High school playoffs begin: Hermleigh faces Sterling City in early six-man showdown
The regular season is now in the rearview mirror.
After 11 weeks, a number of Big Country teams have shown they are capable of deep runs in the playoffs. Others come into the playoffs as a bit of an unknown after up-and-down regular seasons.
From 1A Division II to 4A Division I, 11 teams in the area find themselves in the rankings before playoffs begin Thursday.
Jim Ned, the defending Class 3A Division I champion, comes in at No. 1 in those rankings. May, last year’s runner up in 1A Division I, is the top-ranked six-man team. And Stephenville and Strawn are both ranked No. 2 in the 4A Division I and 1A Division II rankings, respectively.
Several of the area’s top teams will be tested in the first round of playoffs. Here’s a look at the Big Country’s best bi-district matchups:
Six-man showdown
Hermleigh (10-0) vs. Sterling City (8-2), 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Colorado City
Two of the most impressive six-man teams battle immediately in bi-district.
Hermleigh and Sterling City have a combined 19-2 record and play each other in the first round of playoffs. The Cardinals (10-0, 4-0) finished first in District 7-1A Division I, while the Eagles (8-2, 3-1) placed second in District 8-1A I.
Hermleigh, ranked No. 9 in 1A Division I, finished 10-0 overall for the first time since 1978 after beating Ira 66-48 in Week 10. The Cardinals scored 578 points in their regular season games, winning by an average of 46.7 points. Their win over Ira was their only non-mercy-rule win.
Sterling City is the defending 1A Division I state champion, beating May in last year’s championship game. The Eagles faltered twice this year, losing to May and Westbrook, which lost only two games in 2020 - both to Sterling City.
Still, the Eagles are a juggernaut. They scored 658 points in 10 games, allowing just 274.
Like all the good six-man teams, both teams have dynamic offenses. First team to 60 points may very well come out on top in this intriguing showdown.
Ending the season in a shootout against Ira, Hermleigh coach Sam Winters believes the Cardinals are prepared to battle with an impressive Sterling City team.
“We needed that kind of tough, knock-down battle,” Winters said. “They have a great football team over there, and I think our boys are anxious.”
PICK: Sterling City 74, Hermleigh 66
Jim Ned begins repeat effort
Jim Ned (10-0) vs. Peaster (7-3), 7 p.m. Friday, Tarleton Memorial Stadium, Stephenville
The bi-district round wasn’t easy for Jim Ned last year, as the Indians sneaked by Paradise 21-18. The Indians went onto win the 3A Division I state championship.
Round one could be tough again for Jim Ned. The Indians face a 7-win Peaster team that was on a four-game winning streak before losing its last two regular-season games.
Peaster has quality wins over Paradise, Bowie and Trinity Valley en route to finishing fourth in District 4-3A I.
Behind center for Peaster, Gunner McElroy is one of the most explosive quarterbacks at the 3A level. The junior threw for 2,484 yards and 27 touchdowns in the regular season, completing 62% of passes.
Needless to say, Jim Ned has fire power on both sides of the ball.
Xavier Wishert has established himself as one of the state’s best running backs, posting 1,881 yards and 18 touchdowns. And with Tate Yardley, Braden Lewis, Blaine Palmer and many others, the Indians are capable of hurting teams in many different ways.
PICK: Jim Ned 34, Peaster 17
How good is Roscoe?
Roscoe (8-1) vs. Quanah (2-8), 6 p.m. Thursday, Post
Roscoe has been one of the best stories in 2021, plowing through District 5-2A Division II. The Plowboys earned all of their wins by double digits, and their only loss came in Week 1 against state-ranked Hawley, which went 10-0.
To end the regular season, Roscoe sailed to a 61-0 shutout of Hamlin. The Plowboys outgained Hamlin 543-97 and forced three turnovers.
As the Plowboys move onto the postseason, they set their focus toward a 2-8 Quanah team.
The Indians’ losing record is a bit deceiving/ They ended the season playing their best football, winning two of their last four games.
But Quanah’s defense struggled throughout the entire season. Opponents scored an average of 35.1 points on the Indians.
With quarterback Jax Watts, Roscoe has an efficient passing game to go along with a strong combination of running backs. If the Plowboys’ multi-dimensional offense can produce like it did in their first 10 games, Roscoe should be well on its way to the area round.
PICK: Roscoe 45, Quanah 17
Early coming off big win over Wall
Early (8-2) vs. Pilot Point (7-3), 7:30 p.m. Friday, Saginaw
Early’s regular season had its ups and downs. The Longhorns started 5-0 before losing back-to-back games to open district play.
Then, they beat TLCA San Angelo, Clyde and Wall to end the season with the No. 3 seed in District 3-3A I.
Early opens the postseason with a challenging bi-district game against Pilot Point.
Pilot Point comes into the playoffs 7-3, 6-1. The Bearcats played a tough schedule that included games against Brock, Gunter, De Kalb, Whitesboro and Peaster.
They are a team that’s capable in the air and on the ground. Quarterback Wyatt Smith threw 18 touchdown passes and just four interceptions in the regular season. Ish Harris was the Bearcats’ top runner, going for 831 yards and 14 touchdowns.
The Longhorns also have a dependable quarterback in Jaxyn Price. Price threw for 1,796 yards and 25 touchdowns, and those numbers would be higher if he didn’t miss a game and a half with a concussion.
The outcome may come down to how well Price can throw against a strong Pilot Point defense.
PICK: Pilot Point 38, Early 28
Snyder has potential
Snyder (7-3) vs. Seminole (5-5), 7 p.m. Friday, Lowery Field, Lubbock
Snyder’s regular season was a roller coaster.
The Tigers started 5-0 before losing a hard-fought battle to Jim Ned. They went 2-2 in district play, beating Monahans and Pecos but falling to Sweetwater and Greenwood.
Snyder ended on a high note, however, in the Pecos game. In his first varsity start at running back, Dom Dominguez was a juggernaut, rushing for 173 yards and three touchdowns. The 48-24 win secured Snyder the No. 3 seed from District 1-4A II.
Seminole is Snyder’s bi-district opponent. The Indians had a rough start, losing three of their first four games. But they improved steadily, finishing 3-1 in district play.
Seminole is a pass-heavy team. Quarterback Blake Flowers completed over 60% of his passes for 3,041 yards and 22 touchdowns in the regular season.
If Snyder can bottle up Flowers, the Tigers could be on their way to the area round.
PICK: Snyder 35, Seminole 31
Rematch in Abilene
Coleman (9-0) vs. Anson (4-6), 7 p.m. Thursday, Hugh Sandifer Stadium, Abilene
The bi-district game between Anson and Coleman is a rematch of Week 2. That game, Coleman cruised to a 33-6 win and held Anson to 79 rushing yards.
Coleman finished the regular season unbeaten, and that included a signature 31-7 win at home against perennial power Cisco to clinch the District 4-2A I championship. Anson, on the other hand, squeaked in the playoffs by beating Colorado City 42-14 in Week 11.
Dual-threat quarterback Jadin Jackson leads Coleman’s offense. He has been aided by his top targets in Devinar Roberson, Cort McFadden and Braxton Smith, among others.
For Anson, the Tigers’ offensive identity revolves around several capable running backs. Their leading rusher, Riley Pippin, went for 254 yards and two touchdowns in the Colorado City game.
Coleman really snuck up on people. The Bluecats weren’t ranked until their drubbing of Cisco. Now ranked No. 9, they’re well regarded as a team that could go far in the 2A Division I playoffs.
PICK: Coleman 37, Anson 13
Carson Field is the area sports reporter for the Abilene Reporter-News. He covers primarily Big Country high school sports. If you appreciate locally driven news, you can support local journalists with a digital subscription to ReporterNews.com" target="_blank">digital subscription to reporternews.com.
Big Country Power Rankings
CLASS 3A/4A
1. Jim Ned (10-0); Last week: Beat Clyde 35-7; This week: Peaster (7-3).
2. Stephenville (10-0); Last week: Beat Brownwood 63-7; This week: Dunbar (6-4).
3. Sweetwater (7-3); Last week: Beat Monahans 27-21; This week: Borger (2-7).
4. Snyder (7-3); Last week: Beat Pecos 48-24; This week: Seminole (5-5).
5. Early (8-2); Last week: Beat Wall 24-14; This week: Pilot Point (7-3).
CLASS 2A
1. Albany (9-0); Last week: Beat Cross Plains 61-3; This week: Era (2-8).
2. Hawley (10-0); Last week: Beat Forsan 24-21; This week: San Saba (2-8).
3. Coleman (9-0); Last week: Beat Winters 42-0; This week: Anson (4-6).
4. Roscoe (8-1); Last week: Beat Hamlin 61-0; This week: Quanah (2-8).
5. Cisco (6-2); Last week: Beat San Saba 46-7; This week: Haskell (4-6).
CLASS 1A
1. May (9-0); Last week: Beat Lingleville 54-8; This week: Irion County (8-2).
2. Strawn (10-0); Last week: Beat Gordon 83-38; This week: Morgan (3-5).
3. Throckmorton (11-0); Last week: Beat Woodson 50-0; This week: Fannindel (6-2).
4. Hermleigh (10-0); Last week: idle; This week: Sterling City (8-2).
5. Benjamin (10-0); Last week: Beat Harrold (forfeit); This week: Jayton (9-1).
Carson’s playoff picks
CLASS 4A
Big Spring vs. EL PASO RIVERSIDE
Fort Worth Dunbar vs. STEPHENVILLE
Brownwood vs. KENNEDALE
SWEETWATER vs. Borger
SNYDER vs. Seminole
CLASS 3A
JIM NED vs. Peaster
Breckenridge vs. WHITESBORO
Early vs. PILOT POINT
Ballinger vs. CRANE
Dublin vs. CALLISBURG
EASTLAND vs. Wichita Falls City View
CLASS 2A
HAWLEY vs. San Saba
COLEMAN vs. Anson
CISCO vs. Haskell
FORSAN vs. Goldthwaite
ROSCOE vs. Quanah
ALBANY vs. Era
Cross Plains vs. MUENSTER
CLASS 1A
Knox City vs. BORDEN COUNTY
Hermleigh vs. STERLING CITY
Westbrook vs. IRA
MAY vs. Irion County
Benjamin vs. JAYTON
Blackwell vs. BALMORHEA
Loraine vs. SANDERSON
Rule vs. MOTLEY COUNTY
THROCKMORTON vs. Ladonia Fannindel
LUEDERS-AVOCA vs. Gold-Burg
STRAWN vs. Morgan
Blanket vs. CHEROKEE
This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: Hermleigh Cardinals face Sterling City Eagles to open 6-man playoffs
