Big Country Game of the Week: Brownwood, Abilene Wylie duel once again in football opener
Back when Sammy Burnett was a student at Brownwood High School, Abilene Wylie was playing the likes of Ballinger, Merkel, Colorado City and Clyde in district.
All are Class 3A schools, other than 2A C-City.
That was back in the late 1980s, when Brownwood was a much larger school than Wylie. They didn’t even play each other in football until 2006.
My how things have changed.
Wylie begins its sixth year as a Class 5A program, while Brownwood is a 4A school when the two meet at 7 p.m. Friday at Hugh Sandifer Stadium.
It wouldn’t have been a surprise had either school decided to stop playing the other. Wylie doesn’t have much to gain playing down a class, while Brownwood — which has lost the last three meetings — might choose to play a school closer to its size.
Burnett, a 1988 Brownwood grad, didn’t want to stop playing a Bulldogs team that was in the Lions’ district eight seasons between 2008 and 2017. The two programs even met in the state quarterfinals in 2015.
“They’ve always had some big battles and some big moments,” Burnett said. “I think they’re a worthy opponent who gives us an opportunity to sharpen our skills. You’re always going to have to bring your ‘A’ game when you play them.”
Clay Martin, who has been at Wylie for 31 years, the last four as the head football coach, didn’t want to stop playing 4A programs such as Brownwood and Stephenville — the latter played the Bulldogs for the first time in 2010 as league rivals with the Lions.
“Obviously, those are two quality programs that have a great tradition and great coaches,” Martin said. “The biggest reason is proximity. They’re two schools that are relatively close to us, and no matter what, they’re going to be really competitive games. I think for us, it was a no-brainer to keep playing them.”
Wylie leads the all-time series with Brownwood 13-6, including 4-1 since the Bulldogs’ move to 5A.
“They’ve grown, and they’ve got a great program, and they’ve done some great things over the years,” Burnett said. “Yeah, they have better numbers than we do, and they have really big, big kids. We see it as a challenge. We want to be tested by the best.”
The Pick: Wylie 28, Brownwood 24
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Best of the Rest
Abilene Cooper at Keller
8 p.m. Thursday
Keller lost a wealth of talent from a 10-3 Region I-6A Division I semifinalist team that beat Cooper 34-16 in last year's opener in Abilene. However, DB Ryan Ventura (142 tackles, four interceptions) is back. He returned a punt 63 yards for a TD and ran 35 yards for another in last year’s win. WR Tre’ Griffiths (32-865, 7 TDs receiving) and RB Cameron Rayford (766 yards, six TDs rushing) lead the offense.
Cooper is led by RB Daniel Bray (110-731, 10 TDs rushing), while Austin Cummins and Cayden Garcia are battling for the starting QB job after the graduation of Chris Warren (2,469 yards, 22 TDs passing).
The pick: Cooper 24, Keller 21
Abilene High at Odessa Permian
7 p.m. Friday
Permian, which snapped a two-game skid in the series last year, returns six starters on offense and seven on defense from a 9-2 Region I-6A D-I team that lost to El Paso Pebble Hills 45-28 in the first round of the playoffs. RB Juztyce Lara (1,170 yards, 24 TDs) is a playmaker on offense, and he might have to carry the load with the team turning to a new starting QB.
AHS, which struggled offensively at times last year, especially early, lit up Wylie in last week’s scrimmage. Keep an eye on QB Brayden Henry and RB Antoine Rashaw, while the defense promises to be solid as always.
The pick: Abilene High 35, Permian 30
Hawley at Jim Ned
7:30 p.m. Friday
Class 2A D-I champion Hawley lost a lot of talent from last year’s 16-0 squad, but the cupboard isn’t bare, with WR/DL Diontay Ramon, WR/DB Chandlin Myers and RB/DL Landon Sykora. QB Keagan Ables has some big shoes to fill in replacing Rodey Hooper (3,388 yards, 35 TDs passing) for a program that's won 27 consecutive regular-season games.
Jim Ned, a 3A D-I state champion in 2020, will counter with RB Brayden Shipman (1,124 yards, 8 TDs rushing), who runs behind a big, talented offensive line.
The pick: Hawley 35, Jim Ned 21
Hamlin at Stamford
7:30 p.m. Friday
Wayne Hutchinson, who led Stamford to three consecutive state title games from 2011-13, winning the last two, returns to the sidelines as the Bulldogs’ coach after a year of retirement following eight seasons at Class 5A Lubbock Monterey.
Bulldogs' QB Christian Duran (1,525 yards, 18 TDs passing/523 yards, eight TDs rushing) and RB Kaston Vega (887 yards, 15 TDs rushing/25-486 yards, six TDs receiving) make for a nice 1-2 punch, and the defense returns eight starters from an 8-3 playoff team.
Hamlin, led by first-year coach Jason Botos, was 5-5 last year, including a 48-0 loss to Stamford in Hamlin
The pick: Stamford 45, Hamlin 7
Albany at Lubbock Trinity Christian
7 p.m. Friday
Albany, the defending Class 2A D-II champions, is a heavy favorite to win it all again. The Lions play a Trinity Christian team that gave them fits in the opener last year, with Albany scoring 13 points in the fourth quarter to pull out a 19-15 win.
RB Adam Hill (1,526 yards, 24 TDs) is back for Albany, while OL/DL Zane Waggoner is a force on both sides of the ball.
The pick: Albany 28, Trinity Christian 14
Best six-man game
Knox City, ranked No. 6 in Texas Football magazine’s preseason Class A Division I state poll, takes on two-time D-I state champion Westbrook at 6 p.m. Thursday in Jayton.
The game is part of the 20th annual Jayton Gridiron Classic and kicks off three days of six-man games in Jayton.
Jayton plays Garden City at 8 p.m. Thursday.
Here’s the rest of the lineup:
Friday – Borden County vs. Lubbock Kingdom Prep, 4 p.m.: Strawn vs. Crowell, 6 p.m.; Turkey Valley vs. Matador Motley County, 8 p.m.
Saturday – McLean vs. Van Horn, 2:30 p.m.; Lamesa Klondike vs. Happy, 5 p.m.; Ira vs. May, 7:30 p.m.
Big Country Power Rankings
Class 3A/4A
1. Stephenville (9-3 last year) – Midlothian Heritage
2. Brownwood (10-3) – at Wylie
3. Comanche (10-2) – at Brady
4. Jim Ned (8-4) – Hawley
5. Early (7-5) – Bangs
Class 2A
1. Hawley (16-0 DI state champ) – at Jim Ned
2. Albany (14-2 DII state champ) – at Lubbock Trinity Christian
3. Cisco (11-3) – at Clyde
4. Stamford (8-3) – Hamlin
5. Coleman (8-5) – Mason
Class 1A
1. Westbrook (14-1 two-time DI state champ) – Knox City at Jayton (Thursday)
2. Benjamin (15-0 DII state champ) – Follett
3. Gordon (12-1) – Throckmorton
4. Loraine (14-2 DII state finalist) – Highland
5. Knox City (9-3) – Westbrook at Jayton (Thursday)
WEEK 1 SCHEDULE
Thursday's Games
CLASS 2A
Water Valley at TLCA-Abilene, 7:30 p.m.
CLASS 1A
Knox City vs. Westbrook, 6 p.m. at Jayton
Garden City at Jayton, 8 p.m.
INTERCLASS
Fort Worth Christian at Dublin, 7 p.m.
Abilene Cooper at Keller, 8 p.m.
Friday's Games
CLASS 4A
Big Spring at Pampa, 7 p.m.
CLASS 3A
Eastland at Wall, 7 p.m.
Comanche at Brady, 7 p.m.
Breckenridge at Jacksboro, 7:30 p.m.
CLASS 2A
Cross Plains at Winters, 7 p.m.
De Leon at Junction, 7 p.m.
Mason at Coleman, 7 p.m.
Merkel vs. Clifton, 7 p.m. at Dublin
Haskell at New Home, 7 p.m.
Roscoe at Colorado City, 7 p.m.
Seymour at Anson, 7 p.m.
Hamlin at Stamford, 7:30 p.m.
CLASS 1A
Follett at Benjamin, 5:30 p.m.
Strawn vs. Crowell, 6 p.m. at Jayton
Lohn at Moran, 7 p.m.
Lubbock Home School at Abilene Christian High, 7 p.m.
Trent at Lueders-Avoca, 7 p.m.
Ranger at Walnut Springs, 7 p.m.
Roby vs. Claude, 7 p.m. at Matador
Ackerly Sands at Hermleigh, 7:30 p.m.
Blackwell at Aspermont, 7:30 p.m.
Gorman at Lometa, 7:30 p.m.
Gustine at Iredell, 7:30 p.m.
Highland at Loraine, 7:30 p.m.
Lingleville at Bluff Dale, 7:30 p.m.
Meadow at Baird, 7:30 p.m.
Mullin at Brookesmith, 7:30 p.m.
Paint Creek at Harrold, 7:30 p.m.
Rising Star at Blanket, 7:30 p.m.
Rotan at Robert Lee 7:30 p.m.
Rule at Newcastle, 7:30 p.m.
Santa Anna at Veribest, 7:30 p.m.
Sidney at Priddy, 7:30 p.m.
Throckmorton at Gordon, 7:30 p.m.
Trent at Lueders-Avoca, 7:30 p.m.
Woodson at Panther Creek, 7:30 p.m.
Zephyr at Bronte, 7:30 p.m.
INTERCLASS
Abilene High at Odessa Permian, 7 p.m.
Albany at Lubbock Trinity Christian, 7 p.m.
Brownwood at Abilene Wylie, 7 p.m.
Cisco at Clyde, 7 p.m.
Idalou at Sweetwater, 7 p.m.
Snyder at Slaton, 7 p.m.
Sonora at Ballinger, 7 p.m.
Bangs at Early, 7:30 p.m.
Coahoma vs. Forsan, 7:30 p.m. at Big Spring
Hawley at Jim Ned, 7:30 p.m.
Midlothian Heritage at Stephenville, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday's Games
CLASS 1A
May vs. Ira, 7:30 p.m. at Jayton
This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: High School Football: Week 1 predictions, games to watch in Big Country
