Mineral Wells Area News

Gordon, Santo in action while CCS and Strawn have a bye week

By DAVID MAY / Special to Mineral Wells Area News

Mineral Wells head coach Cody Worrell knows about the Brock Eagles. As an assistant coach under his father, Chad Worrell, he helped build the football program from scratch starting in 2013.

The Eagles played a so-called “renegade” schedule that year, playing games while not a member of a district and ineligible for post-season. All the Eagles did that year was go 8-2.

Playing a Class 3A-1 schedule in 2014, Brock went 12-2, 5-0 in district, before losing in the state quarterfinals by one point to Shallowater. In 2015 – just its third season – Brock went 16-0 and won the state Class 3A-1 title, defeating the defending champions C.H. Yoe at NRG Stadium in Houston.

The Eagles played for another state title in 2017. Worrell had worked his way up to assistant head coach and offensive coordinator. The Worrells went 99-14 at Brock from 2013-2020.

When his father was hired as the head coach at El Campo in 2020, Cody Worrell followed. In 2023 his father was hired as the head coach at Burleson and Cody again followed, set to become the Elks’ offensive coordinator. But the Mineral Wells head coaching and boys athletics director job suddenly opened, and Cody Worrell decided to spread his wings and embark on his own head coaching journey.

So when the number two-ranked Class 4A-2 Brock Eagles (6-0, 1-0) come flying into Ram Stadium this Friday for a 7 p.m. start, Worrell might spend a minute reflecting about the program he and his dad built from the ground up. But just a minute and probably not a minute more.

The Rams are 5-1 on the year, 1-0 in district after beating Bridgeport, 35-13, on Friday. Worrell and his staff are far more focused on how they can win against what has become a powerhouse program playing its first year of Class 4A football.

The move up a classification hasn’t slowed Brock down. The Eagles are outscoring opponents 267-47, a rounded average of 45-8. Their quarterback, senior Brody Woods, ranks 11^th in Class 4A-2 with 1,240 passing yards. He has 18 passing TDs on the year. He ranks 15^th in total yards with 1,546.

Brock is stout on defense as well. They have three players averaging double-digit tackles per game, led by senior middle linebacker Asa Parenteau who has 76 total tackles, which ranks ninth in Class 4A-2.

The Eagles ended their 2023 season one game short of playing for another championship, losing to Malakoff in the Class 3A-1 semifinal round.

This is to say the Rams will have their hands full on Friday, which is why winning their district opener was crucial for their playoff hopes. Next week will not get much easier, as Mineral Wells will head to Graham to face the Steers, currently ranked 15^th in the state. The Rams will then finish the regular season against Burkburnett and first-year program Eagle Mountain.

CCS Warriors get needed bye after tough loss

A wild first half had the CCS warriors trailing Waco’s Valor Preparatory Academy 62-52. Already thin on healthy bodies, CCS suffered two injuries that helped VPA pull away for a 112-66 win between the two sixman private schools at Optimist Field in Mineral Wells.

The Warriors’ record dropped to 5-3 on the year.

Junior back Hayden Yelverton scored five touchdowns for CCS, rushing for 255 yards on 23 carries (11.1 ypc). He also led the team with 11 tackles.

Freshman quarterback Parker Dehls was 10-of-17 passing for 169 yards and two touchdowns (131.7 QBR), with Jace Little adding a passing score.

CCS will take this week off and hope to get players healthier and ready to go Oct. 25 when they host Hill County. The Warriors are trying to finish in the top eight of the Texas Association of Independent Athletic Organizations standings to qualify for post season.

Top-ranked Gordon visits Ranger

The nation’s top-ranked Gordon Longhorns and their 22-game win streak will make the short bus ride to Ranger this Friday in a District 13-1A-1 sixman tilt pushed up to a 6 p.m. start.

The Bulldogs are 2-4, playing their district opener and coming off a bye week.

The ‘Horns are 7-0 and 1-0 in district after easing past Lingleville, 53-0, last Friday. The defending Class 1A-1 champs have won 34 of their last 35 games.

Santo travels to Chico

The Santo Wildcats opened District 8-2A-2 play at home Friday, losing to Era, 28-16. The loss dropped the Wildcats to 3-3 on the year while losing their second-straight game.

Santo this week plays at Chico (1-5, 0-1). The Dragons are coming off a 44-0 loss to Collinsville. Kickoff at Chico is set for 7 p.m.

Muenster was the other winner in the six-team district, defeating Lindsay also by a 44-0 margin.

Strawn off again

The Strawn Greyhounds are riding a three-game win streak and playing their best football, but the lack of an opponent and a bye week has forced them into a two-week hiatus.

The Greyhounds will play next Friday, Oct. 25, hosting Throckmorton in their District 9-1A-2 opener. Strawn defeated Throckmorton in last year’s opening bi-district playoff round.

Strawn has scored more than 80 points in their last two games, including an 86-0 shutout against Ranger on Oct. 4.