Educated Guesses: 1A
We hit on 5A and 4A Sunday, 3A Monday, 2A Tuesday and now check in on Big Country Class 1A football today.
It was a great 2021 for six-man football in the area with Westbrook topping May to win it all in 1A Division I. Here’s hoping for an even better 2022.
Be on the lookout for Blitz Picks, where I’ll pick every Big Country game, Thursday morning before the action kicks off that night!
The moment that clinched the state title for Westbrook. Jimmy Roberts knocked away a would-be game winning touchdown pass for the Tigers in the final seconds. What a game!
1A DIVISION I
8-1A DIVISION I COACHES POLL
1. Westbrook
2. Hermleigh
3. Ira
4. Rotan
5. Highland
6. Roby
EDUCATED GUESS
1. Westbrook
2. Ira
3. Hermleigh
4. Roby
5. Highland
6. Rotan
CIRCLE THE CALENDAR
Can I just put all of the district games?
10/14 Highland at Ira
10/21 Westbrook at Hermleigh
10/28 Westbrook at Ira
10/28 Rotan at Roby
11/4 Ira at Hermleigh
This truly is the toughest district to make an “educated guess” about in the Big Country. All I can say for sure is I agree with Rotan head coach Dale Means when he told me, “Everybody knows it, but we are all playing for second in this district. Unless Westbrook has some serious injury problems they are the heavy favorite.” Places two through six are a crapshoot and you could make a case for every single team earning the other playoff spot. Ira is the most established program of the group, Hermleigh is a defending district champion, Roby has a new head coach and gained a key piece from rival Rotan in Zac Flores, Highland has done nothing but win (just not quite enough to make the playoffs out of brutal districts) recently and Rotan is coming off the best six-man season in program history and returning many talented players. Good luck to anyone picking this one and good luck to the six teams who will go to battle against each other every week starting October 7.
Photo: SMcCowen Photography
PLAYERS TO WATCH (from Big Country teams)
Hermleigh C/DE Patrick Carr
Hermleigh RB/DL Kai Vargas
Highland QB Kason Wehba
Highland LB Cooper Bowen
Highland TB/DB Bubba Byrne
Ira QB/DB Bryton Partain
Ira UT Zane Allen
Roby RB/WR/DB Dylan Lujan
Roby RB Kody Daniel
Roby QB/LB Zac Flores
Rotan RB/DE Jaxon Warren
Rotan RB/CB Jordan Daniel
Westbrook RB/CB Cedric Ware
Westbrook NG Pahton Dominguez
Westbrook C/DL Hadley White
Westbrook OL Bo Payne
Westbrook QB/CB Parker Matlock
Westbrook WR Aiden Sullivan
Westbrook UT Grayson Jeffrey
Photo: Sara Overstreet
9-1A DIVISION I COACHES POLL
1. Gordon
2. Gorman
3. Lingleville
4. Baird
5. Perrin-Whitt
6. Bryson
EDUCATED GUESS
1. Gordon
2. Gorman
3. Lingleville
4. Baird
5. Perrin-Whitt
6. Bryson
CIRCLE THE CALENDAR
10/7 Gorman at Gordon
10/14 Baird at Lingleville
10/21 Lingleville at Gordon
10/21 Gorman at Baird
11/4 Lingleville at Gorman
This district seems a bit easier to pick, as Gordon and Gorman seem to be a cut above the rest of the teams in the district and may end up deciding the district title when they meet at Gordon on Oct. 7. Lingleville was close to making the playoffs a year ago and returns some talented players, while Baird loses just about everyone from a loaded senior class a year ago.
PLAYERS TO WATCH (from Big Country teams)
Baird WR/DB Charles Smith
Baird LB Dakota Kitchens
Baird LB James May
Baird LB/FB Devin Lucas
Gorman RB/DB Joseph Rainey
Gorman QB/DB Nashton Guthery
Gorman DL Eli Martinez
Gorman DB Michael Falco
Gorman C/DL Ryan Renfroe
14-1A DIVISION I COACHES POLL
1. Jonesboro
2. May
3. Lometa
4. Santa Anna
5. Evant
EDUCATED GUESS
1. May
2. Jonesboro
3. Lometa
4. Santa Anna
5. Evant
CIRCLE THE CALENDAR
10/7 Lometa at Jonesboro
10/14 Jonesboro at Santa Anna
10/28 May at Jonesboro
May has knocked Jonesboro out of the playoffs in each of the last two seasons, now the Eagles will get a shot at the Tigers in the regular season. May has a lot of players they’ll need to replace, but they’ve been in reload and not rebuild mode for quite some time. Jonesboro returns three starters on both sides of the ball and will get to face May at home on Oct. 28. Santa Anna has had good non-districts followed by district runs to forget over the past couple years and they hope to contend for a playoff spot under first-year head coach Jose Luna. Lometa was also a playoff team last season and will try to upset May and/or Jonesboro to return in 2022.
PLAYERS TO WATCH (from Big Country teams)
May RB/LB Damian Salinas
May QB/S Luke McKenzie
May RB/LB Braden Steele
May E/LB Bryson Guerrero
Santa Anna WR/LB Jacob Jimenez
Santa Anna QB/S Bruce Brown
Santa Anna RB/CB Tatum Cantu
1A DIVISION II
5-1A DIVISION II COACHES POLL
1. Jayton
2. Motley County
3. Aspermont
4. Guthrie
5. Patton Springs
EDUCATED GUESS
1. Jayton
2. Motley County
3. Aspermont
4. Guthrie
5. Patton Springs
CIRCLE THE CALENDAR
10/7 Jayton at Aspermont
10/21 Jayton at Motley County
11/4 Aspermont at Motley County
Aspermont drops to 1A Division II this cycle but gets no favors in joining a district with preseason #3 Jayton and #6 Motley County. The Matadors are high in the polls thanks to their runner-up finish a year ago, but they truly are just about starting over with only one starter back on both sides of the ball. That should give the Hornets a shot a playing them for the final playoff spot out of the district in the regular season finale Nov. 4.
PLAYERS TO WATCH (from Big Country teams)
Aspermont TE/DE Donovan Miller
Aspermont FB/CB Calob Castaneda
Aspermont RB/S Wesley Koenig
Aspermont RB/LB Carson Guidry
7-1A DIVISION II COACHES POLL
1. Throckmorton
2. Rule
3. Lueders-Avoca
4. Woodson
5. Paint Creek
EDUCATED GUESS
1. Throckmorton
2. Rule
3. Woodson
4. Lueders-Avoca
5. Paint Creek
CIRCLE THE CALENDAR
10/7 Rule at Woodson
10/28 Lueders-Avoca at Woodson
11/4 Throckmorton at Rule
11/4 Paint Creek at Lueders-Avoca
Preseason #8 Throckmorton is likely the team to beat, but Rule will be hot on their heels. The Bobcats returned to the playoffs after a long hiatus last season and welcome back many of the players responsible for the turnaround. Rule, Lueders-Avoca and Paint Creek all have new coaches this season. The Raiders will try to extend their playoff streak under new head man David Finch, the Pirates are back for their second season of football after restarting the program and welcome Paint Creek alum and former Benjamin coach Shannon Waters, while Caleb Barkowsky takes over for Kade Kittley at Rule.
PLAYERS TO WATCH (from Big Country teams)
Lueders-Avoca RB/DB Zae Mays
Lueders-Avoca C/DB Joel O’Con
Lueders-Avoca WR/DB Jeremiah Quinonez
Lueders-Avoca RB/DB Stetson Campbell
Paint Creek RB/DB Gus Blair
Rule QB/DB Chris Pannell
Rule WR Bryson Silvas
Rule NG Anthony Vista
Rule DE Issiah Matura
Rule WR Hunter Jaggers
Rule RB Kyleik Mason
Rule S Frankie Olivera
13-1A DIVISION II COACHES POLL
1. Loraine
2. Blackwell
3. Bronte
4. Trent
EDUCATED GUESS
1. Loraine
2. Blackwell
3. Trent
4. Bronte
CIRCLE THE CALENDAR
10/21 Blackwell at Loraine
10/21 Trent at Bronte
11/4 Blackwell at Trent
The Bulldogs are poised to have their best season in quite some time and enter the year as preseason #14 and the favorites to win a second straight district title. Blackwell looks to be the biggest challenger, but Trent returns some talent off their best season in a while and Bronte returns everybody, six starters on each side of the ball, as they make the move to 1A Division II this season.
PLAYERS TO WATCH (from Big Country teams)
Blackwell WR Kyler Cummings
Blackwell RB Dylan Taylor
Blackwell DL Matthew Shipman
Blackwell RB Jesus Gonzalez
Blackwell C Blane Crosson
Blackwell SB Karter Cummings
Loraine QB/DE Davion Walthall
Loraine FB/S Malaki Williams
Loraine RB/DB AJ Williams
Loraine C/DE Damion Delgado
Loraine LB/TE Wrangler Little
Trent SB/S Breyden Lewis
Trent C/DE Lance Swinney
Trent QB/DT Brian Crouch
Trent TE/LB Josh Pedroza
14-1A DIVISION II COACHES POLL
1. Rising Star
2. Paint Rock
3. Moran
4. Panther Creek
EDUCATED GUESS
1. Rising Star
2. Paint Rock
3. Panther Creek
4. Moran
CIRCLE THE CALENDAR
10/21 Paint Rock at Rising Star if I had to pick one, but truly it’s all of the games. For real. This one is completely up in the air.
It’s been well chronicled that no teams from this district made the playoffs last year, and the last appearance between the four was Panther Creek in 2018! That should make for a wide open run through the district. Rising Star finished over .500 a year ago in their first season under Derek Stevens and they hope to keep getting better. They are the favorites, in my opinion, with the remaining playoff spot up in the air.
PLAYERS TO WATCH (from Big Country teams)
Moran QB/S Ellis Hise
Moran RB/LB Connor Hall
Moran WR/S Caleb York
Rising Star RB/DL Blake Wilson
Rising Star E/DL Dakota Higgins
Rising Star RB/DB Dathon Morris
Rising Star E/DL Brayden Cook
15-1A DIVISION II COACHES POLL
1. Blanket
2. Gustine
3. Mullin
4. Zephyr
5. Sidney
EDUCATED GUESS
1. Blanket
2. Mullin
3. Zephyr
4. Sidney
5. Gustine
CIRCLE THE CALENDAR
10/14 Mullin at Zephyr
10/21 Blanket at Mullin
11/4 Blanket at Zephyr
Blanket, #18 in the preseason poll, enters as the favorites, but the rest of the district is up for grabs. Zephyr should have a strong rebound season as they return tons of starters and move to 1A Division II from DI. Sidney was a playoff squad a year ago and Mullin finished the year with a winning record. Gustine went just 1-9 a year ago but they, too, return a big number of starters.
Photo: Megan Lusty Photography
PLAYERS TO WATCH (from Big Country teams)
Blanket RB/CB Brayden Day
Blanket RB/DL Levi Vasquez
Blanket TE/DE Aydan Wheeler
Zephyr RB/DL Jayden Millican
Zephyr UT/DL Eathan Gowin
16-1A DIVISION II COACHES POLL
1. Richland Springs
2. Cherokee
3. Rochelle
4. Brookesmith
5. Lohn
EDUCATED GUESS
1. Richland Springs
2. Cherokee
3. Rochelle
4. Brookesmith
5. Lohn
CIRCLE THE CALENDAR
10/7 Cherokee at Richland Springs
10/21 Cherokee at Rochelle
As is the case most seasons, teams in Richland Springs’ district will be chasing the Coyotes. This year should be no different as Richland Springs is the preseason #4 team in the state and heavy favorite to claim the 16-1A DII title. The battle for the second playoff spot will likely come down to the winner of the Cherokee/Rochelle matchup on Oct. 21. Brookesmith will be very young in their first season under head coach Jack Graves and looking to build confidence throughout the season.
Photo: Megan Lusty Photography
INDEPENDENT
Ranger is our only area team that is not part of a district after deciding to stick with six-man football despite, barely, having 11-man numbers. That means they will not be eligible for the playoffs again this year, but hope to make a return trip to the Independent Six-Man Championship game where they beat Tyler HEAT 36-7 last season to win the independent state championship. Fort Hancock and Fruitvale are the only two other UIL teams playing an outlaw schedule this season. You can read more about the 2022 Ranger Bulldogs by clicking this link.
CIRCLE THE CALENDAR
10/6 Ranger at Strawn
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Ranger DB James Uhlhorn
Ranger C/DL Oscar Villarreal
Ranger TE/DE James McKee
Ranger OL/DL Richard Escamilla
Ranger OL/DL Connor Taylor
Ranger TE/DE Jesse Honeycutt
TAPPS
TAPPS 1-6-MAN DIVISION III COACHES POLL
1. Fort Worth Covenant Classical
2. Abilene Christian
3. Denton Calvary
4. Midland Trinity
5. Lubbock All Saints
6. Irving The Highlands
7. Keller Harvest
8. Amarillo San Jacinto
EDUCATED GUESS
1. Fort Worth Covenant Classical
2. Abilene Christian
3. Midland Trinity
4. Denton Calvary
5. Lubbock All Saints
6. Amarillo San Jacinto
7. Irving The Highlands
8. Keller Harvest
CIRCLE THE CALENDAR
10/1 Abilene Christian at Midland Trinity
10/22 Fort Worth Covenant Classical at Abilene Christian
The consensus seems to be that defending state champ Fort Worth Covenant Classical and Abilene Christian are the cream of the crop in this district, but I can’t lie and say I know a whole lot about it beyond those two teams. The Cavaliers are #1 in the state in the DCTF preseason private school six-man rankings, while the Panthers check in at #25. FWCC beat Abilene Christian in the first round of the playoffs on their way to winning it all. The Panthers will get their shot at revenge at home on Oct. 22.
PLAYERS TO WATCH (from Big Country teams)
ACS RB/DB Ty Armstrong
ACS OL/DL Isaaac Presley
ACS RB/DB Davis Patterson
ACS QB/DB Brooks Armstrong
