November 23, 2020

Crawford & Bosqueville get one step closer to rematch with impressive Class2A, DI Area playoff wins; Class 2A, DII’s three-time defending state champion Mart marches on

THE SPORTS BUZZ Gridiron Matchups presents the Class 2A football Regional Semifinal playoff matchups from across the Heart of Texas region.

Widely considered one of the toughest Class 2A, Division I districts in the state, District 7-2A, DI advanced three of its four postseason qualifiers to the Area round before whittling it down to two survivors last week.

The seventh-ranked Crawford Pirates (11-1) remained undefeated on the field with another overwhelming postseason victory, this time chopping up Bogota Rivercrest, 44-6, in a Region II Area playoff matchup last Friday night at Grand Prairie’s Gopher-Warrior Bowl.

Crawford senior quarterback Tanner Merenda tossed five touchdown passes as the Pirates built a 44-0 lead before the end of the third quarter. With their only loss coming to a COVID-related forfeit to Valley Mills, the Pirates advance to the regional semifinals to take on surprising Alvord (6-4) at 7 p.m. Friday in Alvarado’s Head Stadium.

Proving to be equally dominating, district runner-up Bosqueville Bulldogs (8-3) used a strong second half to lock down a convincing 44-12 victory over Cooper in an Area playoff showdown last Friday in Rusk’s Eagle Stadium.

Bosqueville quarterback Luke Bradshaw connected with Ryder Roard on two scoring strikes while running for another touchdown as the Bulldogs built a 25-12 halftime lead before putting the game away with 19 unanswered second half points.

With the win, Bosqueville moves on to face undefeated and fifth-ranked Lindsay (11-0) at 6 p.m. Friday in Aledo’s Bearcat Stadium. Lindsay eliminated the Tolar Rattlers, 69-20, last Friday night at River Oaks’Barnes Memorial Stadium.

Despite getting a Covid-related forfeited win in their Class 2A, DII Bi-District playoff matchup, the three-time defending state champion Mart Panthers (11-0) did not look rusty in their dominating 48-12 Area playoff victory over Lovelady (7-5) last Friday night at Caldwell’s Hornet Field.

Playing their first game since Oct. 31, the Panthers scored quickly and often in the first half. Mart racked up five touchdowns on only 12 plays from scrimmage to build a commanding 34-0 halftime lead. Roddrell Freeman, Keishawn Clater and Neven Hickman ran for two touchdowns apiece in the rout.

Mart advances to the Region III semifinals to face West Sabine (7-4) at 6 p.m. Friday in Crockett’s Driskell Stadium. West Sabine eliminated Simms Bowie, 26-20, in an Area matchup last week.

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 15 Class 2A schools spread out across six districts in two divisions. Be sure to check in with THE SPORTS BUZZ every Friday night for the complete scoreboard from games across the Heart of Texas region.

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