan Ren’s Big Country picks)
LAST WEEK: 34-15, .694
SEASON TOTAL: 34-15, .694
If this were a horse race, Gramps Ren just stumbled out of the gate.
A .694 pick percentage is one of the worst weeks I’ve had in recent memory — brought on by a disastrous 15-9 tally (.625) in the six-man ranks.
That stinks.
Alas, we have yet to reach the first turn, so it’s way early. If I’m not hitting over .800 down the backstretch, I may resort to consulting with a palm reader.
Here’s a look at this week’s Big Country football games.
I’ll see you on the road.