District 1-1A Division I
Booker shakes hot start by Wildorado for win
Sixty-seven seconds into the game, Wildorado held a three-score lead over Booker and looked prime to upset the once beaten Kiowas.
Instead, Booker put 44 straight points to blow out the Mustangs, 73-28, on Thursday night in Wildorado.
The win, coupled with White Deer’s loss to Claude secures a district title for the Kiowas (8-1 overall, 3-0 in district) in only their second season in Six-Man football.
Playing without four players that were competing at the UIL Class 1A state cross country meet in Round Rock that included Julian Barton and Adrian Rosales, the Kiowas couldn’t have gotten off to a worst start.
On their first play from scrimmage, Xavier Aguilera fumbled giving Wildorado possession in Kiowa territory. A couple of plays later, Blu Washington ran in from 13 yards out and a quick 8-0 Mustangs lead. On Booker’s next play, a Marco Flores pass found a Mustang defender for the interception and Braddek Darnell hit Kole Skidgel from 24 yards out and a 14-0 margin.
Wildorado (5-3, 2-1) then recovered the onside kick and landed a haymaker to the Kiowas.
Running a double reverse, Washington hit Darnell from 34-yards out and widen the gap to 22-0 with 8:53 remaining in the first quarter. After recovering the kick, Booker coach David Biddler took a time out and spoke magic into his team. Getting up from a standing eight count, the Kiowas scored 44 unanswered points and led 44-22 with 5:46 remaining in the first half.
Quarterback Chase Nelson tossed two scoring passes in that span to Aguilera and one each to Preston Bartosiewicz and Flores while the play that took the wind out of the Mustangs sails was the 34-yardpick six from Flores that cut the Wildorado lead at the time to two.
Booker’s defense began to get consistent pressure on Darnell which forced the senior to scramble and get the Mustangs out of rhythm while the offense rolled out Nelson and opened up passing lanes against the Wildorado defense.
Darnell, who entered the game with 44 touchdown passes in seven games, finished with 185 yards through the air on 12-of-34 passing with two scores and two interceptions. The speedy Washington hauled in eight balls for 122 yards and a score.
In White Deer, Claude trailed 14-10 at half but ripped off 49 unanswered points to take a 59-14 win over White Deer Friday night at Bucks Stadium.
The win gives Claude (6-4, 2-2) life in a playoff chase, but they will need a lot of help to force a three-way tie. Wildorado will need to lose to winless Boys Ranch (0-9, 0-3) while White Deer (3-6, 1-2) will need to upset Booker to force the tie.
District 2-1A Division I
Springlake-Earth grabs playoff spot
Needing a win to guarantee a spot in the playoffs, Springlake-Earth took care of business with Kress, winning 60-12 at Kangaroo Stadium Friday night.
Froylan Agundiz was the catalyst for a potent Wolverines offense as the southpaw was 10-of-15 for 225 yards and two scores while gaining 31 yards on the ground and finding paydirt three times.
Tyler Tanaro chewed up the Kress secondary for 159 yards receiving on six catches with half of those accounting for scores.
With the win, the Wolverines (5-4, 3-1) are in as the one or two seed depending on the result next week between Happy and Nazareth.
If Happy (7-1, 3-0) wins, the Cowboys will be the second seed and Springlake-Earth will be the second seed. If Nazareth (6-3, 2-1) wins by less than 13 points, then the Wolverines are district champs and Happy fills the second spot.
A win of 13 points or greater gives the Swifts the second spot in the district, the Wolverines a district title and the Cowboys starting basketball season.
District 5-1A Division I
Ortiz, Walker too much for Valley in Spur win
Valley had its three winning streak snapped Friday night at home as Spur’s one-two punch of Josh Ortiz and Ace Walker led the Bulldogs to a 68-22 win.
The win clinched a district title for the Bulldogs, but the Patriots still have playoff hopes with one game remaining.
Spur (9-0, 3-0) started things off quickly with a 10-yard scoring strike from Ortiz to Margarito Pesina and a 6-0 lead.
The Patriots (3-6, 2-1) answered right back as Tripp Carlisle returned the kickoff 45-yards for the score and Valley took the early lead back, 8-6. On the next Spur possession, Walker scooted 25-yards for the score to put the Bulldogs up 14-8 halfway through the first quarter.
A Patriots fumble at the Spur 20 on the ensuing drive was recovered by Brody Dempsey and the Bulldogs made Valley pay a couple of plays later as Haden Howell hit Walker from 57-yards out and stretched the lead to 22-8 and that opened the flood gates for the Bulldogs to win this one easily.
Walker finished the night with two receiving touchdowns, a rushing score and a scoring toss while Ortiz threw five scoring strikes on the night, two to Pesina and two to Jagger Zarate, while rushing one in. Damian Valdes and Taevion Ramos each scored for the Patriots in the loss.
The other game in the district saw Lorenzo (4-5, 1-2) hold on for a 55-52 win over Silverton. The loss was the fifth in a row and ends the season for the Owls (2-8, 0-4) who struggled to overcome injuries all season long. Valley now hits the road Friday night to take on Petersburg in a game that decides the second seed out of this district.
District 1-1A Division II
Miami takes down Lefors
The assignment was a simple one for Miami at home Friday night.
Take down Lefors (1-8, 0-3) and ensure the game next week versus Groom had meaning and that’s exactly what the Warriors (5-3, 1-1) did behind the play of Jack Kotara and Gunner Lackey in Miami’s 80-30 over the Pirates.
Lackey carried the ball seven times for 98 yards and four scores. The lanky sophomore also caught a touchdown from Kasey Benge, one of two on the night for Benge who was 6-of-12 for 112 yards.
Kotara was a Swiss Army knife rushing for 110 yards on 11 carries, 3-of-5 passing for 48 yards while catching four balls out of the backfield for 75 yards and a score.
Follett captured the district title last week so Miami and Groom face off Friday night at Warrior Field with the winner claiming the second spot in the district.
The game will have added importance for the Warriors as they will be having homecoming and senior night both during the game as the originally scheduled date for homecoming was cancelled in their forfeit win versus Hart.
District 2-1A Division II
Motley County slays the Dragons
Despite a size disadvantage, Motley County walked into Dragon Stadium and took down Paducah, 52-34, to move one step closer to a district title.
The Matadors (9-0, 3-0) raced out to a 28-6 lead at half and used that cushion to walk away winners Friday night.
For the second week in a row, Patton Springs watched a team put-up eye-popping numbers in an 86-0 loss to McLean Friday night. The Tigers (4-5, 2-1) forced the Rangers (2-8, 0-4) into 10 turnovers with Colin Alston the star on defense.
The junior nabbed four picks and took each of them to the house while also forcing a fumble to account for half of the turnovers for the Tigers defense.
All told, McLean had five interceptions and five fumble recoveries with all five interceptions resulting in a pick six. The Tigers ran 14 offensive plays and seven of those put points on the board as six different McLean players found the end zone.
With that win, Motley County can be no worse than tri-champions in the district. The Matadors host McLean on Friday night and can complete an undefeated regular season while capturing a district title with the win. A loss coupled with a Paducah (5-3, 2-1) win over Hedley on the road Friday night would set up a three-way tie with Paducah getting in and McLean needing to win by 21 points to capture a playoff spot.
Around the State
Prairie Lea secured a playoff spot for the first time since 1944. The Indians beat Runge, 52-7, to take a spot in district 16-1A Division I.
The little town southeast of San Marcos has compiled a 44-165 record since 2002, and this represents the second time in that timeframe they have had a winning record.
Harrold has called Roy Brandon Field home for 90 years and they won the final game at the current football site, 83-63, over Guthrie on Friday night and set a new home scoring record that had stood for 52 years.
The Hornets (4-4, 2-1) will be constructing a new football stadium in the off-season but will continue to name the new facility after the man who coached Harrold for 27 years and amassed 158 wins in the process.
No. 1 Gordon registered their ninth straight mercy rule victory over Baird on Friday night, 62-0, as Ry Reed rushed for 120 yards and three scores on three carries.
The Longhorns (9-0, 3-0) notched their fifth shutout on the season and have done all of this while only running 111 plays in those nine games. To put that in perspective, No. 7 Happy has run 338 plays in eight games.
Ira upset No. 10 Hermleigh at home Friday 58-50 to put itself in position for a playoff berth with the win.
The Bulldogs travel to Highland next week with a win putting them in the playoffs. For Hermleigh (7-2, 3-1) to have a shot, they will need to upset No. 6 Westbrook and for Ira to fall to set up a three-way tie for second between Hermleigh, Ira and Highland.
Perrin-Whitt upset Knox City, 48-42, at home Friday night. The win by the Pirates (7-2, 2-1) created a possible tri-champion scenario if Newcastle beats Bryson next week. If the Bobcats win, they will be district champs with the Greyhounds (7-3, 3-1) grabbing second based on the 24-point max scoring system the district uses.
In District 11-1A, Iredell (8-2, 4-0) gave Three Way their first loss of the season, 61-23 and grabbed the district title. The Braves (8-1, 2-1) can still move into the playoffs as the second seed in the district if they beat 2-7 Morgan next week at home.