Week Nine Games to Watch in Central Texas

 

Aquilla​ ​(7-1,2-0)​ ​at​ ​Coolidge​ ​(5-2,1-0)

This​ ​game​ ​will​ ​likely​ ​determine​ ​the​ ​winner​ ​of​ ​District 14-1A D1. ​Aquilla​ ​has​ ​been​ ​fantastic​ ​this season,​ ​with​ ​their​ ​only​ ​loss​ ​coming​ ​against​ ​juggernaut​ ​Milford.​ ​Coolidge​ ​has​ ​been​ ​playing​ ​well also,​ ​with​ ​their​ ​only​ ​losses​ ​coming​ ​to​ ​powerhouse​ ​programs​ ​Calvert​ ​and​ ​Jonesboro.​ ​These teams​ ​pride​ ​themselves​ ​in​ ​putting​ ​up​ ​points​ ​and​ ​holding​ ​their​ ​opponents​ ​at​ ​bay​ ​with​ ​sound defense.
​Last​ ​Meeting: Coolidge​ ​69​, ​Aquilla​ ​22 (2016)​

Goldthwaite​ ​(4-3,3-0)​ ​at​ ​Crawford​ ​(6-2,3-1)

Goldthwaite​ ​started​ ​the​ ​season​ 0-3,​ ​but​ ​the​ ​Eagles​ have ​regroup​ed to win ​four straight.​ ​Crawford​ ​has​ ​made​ ​the​ ​best​ ​of​ ​an​ ​unfortunate​ ​situation,​ ​with great​ ​coaching​ ​and​ ​living​ ​by​ ​the​ ​term​ ​“next​ ​man​ ​up”.​ ​The​ ​Pirates​ ​lost​ ​star​ ​RB​ ​Garrett Dutchsmann​ ​during​ ​their​ ​loss​ ​to​ ​Clifton​ ​with​ ​broken​ ​ribs​ ​and​ ​Casen​ ​Ewing​ ​was​ ​asked​ ​to​ ​carry the​ ​load.​

​Goldthwaite​ ​hasn’t​ ​played​ ​the​ ​toughest​ ​teams​ ​in​ ​district​ ​yet,​ ​so​ ​this​ ​game​ ​will​ ​be​ ​a measuring​ ​stick​ ​for​ ​the​ ​Eagles.​ ​Crawford​ ​has​ ​already​ ​faced​ ​the​ ​best​ ​team​ ​in​ ​district​ ​7,​ ​De​ ​Leon and​ ​now​ ​Goldthwaite​ ​and​ ​Hico​ ​are​ ​the​ ​only​ ​teams​ ​with​ ​a​ ​chance​ ​to​ ​block​ ​the​ ​Pirates​ ​from earning​ ​runner​ ​up​ ​in​ ​district​ ​play.
Last​ ​Meeting: Crawford​ ​34​, ​Goldthwaite​ ​9 (2016)​

McGregor​ ​(4-3,2-1)​ ​at​ ​Rockdale​ ​(5-2,3-0)

Rockdale​ ​is​ ​coming​ ​off​ ​an​ ​emotional​ ​victory​ ​against​ ​nemesis​ ​Cameron​ Yoe ​for​ ​the​ ​Battle​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Bell, 63-34.​ ​The​ ​Tigers​ ​had​ ​their​ ​way​ ​with​ ​the​ ​Yoe​men ​and​ ​secured​ ​their​ ​first​ ​back-to-back ​wins in the series since​ ​1977.​

​McGregor​ ​rode​ ​the​ ​legs​ ​of​ ​Jonathan​ ​Phenix​ ​and​ ​used​ ​physical​ ​defense​ ​to​ ​dominate Jarrell​ ​last​ ​week for a 42-10 win to grab ​their​ ​second​ ​district​ ​victory.​ ​The​ ​Bulldogs​ ​will​ ​need​ ​to​ ​bring​ ​that same​ ​physicality​ ​with​ ​them​ ​this​ ​week​ ​to​ ​knock​ ​off​ ​the​ ​Tigers.​ ​

Rockdale​ ​will​ ​look​ ​to​ ​their​ ​senior leader​ ​quarterback ​Torry​ ​Locklin,​ ​to​ ​help​ ​guide​ ​them​ ​to​ ​victory​ ​with​ ​his​ ​dual​ ​threat​ ​capabilities.​ ​The Tigers​ ​are​ ​currently​ ​tied​ ​with​ ​Franklin​ ​for​ ​the​ ​lead​ ​in​ District 10-3A D1 ​and​ ​Franklin​ ​has​ ​already defeated​ ​McGregor​ ​17-10.
​Last​ ​Meeting: Rockdale​ ​41​, ​McGregor​ ​34 (2016)​

West​ ​(6-1,4-0)​ at ​#5​ ​Malakoff​ ​(7-0,4-0)

The​ ​Trojans​ ​have​ ​already​ ​surpassed​ ​their​ ​total​ ​wins​ ​from​ ​last​ ​season​ ​and​ ​avenged​ ​losses against​ ​Rockdale​ ​and​ ​Carrollton​ ​Ranchview.​ ​West​ ​will​ ​now​ ​be​ ​looking​ ​to​ ​avenge​ ​another​ ​loss from​ ​last​ ​season,​ ​as​ ​they​ ​head​ ​to​ ​Malakoff​ ​for​ ​a​ ​shot​ ​at​ ​the​ ​district​ ​championship.​ ​The​ ​Tigers haven’t​ ​had​ ​a​ ​losing​ ​season​ ​since​ ​2008​ ​and​ ​they​ ​made​ ​themselves​ ​comfortable​ ​in​ ​big​ ​game scenarios.​ ​

Malakoff​ ​started​ ​the​ ​season​ ​off​ ​with​ ​three​ ​close​ ​games,​ ​with​ ​two​ ​of​ ​those​ ​games being​ ​won​ ​29-27​ ​and​ ​49-47.​ ​The​ ​Trojans​ ​have​ ​an​ ​explosive​ offense,​ ​that​ ​is​ ​currently​ ​averaging 35.4​ ​points​ ​per​ ​game​ ​and​ ​their​ ​defense has​ ​forced​ ​11​ ​turnovers​ ​on​ ​the​ ​season.​ ​Malakoff​ ​will​ ​be the​ ​toughest opponent​ ​that​ ​West​ ​has​ ​faced​ ​since​ ​Mart​ ​and​ ​the​ ​Trojans​ ​lost​ ​that​ ​game 42-12.
​Last​ ​Meeting: Malakoff​ ​42​, ​West​ ​0 (2016)​

Gatesville​ ​(7-0,2-0)​ ​at​ ​China​ ​Spring​ ​(5-2,1-1)

The​ ​Cougars​ ​are​ ​coming​ ​off​ ​a​ ​district​ ​loss​ ​at​ ​rival​ ​La​ ​Vega​ ​20-10.​ ​China​ ​Spring’s​ ​star receiver​ ​Tyrick​ ​James​ ​was​ ​taken​ ​completely​ ​out​ ​of​ ​the​ ​game​ ​by​ ​the​ ​Pirates​ ​defense. Gatesville​ ​is​ ​one​ ​of​ ​the​ ​biggest​ ​surprise​ ​teams​ ​of​ ​the​ ​season​ ​and​ ​the​ ​Hornets​ ​haven’t​ ​shown any​ ​signs​ ​of​ ​slowing​ ​down.​ ​The​ ​Hornets​ ​have​ ​outscored​ ​their​ ​two​ ​district​ ​opponents,​ ​Burnet​ ​and Lampasas, 96-20.​ ​

The​ ​Cougars​ ​haven’t​ ​lost​ ​back-to-back​ ​district​ ​games​ ​since​ ​2014​ ​and​ ​they haven’t​ ​lost​ ​to​ ​Gatesville​ ​since​ ​2011.​ ​These​ ​two​ ​teams​ ​are​ ​very​ ​similar​ ​in their​ ​style​ ​of​ ​play​ ​and great​ ​defense​ ​has​ ​been​ ​the​ ​blueprint​ ​for​ ​success.
Last​ ​Meeting: China​ ​Spring​ ​46​, ​Gatesville​ ​21 (2016)​ ​

Brought To You By