AREA FOOTBALL ROUNDUP
Top-ranked ‘Horns shutout rival Strawn; CCS Warriors win again
By DAVID MAY
Special to Mineral Wells Area News
GORDON – There’s an adage that says it’s hard to make it to the top. It’s even harder to stay there.
Ranked No. 1 in Class 1A-Division I, the Gordon Longhorns are on top and, so far, having no trouble staying there. For the second consecutive year, Gordon mercy-ruled their rivals, the Strawn Greyhounds, 46-0, inside a packed and electric Longhorns Stadium.
The game, played Saturday because of a shortage of officials, marked the 100th anniversary of the first meeting between the two schools in 1923.
For Gordon (3-0), the game also marked the 13thstraight regular-season game the ‘Horns have ended a game via the sixman football rule that halts a game at any point a team leads by 45 points at halftime or after.
The game began with a helicopter flying in the game ball. It was the ‘Horns that flew around the rest of the night in a game dubbed, “The Battle of Palo Pinto Creek.” Dave Campbell’s Texas Football calls the matchup one of Texas’ top high school football rivalries.
Gordon set the tone early. On its first play from scrimmage, Stryker Reed connected with Brayden Walters for a 60-yard touchdown pass that gave Gordon an 8-0 lead just 13 seconds into the contest.
The teams traded possessions before sophomore Riley Reed hauled in a 60-plus yard pass that set up his 8-yard run two plays later to give Gordon a 16-0 first quarter lead.
Stryker Reed struck again, running for a 6-yard score to make it 24-0 Gordon with 1:33 left in the opening quarter.
Gordon would take a 40-0 lead into halftime, knowing it could end the game with one more score. Riley Reed delivered with a 47-yard TD to produce the final 46-0 margin.
According to statistics provided by Gordon, the ‘Horns needed just 21 plays to rack up 199 total yards – 95 on the ground and 104 through the air. Strawn was credited with 38 offensive plays, but managed just 67 total yards.
Through the first three games, Riley Reed has 301 total yards and five touchdowns, four of those rushing. Brayden Walters has four scores, three on receptions. He has five catches for 153 yards, an average of 30.6 yards per catch. Stryker Reed is 7-for 7 passing for 198 yards and four touchdowns, while Noah Kostiha is 5-for-8 passing for 184 yards and three aerial scores.
The Division II Greyhounds (1-2) return home this Friday for a scheduled 7:30 p.m. game against Gorman. The top-ranked Longhorns (3-0) travel to Waco on Friday for a 7 p.m. kickoff against Live Oak Classical.
CCS Warriors win big
AZLE – The Community Christian School Warriors (2-1) notched their second-straight win in convincing style Friday, 53-6 over the Grace Christian Academy Colts.
The game was a scheduled home game for Grace Christian, but was played in Azle because of poor field conditions on the Colts’ field. CCS has the same situation, with their first scheduled home game of the year this Friday moved to Weatherford Christian School’s field.
The Warriors put up 20 points in both of the first two quarters for a 40-0 halftime lead. CCS ended the game in the third quarter by outscoring the Colts 13-6.
Quarterback Price Horton was once again very efficient passing, going 3-for-5 for 112 yards and two touchdowns. He had a game quarterback rating of 104.2. Jace Daniel Little was the leading receiver for CCS with one catch for 59 yards and a score. Freshman Kade Etier had a 35-yard touchdown reception.
Little and Etier each had rushing touchdowns, matched by sophomore Hayden Yelverton’s two scores via the ground.
On the defensive side, freshman River Bryan led with seven tackles. Little, Etier and Braden Maness each had five defensive tackles while Yelverton and Kaysen Gaston were credited with four stops.
CCS plays CenTex Home School (1-2) at 7 p.m. Friday in Weatherford.
Santo falls to Hamilton
BROCK – The Santo Wildcats were forced to play their second scheduled home game of the year at a neutral site, this time in Brock.
Unfortunately, Santo was unable to leave the Eagles’ Nest with a win, falling 20-14 to a good Hamilton squad that returned most of its team from its 2022 team that went three-rounds deep in the playoffs.
The Wildcats faithful are hopeful an apparent knee injury to quarterback Hut Thornton, sustained late in the game while playing defense, is not serious.
Santo was unable to cash in on a couple of good offensive drives, and a snap over the punter gave Hamilton (2-1) a short field that helped them score the decisive touchdown. The Wildcats added a late touchdown but were unable to get the ball back before the clock ran out on them.
The Wildcats fell to 1-2 on the season. They have one more non-district game this Friday against Rio Vista. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. Santo will then have a bye week before opening district play on the road at Muenster.
Mother Nature decides Millsap, Archer City game
ARCHER CITY – Millsap traveled to Archer City on Friday and was met by storms packing a lot of lightning. The teams played a scoreless first quarter before a lengthy weather delay turned into a cancellation of the contest.
The Bulldogs (1-1) travel this Friday to Paradise for a scheduled 7:30 non-district contest.
Pirates sunk
The Perrin Pirates looked like they were going to get their first win of the season. But Ranger stormed back from a 24-7 deficit to take a 42-41 win.
The loss dropped the visiting Pirates to 0-3. Perrin returns home this Friday to face Covington, also 0-3, in a non-district game. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.
Mineral Wells drops first game
The Rams’ excellent 2-0 start to the season under new Head Coach Cody Worrell looked early on like it might become a 3-0 start after taking a 14-0 first quarter lead on the road against Benbrook.
Rams quarterback Owen Gadd had a 1-yard TD and running back Kayden Montalvo followed with a 35-yard scoring run.
But the excitement on the visitor’s side of the field gradually turned to disappointment as Benbrook, aided by mistakes and penalties, reeled off 35 unanswered before Mineral Wells’ Jovan Ramirez ran in from 2 yards out. The final was 35-20, and Mineral Wells left with a 2-1 record.
However, it’s Homecoming Week in Mineral Wells and the Rams will take the home field Friday against the Sanger Indians in another non-district game. Sanger is 1-2 on the season. The Indians lost their season opener to Benbrook, 49-25, before defeating Ferris. Sanger last week lost 24-22 to Community High School.
Kickoff at Ram Stadium is set for 7:30 p.m.
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