Mineral Wells Area News

By DAVID MAY / Special to Mineral Wells Area News

The Strawn Greyhounds and Milford Bulldogs made the long trip to Billings, Montana, to open their football seasons. They then made a big impression on sixman football players, coaches and fans in Big Sky Country after sweeping both games of Saturday’s twin bill.

Played on Herb Klindt Field at Rocky Mountain College, the games represented a pair of historic matchups in the annals of sixman football. 

The Bulldogs took on the Highwood Mountaineers in the first game of the Texas-Montana challenge. Trailing 13-12 early, Milford scored the game’s last 38 points to complete a 50-13 win.

Strawn and Custer-Hysham-Melstone met in the day’s second game. Behind Michael Barcenas’ seven touchdowns, The ‘Hounds raced past the Rebels, 71-21.

It wasn’t a great start for Strawn, which fumbled the opening kickoff, which was scooped up and returned for a touchdown and an early Rebels lead.

It was then Barcenas’ turn. He scored on Strawn’s first play, then quickly scored again after the Rebels fumbled the ensuing kickoff. He scored two more times to tally four touchdowns in the game’s first 86 seconds.

It was a wild first quarter as the teams combined for 61 points in 10 minutes, with Strawn finishing the first quarter with a 40-21 lead. Unfortunately for the Rebels, they would not score again and reportedly lost their quarterback in the second quarter.

Strawn (1-0) will make the long trip home and prepare for another Saturday matinee affair, hosting the upper division Class 1A Knox City Greyhounds. 

Knox City is reloading after going 11-1 in 2023, falling in the second round of the playoffs to Happy. Still, Knox City is favored to repeat as district champs, moving from District 6 to District 4, which includes Newcastle and Perrin-Whitt along with Northside and Bryson.

Saturday’s kickoff in Strawn is set for 2 p.m.