The Texas High School football season is creeping toward the midway point of the year with district games getting underway on Thursday and Friday night across the Texas Panhandle and South Plains. Check out how the Press Pass Sports team of Lance Lahnert, Lee Passmore, Craig Sperry and Kale Steed see things working out.
THURSDAY’S GAMES
District 2-5A Division I
Lubbock Monterey (2-2, 0-0) at Amarillo High (3-1, 0-0), 7 p.m., Dick Bivins Stadium
District opener for both these schools with legit aspirations of making the playoffs. Jason Sims (former Childress coach) is in his first year as head coach at Monterey and we know he loves to establish a run game. AHS is stinging from that 35-14 loss to Palo Duro after rolling through a trio of 6A teams. AHS rebounds and makes it eight in a row over Monterey. … AHS 35, Monterey 31.
Class 4A
Randall (4-0) at Lubbock Estacado (2-2), 7 p.m., Lowrey Field at Plains Capital Park, Lubbock
Randall has rather quietly gone unbeaten thus far, relying on stout defense as much as anything and playing fairly mistake free offensively behind quarterback Kaison Benton. Estacado should provide a challenge athletically, especially with running back Cedric Ross, who’s capable of going over 200 yards against anybody. The Raiders are more about the team than the star, though, and that concept will keep them undefeated in a tough road game prior to district. … Randall 28, Estacado 17.
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Class 1A
Lorenzo (2-2) at Loop (0-3), 7 p.m.
Since 2018 the Hornets haven’t won more than four games in any one season but this year looks to be different. The path is there for them to win six or more games and it begins with this one. … Lorenzo 48, Loop 38.
Amarillo FFC (1-3) vs. Harrold (2-2) at Hedley, 7 p.m.
Most teams are bigger than the Hornets but they can’t be taken lightly for their size and the Lions will find that out. … Harrold 56, Amarillo FFC 8.
White Deer (3-1) at Silverton (0-4), 7 p.m.
After dropping their first game of the year last week, the Bucks are looking to get back on track. It’s been a tough season for the Owls and White Deer won’t make it any easier. … White Deer 52, Silverton 13.
Boys Ranch (4-0) at Lubbock Kingdom Prep (3-1), 7:30 p.m.
What an intriguing matchup. The Roughriders have outperformed expectations and now they have the belief this could be a special season. Isaac Acosta is lighting up defenses and the defense, yes, the defense, is starting to come around. However, the Warriors are a step up from last week and will be their toughest opponent of the year. … Lubbock Kingdom Prep 62, Boys Ranch 52.
FRIDAY’S GAMES
Class 6A
Midland Christian (3-1) at Frenship (1-3), 7 p.m. Peoples Bank Stadium, Wolfforth
Midland Christian really running the gamut having played Bushland (3A DI) two weeks ago and now 6A Frenship. … Frenship 44, Midland Christian 14.
District 2-5A Division I
Tascosa (2-2, 0-0) at Lubbock Coronado (0-4, 0-0), 7 p.m., Lowrey Field at Plains Capital Park, Lubbock
Coronado has allowed an average of 59.3 points per game to it last three opponents. And those opponents aren’t any better than Tascosa. Lopsided win for the Rebs to open district. … Tascosa 55, Coronado 7.
District 2-5A, Division II
Lubbock-Cooper (3-1, 0-0) at Plainview (2-2, 0-0), 7 p.m., Greg Sherwood Memorial Stadium, Plainview
Plainview has firepower with four-year starter Seth Mayberry at QB. But stopping teams has been an issue for the Bulldogs. Cooper won’t be stopped in this district opener. … Cooper 41, Plainview 21.
Abilene Wylie (2-2, 0-0) at Wichita Falls Legacy (1-3, 0-0), 7 p.m., Memorial Stadium, Wichita Falls
Wylie may have been thumped by Stephenville last week, but they will do the thumping this week. … Wylie 42, Legacy 17.
Wichita Falls Memorial (4-0, 0-0) at Abilene Cooper (2-2, 0-0), 7 p.m., Shotwell Stadium, Abilene
Memorial is one of the favs to win district. Cooper played a legit non-district schedule with losses to Abilene High and San Angelo Central. … Memorial 34, Cooper 24
Lance Lahnert
Last week: 6-2 (.750)
Season: 19-8 (.703)
Class 4A
Perryton (2-2) at Pampa (1-3), 7 p.m.
Both teams are coming off wins, as Perryton pulled off a mildly surprising win over Hereford and Pampa finally got in the win column against arch rival Borger. There’s plenty of potential here for a shootout, as Perryton quarterback Cooper Schilling leads a prolific passing attack and Pampa’s Max Neff is one of the area’s top running backs. That rushing attack will allow the Harvesters to take more time off the clock, and that plus home field advantage provides a slight edge. … Pampa 34, Perryton 33.
Piedro-Vista, N.M. (3-1) at Canyon (3-1), 7 p.m., Happy State Bank Stadium
In their final pre-district game, the Eagles will host an unfamiliar out of state opponent as a final tune-up. Canyon is coming off a close win over Caprock and is still looking for some offensive consistency while using two quarterbacks. The Eagles are at home and will also enjoy more familiarity with the rules. Last year’s game between the two schools was a shootout, so don’t be surprised if that happens again. Regardless, it tilts in Canyon’s favor. … Canyon 40, Piedro-Vista 28.
Lubbock-Cooper Liberty (4-0) at Fort Stockton (3-1), 7 p.m.
After only two years as a varsity program, Liberty is making a big-time mark on the area, as the Patriots have been all but unstoppable offensively, as evidenced by last week’s 63-27 win over Seminole. Fort Stockton is also off to a solid start, so this looks like a challenging matchup for Liberty on paper considering the long road trip. On the field though, the Patriots have every advantage and will celebrate a decisive win on the ride home. … Liberty 45, Fort Stockton 14.
Lee Passmore
Last week: 6-1 (.857)
Season: 21-6 (.778)
Class 3A
Dumas (3-1) at Bushland (1-3), 7 p.m.
The Falcons return home for the first time since the season opener. It’s been a long three weeks for the Falcons and the road doesn’t get any easier welcoming the Demons to Falcons Stadium. … Dumas 35, Bushland 27.
Borger (0-4) at Dalhart (3-1), 7 p.m.
The Golden Wolves are playing really good football at the moment with no signs of slowing down. … Dalhart 45, Borger 14.
Shallowater (2-2) at Idalou (2-2), 7 p.m.
Two small school traditional powers meet in a great non-district rivalry in what should be a packed Wildcat Stadium. This boasts a really good quarterback matchup as well between Shallowater’s Cooper Martin and Idalou’s Kamdon Lutrick. … Shallowater 34, Idalou 28.
Lamesa (0-4) at Tulia (2-2), 7 p.m.
Keep an eye on Lamesa QB Daniel Ramos. The kid can sling it. The Hornets can also put up the points in what should be a fun ballgame. … Tulia 30, Lamesa 27.
Muleshoe (2-2) at Clyde (3-1), 7 p.m.
The Mules make their longest road trip of the year down I-20 to battle a very talented Bulldog team. Let’s see how they handle it. … Clyde 38, Muleshoe 26.
Abernathy (2-2) at Friona (1-3), 7 p.m.
The Antelopes got a much needed win last week using a big second half to get by Farwell. The offense will want to carry that momentum to Chieftain land. … Abernathy 42, Friona 23.
Sunray (0-4) at Canadian (4-0), 7 p.m.
It’s still a bit early in the season but this Canadian team seems to be the real deal. … Canadian 50, Sunray 12.
Wichita Falls City View (3-1) at Childress (3-1), 7 p.m.
City View will be the Bobcats best test and a real challenge to this recent three-game win streak. Childress did find its offense last week, but the Mustangs are another level of opponent. … City View 36, Childress 20.
Kale Steed
Last week: 7-0 (1.000)
Season: 27-5 (.843)
Class 2A
River Road (1-2) at West Texas High (4-0), 7 p.m.
The Comanches are rolling and I don’t see that changing this week. The Wildcats can matchup in the trenches but West Texas has the skill that is the difference. … WT High 48, River Road 20.
Dimmitt (3-1) at Highland Park (2-2), 7 p.m.
If Dimmitt can beat Highland Park the Bobcats will match their total number of wins in the past four years. Break out the Bobcats. … Dimmitt 34, Highland Park 23.
Wheeler (2-1) at Sanford-Fritch (3-1), 7 p.m.
The Mustangs hope to have hoped to fix some offensive efforts after being shutout at home two weeks ago by Hale Center. Fritch is a team playing with confidence. This will be a physical four quarter football game. … Wheeler 29, Fritch 20.
Shamrock (0-4) at Spearman (2-2), 7 p.m.
The Lynx are gelling at the moment behind the QB play of Jailen Vasquez. … Spearman 48, Shamrock 13.
Panhandle (3-1) at Wellington (4-0), 7 p.m.
This is more than likely the game of the night especially at the small school level. The Skyrockets have passed every test in front of them but haven’t seen a team the caliber of Panhandle. The Panthers have the size up front, so how can Wellington adjust. … Panhandle 42, Wellington 30.
Roscoe (0-4) at New Home (3-1), 7 p.m.
Check off another win for a red-hot Leopards team. … New Home 54, Roscoe 14.
Vega (2-2) at Olton (1-3), 7 p.m.
It’s a long road trip for the Longhorns but the run game always travels. … Vega 27, Olton 22.
Floydada (0-4) at Hale Center (3-1), 7 p.m.
The Owls haven’t given up a point in eight quarters. I can’t guarantee that happens in this game but I can guarantee a W. … Hale Center 50, Floydada 6.
Post (4-0) at Farwell (2-1), 7 p.m.
Here come the Bold Gold to town as a heavy favorite against the Steers. Farwell is a gritty football team and that has shown up early. Post is just very solid at the moment. … Post 45, Farwell 26.
Lubbock Christian (3-1) at New Deal (2-1), 7 p.m.
The Eagles have a mindset of bouncing back after getting drubbed by Wellington last week. The Lions would like to roar at home. … LCHS 30, New Deal 23.
Stratford (3-1) at Lubbock Trinity (2-1), 7 p.m.
The Elks are making a long trek toward the South Plains looking for a third straight win. Trinity hasn’t seen a team like the Elks this season. … Stratford 40, Trinity 21.
Smyer (1-3) at Bovina (1-2), 7 p.m.
After a couple of rough weeks, the Mustangs get back in the win column. … Bovina 35, Smyer 16.
Guymon, Okla., (2-2) at Gruver (3-1), 7 p.m.
The Greyhounds cruise to another victory. … Gruver 47, Guymon 14.
Clarendon (0-4) at Lockney (1-3), 7 p.m.
No one is needing a win more than head coach Jeff Caffey at Clarendon. This is a game the Broncos can get. … Clarendon 29, Lockney 27.
Kale Steed
Last week: 10-3 (.760)
Season: 34-13 (.723)
Class 1A
Motley County (4-0) at Booker (3-1), 6 p.m.
This will be a tough test for the Kiowas as the Matadors are ranked fourth in the state. Injuries have impacted Motley County but this is still a really good squad. Booker will need to scheme up ways to get the ball in Reydn Rosales’ hands to utilize his speed to keep the defense off balance. … Motley County 64, Booker 44.
Follett (1-3) at Amherst (1-3), 6 p.m.
Next week is the battle of Lipscomb County with Booker but don’t expect the Panthers to look past the Bulldogs. … Follett 56, Amherst 6.
Happy (0-4) at Springlake-Earth (1-3), 7 p.m.
There is a lot to digest in this game. The Cowboys first four games were against ranked teams so we aren’t sure where this team sits while the Wolverines have been up and down. Both teams are in the same district but this is a non-district affair as they match up again in four weeks. This one will likely tell us who has the inside position for the second spot in the district. … Springlake-Earth 48, Happy 36.
Miami (4-0) at McLean (1-3), 7 p.m.
If the Warriors can win this one then they will likely be undefeated heading into Follett with the district title on the line. However, you can’t look past the Tigers. They are gritty and may have found something offensively last week. … Miami 52, McLean 46.
Lefors (3-1) at Kress (3-1), 7 p.m.
Both of these teams have gotten off to solid starts and looking to set high water marks for the first time in years. If Lefors wins this would be their best start since 2016 and for Kress the year was 2010. … Kress 68, Lefors 42.
Hedley (0-3) at Chillicothe (4-0), 7 p.m.
After playing an eight-man game with Temple, Oklahoma last week, the Eagles welcome in Hedley. Chillicothe is off to a surprising start and that continues Friday night. … Chillicothe 62, Hedley 8.
Valley (0-4) at Whitharral (4-0), 7 p.m.
Things don’t get easier for the Patriots as they hit the road to take on a Panthers teaming firing on all cylinders right now. The team speed for Whitharral will be too much for Valley to deal with. … Whitharral 72, Valley 27.
Dawson (1-3) at Anton (1-3), 7 p.m.
Make it two in a row for Brian Duncan’s squad as the Bulldogs roll at home. … Anton 52, Dawson 6.
Hart (3-0) at Wellman-Union (1-3)
If you just look at the records you would expect Hart to win easily. However, this will be the toughest test for the Longhorns this season and the Wildcats have been competitive all season. … Wellman-Union 74, Hart 66.
Lubbock Christ the King (3-0) at Lazbuddie (1-2), 7:30 p.m.
The Lions roar into Longhorn country with an undefeated mark and they will leave the flatlands as the undisputed king of the jungle. … Lubbock Christ the King 66, Lazbuddie 13.
Plainview Classical (1-3) at Amarillo PCHEA (2-2), 7:30 p.m.
A solid season continues for the Warriors and they move over .500 for the season. … Amarillo PCHEA 54, Plainview Classical 8.
San Jacinto Christian Academy (2-2) at Claude (3-1), 7:30 p.m.
The Patriots were torched through the air by the Boys Ranch passing attack and now they face a dominant run team in the Mustangs. Trapper Godfrey and Thomas Slack won’t be stopped at home. … Claude 60, San Jacinto Christian Academy 14.
Nazareth (2-2) at O’Donnell (1-3), 7:30 p.m.
Playing the Screamin’ Eagles at home can always be a test but the motor for Nazareth is firing on all pistons as the Pohlmeier twins are a force to be reckoned with. … Nazareth 58, O’Donnell 20.
Southland (0-4) at Petersburg (0-4), 7:30 p.m.
One of these teams gets their first win of the year so I’ll go with the home team in this one. … Petersburg 48, Southland 27.
Groom (1-3) at Wildorado (0-4), 7:30 p.m.
This is the seventh year of Six-Man ball for the Mustangs but it’s not been a lucky one. The Tigers fell last year in this game as Wildorado put up 93 points. The tides will be reversed this year. … Groom 72, Wildorado 13.