Week 8 of KSAT 12′s Big Game Coverage (BGC) features some crucial neighborhood rivalries, including the fourth installment of the Fire and Armor Bowl and a classic battle at Lehnhoff Stadium between Steele and Clemens.
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. Greg gives a shoutout to East Central after their victory over Wagner, while Larry highlights Johnson running back Ben McCreary!
>> WATCH THE BGC PREVIEW SHOW HERE <<
A battle between crosstown rivals is our Game of the Week:
SOUTHWEST LEGACY VS. SOUTHWEST
The Fire and Armor Bowl has usually been reserved for the first week of District 14-5A Division I play, but this year both Southwest and Southwest Legacy enter their rivalry match up with undefeated records after multiple dominant performances against district opponents.
Southwest Legacy (5-1, 2-0) has found their rhythm offensively with back-to-back wins scoring 31 or more points. Quarterback Zezar Tovar leads the way, completing 67.5% of his passes for 773 passing yards and 10 touchdowns. Wide receiver Javier Murillo has been his favorite target, hauling in 35 catches for 619 yards and eight touchdowns. Don’t overlook their rushing attack: Fernando Flores has posted 311 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 67 carries, while Tovar himself has accounted for 182 rushing yards and two TDs.
Southwest (5-2, 3-0) rolls into Week 8 with tons of momentum. The Dragons are on a five-game winning streak and have outscored their opponents 184-27. That stretch includes back-to-back shutout victories over Laredo Cigarroa and Southside. Jake Friesenhahn is the headliner for an offense that has posted 28 or more points in five straight games. The senior running back has accounted for 736 rushing yards and nine touchdowns so far this season. Quarterback Nate Gamez has thrown seven touchdowns, three to leading wide receiver Hipolito Salazar, as part of Southwest’s complimentary passing attack.
Since Southwest’s 42-0 victory in the first installment of this rivalry in 2018, Southwest Legacy has earned bragging rights with consecutive victories in 2019 and 2020. Both of those games were decided by a single score. In 2019, Homer Flores’ 15-yard touchdown gave the Titans a 27-21 victory in overtime, and in 2020, Damian Hernandez’s 4-yard score with 37 seconds left in regulation lifted Legacy to a 17-14 victory.
Will the fourth installment come down to the wire once again? Can the Titans win their third straight game against the Dragons? Or will Southwest snap the streak and even the all-time series? It will all be decided on the gridiron in the Dragon Den on Friday night. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.
Thursday night’s KSAT 12/Texas Sports Productions Game of the Week will feature a pair of teams battling for a playoff spot in District 29-6A: Warren vs. Jay! Click here to hear from both teams ahead of the matchup, and catch the game live on air and online via our multiple streaming platforms.
Sports anchor Larry Ramirez and photographer Eddie Latigo hit the road on Friday night once again, this time heading east of the Alamo City to La Vernia, Floresville and Poth!
Here’s the list of games they are covering in order:
- Somerset (5-1, 0-0) vs. La Vernia (2-5, 1-0) - The Bulldogs begin District 14-4A Division I play by facing the Bears for the first time since 2017. Somerset has won the previous two meetings by an average margin of 30 points.
- Lockhart (2-4, 1-0) vs. Floresville (5-1, 0-1) - Both the Tigers and Lions look to bounce back after tough losses. Floresville defeated Lockhart last season 33-28.
- George West (2-4, 1-1) vs. Poth (5-1, 3-0) - The undefeated Pirates will play George West for the second straight year. Poth won last year’s meeting between these two programs 49-10. The Pirates have not allowed a touchdown in district play this season.
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 8 Schedule and Scores right here! <<
Hey Greg and Larry, what do y’all think about Week 8′s schedule?
I am very much looking forward to our trip to the Dragon Den at Southwest High School this Friday. It’s been awhile since I have been to this very unique stadium next to the Medina River. I will be curious to see if the recent heavy rains on Wednesday night and Thursday have had any affect on the field.
I can also appreciate the name they have chosen for the meeting between Southwest Legacy and Southwest. It’s the Fire and Armor Bowl since it’s the Dragons hosting the Titans. This meeting could very well decide who takes the district title this year.
Another neighborhood rivalry will play out at Lehnhoff Stadium, the facility shared by both the Clemens Buffaloes and the Steele Knights. The Knights are on a roll this season with a 6-0 overall record, 3-0 in District 27-6A, and are ranked No. 2 in the current edition of 12′s top 12.
It’s hard to believe, but Judson is facing a must-win this Friday night in Converse against the East Central Hornets if they do not want to miss the playoffs for the first time in 15 years. The Rockets are just 2-4 overall, 1-2 in district, while the Hornets are 4-2 and 2-1.
Week 8 means some district races are heating up. This Friday, the Somerset Bulldogs (5-0, 0-0) will visit the La Vernia Bears (2-5, 1-0) in District 14-4A-1. La Vernia opened district last week beating Uvalde 56-14. Somerset had the week off. La Vernia didn’t get as many non-district wins as they wanted, but their tough non-district schedule was built to help them in district play. La Vernia and Somerset sit 2-3 in District 14-4A-1 in total team offense, and they are 2-3 in total team defense. La Vernia’s numbers are slightly better despite playing one more game than Somerset. With three weeks left in the regular season, there’s little room for error. The BGC Road Trip will start in La Vernia then continue with Lockhart at Floresville and George West at Poth. Catch the highlights Friday on the Nightbeat and later that night online.
Under new head coach Melissa Miller, the Smithson Valley volleyball team has been on cruise control throughout the district portion of their 2021 season. In fact, the Rangers have only dropped one set against a 27-6A opponent so far. Their latest victory came on Tuesday night against the Clemens Buffaloes, 25-9, 25-19, 25-14. Senior Rebekah Williams has been a beast on the outside with nearly 400 kills, while fellow senior Alexa Pyle holds down the middle of the net with 66 blocks.
“It’s been amazing, honestly,” Williams said. “We’re such a family in the locker room, and we come into practice every day to work harder and harder. I’m just proud of the girls for kicking butt.”
The Rangers have four matches left in the regular season. They will host South San Friday at 7 p.m.
The run to the State meet in Round Rock has officially begun, and area cross country teams hit courses around the San Antonio area looking to punch their tickets to next week’s regional meet. Holmes senior Michael Herrera II earned his first District 29-6A title on Tuesday morning at the Gus, while Warren junior Sanai Robinson went back-to-back in the girls race. On Thursday morning, senior Adrian Orozco led a 1-2-3-4 finish, as the Jefferson boys secured their fourth straight District 27-5A title. Brackenridge’s Faith Ramos led a 1-2-3 finish in the girls race as well. If you’d like to catch full recaps of these district competitions, click the links below!
Watch Instant Replay on KSAT 12 Sunday nights at 11
The KSAT 12 Sports team will recap all of the best highlights from Week 8 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