Here are the top five high school football games to watch in the Concho Valley and West Texas this week:
Richland Springs vs. Gordon (at Priddy on Thursday)
You can’t ask for much more from a season-opening matchup than this one. Gordon is the two-time defending state champion and No. 1-ranked six-man team in the state in Class 1A Division I. Richland Springs is the greatest six-man dynasty ever with a record nine state titles. The tiny town of Priddy — which sits roughly between Comanche and Goldthwaite — will be the setting.
Richland Springs is ranked No. 3 in the state in 1A Division II, but the Coyotes will be serious underdogs in this matchup. Gordon has won 42 of its last 43 games, with its most recent loss coming in the 2022 state quarterfinals to Abbott. The Longhorns won every game last year by at least 42 points.
Richland Springs returns four starters on offense and three on defense from last year’s 12-1 team, including all-state players Billy Perry and Cohen Ethridge. Gordon brings back five starters on offense and four on defense, including last year’s title game Defensive MVP, Ry Reed, and Offensive MVP, Stryker Reed.
The pick: Gordon 82, Richland Springs 50
Mason at Wall
Two of the best programs in the area will clash when Mason and Wall continue their rivalry. The two programs have played every year since 2018 with Wall holding a 5-2 advantage, including a 28-6 win last year.
This year’s matchup will be a daunting one for Mason as the Punchers have a new head coach in Wade Griffin, a new power spread offense, and only four returning starters. Because of Mason’s tradition, the Punchers still received the respect of a preseason state ranking of No. 12 in 2A Division I.
Wall is ranked No. 3 in 3A D-II. The Hawks return seven starters from their explosive spread offense, including quarterback Landon York, highly regarded offensive lineman Baine Jenschke, and top wide receiver Reid Robertson. This is about as big of a test as Mason could ask for.
The pick: Wall 35, Mason 14
San Angelo Central at Abilene High
The Central Bobcats and Abilene High Eagles’ rivalry, which dates to 1910, will continue when they meet Friday at Showell Stadium in Abilene. It’s an intriguing matchup with a 6A Central team that seems to be on the rise against an Abilene High team ranked No. 9 in the state in Class 5A Division I.
Central returns seven starters on each side of the ball from a team that went 4-6 and made a three-win jump from the previous year. The Bobcats have some exciting playmakers on offense, including wide receivers Colton Hill and Jimmy Edwards, and what seems to be a much-improved defense, led by linebacker Mason Van Sickle (132 tackles last year). Abilene High returns six starters on offense — including dynamic quarterback Brayden Henry — and nine starters on defense from an 8-4 team.
Central was within 43-36 of Abilene High heading into the fourth quarter last year, but the Eagles pulled away late for a 60-36 win. The Bobcats seem better equipped to hang with them for the duration this time.
The pick: Abilene High 38, San Angelo Central 35
Goldthwaite at Junction
This game features a couple of Top 25 teams from the Class 2A Division II ranks in No. 12 Junction and No. 17 Goldthwaite. Both teams made significant jumps last year with Junction improving from 6-5 to 12-2 and a trip to the state quarterfinals, while Goldthwaite vaulted from 3-7 to 7-5 with a playoff win.
Junction returns six starters on offense and seven on defense from last year’s winningest team in program history, including quarterback Chasen Doyal, who led the Eagles to their first state 7-on-7 appearance over the summer.
Goldthwaite brings back six starters on each side of the ball, including senior Aidyn Lee who will move back to quarterback after playing wide receiver as a junior. Goldthwaite was overwhelmed 40-6 by Junction in the season opener last year, but by the time the season was over, Goldthwaite showed what it was capable of with a stunning 46-0 win over No. 1 Mart.
The pick: Junction 28, Goldthwaite 14
Fort Stockton at San Angelo Lake View
The Lake View Chiefs host Fort Stockton in a rematch of last year’s game that ended up becoming the debut of quarterback Chris Alvizo, who was pressed into action due to an injury and led the Chiefs to a near comeback in the first game of his sophomore season. Lake View rallied from a 30-7 deficit in the third quarter before losing 30-27.
Alvizo is one of nine returning starters on offense for Lake View, which also brings back eight starters on defense. Alvizo wound up throwing for 2,106 yards and 29 TDs, and he returns a big-time playmaker in wide receiver Braylon White, who had 57 catches for 786 yards and nine TDs.
Fort Stockton, which is led by former Sterling City head coach DJ Howell, returns five starters on offense and three on defense from last year’s 6-5 team. The Panthers have won six straight matchups against Lake View, but the Chiefs may have the firepower to end that streak this year.
The pick: Lake View 31, Fort Stockton 28
Other Week 1 Games
Tahoka at San Angelo TLCA
San Saba at Grape Creek
Brady at San Antonio YMLA
Christoval at Eldorado
Ozona at McCamey
Reagan County vs. Olney (at Cisco on Thursday)
Sonora at Miles
Merkel at Ballinger
Sterling City at Odessa Compass Academy
Winters vs. Frost (at Hamilton)
Garden City vs. Bryson (at Jayton on Saturday)
Irion County at Buena Vista
Robert Lee at Loraine (on Thursday)
Paint Rock at Eden
Veribest at Zephyr
Grandfalls at Water Valley
Blanket at Menard
Blackwell at Aspermont
Santa Anna at Bronte (on Thursday)
Olfen at Welch Dawson
Medina at Rochelle
Lohn at Nueces Canyon
Priddy at Panther Creek
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