Oct. 30—Week 10 of the season has a battle for first place in District 12-A, Division II, while the Westwood Panthers look to keep their unbeaten streak alive at Fairfield.
Here are the week 10 football previews:
Westwood at Fairfield
Time and Date: 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 1.
Location: Eagle Stadium, 631 Post Oak Road, Fairfield, TX 75840.
Game Notes: The No. 5 ranked Panthers will be without sophomore quarterback Kavian Bryant as he has to sit out the first half of Friday’s pivotal game in Fairfield. He was ejected during the Teague game for allegedly throwing his forearm at a coach on the sideline. Friday’s contest currently has Westwood at 8-0 overall and 3-0 in district, followed by Diboll and Fairfield tied at 2-1 in district with two games remaining. According to Ricky Honea, a win for the Panthers would give them their first district championship since the 2008 season. They have already locked up a playoff seed in 3A, Division I play. Fairfield is led by junior quarterback Kohl Collins, who is 125-of-201 for 2,355 yards with 30 touchdowns and six interceptions. The top receiver is junior Finn Smith with 42 receptions for 843 yards and 11 touchdowns. Second on the team is senior Calyn Wilson with 18 receptions for 609 yards and nine touchdowns. Junior Jason Brackens leads the team with 72 tackles, seven for loss with one sack and three quarterback hurries. He also has one fumble recovery in eight games.
Winona at Elkhart
Time and Date: 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 1.
Location: Jerry Ives Memorial Stadium in Elkhart
Game Notes: Senior Night at Jerry Ives Memorial Stadium has two teams hoping to turns things around in the final two games of the year. Elkhart comes in at 2-6 overall and 1-3 in District 11-3A, Division II play, while Winona is 1-8 overall and 1-4 in district. Winona is led by senior quarterback Josh Rice and junior Easton Smotherman, while Jaborian Cook could be a player to watch at the running back position. This will be the final home game for seniors TJ Calhoun, Trystyn Tidrow, Cody Thomas, Jayden Chapman, Bryant Lipsey, Kaden Luce, Caysen Plant, Slade Hall, Cooper Harris, Kayden Diaz and Erick Lira.
Cayuga at Kerens
Time and Date: 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 1.
Location: A.G. Godley Field, 200 Bobcat Lane Kerens, TX 75144
Game Notes: The playoff race is District 8-2A, Division I is headed down to the wire led by state ranked Mildred at 3-0, followed by Cayuga and Frankston at 2-1 and Kerens and Carlisle at 1-2. The Wildcats know how big of a game this is for them as the coaching staff stressed they need their best week of practice this week. A win over the Bobcats should lock them into a playoff spot with the final meeting of the regular season next week against Frankston. Kerens hopes quarterback Musiq Gunnell, running back Nehemiah Massey and receiver Izaiah Carter can have a big game for the Bobcats at home.
Tenaha at Grapeland
Time and Date: 7 p.m., Friday Nov. 1.
Location: Jerry Richards Field at Sandies Stadium, 1007 N. Olive Street in Grapeland.
Game Notes: With the second longest winning streak in District 11-2A, Division II at three games, Grapeland Athletic Director and Head Football Coach Jordan Wood’s Grapeland Sandies (6-2 overall and 3-1 in district) return to action against the Tenaha Tigers at 2-7 overall and 1-4 in district play. The Sandies observed their bye week last week. Grapeland currently sits in third overall even though they are tied with Overton, who holds the tiebreaker over them with two games remaining. Tenaha got its first district win last week over the Cushing Bearkats, 31-8, and held a 14-0 lead at halftime. They are led by quarterback Brikelian Kenney and receiver Jataivius Malone.
Bynum at Oakwood
Time and Date: 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 1.
Location: Panther Memorial Stadium, 388 FCR 331, Oakwood, TX 75855.
Game Notes: With two weeks remaining in the season and only two teams making the playoffs, Friday’s contest between the Oakwood Panthers (3-5 overall and 1-0 in District 12-A, Division II) and Bynum Bulldogs is huge for both teams. Oakwood Athletic Director and Head Football Coach J.J. Johnson’s team hopes to build on the mercy-rule victory last week against Mt. Calm with another big performance against Bulldogs, who pulled out the two-point victory over Trinidad last week. The victory was the first of the year for Bynum. In the first seven game, the Bulldogs were outscored 447-228. Bynum has been led by senior Brandon Collins, who in four games had 533 yards rushing and eight touchdowns. Junior Jackson Allen was second with 310 yards and eight touchdowns rushing.
