Week 7 of KSAT 12′s Big Game Coverage (BGC) sees a number of area teams return to action after their bye weeks ready to hit the ground running in district play. Two of the best in the area meet Friday night in what many consider to be the 15-5A-II championship game, but that’s just one of many huge matchups this week that will help determine the final standings.
As always, the KSAT 12 sports team breaks down all of the matchups and scenarios on the Big Game Coverage Preview show.
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Instant Replay producer Daniel P. Villanueva gets Sports Director Greg Simmons and Anchor Larry Ramirez together in studio every Thursday to discuss the week’s matchups, 12′s Top 12 rankings and which players stand out from the rest. Larry gives a shoutout to the Johnson Jaguars for their start to the season, while Greg takes a moment to highlight Taft and their dynamic ground game!
>> WATCH THE BGC PREVIEW SHOW HERE <<
A battle between 5-0 district rivals is our Game of the Week:
FLORESVILLE VS. ALAMO HEIGHTS
What a way to kick off the District 15-5A Division II schedule! Two of the top 12 teams in the greater San Antonio area go head-to-head at Orem Stadium this Friday, as No. 5 Alamo Heights hosts No. 9 Floresville.
The Mules (5-0) will look to rebound offensively after only posting seven points in Week 5′s low-scoring battle with Wimberley. Quarterback James Sobey has been the main catalyst, racking up 832 passing yards and 11 touchdowns. Wide receiver Rett Andersen has been his favorite target, catching 17 passes for 421 yards and six touchdowns, and he’s also proven to be a dynamic threat returning kicks. Since their season-opening shootout victory against Boerne, Alamo Heights’ defense has been locked in, allowing just 62 points over the last four games, a stretch that includes a shutout.
The Tigers (5-0) enter with a high-flying offense that has posted 34 points or more in every game they have played this season. Princeton commit Dareion Murphy has been a beast out of the backfield as expected, notching 688 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns, but quarterback Braeden Fuller has been sensational as well. The senior signal-caller is completing over 60% of his passes to the tune of 801 passing yards and 14 total touchdowns. Preston Freeman and Brandon Cortez headline Floresville’s dangerous wide receiving corps. The two have caught 25 passes for 613 combined yards and eight touchdowns.
This matchup will be critical in determining the eventual district champion. Last year, district realignment brought Alamo Heights back into 15-5A-II, and the Mules opened district play with a 28-17 road victory over Floresville. Alamo Heights has won each of the last three meetings between these two squads dating back to 2014.
Can the Tigers break through and improve to 6-0? Or will the Mules continue to impress and claim the inside track to the district title? Kick off on Friday is set for 7 p.m.
Sports anchor Larry Ramirez returns this week and hitches a ride with Eddie Latigo southwest of the Alamo City to Carrizo Springs and Crystal City!
Here’s the list of games they are covering in order:
- Devine (4-1) vs. Carrizo Springs (5-0) - An undefeated Wildcats squad looks to earn their first win against the Warhorses in over a decade, as both teams begin District 15-4A Division II play.
- Bandera (4-1) vs. Crystal City (0-5) - The Javelinas open district play by hosting a Bulldogs team that has scored 40 or more points in back-to-back games.
Be sure to keep with the latest information by visiting our Scores & Schedules page! That includes every game’s date, kickoff time and location. It will be updated with live scores throughout the night so you can track every game in progress.
>> Check out the full Week 7 Schedule and Scores right here! <<
Let’s hear from Greg and Larry on Week 7′s schedule!
What a Week 7 this is shaping up to be. It starts on Thursday with the KSAT 12/Texas Sports Productions Game of the Week, No. 6 Taft (6-0, 4-0) vs No. 1 Brennan (5-0, 3-0) at Gustafson Stadium.
The Raiders are a surprising team this year, and currently sit atop of District 29-6A, since they have played one more game against the Bears. Taft has defeated Seguin, Veterans Memorial, Holmes, Marshall, Harlan and Warren behind running backs Justice Hurt and TJ Andrews who have a combined for 18 TDs on the ground. The Bears have already beaten Reagan, Clemens, Harlan, Warren and Stevens. Head coach Stephen Basore recently celebrated his 100th career win with a 58-0 victory over the Falcons. Brennan is averaging 42.4 points per game behind dual-threat quarterback Ashton Dubose, who has thrown for more than 1,100 yards and 18 TDs to go with 266 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns.
Then, on Friday night, we have the opening of District 15-5A-II play between the No. 9 Floresville Tigers (5-0) and the No. 5 Alamo Heights Mules (5-0) at Orem Stadium. Players on both sides are already calling this the district championship game. The Mules are coming off a bye week, like Floresville, after a stunning 7-0 victory over Wimberley where the Mules defense held the Texans to zero points. Running back Dareion Murphy will lead the Tigers attack, while Mules quarterback James Sobey is leading the district in passing yards. These two huge showdowns will highlight Week 7.
Friday night, in Carrizo Springs, I will get to see one of the area’s top defenses when the Wildcats host the Devine Warhorses as the two open District 15-4A-II play. Carrizo Springs opened the season with four straight shutouts, and then in Week 5, they gave up 24 points to Zapata, including a 78-yard touchdown pass on the first play of the game due to blown coverage. The Wildcats bounced back to win 40-24. Devine (4-1) is averaging 43.6 points per game, while Carrizo Springs (5-0) is allowing a measly 4.8 points per contest. Carrizo Springs head coach Giovanni Gonzalez told us the Wildcats haven’t beaten Devine since 1994.
The road trip will end some 13 miles away in Crystal City, where the Javelinas (0-5) will host the Bandera Bulldogs (4-1) in more District 15-4A-II football. Crystal City promotes itself as the “Spinach Capital of the World.” The city erected a statue of cartoon character Popeye in 1937. Popeye is known for eating spinach. The statue still stands in Crystal City to this day.
There was some great high school volleyball action on Tuesday night, and the Randolph Ro-Hawks proved that they are once again the team to beat in District 26-3A.
Randolph (25-10, 8-0) posted their eighth consecutive sweep in district play by defeating Marion 25-15, 25-21, 25-12. The offense continues to run through senior captain Rylie Romero, who leads the team in assists, while Erica Washington and Jourdann Cathro consistently put the ball on the floor. This year’s senior class has never experienced a losing season in a Ro-Hawks uniform, and they look primed to win their fourth straight district title.
“Freshman year, I never would have thought that we could get four in a row, but now it’s right there,” Romero said. “I think we all flow together really well, our outsides have been hitting well, and we’ve really been working on passing a lot. It’s been a group effort.”
Randolph will host Nixon-Smiley Friday at 5 p.m.
Steele (23-18, 6-2) picked up an enormous five-set victory over East Central (24-8, 5-3) on Tuesday night to seize control of second place in District 27-6A. To watch extended highlights from that match and from La Vernia’s sweep of Cuero, click here!
Watch Instant Replay on KSAT 12 Sunday nights at 11
The KSAT 12 Sports team will recap all of the best highlights from Week 7 in the Best of BGC and reveal the updated rankings in KSAT 12′s Top 12 this Sunday night on Instant Replay. See you then!
Andrew Cely, KSAT 12 Sports Producer and Reporter
If you have any questions about this newsletter or story ideas for the season ahead, feel free to reach me via email at acely@ksat.com.