Weatherford vs. Burleson

Time: 7:30 p.m., Friday

Site: Burleson

Type: District 3-5A match.

Last year’s result: Weatherford won, 31-7.

Burleson Elks (3-6, 2-3)

Last season: 5-5 overall, 3-4 in District 4-5A

Last week: Beat Paschal, 42-28.

Players to watch: LB Eric Miller (5-10, 180, 4.6), OL Justin Mossburg (6-2, 245, 5.2), RB James Owen (5-8. 160. 4.6), DT Russell Purpura (5-10, 175, 4.8), DE Derek Ellsworth (6-0, 225, 5.0).

Weatherford Kangaroos (1-8, 1-4)

Last season: 3-7 overall, 3-4 in District 4-5A

Last week: Lost to North Crowley, 21-7.

Players to watch: RB/QB Mitchael Rucker (5-11, 185, 4.6), WR Dakota Abernathy (6-3, 200, 4-6), QB Chris Jackson, LB Jordan Ellington.

Game notes: Should Weatherford prevail in the regular season finale with Burleson, and should Haltom lose to Richland (which they should), a 3-way tie for fourth place will result in District 3-5A, with the three teams bearing a 2-4 record. The right to represent the district in postseason play will be decided by a number-crunching point differential. In the final analysis, if the Roos best the Elks by at least 12 points, they slip into the playoffs.

Weatherford’s troops are thin due to the non-stop rash of injuries over the past few weeks. Despite the substitutes thrown into the fray by necessity, the Roos have continued to be productive on offense from a multitude of sources, chewing up real estate regardless of the defense opposing them. Weatherford needs to win the takeaway battle to have a shot at defeating the Elks by a pair of touchdowns. The Roos defense can help the cause by stopping the big plays and creating turnovers.



Aledo vs. Birdville

Time: 7:30 p.m., Friday

Site: Aledo

Type: District 6-4A match to decide district champion.

Last year’s result: Did not play.

Birdville Hawks (7-2, 6-0)

Last season: 8-2 overall, 6-1 in District 6-4A

Last week: Beat Brewer, 35-34.

Players to watch: OL Chris Burnett (6-0, 295, 5.2), OL Owen Illangana (6-4, 310, 5.7), OL Gary Aguillar, WR Corey Hines.

Aledo Bearcats (9-0, 6-0)

Last season: 11-3 overall, 5-2 in District 8-4A, State semi-finalist.

Last week: Beat Mineral Wells, 61-7.

Players to watch: LT Daniel Meyer (6-4, 290, 5.5), CB Joel Hasley (6-0, 191, 4.6), RT Christian Miller (6-5, 295, 5.5), QB Tanner McDonald (6-3, 195, 4.8).

Game notes: Aledo’s stats pretty much tell the story of why Birdville, despite its spotless district record coming into Bearcats Stadium, may have difficulty leaving the same way. In district play, the Bearcats have put up 281 points on offense, nearly 47 per contest, while the defense has yielded just four touchdowns through six games. The Hawks offense may provide the biggest challenge yet for Aledo, but will need to be at peak form to figure out the Bearcats defenders, who have denied opponent’s air and ground attacks successfully.

Lighting up the scoreboard with more than 60 points per game in the last two contests, Aledo seems to have worked out the miscues that slowed the scoring machine against Azle and Saginaw.



Springtown vs. Saginaw

Time: 7:30 p.m., Friday.

Site: Saginaw

Type: District 6-4A match.

Last year’s result: Springtown won, 29-28.

Saginaw Roughriders (4-5, 3-3)

Last season: 7-3 overall, 3-3 in District 6-4A

Last week: Lost to Boswell, 34-17.

Players to watch: RB Duane Lawrence (6-0, 195, 4.5), RB Kerry Gooden (5-8, 170, 4.5), RB Jake Sanchez (5-10, 180, 4.5), FS Logan Fritchen (6-2, 190, 4.6)

Springtown Porcupines (5-4, 2-4)

Last season: 4-7 overall, 4-2 in District 6-4A

Last week: Beat Azle, 45-28.

Players to watch: LB Matt Pierce (6-2, 180, 4.5), OLB Trace Pawelek (6-1, 195, 4.5), OL Chad Hoffman (6-0, 320, 5.5), WR Clayton Cooper (6-2, 190, 4.5), RBs Xavier Sanchez and Dylan Gathings.

Game notes: Springtown’s season looks different from last year, but the stakes are similar as the Porcupines play for postseason life down to the wire. With the top three 6-4A spots locked in and Class 4A sending four teams from each district to the playoffs, Pojo and the Roughriders play a win-and-in contest. After Aledo, way after Aledo, Saginaw’s defense has allowed the least points in the district, and the Springtown offense will need to exercise the diversity it showed early in the season, and again a week ago against Azle, to give the Roughriders a ball game.





Millsap vs. Boyd

Time: 7:30 p.m., Friday

Site: Boyd

Type: District 9-2A match.

Last year’s result: Millsap lost, 49-2.

Boyd Yellowjackets (4-5, 2-2)

Last season: 9-5 overall, 4-1 in District 10-2A

Last week: Lost to Paradise, 35-23.

Players to watch: RB Jeremy Sessums (5.6, 175, 4.8), WR Hilton Maynor (5-11, 180, 4.6), S Tim Fleming, LB Colton Lyon.

Millsap Bulldogs (5-4, 1-3)

Last season: 2-8 overall, 0-5 in District 10-2A

Last week: Beat Chico, 26-12.

Players to watch: LB Matt Varnado (5-5, 145), RB/LB Jacob Young (6-2, 175), QB Trey Matthews, WR Ryan Van Gundy.

Game notes: Millsap got its first district win against Chico last week and have a shot at a winning season record with a victory at Boyd. The Bulldogs have a tough row to hoe, as the Yellowjackets go into Senior Night and have to win, coupled with an Alvord loss to district-leading Paradise, to get into the playoffs. Millsap will not be without incentive of its own, hoping to win to provide a big program boost looking to next year.