WYLIE vs LEVELLAND

[slingshot]

I know absolutely nothing about Levellland except they are located west of Lubbock and have made it to the second round of the playoffs and they are our next opponent. Maybe our West Texas/Panhandle posters can fill us in? I do think the Dawgs roll into the 3rd round to face their nemesis the Graham Steers in a rematch and chance at redemption.

[solocam]

I know absolutely nothing about Levellland except they are located west of Lubbock and have made it to the second round of the playoffs and they are our next opponent. Maybe our West Texas/Panhandle posters can fill us in? I do think the Dawgs roll into the 3rd round to face their nemesis the Graham Steers in a rematch and chance at redemption.

Wylie rolls

[JVDAD]

I know nothing either, but in looking at their schedule the widest margin in loss was only 12 points, they played Andrews for a full 4 quarters and went toe to toe with Estacado for 3 quarters after spotting them a big 1st quarter lead. I am expecting a scrappy team that will not quit. Wylie should win this one no problems, however if we come out flat this win will take a lot more effort than we would like and be an un-comfortable win, IE: Vernon & Hirshi. Hopefully we learned from Hirshi that there are no gimmies left on the schedule.

[garciap77]

Bulldogs in a close one!!!:)

[hollywood]

I'm going with Wylie in a close one although I expect them to win big! Would really like Wylie /Graham for a rematch.

[JVDAD]

Hearing the game is at Grande in Midland 8:00pm start time.

[slingshot]

Hearing the game is at Grande in Midland 8:00pm start time.Yup. Was hoping for somewhere closer. It is a nice stadium and we do have a lot of positive playoff experiences there...

[regaleagle]

NOT a close one, imo. Wylie has found their stride on offense and Kleffner is back. Levelland hasn't seen the likes of the Wylie D.....they will. Anything Levelland can do on offense, the Bulldogs do better. Defensively, they won't matchup. Wylie by at least 3 TD's.

[ccmom]

Anybody know anything about what to expect from Levelland?

[Pudlugger]

It's going to be an uphill battle for Levelland. :D

[ccmom]

It's going to be an uphill battle for Levelland. :D

Ok...I'm good with that prediction. ;)

[hollywood]

Anybody know anything about what to expect from Levelland?

Not many up or downs from Levelland! That's about all I can figure.

[hollywood]

Flatter than a tabletop

Makes you wonder why they stopped here

Wagon must have lost a wheel, or they lacked ambition one.

On the great migration west

Separated from the rest

Though they might have tried their best

They never caught the sun

So they sunk some roots down in this dirt

To keep from blowin' off the earth

Built a town around here

And when the dust had all but cleared

They called it Levelland, the pride of man
In Levelland.

[Aggie98]

Flatter than a tabletop

Makes you wonder why they stopped here

Wagon must have lost a wheel, or they lacked ambition one.

On the great migration west

Separated from the rest

Though they might have tried their best

They never caught the sun

So they sunk some roots down in this dirt

To keep from blowin' off the earth

Built a town around here

And when the dust had all but cleared

They called it Levelland, the pride of man
In Levelland.

One of my favorite REK songs.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[hollywood]

One of my favorite REK songs.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Smart man! Written and recorded originally by James McMurtry. Son of Larry McMurtry who wrote Lonesome Dove. From the town of Archer City near Wichita Falls.

[hollywood]

He's eccentric but a true artist.

Levelland by James McMurtry


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-D824LHti4&sns=em

[wyliefan]

Here is a link from their last regular season game: http://www.levellandnews.net/mobile/default.aspx?MemberID=2330&IsHome=1&ID=88678

Don't know what this says about the team, but the QB Had almost 500 yards passing and 100 yards rushing. Below is their season schedule. Obliviously they can score, but they also give up a bunch of points. All that being said, I belive Wylie will win going away.

Date Opponent Result
08/29
7:30p
@ Muleshoe 48 - 46
Loss
09/05
7:30p
@ Shallowater 35 - 32
Loss
09/12
7:30p
@ Andrews 26 - 15
Loss
09/19
TBA
Brownfield 48 - 26
Win
09/26
7:30p
Denver City 36 - 0
Win
10/03
7:30p
Bushland 28 - 27
Loss
10/10
TBA
@ Seminole 40 - 28
Loss
10/17
7:30p
Estacado 65 - 53
Loss
10/24
7:30p
@ Borger 42 - 35
Win
11/07
7:30p
Pampa 70 - 64
Win
11/14
7:00p
Clint
Fort Stockton

[Inmateboss]

Wylie wins this one for sure!! It's destiny for them to fall one more time to the mighty Graham Steers!!

That should start something!! Lol


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - inmateboss

[slingshot]

Wylie wins this one for sure!! It's destiny for them to fall one more time to the mighty Graham Steers!!

That should start something!! Lol


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - inmatebossDon't count on us to have 5 turnovers this time... but first we focus on Levelland. Your time is coming.:hand:

[Inmateboss]

Don't count on us to have 5 turnovers this time... but first we focus on Levelland. Your time is coming.:hand:

Roger that, one at a time!! I hope we're thru kicking our own butt too! Seen a bunch of it this year from all over!!


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[slingshot]

Roger that, one at a time!! I hope we're thru kicking our own butt too! Seen a bunch of it this year from all over!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - inmatebossIt is hard not to look ahead--next week it gets real. So many big showdowns looming all over the state...

[hollywood]

It is hard not to look ahead--next week it gets real. So many big showdowns looming all over the state...

And the beauty of it from a Wylie fan's perspective is that starting next week (IF Wylie get's past Levelland this week ;)), their will be a chance at a rematch the next 3 weeks. Graham, and if they beat Graham, then Stephenville, and if they beat Stephenville then Argyle. And even more of a long long shot, if they beat Argyle then a far stretch that they could rematch with Liberty Hill or Burnet for the State Championship. Does that say something for their schedule?? But there's a whole lot of football to be played and all the teams that would stand in their way will have some beef with the Bulldogs. Love this time of year.

[Sweetwater Red]

It is hard not to look ahead--next week it gets real. So many big showdowns looming all over the state...

Agreed. First week that district champs meet up and there could be some great match ups in all classifications.

[JVDAD]

Very quite over here ! Any Flatlanders out there can tell us about Levelland? Appear to be more competitive than their record suggest.

[Aja]

Wylie too big and physical. Expecting 38-10ish result.

[here4Villa]

Wylie takes this one by 3 TDs

[injuredinmelee]

they lost to a 3a school that iowa park beat. Not expecting much of a game.

[garciap77]

Wylie moves past shutout


Bulldogs turn focus to Levelland game


By Jonathan Marshall

jonathan.marshall@reporternews.com 325-676-6736

In a year in which Wylie's defensive dominance has shined bright, the unit had perhaps its brightest moment last Thursday when the Bulldogs earned their first shutout in a 44-0 win over Wichita Falls Hirschi in the bi-district round of the playoffs.

The Bulldogs have gotten close to a shutout. They gave up seven points twice and six once in district play. So, it seems as if they were primed for a moment like Thursday night.

It was the first shutout for Wylie since September of 2012 when the Bulldogs defeated Bridgeport 42-0. They earned a second shutout with a 56-0 with over Andrews in the regional round. Wylie got its first loss of the season the following week in the quarterfinals against eventual Class 3A state champion Stephenville.

‟It feels great to finally get a shutout,” senior defensive end Baylen Baker said. ‟That's one of the biggest goals, get a shutout each game. It's really hard to do. We've gotten close. We finally got it.” Fellow senior defensive end Logan Gilliam said a shutout performance has always been a topic of discussion.

‟We've always talked about trying to shut people out,” Gilliam said. ‟As a defense, that's our goal going into every game, we want to shut everybody out. I mean, obviously that doesn't happen (often), but that's our goal going into every game* not let the other team score. There is no way you can lose, if they don't score.”

Wylie defensive end Baylen Baker (center) and the Bulldogs posted their first shutout since September of 2012 when they defeated Wichita Falls Hirschi 44-0 in the Region I-4A bidistrict playoff last week at Ram Stadium in Mineral Wells.

How does a defense pull off a shutout? Six takeaways will help. The Bulldogs forced six turnovers, including two interceptions by junior defensive back Blake Johnston.

The Huskies featured the explosive Cedric Battle at quarterback. The senior had a historical night in the team's 76-42 win over Burkburnett the previous week. Battle rushed for 531 yards, which placed him fifth all-time in UIL 11-man history for most rushing yards in a single game.

Battle entered Thursday night with 2,881 of the Huskie's 3,772 yards of total offense. The Bulldogs held him to just 145 yards of offense. Battle was able to have a solid night running the ball as he tallied 130 yards on 28 carries.

‟That kid, he was tough to handle,” Wylie coach Hugh Sandifer said. ‟Battle was really good. He got loose for a 60-yarder, but the rest of the time we kept him pinned up.” Gilliam, who had one of Wylie's four fumble recoveries, said it took a total effort to slow down Battle.

‟He was a prolific athlete,” Gilliam said. ‟He could throw the ball, could run, obviously very fast. I think we did a really good job containing him, holding him into the backfield and letting the linebackers and everybody else gang tackle him.” The dominant performance allowed the Bulldogs to empty the sidelines and showcase their depth. Sandifer was impressed how the team maintained its level of plays as different players rotated in.

‟That's always fun, to get a shutout, especially in the playoffs,” he said. ‟We played I think 60 or 61 kids Thursday night. We continue to work on depth and put guys on offense, defense and kicking game. To put that many guys out there and continue the continuity and consistency is what I was really impressed with.” The unit's continuity and confidence was developed through a stiff slate of opponents each week with the likes of No. 2 Argyle and Graham in nondistrict play.

Looking at the Steers' schedule, which is full of 50- and 60-point games, the only blemish is the 18 put up in their win over Wylie in September.

‟All year we've played teams, almost all of them are in the playoffs,” Baker said. ‟I feel that's really been a key factor for our defense. We've already seen some of the best offenses in the state so we really have that experience and it helps a lot.” Reflecting on the Bulldog's tough schedule, Sandifer doesn't think it's a coincidence that his team has been dominating opponents in recent weeks.

‟It was one of the toughest by far,” he said of the schedule. ‟Nine of our 10 opponents were in the playoffs, and the only one that didn't get in was the team that didn't get out of our district (Snyder). The quality of opponents was unbelievable and has really done nothing but get us ready for what we're doing right now.” Right now, what happened during the regular season or last week doesn't matter. The Bulldogs' focus is solely on their area-round game against Levelland at 8 p.m. Friday at Midland Grande Communications Stadium .

It may be enticing for fans and players to look ahead to a possible rematch against Graham next week. The Steers play Seminole on Friday. But the Bulldogs are making sure that doesn't become a distraction.

‟Coach Sandifer puts a huge point of emphasis on that,” Baker said. ‟Don't worry about the future. Just worry about what you can control right now, which is that game this week against Levelland.”

[garciap77]

Levelland (5-6) vs. Wylie (9-2)

8 p.m. Friday * Grande Communications Stadium, Midland * KEAN 105.1 FM

What’s riding on the game: This is the area-round of the Class 4A playoffs. The winner of this matchup will take on the Graham-Seminole winner in the regional round, which will be played Nov. 27-29. The Bulldogs are looking to advance past the area-round after falling to Lubbock Cooper at this point last year.

Last week: After coming close on several occasions throughout the season, Wylie notched its first shutout of the year in a 44-0 win over Wichita Falls Hirschi. The Bulldogs held the Huskies to just 15 yards passing and forced six turnovers. Trey Kleffner led Wylie in rushing with 116 yards on 14 carries, while Jared Asbill followed with 114 yards on 10 carries. Levelland defeated Clint last week 54-18.

Scouting Levelland: The Lobos are coached by former HSU All-American and Breckenridge native Jared Sanderson. They enter the contest on a three-game winning streak. During this time, the team has averaged 55.3 points per game. Levelland has shown the ability to put up huge offensive numbers throughout the season. Sophomore Nick Gerber starts at quarterback. His top target is senior wide receiver Trenton Jones. Sophomore Qualin Miller offers a physical running style at tailback, but the Lobos lean heavily toward the pass. “They have scored a lot of points,” Wylie coach Hugh Sandifer said. “In district alone they were in the 50s and 70s. The quarterback’s got a really good arm. (They) throw it about 70 percent of the time, got a big back when they do run that’s very good.” Wylie’s defensive front is physically talented with size, strength and speed, but they will face a challenge with Levelland’s strength along the offensive line. Three players that stand out to Sandifer are senior guards Brandon Rowand (310 pounds) and Dominick Puente (300) and senior center Chris Simmons (280). “We got to find a way again to slow an explosive offense down,” he said. “Their defense is good. They kind of run multiple looks and they give you some blitzes. So they’re very aggressive defensively. They’re playing their best football at the right time of the year.”

Bulldogs update: Kleffner provided his team and Wylie fans with a welcome sight last week against Hirschi. Having sat out the entire month of October after injuring his collarbone in Week 5, the senior returned to the field and received one carry in the Bulldogs’ final regular season game at Stephenville. Kleffner saw his load increase in the bi-district round, topping 100 yards for the fourth time this year. Asbill, a junior, also had a big game as Wylie totaled 345 yards on the ground. “(Kleffner) and Jared Asbill both went over 100,” Sandifer said. “It was good to get Trey back in there. He had some nice runs. He had a really nice 19-yard touchdown run right before the half that was good. He looked good. I think he’s still not 100 percent, but he sure looked like he made a lot of improvement last week.” Asbill, who saw his work load increase with the injury to Kleffner, has impressed Sandifer over the past month. “He had some nice plays,” Sandifer said. “He had a couple good runs, had a 35-yard run. He really looked good, looked fast in the backfield. I think he’s just getting more confident, is starting to understand the offense a little bit better and I was impressed with his performance.”

What the Bulldogs need to do to win: Start strong. The Bulldogs fumbled twice at the beginning of the game last week against Hirschi before regrouping for a blowout win. A fast start, in addition to a strong running game and stingy defense, should prove to be the recipe for success.

Jonathan Marshall’s prediction: Wylie 42, Levelland 10

[JVDAD]

Safe travels everyone, see you at the game! Go Bulldogs!!!!!!!

[Sweetwater Red]

Safe travels everyone, see you at the game! Go Bulldogs!!!!!!!

Are you leaving already? You do know it doesn't start until 8 pm right?

[JVDAD]

Lol, no wont be leaving Abilene till around 4:45. Wish we did have the early slot though!

[Sweetwater Red]

Lol, no wont be leaving Abilene till around 4:45. Wish we did have the early slot though!

Just noticed the early morning enthusiasm and had to say something lol. I like day games on Saturdays. Fridays not so much.

[JVDAD]

Ha right! With 2 kids playing we have been to about 20 games and racked up 1000's of miles, with no sub-var games the last couple of weeks and having played Thursday last week, it feels like the Hirshi game was a month ago!

[Sweetwater Red]

Ha right! With 2 kids playing we have been to about 20 games and racked up 1000's of miles, with no sub-var games the last couple of weeks and having played Thursday last week, it feels like the Hirshi game was a month ago!

Dang. I bet it does.

[hollywood]

Wylie 35
Lland 7

[regaleagle]

I see Wylie really putting the offense into gear against LL in this game. I think they will be in the 40's tonite. They are gearing up for their run, imo. Everything about that team is scary....their talent and depth is like Saggie Aggie likes to call the Big 12......DEEEEEP!!! :D

[Sweetwater Red]

I guess I'll post this on every relevant thread. I sure hope the rumor is right. LOL

Rumor has it that a possible Sweetwater/Vernon and Graham/Wylie matchup would be played
as a double header at Mineral Wells Friday.

[hollywood]

I guess I'll post this on every relevant thread. I sure hope the rumor is right. LOL

Rumor has it that a possible Sweetwater/Vernon and Graham/Wylie matchup would be played
as a double header at Mineral Wells Friday.

That would be awesome! Go rumor!

[JVDAD]

That would be a great DH'

[JVDAD]

14-0 Bulldogs 2:30 1st

[JVDAD]

End of 1 14-7 Wylie on the ll 6

[JVDAD]

28-7

[JVDAD]

42-14 1:06 left in 2nd

[JVDAD]

40-14 :19 left in the half

[JVDAD]

Levelland has got a pretty decent QB, good arm and makes plays when he has time. Bulldogs have not given him much of that. The Lobos ARE scrappy maybe even on the dirty side more so than Hirshi I believe. Kleffner and Asbill both having good nights.

[JVDAD]

Note: I NEVER gripe about officiating, BUT this crews stinks...

[slingshot]

Wow--very dirty team, cheap shots, spitting, etc. Worst we've seen this year...

[slingshot]

Wylie 75--Levelland 21 mid 4th... 3rd team played last 3 series

[wyliefan]

Wylie 75--Levelland 21 mid 4th... 3rd team played last 3 series

I have watched Wylie football the last 20+ years and never remember them scoring in the 70's. I know the staff emptied the bench the entire second half, the fourth/fifth string RB 's were running wild.

Any Wylie fans remember a game that was this high scoring?

[slingshot]

I have watched Wylie football the last 20+ years and never remember them scoring in the 70's. I know the staff emptied the bench the entire second half, the fourth/fifth string RB 's were running wild.

Any Wylie fans remember a game that was this high scoring?Nope. Also never saw us taking intentional delay penalties over and over to keep the 4th and 5th option RB's from scoring...

[JVDAD]

I do remember us playing some JV to players in 2012, against Clint MV, what was that score?

[ccmom]

I do remember us playing some JV to players in 2012, against Clint MV, what was that score?

49-21

[regaleagle]

Ya whacked em fair and square.....probably more fair than square, haha. So don't worry about what some others may think. That's just the way it goes sometimes in this game.

[JVDAD]

Really only 49? What about Andrews in 12 and Ft Stockton last year. I re her those being pretty high scoring.... Might be my "revisionist" memory!

[ccmom]

Andrews in 2012 was 56-0

Ft Stockton in 2013 was 49-3

I never remember a score as high as Friday's was.

[garciap77]

Levelland has got a pretty decent QB, good arm and makes plays when he has time. Bulldogs have not given him much of that. The Lobos ARE scrappy maybe even on the dirty side more so than Hirshi I believe. Kleffner and Asbill both having good nights.
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[slingshot]

That was a great catch. I think unfortunately we will be seeing more of these type scores with the 'everybody gets a ribbon' mentality of letting 4 teams into the playoffs... lot's of mismatches in the 1st couple of rounds. It means really good teams are trying to get into playoff form and playing some really bad teams those 1st 2 rounds=ugly results. The better games (with a few exceptions--see any playoff game involving Stephenville) will commence with the 3rd round.

[garciap77]

That was a great catch. I think unfortunately we will be seeing more of these type scores with the 'everybody gets a ribbon' mentality of letting 4 teams into the playoffs... lot's of mismatches in the 1st couple of rounds. It means really good teams are trying to get into playoff form and playing some really bad teams those 1st 2 rounds=ugly results. The better games (with a few exceptions--see any playoff game involving Stephenville) will commence with the 3rd round.
They had several great catches:
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