AREA MENU: Hirschi visits Decatur in Week 6's marquee game
WEEKLY SPECIAL
HIRSCHI at DECATUR
When/where: 7 p.m. Friday, Eagle Stadium
Live updates: Follow @Hull_TRN on X (formerly Twitter). Listen on network1sports.com/station/hirschihuskies. Watch on decatureagles.net/broadcasts.
Records: Hirschi 2-2; Decatur 1-4.
Last game: Hirschi 60, Carrollton Ranchview 18; Alvarado 36, Decatur 35
Last meeting: Decatur 35, Hirschi 19 (2022); Decatur leads all-time series 13-4.
Players to watch: Hirschi, Javian Frazier (RB/DL/LB, Sr.), Jimmell McFalls (QB, Jr.), Sammy Worthy (DB, Sr.); Decatur, Nate Palmer (RB, Sr.), Antwan Gilbreath (WR/DB, Sr.), Landon Felts (WR, Sr.).
Why it’s tasty: This matchup has evolved into one of the region’s most notable in recent years. The Huskies and Eagles have played 17 times over the past 15 seasons, including twice in 2017 and 2018. Decatur won the first nine meetings before the Huskies finally broke through in 2017, winning in the regular season and playoffs. All four of Hirschi’s wins in the series have occurred in the past eight meetings. … Decatur may have to play the first half without star running back Nate Palmer, a TCU commit, who was ejected from the Eagles’ loss to Alvarado last week after incurring two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties. The first was for a mild celebration of a touchdown run, while the second came after a play in the second half. … Decatur’s 1-4 record is deceiving as the Eagles have played a very difficult non-district schedule. The combined record of the team’s that have defeated Decatur is 13-6. The Eagles have lost by one point twice to Stephenville and Alvarado. … This is the second consecutive season Decatur is playing all three WFISD teams. The Eagles went 3-1 against WFISD last season, playing Old High twice. Rider defeated Decatur, 38-14, in Week 2. The Eagles host WFHS in a District 4-4A Division I matchup on Oct. 13. … Hirschi is coming off an open week after claiming a lopsided victory against Carrollton Ranchview. Quarterback Jimmell McFalls had a career performance, passing for 314 yards and three TDs and rushing for 115 yards and two more scores.
PigskinPrep.com says: Decatur by 19.
More: Hirschi grad Vaes lifts Midwestern State to victory with game-winning 54-yard FG
PREMIUM ENTREES
WFHS at GRAHAM
When/where: 7 p.m. Friday, Newton Field
Live updates: Follow @CoryHogueSports and @Naomi_TRN on Twitter. Listen on 100.9 FM or jackwichitafalls.com (WFHS). Listen on positveradio.net (Graham). Watch on team1sports.com/highschool/tx/?S=grahamsteers.
Records: WFHS 1-4; Graham 5-0.
Last game: WFHS 30, Iowa Park 16; Graham 55, Mineral Wells 7
Last meeting: Graham 45, WFHS 31 (2022); WFHS leads all-time series 21-3.
Players to watch: WFHS, Ke’Ondrae Fleeks (WR, Sr.), Jacobey Clay (LB, Sr.), Ivy Kelley (DB, Sr.); Graham, Ty Thompson (QB, Jr.), Rylan Monsey (RB, Jr.), Peyton Kinman (WR/DB, Sr.).
Why it’s tasty: Last season was the first meeting between WFHS and Graham since 1951. The two programs played 23 times between 1915 and 1951, according to lonestarfootball.net, spending a decade in the same district. Graham won the first meeting, 13-0, and then again in 1934, 19-18. The Coyotes won 16 straight before the series was dissolved. … The Steers pulled what was considered a mild upset against the Coyotes last season with the combination of quarterback Ty Thompson and receiver Peyton Kinman torching WFHS, connecting five times for 220 yards and four TDs. … The Coyotes won their first game of the season last week against Iowa Park but have played a deceivingly difficult schedule. The combined record of the four teams that have defeated Old High is 15-5. … Graham has been dominant through five games and yet to be seriously challenged. The Steers are outscoring their opponents by an average of 51.8 to 12.6. Thompson has not thrown an interception in 126 attempts this season, completing 69.8% of his passes for 1,215 yards and 16 TDs.
PigskinPrep.com says: Graham by 31.
More: How Ke'Ondrae Fleeks' one-handed catch made SportsCenter's top plays
ARCHER CITY at SEYMOUR
When/where: 7 p.m. Friday, Fair Park Stadium
Live updates: Follow @trnsports and @ArcherCoSports on Twitter. Listen on 94.3 FM (Seymour).
Records: Archer City 2-1; Seymour 4-1.
Last game: Henrietta 42, Archer City 7; Seymour 49, Munday 0
Last meeting: Archer City 33, Seymour 16; Seymour leads all-time series 28-24.
Players to watch: Archer City, Kole Stovall (WR/DB, Sr.), Chance Warren (WR/DB, Sr.), Landon Smith (QB, Jr.); Seymour, Brayden Loyd (QB, Jr.), David Charo (WR/DB, Sr.), Brason Zeissel (WR, Jr.).
Why it’s tasty: Archer City has won three straight games in this rivalry that dates back to 1926. Most of the previous 52 matchups between these two have been in district play. The Panthers and Wildcats didn’t play each other from 1950 to 1974 but have consistently been in the same district since 1986 with a few intermittent time periods apart from each other. … Seymour throws the ball more than any other team in the area with 67.1% of the Panthers’ plays from scrimmage being passes. And they do it with efficiency. Quarterback Brayden Loyd has completed 62% of his passes for 1,405 yards, 22 TDs and three interceptions, leading an offense that averages 45 points a game. … On the other side, Archer City has an opportunistic defense headlined by senior defensive back Kole Stovall, who has a knack for recording interceptions in big games. He recorded two against Seymour last season and led the area with nine interceptions.
PigskinPrep.com says: Seymour by 16.
APPETIZERS
OLNEY at STAMFORD
When/where: 7 p.m. Friday, Bill Anderson Stadium
Live updates: Watch on nfhsnetwork.com (subscription required).
Records: Olney 2-1; Stamford 4-0
Last game: Olney 36, Fort Worth Temple 0; Stamford 63, Winters 0
Last meeting: Stamford 22, Olney 13 (2022); Stamford leads all-time series 15-7.
Players to watch: Olney, Camron McComack (QB/DB, Jr.), Cyler Sosa (RB/DB, Sr.), Peyton Valdez (OL/DL, Sr.); Stamford, Christian Duran (QB, Jr.), Cle Whitfield (RB, Jr.), Kaston Vega (LB, Jr.).
Why it’s tasty: This is the district opener for Olney, and its first chance at proving its once again a playoff caliber team. The Cubs are coming off an impressive performance with a 36-0 victory against Fort Worth Temple. The Cubs are allowing 8.7 points a game. … Stamford is giving up 4.8 points a game, shutting out consecutive opponents in Ballinger and Winters. The Bulldogs are yet to be challenged this season.
PigskinPrep.com says: Stamford by 11.
WINDTHORST vs. BREMOND
When/where: 7 p.m. Friday, Bearcat Stadium, Aledo
Live updates: Watch on Clay Conrady’s Facebook page.
Records: Windthorst 3-1; Bremond 2-2
Last game: Windthorst 42, Haskell 7; Holland 31, Bremond 21
Last meeting: Bremond 54, Windthorst 21 (2022); Bremond leads all-time series 1-0.
Players to watch: Windthorst, Brock Belcher (QB/DB, Fr.), Brayden Berend (WR/DL/DB, Sr.), Kolby Teakell (WR/DB, Sr.); Bremond, Koben Zan (QB, Sr.), Terrance Scott (RB/LB, So.), Tristan Morehead (WR/DB, So.)
Why it’s tasty: Windthorst and Bremond are separated by 232 miles, which is why the two are splitting the difference and playing this non-district matchup in Aledo. Bremond cruised to victory in last year’s meeting, but the Tigers graduated several key figures. They were 5-0 coming into last year’s matchup with Windthorst and are 2-2 this season. … Windthorst exploded for 47 points last week with freshman quarterback Brock Belcher putting together his best performance in his young career.
PigskinPrep.com says: Bremond by 4.
FULL MENU
Kickoff is 7:30 p.m. Friday unless noted. Schedule is subject to change.
Thursday’s Game
Non-District
Gold-Burg vs. Motley County, 7 p.m. at Burleson
Friday’s Games
District 4-2A Division I
Olney at Stamford, 7 p.m.
District 7-2A Division II
Archer City at Seymour, 7 p.m.
Petrolia at Haskell, 7 p.m.
Munday at Electra, 7 p.m.
Non-District
WFHS at Graham, 7 p.m.
Hirschi at Decatur, 7 p.m.
Alvarado at Burkburnett, 7 p.m.
Snyder at Holliday
Windthorst vs. Bremond, 7 p.m. in Aledo
Harrold at Wichita Christian, 7 p.m.
Knox City at Saint Jo
Aspermont at Newcastle
Valley at Crowell
Throckmorton at Hermleigh
Northside at Forestburg
Paint Creek at Chillicothe
Loraine at Benjamin
Open: Rider, Iowa Park, Vernon, Bowie, Henrietta, City View, Jacksboro, Nocona, Quanah, Bryson
This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: Hirschi-Decatur, WFHS-Graham 2023 high school football previews
