Follett takes rivalry game with Booker

The battle for Lipscomb County was good one Friday night in Booker with the visiting team from Follett notching an impressive 70-50 win over the previously unbeaten Kiowas (4-1).

Both teams looked like heavyweight boxers going toe to toe but the Panthers used a flurry of body blows with their ground game to capture the win.

Follett (3-2) jumped out quickly 14-0 before Chase Nelson hit Julian Barton for a scoring strike to trim the lead to 14-8 but Bryan Torres answered back on the ground to give the Panthers a 22-8 lead after one. Early in the second, Follett forced a turnover on downs at their own two but coughed back up two plays later which the Kiowas cashed in to trim the lead back to 22-14. That was just the start of a crazy second quarter that ended with the Panthers up 42-22.

The Kiowas used a couple of kickoff returns for scores to trim the Follett lead to 48-42 with 4:27 left in the third and it appeared Booker had all the momentum. However, the Panthers turned to that bruising ground game as Wyatt Terrell punched one in to make it 56-42.

That score was pivotal as the Panthers scored twice more and held a 70-42 lead late in the fourth.

David Meeks returned sooner than expected from injury and made his presence known in this one. The fleet footed spread back carried the ball 14 times for 234 yards and three touchdowns while catching four balls for 67 yards and a score.

Torres created a 1-2 punch with Meeks gaining 142 yards on 17 carries with four trips to the end zone. Terrel also gained 109 yards on the ground as Follett amassed a whopping 485 yards running the ball.

Happy wrangles the Wolverines

It's rare for two teams in the same district to play each other in a non-district tilt but that's exactly what Happy and Springlake-Earth did Thursday night at the Cowboy Corral.

In the first of two meetings this year, one in which the win and loss doesn't count in the district standings, saw the Cowboys pull out a 60-34 win over the Wolverines.

For the third straight week, Happy (4-1) used a strong second half to propel itself to a win.

After the Wolverines (2-2) Froylin Agundiz hit Kaleb Castillo on a 45-yard wheel route to tie the game at 28, the Cowboys marched down the field to go up 36-28 when Hayes Bressler hit Jaxon Stoker for a three-yard score.

On the ensuing kickoff, Springlake-Earth was unable to corral a squib kick in front of the home sidelines and Mason Hix pounced on the ball at the Wolverine 21-yard line.

Less than a minute later, Braylan King ran one in from four yards out to extend the lead to 44-28. That's a lead the Cowboys didn't relinquish as they scored twice more in the fourth to seal a win.

King paced the Cowboys with 121 yards rushing on 22 carries and four touchdowns while Bressler was 7-9 for 93 yards and two scoring strikes while finding paydirt once on the ground. In the loss, Agundiz was impressive for Springlake-Earth. The southpaw quarterback was 11-16 for 205 yards and three scoring strikes.

Wildorado stampedes past Groom

The high-flying offense from Wildorado was on full display in Groom on Friday as the Mustangs ran away from the Tigers, 93-52.

This game featured 97 combined points from the two schools in the second and third quarter and the two pilots in the pocket for each team tossed 13 total touchdowns.

Wildorado (3-1) started out quickly as Braddek Darnell tossed a scoring strike to Ashden Iler and Blu Washington raced to paydirt twice as the Mustangs held a 20-0 lead headed to the second quarter.

That's when the fireworks started. The Tigers (2-3) Greyson Peete threw scoring strikes to Deacon Saucedo on consecutive possessions to cut the lead to 20-14 with 8:19 left before half.

Darnell then tossed his second touchdown of the game, this one to Washington, to answer back but Peete then raced 49 yards on the ensuing kickoff and the Mustangs lead was six at 28-22.

At that point it looked like the Tigers may be starting to stem the tide, but they quickly became "Blu" as Washington raced 32-yards for a score then stepped in front of a Peete pass and took to the house from 43-yards out and the Mustangs built the lead back out to 42-22. Darnell and Iler connected again in the quarter for a 50-22 lead and never looked back.

Washington had quite the game as he tallied three scores on the ground, two scores from Darnell in the passing game and two defensive scores to pace the Mustangs. Darnell was outstanding as well logging seven scoring strikes, five of those to Iler, in the win. Peete found the end zone six times with Deacon Saucedo hauling three of those to the endzone.

Holy Cross edges Amarillo PCHEA

In a tight knit affair at Glenwood Park on Friday, Holy Cross Catholic Academy used a late sack to dispatch Amarillo PCHEA, 26-20.

The win moved the Mustangs back to .500 at 2-2 while the Warriors loss evened their record at 2-2.

This one was tight throughout and was never settled until the fourth quarter.

Ozzy Madrid snatched a reception from Andrew Britten to break a tie game late, but it was the defense that sealed this one for the Mustangs. Facing a fourth down, Isaac Kunkel sacked the Warrior passer, his third sack of the game, which sent Holy Cross home with a win.

Britten had two scoring tosses in the ballgame plus a big tackle that forced a safety in the game. Madrid also added a rushing score, and Lucas Felker returned a kickoff for a score as three phases of the game were critical in the Mustangs victory.

Around the Area

Miami (4-1) continues to roll as they toppled McLean 56-8 on Thursday night at home. Kasey Benge had six carries for 84 yards and three scores while Micah Hinshaw logged four carries for 52 yards and two touchdowns.

With Zaden Ortiz and Jace Alvarado returning to the fold, Silverton (2-3) raced past White Deer 55-22 on Thursday night in Silverton. Ortiz finished the night with two scores on the ground while tossing two scoring strikes and Alvarado added two on the ground and one receiving.

Nazareth (4-1) continues to roll taking down O'Donnell 42-8 at home Friday night while Valley's (0-5) road continues to be tough as they fell to Whitharral, 65-20, at home.

The Patriots were up 13-6 early in the second quarter before giving up 38 unanswered points. Carson Tucker of Valley was 9-16 for 74 yards and grabbed four receptions for 36 yards and a score.

Holden Tice was near perfect going 9-of-11 for 197 yards and five touchdowns as Claude (4-1) continues to roll with a 66-18 win over San Jacinto Academy (1-4).

Trapper Godfrey and Korbin Jackson nabbed all five scores while combining for 148 yards receiving. Thomas Slack tacked on three scores and 85 yards on the ground in the win.

Hedley (0-5) put up a valiant fight but lost to Harrold (2-2), 49-44, on the road while Lubbock Kingdom Prep (4-1) picked up a win over Boys Ranch (0-5), 62-12. Lefors (1-4) also found the road tough as they lost to Motley County (5-0), 60-8.

Around the State

On paper it was the biggest game of the week and No. 8 Buena Vista and No. 4 Westbrook lived up to that billing.

The Longhorns (5-0) proved they are a team to watch, not only in Region I but in the state, with a 42-36 win over the Wildcats (2-2) at home Friday night.

Jackie Jurado paced Buena Vista with 118 yards rushing and three scores while going 4-of-7 through the air for 135 yards and three scores. Jurado also led his team in tackles with 13 on the night. The Wildcats Grayson Jeffrey picked up 151 yards on the ground and three touchdowns in the loss.

Gordon (5-0), the top team in Division I, continue to roll with authority. The Longhorns beat the top team in TAPPS Division II, Fort Worth Covenant Classical, 56-0. Ry Reed returned two kickoffs for scores as the defending state champs notch their fifth straight mercy rule win and have outscored their opponents 287-26.

The biggest upset of the week goes to Sanderson (5-0) as the Eagles took down Marfa, 44-43. Sanderson was 45-point underdogs heading into the game, but head coach Justin Hilliard has his team playing well with his son, Kai, leading the offense.

Three Way (5-0) continues to make noise as the Braves remain unbeaten and unscored upon this year after knocking off Lohn, 52-0. The small school located 17 miles southeast of Stephenville, started the season 2-0 for the first time ever and keeps making school history with every win without a loss.