Week Two Preview

We’ve Only Just Begun

By Chris Boothe
Messenger Sports

One week into the season and the excitement is already spilling over for some area teams. Grapeland and Lovelady were able to open the season with statement victories, while a few other teams found themselves on the wrong end of a heartbreaker. Still, it is a new week and all area teams continue to prepare for the district grind that is nearing with each and every game. Here is a look at this week’s action.

Grapeland Sandies (1-0, 0-0) vs. Cayuga Wildcats (0-1, 0-0)
Friday, September 7, 7:30 pm
Sandie Stadium, Grapeland, TX

It couldn’t have been a better start to the season for the Grapeland Sandies, who trounced a talented M

ilano team 27-0 in their season opener. Now the Sandies will face off against a former rival in Cayuga, as they look to open the season 2-0 for the first time in a decade. In order to get that second straight win, the Sandies will need more of the same effort they saw on Friday night against Milano.

The Cayuga Wildcats come into Fridays showdown licking their wounds after a 34-28 loss to Frost to open their season. Frost was able to do just enough to hold off the Wildcats and upend Cayuga in the opener. Now the Wildcats will enter Friday’s contest looking to end a two game skid against the Sandies.

Crockett Bulldogs (0-1, 0-0) vs. Garrison Bulldogs (0-1, 0-0)
Friday, September 7, 7:30 pm
Bulldog Stadium, Garrison, TX

Friday’s upcoming contest between the Crockett Bulldogs and Garrison Bulldogs will be a battle of wills. Both teams fell in heartbreaking fashion last week, and will look to jump into the win column instead of falling into a dreaded 0-2 hole to start the season.

Crockett looked good early, jumping out to a 21-0 lead over Buffalo early, but instead found themselves outscored by Buffalo 33-7 over the final 30 minutes of play. Now Crockett will face a Garrison team that put up big offensive numbers in their opener, but gave up bigger offensive numbers.
Garrison looked explosive on Saturday in their opener against TK Gorman. The Bulldogs piled up the yards and points against a good Crusader squad. Unfortunately it wouldn’t be enough as Garrison fell 42-41 in an instant classic to open the season. Garrison will look to tighten things up defensively against a very dynamic Crockett offense.

#6 Lovelady Lions (1-0, 0-0) vs. Tenaha Tigers (0-1, 0-0)
Friday, September 7, 7:30 pm
Lion Field, Lovelady, TX

A lot of eyes will be on Lovelady Friday night when the Lions host perennial power Tenaha for Lovelady’s home opener. Lovelady kicked off the season with a bang on Friday night after throttling longtime rival Groveton 48-6. It was a collective effort for the Lions, who dominated from start to finish, and now will look to down a Tenaha team that has a lot of history behind their name.

Tenaha is coming off a 42-39 loss to Troup in their season opener and will now look to avoid a three-game losing streak for the first time since 2015. Of course, the first loss of this streak dates back to the State Championship game in December. While the Tigers lost a lot to graduation a year ago, Tenaha just reloaded as usual and will provide the Lions with a strong test early in the season.

Elkhart Elks (0-1, 0-0) vs. Frankston Indians (0-1, 0-0)

Friday, September 7, 7:30 pm
Jeff & Opal Austin Stadium, Frankston, TX

An Anderson County rivalry continues on Friday night when the Elkhart Elks make the short trip north of Palestine to face the Frankston Indians. Both teams are coming off of losses in their season opener, but each game was drastically different from each other.

Elkhart fell 22-14 to a top-10 ranked Centerville squad to open the season. Ky Thomas, Camden Sellars and Holden Bush all had big games for the Elks in their opener, but came up just short of the victory.
On the other end, the Frankston Indians were victims in a 61-8 drubbing by the West Sabine Tigers. For one team, Friday’s contest will represent the chance to jump into the win column for the first time this season, while the other will go another weak trying to hunt down a victory.

 

Palestine Wildcats (0-1, 0-0) vs. Jacksonville Indians (0-1, 0-0)
Friday, September 7, 7:30 pm
Trinity Mother Francis Rose Stadium, Tyler, TX

One of the bigger rivalries in east Texas will be renewed on Friday night with a different twist. When the Palestine Wildcats and Jacksonville Indians meet up, it will be on a neutral field as the Indian’s Tomato Bowl stadium undergoes massive renovations. Both teams will be looking for a renovated effort on Friday night as the two teams both started the season with losses.

Palestine opened the season on the road and came up short, dropping a 42-26 contest to the Connally Cadets. While Palestine was competitive in their loss, Jacksonville was beaten down by reigning state champion Carthage 61-20 to open the season, putting a damper on the Indians season hopes.

Westwood Panthers (0-1, 0-0) vs. #9 Buffalo Bison (1-0, 0-0)
Friday, September 7, 7:30 pm
Panther Stadium, Palestine, TX

The Westwood Panthers dropped their season opener to Alto 48-28, pushing their losing streak to 10 consecutive. The road doesn’t get any easier this week as the Panthers will play host to a Buffalo Bison team that is riding high after a comeback victory to take down Crockett in their opener.

That comeback win was big enough to push Buffalo into the Texas Football top-10 for class 3A-DII. Still, the Bison know they will have a tougher time than usual as the Panthers showed growth and progress in their opener against Alto.

 

 

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