Snyder_TigerFan
10-14-2005, 07:05 AM
Merkel High School at No. 9 Wylie High School
When: 7:30 p.m. today
Where: Wylie's Bulldog Stadium
Records: Merkel 0-6 overall, 0-0 District 4-3A; No. 9 Wylie 6-1, 1-0
On the air: KHXS 102.7 FM
Last Time: Wylie used a 43-point second quarter and then sat its starters as the Bulldogs cruised to a 51-14 road win at Merkel. The similarities could abound tonight, as Wylie was coming off a win against Sweetwater in that game and moved to 2-0 in District 4-3A play before the night was done.
This Time: Last season's Badgers came into district play with three wins under their belt, but Merkel went winless in this season's non-district schedule. After an off-week spent licking its wounds, Merkel's schedule only gets tougher, as three of the district's other four teams are ranked in the 3A top 10. The Badgers come into the game having been outscored 209-50 on the season and the Merkel offense has only managed to reach double-digits once - two weeks ago in a 35-24 loss to San Angelo Lake View. Wylie, on the other hand, has averaged more than 31 points per contest and given up less than half of that en route to its 6-1 record. The biggest difference between the two teams is numbers - not statistics, but just sheer numbers. With 60 players on its roster, depth is one of Wylie's most notable strengths. Merkel, with a roster that only gets into the upper 20s has less than half the players Wylie does.
Scoring early the key: If the Bulldogs can hold Merkel in check during the first quarter, the game should be another easy win for Wylie. Merkel has scored 25 of its 50 points during the opening quarter, but tends to fizzle after that. Wylie, however, has outscored its opponents 64-15 in the first quarter. Getting ahead early would make things easier on Wylie, as Merkel's lack of a consistent passing game will make the Badgers unlikely to overcome a double-digit deficit.
Balanced attack: The Bulldogs' offense has been hitting on all cylinders this season, but has really stepped up its productivity in recent weeks. Going into last week's game at Sweetwater, the Bulldogs had reeled off three consecutive 500-plus yard performances. Wylie fell short of that last week, but did mount a balanced attack - something characteristic of this year's team. On the season, the Bulldogs have shown they can beat teams both on the ground and through the air, averaging 204 passing yards and 208 rushing yards per game. The Bulldogs have two players that can beat opponents both ways in Case Keenum and Gary Edwards. Keenum has passed for well over 1,300 yards this season while rushing for just under 500 yards. The senior quarterback has scored a combined 18 touchdowns. Edwards has combined for nearly 800 total yards, including two 100-yard receiving games and a 100-yard rushing game. Merkel is more run-oriented, having rushed for more than twice as many yards (675) as it has passed (331).
Our pick - Wylie: The only hope for Merkel would be if Wylie was overlooking the Badgers in anticipation of a big game next week. That shouldn't be the case tonight as the Bulldogs have nothing to look forward to but a bye week and this weekend's homecoming dance. And the Wylie players know they want nothing less than to have two weeks to reflect on a loss to Merkel.
No. 10 Sweetwater at No. 3 Snyder
Abilene Reporter-News Big Country Game of the Week
When: 7:30 p.m. today
Where: Tiger Stadium, Snyder
Records: Snyder 7-0 overall, 1-0 District 4-3A; Sweetwater 6-1, 0-1
Last week: Sweetwater lost to fellow Top 10 Wylie by a 26-3 score, while the Tigers beat Clyde 42-6.
State rankings: Snyder moved up one spot to No. 3 this week, at the expense of Sweetwater. The Mustangs fell from the third spot to No. 10 after the loss to Wylie.
Coach speak: Kent Jackson, Sweetwater: ''I think that we have been fine, but we won't know (how we respond to the loss) until we get back out and play again. We are trying to keep the big picture (playoffs) in perspective.''
Chad Rogers, Snyder: ''Sweetwater has a great team.
''Matt (Reigh) and D'White (Wells) are both playing with a lot of confidence and are gaining more and more each week. Matt's maturity and ability to read the defenses show via his lack of interceptions. The big thing is our offense is getting better each week.''
Key players to watch: Joseph Banyard and Skye Green have been a dual threat out of Sweetwater's backfield this season. The two have rushed for more than 900 yards combined, split almost evenly. Banyard has 460 yards while Green is right behind him at 447. Brittan Pittman has caught eight passes for 206 yards for Sweetwater.
Watering Well-s: Snyder's talented duo of D'White Wells and Matt Reigh continue to dominate opponents. Wells has rushed for 513 yards on 68 attempts this season, in addition to being one of Reigh's favorite passing targets. Reigh has completed 49-of-97 passes for 1,043 yards and 12 touchdowns while only being intercepted once. Wells has 13 catches for 364 yards, while Dustyn Williams has 16 receptions for 249 yards.
''Matt and D'White are exceptional young men, but like us they have a great supporting cast,'' Jackson said.
Steak snapped: Going into the Clyde game, Snyder had posted back-to-back shutouts. The streak ended in the second quarter, though, but the Tigers rebounded and dominated Clyde in the second half for the win.
Our pick - Snyder: Sweetwater is coming into the game off its first loss of the season, but the Tigers are still undefeated. Snyder's defense is playing the best that it has been all year and now that district play has started, the defense has been suffocating. Both teams score early and often, so this game will probably come down to the defense that makes a stop in the fourth quarter.
When: 7:30 p.m. today
Where: Wylie's Bulldog Stadium
Records: Merkel 0-6 overall, 0-0 District 4-3A; No. 9 Wylie 6-1, 1-0
On the air: KHXS 102.7 FM
Last Time: Wylie used a 43-point second quarter and then sat its starters as the Bulldogs cruised to a 51-14 road win at Merkel. The similarities could abound tonight, as Wylie was coming off a win against Sweetwater in that game and moved to 2-0 in District 4-3A play before the night was done.
This Time: Last season's Badgers came into district play with three wins under their belt, but Merkel went winless in this season's non-district schedule. After an off-week spent licking its wounds, Merkel's schedule only gets tougher, as three of the district's other four teams are ranked in the 3A top 10. The Badgers come into the game having been outscored 209-50 on the season and the Merkel offense has only managed to reach double-digits once - two weeks ago in a 35-24 loss to San Angelo Lake View. Wylie, on the other hand, has averaged more than 31 points per contest and given up less than half of that en route to its 6-1 record. The biggest difference between the two teams is numbers - not statistics, but just sheer numbers. With 60 players on its roster, depth is one of Wylie's most notable strengths. Merkel, with a roster that only gets into the upper 20s has less than half the players Wylie does.
Scoring early the key: If the Bulldogs can hold Merkel in check during the first quarter, the game should be another easy win for Wylie. Merkel has scored 25 of its 50 points during the opening quarter, but tends to fizzle after that. Wylie, however, has outscored its opponents 64-15 in the first quarter. Getting ahead early would make things easier on Wylie, as Merkel's lack of a consistent passing game will make the Badgers unlikely to overcome a double-digit deficit.
Balanced attack: The Bulldogs' offense has been hitting on all cylinders this season, but has really stepped up its productivity in recent weeks. Going into last week's game at Sweetwater, the Bulldogs had reeled off three consecutive 500-plus yard performances. Wylie fell short of that last week, but did mount a balanced attack - something characteristic of this year's team. On the season, the Bulldogs have shown they can beat teams both on the ground and through the air, averaging 204 passing yards and 208 rushing yards per game. The Bulldogs have two players that can beat opponents both ways in Case Keenum and Gary Edwards. Keenum has passed for well over 1,300 yards this season while rushing for just under 500 yards. The senior quarterback has scored a combined 18 touchdowns. Edwards has combined for nearly 800 total yards, including two 100-yard receiving games and a 100-yard rushing game. Merkel is more run-oriented, having rushed for more than twice as many yards (675) as it has passed (331).
Our pick - Wylie: The only hope for Merkel would be if Wylie was overlooking the Badgers in anticipation of a big game next week. That shouldn't be the case tonight as the Bulldogs have nothing to look forward to but a bye week and this weekend's homecoming dance. And the Wylie players know they want nothing less than to have two weeks to reflect on a loss to Merkel.
No. 10 Sweetwater at No. 3 Snyder
Abilene Reporter-News Big Country Game of the Week
When: 7:30 p.m. today
Where: Tiger Stadium, Snyder
Records: Snyder 7-0 overall, 1-0 District 4-3A; Sweetwater 6-1, 0-1
Last week: Sweetwater lost to fellow Top 10 Wylie by a 26-3 score, while the Tigers beat Clyde 42-6.
State rankings: Snyder moved up one spot to No. 3 this week, at the expense of Sweetwater. The Mustangs fell from the third spot to No. 10 after the loss to Wylie.
Coach speak: Kent Jackson, Sweetwater: ''I think that we have been fine, but we won't know (how we respond to the loss) until we get back out and play again. We are trying to keep the big picture (playoffs) in perspective.''
Chad Rogers, Snyder: ''Sweetwater has a great team.
''Matt (Reigh) and D'White (Wells) are both playing with a lot of confidence and are gaining more and more each week. Matt's maturity and ability to read the defenses show via his lack of interceptions. The big thing is our offense is getting better each week.''
Key players to watch: Joseph Banyard and Skye Green have been a dual threat out of Sweetwater's backfield this season. The two have rushed for more than 900 yards combined, split almost evenly. Banyard has 460 yards while Green is right behind him at 447. Brittan Pittman has caught eight passes for 206 yards for Sweetwater.
Watering Well-s: Snyder's talented duo of D'White Wells and Matt Reigh continue to dominate opponents. Wells has rushed for 513 yards on 68 attempts this season, in addition to being one of Reigh's favorite passing targets. Reigh has completed 49-of-97 passes for 1,043 yards and 12 touchdowns while only being intercepted once. Wells has 13 catches for 364 yards, while Dustyn Williams has 16 receptions for 249 yards.
''Matt and D'White are exceptional young men, but like us they have a great supporting cast,'' Jackson said.
Steak snapped: Going into the Clyde game, Snyder had posted back-to-back shutouts. The streak ended in the second quarter, though, but the Tigers rebounded and dominated Clyde in the second half for the win.
Our pick - Snyder: Sweetwater is coming into the game off its first loss of the season, but the Tigers are still undefeated. Snyder's defense is playing the best that it has been all year and now that district play has started, the defense has been suffocating. Both teams score early and often, so this game will probably come down to the defense that makes a stop in the fourth quarter.