Mineral Wells Area News

By DAVID MAY/ Special to Mineral Wells Area News

Mineral Wells hosts Bridgeport on Friday as district contests get underway

The Mineral Wells Rams have a couple of things to prove this week. One that they are not the same team that lost its first game two weeks ago at Godley. They need to prove that by being a team they can hold onto the ball.

The Rams are 4-1 and coming off their bye week, set to begin District 3-4A-2 play Friday when they host the Bridgeport Bulls (2-3) in a 7 p.m. tilt at Ram Stadium.

Mineral Wells has a balanced offense capable of long, clock-consuming scoring drives while popping big plays on the ground and through the air. They complement that with a fast, hard-hitting defense. But the Rams have 10 turnovers in their last three games, including four in each of their last two games – a win over Quinlan Ford and the loss at Godley.

By the time the first whistle blows Friday, Mineral Wells will have had two weeks to get both healed up and coached up. Post-season is a real possibility for the Rams, but losing the turnover battle will put those hopes in jeopardy. An offense spending too much time on the bench and its defense too long on the field usually results in bad outcomes.

The Bulls are more than capable of putting a dent in the Rams’ dreams. While coming off a 44-13 loss two weeks ago at Carrollton Ranchview, the week before the Bulls easily vanquished Venus, 64-14. Their other two losses came to Wichita Falls City View and Castleberry, sandwiched around their first win, 35-28, over Bowie.

Gordon opens district slate at home

The nation’s top-ranked sixman team the Gordon Longhorns (6-0) host the Lingleville Cardinals (1-3) on Friday top open District 13-1A-1 play. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. at Longhorns Stadium.

It is the first of four district games for Gordon, which breezed through its non-district schedule.

The junior-laden defending state champions have won 21 straight and 33 of its last 34 contests. Gordon this season is outscoring opponents 340-34, playing into the third quarter once. They have allowed just eight points in their last three games.

After losing their first three games, The Cards enter Friday’s fray on a high note, winning last week 51-0 over Cranfills Gap. That will give them a confidence boost but don’t count on that lasting long against the explosive ‘Horns.

Strawn ready for district run

The Strawn Greyhounds (4-2) are riding a three-game winning streak and look more than ready to begin District 9-1A-2 play when they host Throckmorton on Oct. 25 on Homecoming Night.

Strawn has an unscheduled game this week followed by a bye week.

Three seasons removed from their fifth state sixman title in school history, the ‘Hounds are coming off an 86-0 thrashing of the upper-level Ranger Bulldogs. That is 86 points scored in two quarters. It was their second straight week to hang 80-plus after zipping past Zephyr, 84-42.

Their game against Throckmorton is a rematch of the teams’ last meeting in the opening bi-district playoff round last season, which Strawn won, 67-36.

Santo hosts Era in district opener

The Santo Wildcats saw their three-game win streak snapped two weeks ago in Millsap. Still, the 3-2 Wildcats have post-season hopes as they entertain Era, also 3-2, in the teams’ District 8-2A-2 opener Friday. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

The Hornets will arrive in Santo fresh off a 40-18 win over Valley View. They also have wins over Petrolia and Trinity Christian. Their losses have come to Sacred Heart and Electra.

CCS enters meat of schedule

The Community Christian School Warriors are 5-2 (one loss is a forfeit, the result of a scheduling miscommunication) and are playing at a high level. They defeated a good Westlake JV team last Friday on their home field.

They have three games left, and each will be a challenge, according to CCS head coach Gary Rushing. His team hopes to finish in the top eight of the Texas Athletic Independent Athletic Organization standings and reach post-season.

The first of those tests occur Friday when Waco’s Valor Preparatory Academy brings their 4-2 record to Optimist Field in a non-district affair. After that CCS will take on currently unbeaten Faustina Academy before ending the regular season against Hill County, which to date has just one win.

Friday’s kickoff is 7 p.m.