CLASS 3A FRIDAY FLASHBACK

WEEK 5: Defending state champion Grandview returns from COVID week off to open district with a resounding 56-13 victory over previous unbeaten Maypearl

Shaking off the week off due to COVID-19 precautions, the Class 3A, Division I state champion and second-ranked Grandview Zebras took their frustrations out on previously unbeaten Maypearl with an overwhelming 56-13 thrashing in the District 7-3A, Division I opener.

In District 11-3A, DI, the McGregor Bulldogs outscored the Rockdale Tigers, 49-40, while the Lorena Leopards knocked Little-River-Academy from the unbeaten ranks with a 41-27 victory.

In a battle between two state-ranked teams in Class 3A, DII, the Franklin Lions roared past previously unbeaten Lexington, 49-14, in the District 13-3A, DII opener. Looking for their seventh straight trip to the postseason, the Clifton Cubs outlasted the bigger Riesel Indians, 36-19, in another District 13-3A,DII opener last Friday night at Cub Stadium.

As THE SPORTS BUZZ Game Of The Week, be sure to watch the video highlights of the Riesel at Clifton game here: https://www.facebook.com/SCrossCreative/videos/330895471458377/, or watch Clifton head coach Chuck Caniford’s post-game interview on THE SPORTS BUZZ On The Air here: https://www.facebook.com/SCrossCreative/videos/3375828969178351/.

GRANDVIEW 56, MAYPEARL 13

GRANDVIEW – In a clash of unbeaten teams in the District 7-3A, DI opener, the defending state champion and second-ranked Grandview Zebras left no room for doubt as they crushed the surprising Maypearl Panthers, 56-13, last Friday night.

After getting an unexpected week off due to COVID-19 precautions, Grandview never missed a beat. The Zebras (1-0 in district, 4-0 overall) jumped out to a 21-7 first quarter lead, then buried the Panthers (0-1, 4-1) with a 28-point second quarter.

MCGREGOR 49, ROCKDALE 40

MCGREGOR – By holding off a furious fourth quarter rally, the surprising McGregor Bulldogs established themselves one of the teams to beat in the stout District 11-3A, DI with a wild 49-40 victory over the Rockdale Tigers last Friday night.

After McGregor (1-0, 3-2) built a commanding 49-20 advantage, Rockdale (0-1, 2-3) scored 20 unanswered points to take the outcome of the game down to the wire.

Bulldog senior quarterback VeAndre McDaniel threw four touchdown passes and ran for another while junior running back Chad Lorenz piled up 161 yards on 29 carries for a score.

Rockdale countered with junior quarterback Kobe Mitchell throwing four touchdown passes, connecting with senior receiver KeSean Raven for three scores.

WHITNEY 36, DALLAS OAK CLIFF LIFE 21

DALLAS – Junior quarterback Garrett Peacock passed for two touchdowns and rushed for two more as the Whitney Wildcats snapped a two-game losing streak with a 36-21 victory over Dallas Oak Cliff Life in their District 3A, DI opener last Friday night.

Relying heavily on the passing game, Peacock completed 20 of 28 passes for 258 yards while rushing for 45 more. Wildcat junior running back Jordan Newton ran for 57 yards and a score.

On the flip side, Whitney (1-0, 2-3) came up with four turnovers against Oak Cliff Life (0-1, 0-3), picking off a pass and recovering three fumbles. Junior Joseph Delgado led the Wildcats with eight tackles and an interception, followed by senior Sahmar Mitchell, Jr. with six takedowns.

LORENA 41, LITTLE RIVER-ACADEMY 27

LORENA — Junior running back Reed Michna rushed for 201 yards and two touchdowns while senior quarterback Ben Smedshammer tossed two scoring strikes as the Lorena Leopards overcame a deficit late in the third quarter to pull away for a 41-27 victory over the previously unbeaten Little River-Academy Bumblebees last Friday night.

Moving down from Class 4A this season, the Leopards ran for 307 yards on the ground on 37 carries as sophomore Cayden Madkins and Smedshammer contributed rushing scores. Throwing for 140 yards, Smedshammer connected with senior Carter McCray Lewis and junior Cason Pitts on scoring strikes.

CLIFTON 36, RIESEL 19

CLIFTON – Refusing to succumb to a discernible size disadvantage, the determined Clifton Cubs battled through a hard-fought first half to wear down the Riesel Indians on their way to a convincing 36-19 District 13-3A, Division II opening victory Friday night at Cub Stadium.

After the breakthrough win last week in the final non-district game against perennial powerhouse Tenaha, the Cubs kept the momentum going into district as five different Clifton players scored behind a balanced and diversified offensive attack.

Managing to cling to an 8-6 lead going into intermission, the Cubs (1-0, 2-3) survived a defensive struggle in the first half. But Clifton hit on some big pass plays early, then appeared to wear down the Indians in the second half, piling up 225 yards on 48 attempts and three scores.

Defensively, sophomore Larrett Thomas led Clifton with seven tackles and an interception, followed by senior Devin Byrd with six takedowns and a pickoff.

COMANCHE 14, CISCO 7

COMANCHE – In a non-district defensive struggle, the undefeated Comanche Indians fought to a 14-0 first half lead then held on in the fourth quarter to knock off the Cisco Loboes, 14-7, at home last Friday night.

Senior running back Logan Wilkerson scored both touchdowns for the Indians (5-0) while grinding out 51 tough yards on 14 carries. Junior quarterback Hudson Welch completed seven of 11 passes for 119 yards, connecting with senior receiver Taelon Sorrells three times for 75 yards. Junior running back Luke Wilson led the Indians on the ground with 66 yards on nine carries.

Comanche used four Cisco turnovers, three interceptions and a fumble, to keep the Loboes out of the endzone until the fourth quarter when junior running back Dawson Hearne scored. Sophomore quarterback Hunter Long finished as the game’s leading rusher with 128 yards on 21 attempts.

Defensively, senior Harrison Kolb led Comanche with 25 tackles, followed by senior Cash Cook with 14, while senior Blanton Gunter picked off two passes.

Once again this season, THE SPORTS BUZZ provides award-winning coverage of the 2020 Texas high school football season, focusing on Class 3A, 2A and 1A schools in the 10-county Heart of Texas region — which includes Bosque, Comanche, Coryell, Erath, Hamilton, Hill, Hood, Johnson, McLennan and Somervell counties.

Within the Heart of Texas region, THE SPORTS BUZZ covers nine Class 3A schools spread out across four districts in two divisions. Be sure to check back every week for our Friday Night Flashback roundups, district standings, scores and upcoming matchups for all nine Class 3A teams in the area.

Photos by DAVID HARDING & SIMONE WICHERS-VOSS

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