After football playoff showdown, Jayton gets another shot at Grayson Rigdon, Benjamin

SAN ANTONIO — Different sport, same stars.

When Jayton and Benjamin meet at the Alamodome for the Class 1A state championship Saturday, it will be the second time since late November the schools tangle in a high-stakes postseason matchup.

Each ranked in the top three of 1A Division II when the No. 1 Mustangs ousted the Jaybirds in the football regional final. Grayson Rigdon, still yet to lose a high school game on the gridiron, accounted for eight touchdowns in the 85-40 pummeling.

Saturday will be a chance for many of the same Jayton athletes to exact a measure of "payback" in a different setting.

Jayton senior Jarret Herzog said Rigdon's athleticism was a jolt to the football team.

"You can watch film and look at him, but he's a different animal whenever you actually step out on the field and play against him," Herzog said. "His speed and his ability to change directions, that's what really shocked us on the football field."

The junior Rigdon has been the six-man football player of the year three times, but he's no slouch on the hardwood, either. Rigdon scored a game-high 32 points in Benjamin's 75-58 semifinal win over Gordon, adding five assists and six rebounds.

The skills utilized in each sport go hand in hand.

"His footwork and his ability to get by people one-on-one is very, very similar," Jayton coach Ryan Bleiker said. "He's just so quick and shifty. And then his upper body is really strong, too, so you have to absorb that when he drives and attacks."

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Jayton standout Sean Stanaland had his own head-turning performance Thursday. Stanaland, who doubles as a quarterback, tallied 32 points, nine rebounds and seven assists in a win over Fayetteville. He called it an "honor" to match Rigdon's scoring output.

The outing came on the heels of Stanaland's 20-point game in last year's state championship. The 6-foot-1 guard took a postgame message to heart after attempting three shots in the 2023 semifinal win.

"My first (state-tournament) game last year as a freshman, I was really nervous," Stanaland said. "I was scared to shoot it. I was like, 'I don't want to airball.' … My coach talked to me and was like, 'Hey, it's fine. Shake it off. We have a big game tomorrow and you can really show out next game.' I just did my thing. I flushed all those nerves away and I just played how I play.

"That transferred over to today. I know what I'm capable of with all my teammates. Having the experience definitely is like a boost up."

Neither top player does it alone. Benjamin's Weston Weatherford scored 20 points and Jules Pugi 13 against Gordon. Lengthy Jayton defenders like Griff Reel (6-4), Colt Gentry (6-2) and Herzog (6-3) helped hold Fayetteville to 16% shooting and eight points in the paint. Herzog had two of five blocks.

The Jaybirds also enjoyed a 50-30 edge on the boards, including 18 offensive rebounds.

"They're a lot bigger than us, huh?" Lions coach Jake Diggs said. "They get their hands in the passing lane. We knew rebounding would be a struggle. They got a lot of offensive boards, and we were one shot and done."

Bleiker called the group one of the best defensive teams in Jayton history. He knows the Jaybirds will have to show that Saturday as each program vies for its first state title.

"(Benjamin) is gonna be a different challenge to stop offensively than what we've seen in a while," Bleiker said. "I know Grayson Rigdon, he is really good … but their other guys are really good too. They can really score from a lot of places and hurt you."

SEMIFINAL LOOK BACK: Stanaland erupts to power Jayton past Fayetteville

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This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Jayton, Benjamin boys basketball face off for 1A title after football playoff