Friday Night Rewind: Best Games, Biggest Wins and Top Performers From Last Week

SAN ANGELO, TX — Here are the best games, biggest wins and top performers from last week’s high school football action in West Texas:

Best game: Brady-Mason

The Brady Bulldogs went on the road to a difficult place to win, the Puncher Dome in Mason, and pulled off a 24-22 victory over a program that has consistently been a state power. Sean Jacoby’s 61-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter gave Brady a 24-15 lead, but Mason wouldn’t go away and pulled within 24-22 before the Bulldogs escaped town with one of their biggest wins in years.

Biggest win: Grape Creek

Grape Creek head coach Tanner Thiel said before the year he believed this year’s group could earn the first playoff trophy in the Eagles’ history. They backed up that confidence Friday with a 38-16 win over a Reagan County team that went 9-2 last year and won a district title. Darrell West had 173 rushing yards and two TDs to lead a rushing attack that looks more formidable by the day. Next up for Grape Creek is a rematch with Bangs following last year’s memorable game when the Eagles rallied from a 27-0 deficit for a 38-27 win.

Biggest surprise: Richland Springs

After a 52-6 loss to No. 1-ranked Gordon to start the year, the Richland Springs Coyotes bounced back in a big way with a 42-14 victory over No. 2 May on Friday. It was an impressive showing for Richland Springs, which moved back up to No. 3 in the 1A Division II rankings. The Coyotes are still very much a state power, and their win over May illustrates just how big of a gap there might be between Gordon and the rest of the six-man world.

Case for the defense: Ballinger

With significant injuries hampering them on offense, the Ballinger Bearcats needed their defense to carry the team in Christoval, and it did just that. The Bearcats forced three turnovers and held the Cougars to only 156 yards of offense in a 13-6 win. Kaiden Medrano had an interception and a fumble recovery, while Hunter Peacock had an interception.

Strong in defeat: Mason

After a 48-7 loss to Wall to start the year, the Mason Punchers got up off the mat and were competitive in a 24-22 loss to Brady. With few returning starters, along with a new head coach and a new offense, the Punchers will have some growing pains this fall. They showed Friday they still have plenty of fight left in them.

Top performers

Christian Villarreal, Ozona: Had 17 carries for 373 rushing yards and four TDs, along with four catches for 134 yards, which included a 99-yard TD catch, in a win over Eldorado

Michael Preddy, Ozona: Threw for 243 yards and three TDs on 14-of-17 passing in a win over Eldorado

Kaleb Ramon, Ozona: Rushed for 90 yards and a TD on three carries in a win over Eldorado

Kaiden Medrano, Ballinger: Had an interception and a fumble recovery in a win over Christoval

Landon Lacy, Water Valley: Threw three TD passes, rushed for a TD, intercepted two passes — one of which he returned for a TD — and recovered a fumble in a win over Hermleigh

Rett Dickison, Water Valley: Had three catches for 71 yards and three TDs in a win over Hermleigh

Brylan Naylor, Water Valley: Had 12 tackles, three tackles for loss and two sacks in a win over Hermleigh 

Darrell West, Grape Creek: Had 12 carries for 173 yards and two TDs in a win over Reagan County

Sean Jacoby, Brady: Had 15 carries for 160 yards and two TDs, and had an INT on defense in a win over Mason

Ashton Taylor, Brady: Had 21 carries for 91 yards and two TDs in a win over Mason

Johnny Roque, Brady: Had 16 tackles in a win over Mason

Demarcus Reed, Brady: Had 14 tackles and two tackles for loss in a win over Mason

Brenner Sherwood, Robert Lee: Had 11 carries for 138 yards and six TDs, was 8-of-9 passing for 124 yards, and had eight tackles, a forced fumble, and an interception returned for a TD in a win over Garden City

Wyatt Bosworth, Robert Lee: Recovered two fumbles and returned one for a TD in a win over Garden City

Jayden Payton, Menard: Had six carries for 171 yards and three TDs, and he threw a TD pass in a win over Rochelle

Bryce Davis, Menard: Had four carries for 96 yards and three TDs in a win over Rochelle

Micah Smith, San Angelo Central: Threw for 215 yards and three TDs on 18-of-31 passing in a loss to Amarillo High

Colton Hill, San Angelo Central: Had seven catches for 96 yards and a TD in a loss to Amarillo High

Chris Alvizo, San Angelo Lake View: Threw for 276 yards and five TDs on 23-of-33 passing in a win over Snyder

Nick Leyva, San Angelo Lake View: Had seven catches for 100 yards in a win over Snyder

Cristian Esparza, San Angelo Lake View: Had two catches for 61 yards and two TDs, along with an INT and fumble recovery on defense in a win over Snyder

DJ Munoz, San Angelo Lake View: Had two TD catches and an INT on defense in a win over Snyder

Conner Williams, San Angelo Lake View: Had 12 tackles, two tackles for loss and two sacks in a win over Snyder

Landon York, Wall: Threw for 249 yards and three TDs on 18-of-21 passing in a win over Brownwood

Hagyn Barbee, Wall: Had six catches for 115 yards in a win over Brownwood