| Bridgeport (5-4, 5-0) |
24 |
| Decatur (2-6, 2-3) |
21 |
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A waning harvest moon hung low in the sky and gazed upon a packed Eagle Stadium in the 90th meeting between Decatur and the Bridgeport Bulls on Friday night.
The wind blew hard on the field with an erosive force. It was the kind of wind that shifts sand dunes in the bleak desert and wears down towering mountains .
For most of the past decade, and for a majority of the history between rivals Bridgeport and Decatur, the power rested soundly to the east of the Big Sandy. The Eagles have rolled through most of the series, holding a 58-25-6 record over the Bulls.
But the sands continued to shift Friday night as the Bulls made a remarkable comeback late in the game to finish with a perfect record in district play.
This is the second year in a row the Bulls have swept their district, clinched the title and defeated Decatur. Meanwhile, Decatur has failed to make the playoffs for the second year in a row.
Decatur last made the playoffs in 2007. They lost in the first round to Abilene Wylie. That year was also the last time they beat Bridgeport. It was the last in a 6-game winning streak over their rivals across the creek.
On Friday, it looked like Decatur was going to get the best of the upstarts. The Eagles led 21-0 in the first half. The blue side cheered and stamped on the bleachers. Decatur could somewhat rectify a horrid 2-6 season with a single victory over the maroon menace.
Despite Bridgeport's high rankings and recent resurgence, they appeared doomed to forever remain the little brother to the Eagles. But something happened beneath that golden harvest moon.
Bridgeport coach Danny Henson made the necessary half-time adjustments. He proceeded to shut out the Eagles for the entire second half. He also unleashed better play-calling over Decatur coach Kyle Story. His team rallied behind junior quarterback Cody Henson and toppled the Eagles 24-21 in dramatic fashion.
Who knows how far Bridgeport will go in the playoffs. They had the advantage of playing in a district which proved to be very weak all season. But the Bulls did prove they are the new power in the county and the district. Henson seems to possess a clear vision of what he wants his team to accomplish and the players are all on board.
Meanwhile, Decatur failed to find an identity all season. Can Decatur return to their winning ways next year, or have the sands shifted to favor Bulls for years to come in the Battle of Big Sandy? |
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| Alvord (5-4, 2-2) |
34 |
| Paradise (1-8, 1-3) |
0 |
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Alvord didn't get the help it needed to squeeze into the football playoffs Friday. But the Bulldogs did finish on a winning note and take a well-earned win over county rival Paradise, 34-0.
That left Paradise at 1-9 for the season and 1-4 in District 9-2A play, while Alvord improved to 3-2 in district - tied with Jacksboro and Millsap - and 6-4 on the season.
Jacksboro and Millsap grabbed the two playoff spots, behind district champ Boyd, based on point differentials.
But Alvord did its part, just in case Friday's results turned out differently.
The Bulldogs broke it open with a 20-point second quarter to head into halftime with a 27-0 lead.
Colton Redman and Trevor Hartfield paced the Alvord attack. Redman ran for 131 yards and two touchdowns, while Hartfield ran for three scores.
Hartfield got the first score on a 6-yard run in the first period. In the second quarter he had a pair of 1-yard scores. The first was set up by a 12-yard pass to Steven Talamantes. Jose Luna kicked extra points after the first two scores.
Redman got on the board late in the half on a 31-yard run, and Luna added the PAT.
Redman converted the game's final score on an 18-yard third-quarter run, and again Luna kicked the extra point.
Paradise struggled to move the ball, especially in the first half, thwarted by penalties and missed passes. All of the Panther flags - six in all for 61 yards - came in the first half.
Paradise managed 188 yards of offense, but it yielded only eight first downs.
Dustin Piercy had a pair of quarterback sacks for the Alvord defense. |
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| Boyd (5-4, 5-0) |
42 |
| Millsap (8-1, 3-2) |
28 |
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With their position in the playoffs already set, the Boyd Yellowjackets had only one thing left to accomplish in the regular season: a district championship.
They accomplished that feat Friday in Millsap with a 42-28 victory over the Bulldogs.
Two scores in the third quarter, one on special teams and another by the defense, secured the win. Leading by only a touchdown entering the third quarter, the 'Jackets scored on the second-half kickoff when Kyle Stearns returned it 80 yards. Edgar Lugo's kick made it 28-14.
Millsap drove nearly the length of the field on their next possession, but Boyd's Alan Cardona intercepted a pass on a fourth down try and returned the ball 88 yards for the score.
Boyd ended the quarter by driving 90 yards, but they were stopped on a fourth and two to turn the ball over to the Bulldogs. However, Millsap fumbled on its first snap, and George Lavigne recovered the ball for Boyd. The 'Jackets scored on the next play when Ryan Wilson went in from two yards out with 11:16 left in the game. Lugo's kick gave Boyd a commanding 42-14 lead.
Millsap added two scores late, but it was too little, too late.
The teams traded the lead in the first half. Millsap scored first on a 1-yard run by Matt Callan with 11:36 left in the second quarter. The score was set up by a Boyd fumble on their own 44 yard line.
The Yellowjackets responded with a 7-play, 61-yard drive that ended with a 10-yard touchdown run by Colton Lyon with 8:49 left in the quarter. Lugo's kick tied the game.
Boyd took the lead with 5:18 left in the quarter when quarterback Tim Fleming scored on a 22-yard run.
Millsap responded with a bit of trickery. After faking a punt on 4th and 9, Zack Littlefield connected with Chris Hicks for a 65-yard touchdown to draw even.
With the first half winding down, Fleming injured his shoulder on a run and had to leave the game. His replacement, Tim Warner, connected with Austin Ratliff on his only pass attempt of the game for a 9-yard touchdown to give Boyd its 21-14 halftime lead.
Boyd finished the game with 373 yards of total offense, 280 yards rushing. Wilson led the team with 146 yards on the ground. Fleming was 6 of 8 passing for 84 yards, and Stearns caught 4 passes for 61 yards.
The Yellowjackets (6-4, 5-0) will take on Pilot Point in a rematch of last year's bi-district game at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Springtown's Porcupine Stadium. |
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| Chico (0-10, 0-5) |
22 |
| Jacksboro (5-5, 3-2) |
46 |
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Jacksboro quickly pulled ahead of Chico Friday en route to a 46-22 Tigers' win that clinched a playoff spot.
The Dragons' 22 points was more than they put up the rest of the season, as Chico finished its year 0-10, including an 0-5 district mark. Jacksboro improved to 3-2 in the 9-2A standings, good enough to secure a playoff spot in a 3-way second-place tie with Millsap and Alvord.
The Tigers got on the board on their first offensive play - a 76-yard run - and never looked back. Chico used an onside kick to open the contest and caught Jacksboro off guard. But the Dragon effort stalled, and the Tigers hit the gas.
Jacksboro had two more scores by the end of the first period for a 20-0 lead, and by halftime it was 33-7 Tigers.
Chico got on the board next, 33-14, but Jacksboro salted it away with two more scores before the Dragons could rally one last time. |
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| Northwest (0-10, 0-5) |
14 |
| Keller Central (3-7, 2-5) |
34 |
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The Northwest Texans' varsity football season ended Thursday night without a victory.
The Keller Central Chargers scored the game's first 34 points and held on for a 34-14 victory over Northwest at Keller ISD Athletic Complex.
The Northwest defense had no answer for Central sophomore quarterback Tanner Tausch. Making his third start, Tausch threw for 308 yards, completing 12 of his 18 passes with four touchdowns and one interception.
Israel Valentin was Tausch's favorite target. The two connected on five passes for 187 yards and three touchdowns.
Tausch and Valentin connected on their first score of 35 yards with 5:16 left in the first quarter.
The pair needed just one play to take the Chargers 64 yards with 10:17 remaining in the first half. It was the first of three touchdowns for Central in the second quarter. Trenton Turrentine raced 50 yards up the middle with 6:27 left in the second quarter to give Central a 21-0 lead.
In the final minute of the first half, Tausch hit Taylor Munguia with a 15-yard touchdown pass to put Central up 28-0.
The Chargers' lead grew to 34-0 at the 6:23 mark of the third quarter as Tausch hooked up with Valentin for a 42-yard touchdown.
Northwest was finally able to get on the scoreboard in the closing minutes of the quarter. After a long pass play, Chris Bain scored around the left side. The Chris Presbevsek extra-point made it 34-7.
Northwest added another score with 8:28 left in the game on a 16-yard pass to Cole Edwards from Taylor Barnhill.
Barnhill finished with 185 yards passing, completing 12 of his 25 passes with two interceptions and a touchdown.
The Texans were led in rushing by Chris Young with 83 yards on seven carries.
Northwest's leading rusher, Tristan Ceasar, did not play. |
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