DE LEON — Both schools have Bearcat mascots. Both wear maroon and both entered Friday’s Big Country Preps Game of the Week with 2-1 records.
The similarities, however, ended there.
De Leon dominated their guests from Hawley in a 52-34 win that saw DHS substitute liberally after building a 44-14 lead through three quarters.
STEPHENVILLE — Hosting Wylie for homecoming Friday at Art Briles Stadium, the Stephenville football team put on a heck of a show for those in attendance, dominating every phase in a 52-13 win over the Bulldogs.
The Yellow Jackets started fast, scoring two touchdowns in the first eight minutes of the game, and were never threatened after in growing their lead to 31-7 by halftime and 45-13 by the start of the fourth quarter.
SHS outgained Wylie 442-251 for the game, limiting the visitors to just 36 yards rushing on 26 attempts in improving to 4-0 on the season.
The Cooper football team entered Friday night’s homecoming against Lubbock Coronado having been involved in a pair of thrilling games the last two weeks — even though they’d come out on the wrong end of the decision against crosstown rival Abilene High and San Angelo Central.
Any frustrations that the Cougars had from those two games were quickly vanquished as Cooper closed out nondistrict play with a 59-0 thumping of Lubbock Coronado at Shotwell Stadium.
It was a total team effort for the Cougars as coach Aaron Roan’s squad used three quarterbacks and had nine players carry the ball, six receivers catch passes, three kickers convert extra points and 18 players record a tackle.
The Coogs also had three players intercept a pass and got two fumble recoveries from Dycin Davis.
BROCK — Ask Brock two-way senior Colt Matlock which position he prefers to play — wide receiver or safety — and he may have to think it over for a while.
Ask the Brock coaching staff where the 18-year-old is better-suited to play and you may find yourself waiting again.
The final say might be determined by the coaching staff of the University of Texas at El Paso, where Matlock has committed to play beginning next season. At present, the Miners plan to use him as a safety. But the option of using him at receiver or as a weapon on special teams will always be there.
Week 4 is upon us and the area six-man picture is starting to take shape.
Disparate schedule strengths still makes judging teams against one another difficult, but each week provides more data by which to compare teams’ respective bodies of work.
This week’s slate, headlined by a top-10 clash between Newcastle and May, will give us a number of intriguing matchups that should add more clarity to the area picture as we approach the season’s midway point.
It’s time now to jump in and preview some of those games in this week’s “Six-Man Lookahead.” When you’re done reading, you can find area standings and results on our Six-Man/Class 1A Central page.
MINERAL WELLS — The Quinlan Ford football team entered Thursday’s nondistrict contest with Mineral Wells at Ram Stadium having scored 49 points in each of their first three games this year.
After being shut out in the first quarter for the first time all season, the Panthers dominated the second quarter and took a 35-21 win over the Rams.
The second quarter saw Quinlan Ford score a touchdown on a blocked punt and put together a pair of scoring drives of more than 90 yards as the Panthers moved to 4-0 on the year while Mineral Wells fell to 2-2.
Entering this season with just two returning regulars — one of them a part-time starter in 2024 — the Wylie defense experienced near complete turnover from a unit that allowed just under 25 points per game during a run to the District 2-5A Division II championship and Region I-5A DII area around last year.
But despite that potentially sobering reality, coach Clay Martin was confident in the preseason that the Bulldogs would field a strong defense this fall.
Through three games — home wins over Brownwood and Lubbock Coronado around a three-point road loss to Lubbock Coronado — it would appear the former longtime defensive coordinator’s confidence was well founded. Not only has Wylie limited its three opponents to an average of just 12.7 points per game, it has done so while creating four turnovers and 37 negative plays with a fast and aggressive playing style that Martin believes will serve as an anchoring identity as the Bulldogs’ schedule toughens in the coming weeks.
Gordon coach Mike Reed admits he may have bitten off more than he can chew this time.
The two-time defending state champion Longhorns are taking a break from six-man football this week.
Gordon is used to being a heavy favorite these past two years, but it’ll be an underdog Friday night when the Longhorns travel to Thorndale to play 11-man football.
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.
LAST WEEK: 54-17, .760
SEASON TOTAL: 161-46, .777
Not all weeks are created equal in high school football, and this week is a good example of it.
There are at least 5-10 games that could easily fit as our Big Country Preps Game of the Week. But at the end of the day, you have to submit your choices and move on.
Our top choice: Hawley (2-1) taking on De Leon (2-1) in a matchup between two clubs that are capable of deep playoff runs.
ABILENE — It took the Graham volleyball team most of one game to find its footing Tuesday, but after withstanding a fast start by Abilene Christian, the Lady Blues stood tall for a 25-23, 25-17, 25-20 win at the ACS gym.
GHS found itself in an early 11-3 hole and still trailed 17-11 later in the first set, but a 13-3 run swung the momentum to the Lady Blues side and it never left after as coach Marci Faulk’s squad picked up the road sweep over the Lady Panthers.
The victory, Graham’s fifth in a row, improved the lady Blues to 24-5 on the year, while Abilene Christian fell to 15-11 with its first loss in six matches. Both teams play one more nondistrict match later this week before opening district play next Tuesday.
The bar was understandably high when the Glen Rose Lady Tigers opened the 2025 volleyball season. With a 31-8 campaign last fall that included a District 6-4A championship and a bi-district title, to boot, Glen Rose earned a postseason playoff berth for the fifth straight season.
In turn, the Lady Tigers earned something else, namely a target on their backs throughout early season tournaments and pre-district matches. That meant they were getting opponents’ best efforts almost every time out.
Twenty nine matches into this season, Glen Rose has forged a respectable 18-11 record. With this week’s schedule featuring the final three nondistrict games on the Lady Tigers’ slate, yet another 20-plus-win season isn’t just possible, it’s almost certain.
Especially once Alex Arrington takes the court.
Week 3 has come and gone, and the area six-man picture continues to get clearer.
Defending champs Gordon and Jayton continue to be the class of Division I and II, respectively, but others throughout the Big Country Preps coverage area are making names for themselves at both levels as well.
Without further adieu, let’s dive into last week’s matchups in this week’s “Six-Man Rewind” column. When you’re done reading, make sure you check out our our Six-Man/Class 1A Central page for more information on your favorite team(s).
Continue reading “SIX-MAN REWIND: Gordon, Jayton continue to separate themselves from pack”
Since losing their season opener to Peaster (34-0), the Tolar Rattlers (2-1) have not only managed to improve, but they’re rapidly gaining momentum to go with that progress.
Our Big Country Preps Player of the Week, Briton Rice, is a part of that, having thrown for 197 yards and four scores in last week’s 42-18 win over Millsap. This, after missing a week with an injury.
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 4:
Continue reading “WEEK 4 FAN POLLS … Pick this week’s 11-man winners!”
Believe it or not, there is a huge difference between a 1-2 start and an 0-3 start — especially when that victory comes in Week 3.
So when a team has dropped its first two games, the players are facing a crossroads — one with momentum which is one win away from hitting the .500 mark. Or, one with an emotional hole to dig themselves out of — three games under .500 with no momentum and a battle to retain their confidence.
A number of teams in the Big Country Preps coverage area reached this crossroads on Friday, with Brownwood, Comanche, Bangs, Forsan and Winters all scoring wins.
Odessa Permian 38, Abilene High 21 — The Eagles started fast, taking a 7-0 lead just two minutes and change into the game, but the Panthers responded with 24 unanswered points over the next 36 minutes to take control on their way to a three-score win.
Permian, which took advantage of a couple of AHS mistakes to go to halftime up 21-7, passed for 285 yards, getting 207 of those and two touchdowns from Jakob Garcia, while Aaron Navarrette led the Panthers in receiving with 95 yards.
Wylie 70, Lubbock Coronado 14 — The Bulldogs outgained the Mustangs 477-127, rushing for 340 of those yards while limiting Coronado to minus-8 rushing yards in a runaway win.
Julius Laine rushed for 89 yards and three touchdowns in one half, while Cooper Jones added 129 yards and two scores to help Wylie (2-1) build a 49-7 lead by halftime.
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Continue reading “PHOTO GALLERY: Lubbock Coronado-Wylie football (114 images)”
Goldthwaite 49, San Saba 34 — The Eagles quickly built a 35-7 halftime lead in the 108th “Battle of the River” before holding off a late San Saba rally attempt.
Aidyn Lee rushed or 119 yards, threw for 76 and accounted for five TDs to lead the Eagles, who improved to 2-1 with the win.
San Saba (1-2) was led by Luke Tharp, who rushed for 143 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Goldthwaite 49, San Saba 34 — The Eagles quickly built a 35-7 halftime lead in the 108th “Battle of the River” before holding off a late San Saba rally attempt.
Aidyn Lee rushed or 119 yards, threw for 76 and accounted for five TDs to lead the Eagles, who improved to 2-1 with the win.
San Saba (1-2) was led by Luke Tharp, who rushed for 143 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Santo 53, Bruceville-Eddy 13 — Colt Bridges and Jackson McKinnerney both topped the 100-yard rushing mark as the Wildcats ran for 486 yards as a team to bury the Eagles.
Bridges led Santo (3-0) with 128 yards and a touchdown on just eight carries, while McKinnerney had 123 yards and two scores on three attempts. Other producers for the Wildcats include Colt Howry (3-88, 1 TD), Justin Hollingsworth (6-80, 2 TDs) and Rylan Griffith (9-67, 1 TD).
Munday 26, Chico 18 — The Moguls remained the only undefeated team in this district with a two-score win over the Dragons.
Led by quarterback Haiden Bowman, Munday (3-0) stretched a12-0 second-quarter lead to 20 points before Chico finally got on the board.
Brownwood 34, Glen Rose 28 — Judson Coalson threw for 174 yards and two scores to help the Lions (1-2) earn their first win of the season.
Brownwood led 34-7 late in the second half before holding off a Glen Rose rally attempt that saw the Tigers chart three straight TDs in the fourth quarter.
Ryder Ribitzki was the top weapon for Glen Rose, catching five passes for 78 yards and two scores.
Forsan 34, Stanton 33 — Coy Evans passed for 285 yards and a pair of touchdowns, hitting Hayden Bowlin seven times for 183 yards and both scores, to lead FHS to its first win of the season in this battle of Buffaloes.
Stanton, which got big games from Isaiah DeLeon (18-26-1—289, 1 TD passing), Travis Palomo (30-103, 2 TDs rushing) and Vayden Pastrana (15-247, 1 TD receiving), raced out to a 33-14 halftime lead. But Forsan (1-2) scored 20 unanswered points in the second half to rally for the victory.
Brownwood 34, Glen Rose 28 — Judson Coalson threw for 174 yards and two scores to help the Lions (1-2) earn their first win of the season.
Brownwood led 34-7 late in the second half before holding off a Glen Rose rally attempt that saw the Tigers chart three straight TDs in the fourth quarter.
Ryder Ribitzki was the top weapon for Glen Rose, catching five passes for 78 yards and two scores.
Bangs 31, San Angelo Grape Creek 26 — Cason Tidwell ran for 133 yards and three touchdowns, while Hunter Withers found the end zone twice on the ground to lead the Dragons past the Eagles for their first in of the year.
Bangs (1-2) only had 212 yards of total offense, but that was enough, as the Dragons outscored Grape Creek 20-6 over the final 12 minutes to rally for the victory.
Tolar 42, Millsap 18 — Britton Rice passed for 171 yards and four touchdowns, and Kelvin Murray ran for 126 yards and a score to lead the Rattlers to a comfortable win over the Bulldogs.
Leading just 7-6 after one quarter and 14-6 at halftime, Tolar (2-1) outscored Millsap 14-6 in each of the final two periods to pull away.
Albany 69, Seymour 6 — The Lions rushed or 399 yards as a team, led by Bennett Neece’s 155 yards and three TDs on only six carries.
Lyle Wheeler led the Lion passing game with 101 yards and three scores to help push Albany to 3-0.
Trailing 62-0 with seven minutes to play, Seymour notched its only score of the evening on a 45-yard rushing TD by Slade Tucker.
Graham 35, Whitesboro 7 — Jace Gill passed for 202 yards and a touchdown and ran for 72 yards and two more scores to fuel the Steers to a blowout win over the Bearcats.
Dylan Cox (8-41 rushing) also had two rushing touchdowns for Graham, which was led in receiving by Brodie Martin (3-57, 1 TD), Parker Hale (4-51) and Walker Bennett (2-48).
Lubbock High 48, Snyder 21 — Zach Reyna passed for 236 yard and four touchdowns, hitting three different targets with scoring passes, to lead the Westerners to a comfortable win over the Tigers.
Easton Blakely (2-88, 1 TD receiving), Denzel Robins (5-59, 2 TDs) and Isaac Lagasse (1-7, 1 TD) all caught TD passes for Lubbock High, which also got rushing scores from Bo Davis (8-84 rushing) and Anthony Boyd (5-46).
Big Spring 34, Borger 12 — Xander Garza ran for 133 yards and four touchdowns, and the Steers defense put together a dominant performance to overcome a 5-1 turnover disadvantage in a three-touchdown win over the Bulldogs.
Big Spring (2-1) limited Borger to just 160 total yards, including 105 on the ground, to help the Steers build a 20-12 halftime lead, before closing out the win with a second-half shutout.
Hawley 51, Merkel 34 — This was projected to be a shootout and those in attendance were treated to exactly that.
Jesse Nieto threw for 249 yards and five TDs to lift Hawley (2-1), which held off the Badgers after building a 37-13 third-quarter lead. Brycen
Stofel was another key contributor for Hawley with 170 yards rushing on 20 carries.
Comanche 42, Eastland 14 — Ladanian Smith rushed for 102 yards and two scores and Zaden Tello rushed or 72 yards and two more TDs as Comanche (1-2) earned its first win of the year.
The Mavericks dropped to 0-3 with the loss.
Eastland trailed 28-14 at the break before Comanche put things away with a pair of second-half touchdowns.
SAN ANGELO — Cooper led by two scores on three occasions Friday, but a late surge by San Angelo Central was enough to lift the Bobcats to a 40-35 win at San Angelo Stadium.
Trailing the Cougars 28-17 with just under four minutes to play in the third quarter, the Bobcats scored 23 points in less than 10 minutes of game time to go up 40-28 and held off Cooper late for a hard-fought win.
The loss dropped Cooper to 1-2 with Lubbock Coronado coming to town next week to close out nondistrict play.
A 36-minute scoring drought proved too much for the Abilene High football team overcome Friday, as the Eagles saw an early 7-0 lead become an 24-7 deficit before rallying in vain in the fourth quarter of a 38-21 loss to Odessa Permian.
AHS started fast on both sides, following a quick three-and-out defensively with its first touchdown drive just 2 minutes and 11 seconds into the game. But the Eagles wouldn’t score again until the 9:43 mark of the fourth quarter, allowing the Panthers to build a three-score lead in the interim.
The loss dropped Abilene High to 2-1 on the season with a road trip to Midland Legacy set to close out its nondistrict schedule next week.
TUSCOLA — With all the press coverage garnered by the Wall offense in recent weeks, the Hawks dished out a stark reminder during Friday’s Big Country Preps Game of the Week: They can play a little defense too.
Handing Jim Ned a 24-0 loss on its homefield, the third-ranked Class 3A DII Hawks limited the Indians to 153 total yards (including 20 yards rushing on 26 carries) and just eight first downs to get the win.
Any way you slice it, Friday night’s homecoming game at Hugh Sandifer Stadium could not have gone any better for the Wylie football team.
Coming off a tough three-point road loss to Lubbock Monterey last week, the Bulldogs did whatever they wanted to on offense in a 70-14 throttling of Lubbock Coronado.
The Bulldogs converted eight of 12 third downs, and when they got stopped, they converted on fourth down.
Coahoma 51, Kermit 0 — Coahoma rushed or 126 yards and two scores and Austin Joslin threw for 178 yards and three TDs to help the Bulldogs improve to 3-0 on the year.