Only a few weeks remain in the 2021 high school football season, and Week 9 of KSAT 12′s Big Game Coverage (BGC) is jam-packed with some critical district matchups as teams battle for both bragging rights and playoff positioning. That includes showdowns at Alamo Heights, East Central and Smithson Valley to name a few.
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 the Mules and their undefeated season, while Larry highlights Poth’s remarkable run in district play!
>> WATCH THE BGC PREVIEW SHOW HERE <<
A pivotal showdown in District 15-5A Division II is our Game of the Week:
NO. 6 BOERNE CHAMPION VS. NO. 5 ALAMO HEIGHTS
After handing Floresville their only loss of the season in Week 7, No. 5 Alamo Heights heads back into the ring to take on another ranked district opponent in 12′s Top 12: No. 6 Boerne Champion.
There are no surprises for these two teams. The Mules (7-0, 2-0) have a balanced offensive attack led by quarterback James Sobey, wide receiver Rett Andersen and running back George Flesher. Those three players have combined to score all but three of Alamo Heights’ 18 offensive touchdowns this season. Andersen in particular has been a force with 21 catches for 571 yards and nine touchdowns including multiple kickoff-return TDs to his name.
The Chargers (6-1, 2-0) are undefeated in district play after posting dominant victories over Medina Valley and Kerrville Tivy. Quarterback Karson Kaiser has been lighting up defenses throughout the season thanks in part to a deep wide receiving corps that includes Ryan Brandon, Davis Pike and Kannon Brooks.
These two programs have been evenly matched over the last decade, splitting their previous 10 meetings. Alamo Heights took last year’s matchup 23-20 thanks to James Sobey’s 99-yard touchdown pass and a pair of pick-sixes. Prior to that loss, the Chargers had won five of the last six meetings.
Will the Mules pick up their second straight victory over Champion? Or will the Chargers hand Alamo Heights their first loss of the season? Kickoff on Friday at Orem Stadium is set for 7 p.m.
Don’t forget to tune in on Saturday afternoon for our KSAT 12/Texas Sports Productions Game of the Week, as Brandeis battles Madison in a District 28-6A showdown at Heroes Stadium! Click here to hear from both teams ahead of the matchup.
Sports anchor Larry Ramirez and photographer Eddie Latigo hit the road on Friday night, and once again the dynamic duo are heading east of the Alamo City with stops at Stockdale and Nixon!
Here’s the list of games they are covering in order:
- New Braunfels (5-2, 2-2) vs. East Central (5-2, 3-1) - The Unicorns have won three of the last five match ups against the Hornets, including last year’s 45-14 victory at New Braunfels.
- Dilley (4-3, 0-3) vs. Stockdale (3-5, 2-2) - The Brahmas have defeated the Wolves in each of the last four seasons. Stockdale took the last two meetings by a combined score of 63-8.
- Poth (6-1, 4-0) vs. Nixon-Smiley (2-5, 0-3) - The undefeated Pirates look for their fifth straight win against the Mustangs. Nixon-Smiley’s last victory against Poth came in 2016, 34-7.
Be sure to keep up 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 9 Schedule and Scores right here! <<
Let’s hear from Greg and Larry!
I was shocked when we received the news that Judson head coach Rodney Williams was seen cleaning out his office on Sunday following the Rockets’ unexpected last-second 30-28 loss to the East Central Hornets. That’s the first time in four decades that the Hornets have been able to pull off a win against Judson, a feat made more remarkable by the fact they did so on the Rockets’ home turf in Converse.
We had his removal confirmed Sunday night and then broke the news later that night on social media, the Nightbeat and on Instant Replay. I can’t remember a high school coach being fired mid-season other than for personal misconduct, and as of this writing, we have no information that anything other than the loss to East Central and the rough season that the Rockets are having is behind his firing.
I believe coach Williams is just as shocked as we are, but you have to admit Rocket fans are not used to being in a position of missing the playoffs for the first time in 44 consecutive seasons.
We wish the best to Coach Williams and his interim replacement Joel Call.
I’m looking forward to my return to Orem Stadium on campus at Alamo Heights High School for the ‘Big Game’ in our Big Game Coverage on Friday night.
This is a return trip for myself after visiting the Mules’ campus before their game against Floresville. Now most of us believe the winner of Friday night’s game against the Champion Chargers will wind up being the district champion in 15-5A Division II.
East Central (5-2, 3-1) is the talk of District 27-6A, and this week’s BGC Road Trip will feature them when they host New Braunfels (5-2, 2-2). Last week, the Hornets beat the Judson Rockets in Converse 30-28 for the first time in 40 years. Quarterback Caden Bosanko threw a 42-yard Hail Mary pass to Jack Stewart with two seconds left in regulation. The young man known as “Jumpin Jack” hauled in the pass over double coverage. That’s what he does. Stewart is 6-4, 205 pounds and often uses his leaping skills to grab passes over shorter defenders. With three weeks left in the regular season, this game will go a long way in deciding 27-6A playoff seeds. East Central is third in district and New Braunfels is right behind them in fourth place. Coach Joe Hubbard told KSAT 12 sports if his Hornets win this game, they will punch their tickets to the playoffs.
The other two road trip games are District 15-3A-II matchups, with Dilley at Stockdale and Poth at Nixon-Smiley. Poth, 4-0 in district, is on a collision course with Natalia, who’s also 4-0 in district. They are scheduled to play Friday, Oct. 29 at Poth. But first, Poth needs to beat Nixon-Smiley while Natalia enjoys an off week.
The regular season has nearly wrapped up for high school volleyball, and one of the most battle-tested teams in the Alamo City showcased their talents in a raucous environment on Tuesday night. Antonian (38-7, 4-0) took Incarnate Word’s best shot at the McDermott Center on campus at UIW and walked away with a 25-20, 25-18, 25-18 victory. All seven of the Apaches’ losses this season have come against some of the best teams in the state, including Brandeis, Clark and New Braunfels Canyon. Since their loss to the Cougarettes a month ago, Antonian has reeled off eight straight victories.
“We’ve grown a little closer, and we’ve built a relationship,” junior Sujeili Mermella explained. “We’re definitely more comfortable with each other and able to communicate to get things done.”
The Apaches have four more matches left in their regular season before the road to state officially begins. Their next home match is Saturday afternoon against Holy Cross as 12 p.m.
And congratulations to the Alamo Heights tennis team! The Mules defeated Boerne Champion 11-8 in the UIL Class 5A Regional Quarterfinals on Tuesday afternoon and took down Sharyland in the Regional Semifinals on Thursday morning 13-6. The team is now one win away from returning the the UIL State tournament for the second straight season. Click here to watch a recap of the Mules’ victory over the Chargers!
Watch Instant Replay on KSAT 12 Sunday nights at 11
The KSAT 12 Sports team will recap all of the best highlights from Week 9 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