WR's Mata player of the week
Oct. 20—West Rusk senior quarterback Andon Mata is the Chick-Fil-A / Kilgore News Herald player of the week this week, and it wasn't all that easy.
Mata's performance in the Raiders' 62-0 homecoming thrashing of Winona was magnificent, and one of several fantastic performances last weekend.
Mata completed 19-of-25 passes for 343 yards and six touchdowns — school records — in the victory, keeping coach Nick Harrison's Raiders unbeaten and ranked squarely at the top of the #bEASTTexas Fabulous 15 poll of Class 3A, 2A and TAPPS schools. The Raiders are 7-0, 3-0 in District 9-3A, Division II (looking to repeat as district champions) and visit Harmony this Friday night.
Also in that game for West Rusk, Will Jackson caught six of Mata's passes for 102 yards and two touchdowns; Noah Murphy had 82 rushing yards and two touchdowns; Omarion Anthony also had two touchdown catches; Geremiah Smith and Tate Winings each had one; and Jeremiah Edwards had 11 tackles, three for loss.
Other noteworthy performances by players in the News Herald's coverage area:
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Davin Rider, a multi-time Chick-Fil-A / News Herald player of the week, just about did it again. The running back for the Kilgore Bulldogs had 31 carries for 227 yards and three touchdowns in the Bulldogs' big District 9-4A, Division I win at home over Chapel hill.
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KHS quarterback Da'Marion Van Zandt, last week's player of the week, completed 8-of-16 passes for 158 yards and two scores in that win.
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Jermaine Roney caught two passes for 48 yards and a score, and blocked two field goals for KHS.
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P.J. Wiley had a 24-yard touchdown catch for the Ragin' Red.
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Kilgore's kickers went off. Jose Jaime punted three times for 143 yards, an average of almost 48 yards a kick, and Chris Baldazo went 5-of-6 in extra point attempts.
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Peyton Christian had two tackles for loss, a sack and a fumble recovery for a touchdown for the 'Dogs.
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Chris McGhee had the hit that caused the fumble that Christian recovered, and a tackle for loss.
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Chris Ervin had two tackles for loss and recovered somewhat of an onside kick attempt for Kilgore.
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Sabine quarterback Jace Burns, another multi-time player of the week, had 153 yards rushing, 225 yards passing and two scores in each category as the Cardinals took White Oak to the woodshed.
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Brannigan Willige had 102 yards and two scores on 18 carries, and had 13 tackles, two for loss and a sack and a half on defense.
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Daylon Branham had 14 tackles, one for loss in the win, which kept the Cardinals unbeaten in District 6-3A, Division I.
