Top 5 high school football games to watch in West Texas, Week 11

Here are our top five high school football games to watch in West Texas in Week 11 of the 2022 season:

Forsan (8-1, 4-0) at Sonora (7-2, 3-1)

Forsan has already locked up at least a share of the District 3-2A Division I title but the Broncos would like to join the party. A win could give Sonora a share of its second district title in two years but the Broncos would need help (see Christoval at Reagan County). Forsan has lost just one game this season, a 14-13 setback on the road at 3A DI Kermit. Sonora’s two losses were to Coahoma (31-27) in nondistrict play and 24-21 to Reagan County two weeks ago. Forsan beat both of those teams (Coahoma 21-13, Reagan County 40-7). Forsan comes into the game off a 47-14 win over Ozona while Sonora beat Christoval 30-6 last week on the road. According to stats provided by each team to MaxPreps, the Buffaloes have averaged 329 total yards per game for the season which has increased to 383 yards per game in district play. Sonora has steadily averaged more than 500 total yards per game all season. On the defensive side, the Broncos have collected 14 interceptions and three fumble recoveries while Forsan has hauled in 12 interceptions and 14 fumble recoveries. If Forsan wins, the Buffs will claim an outright district title and face the fourth-place team from 4-2A DI in the bidistrict round of the playoffs. If Reagan County beats Christoval, Sonora could slip to third place with a loss and would face the second-place team from 4-2A DI in the first round. If the game comes down to a field goal, the nod goes to Forsan.

The pick: Forsan 24, Sonora 21

Christoval (4-5, 2-2) at Reagan County (6-3, 3-1)

After winning just two district games in four years coming into the season, the Owls now will not only return to the playoffs but they could finish as high as second place if they can beat the Cougars on their home turf in this 3-2A D-I contest. Christoval is also headed to the playoffs despite a 30-6 loss last week to Sonora. The Owls are coming off a 46-6 win over Anthony last week and have won three straight since falling to Forsan (40-7). The Cougars opened district play with back-to-back wins but have dropped the last two, starting with a 14-6 loss to Forsan on the road. They are led by senior running back Ketcher Joiner, who has eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark for the season and scored 8 TDs. Manuel Riojas has 337 yards and 8 scores. The hot team appears to be the Owls, who are averaging one more TD a game in district play and have won four of the last five games since sophomore quarterback Kason Brown (11 passing TDs) returned to the lineup. That means his brother, sophomore Jarrett Brown, could return to his wide receiver position, where he now has more than 400 yards receiving and four TDs. The Owls have other weapons, too, as seven different receivers have caught TD passes for Reagan County. Junior A.J. Avalos has rushed for more than 500 yards and scored five times. He’s also a top kicker, with 32 points scored on PATs and FGs. This is an intriguing matchup because it’s unclear if the teams have ever played on the football field. Christoval was a six-man powerhouse for many years but this meeting was made possible by the Cougars’ move up into Division I ball while the Owls were realigned down from 3A DII at the last UIL realignment.

The pick: Reagan County 31, Christoval 27

Wall (8-1, 4-0) at Brady (5-4, 3-1)

The Hawks already have a claim on the District 2-3A Division II crown and it’s the Bulldogs who could climb into the spot beside Wall. Brady shared a district title last year before realignment pushed Wall and Early into Division II and aligned with the Bulldogs. Wall is on a seven-game winning streak since its only loss of the season, an 18-14 nondistrict setback to 2A DI powerhouse Cisco. In nondistrict play, the Hawks beat 2A I Mason (14-6), a team that dumped the Bulldogs 27-7. The Hawks are coming off a 10-7 win over Early to avenge last season’s loss and gives them a chance to go into the playoffs on a winning streak if they can take care of business at Bulldog Stadium. The Bulldogs squeaked past winless Grape Creek 22-19, a team Wall beat 68-0. Brady’s lone district loss was a 41-27 setback to Early, which will keep the Bulldogs from claiming an outright district title. While Wall’s offense is a bit one-dimensional, the defense has played lights out, especially lately. Only 60 points have been scored all season against the Hawks and just seven in district play. Brady, on the other hand, has allowed more points (293) than it has scored (285). Wall’s depth will continue to make the difference.

The pick: Wall 28, Brady 7

Miles (7-2, 3-1) at Cross Plains (7-2, 2-2)

The Division III state 7-on-7 champion Bulldogs are really lighting up the scoreboard lately in zooming to a second-place standing heading into the final 6-2A DII game. After opening the season on a four-game winning streak, Miles lost the next two before rebounding to win three in a row heading into the Cross Plains game. The Bulldogs, which have averaged 55 points per game for the season, are averaging a whopping 62 per game in the last three wins, including a 77-26 win over Roscoe, a team that beat Cross Plains 28-6. Junior quarterback Hayven Book has thrown for 1,903 yards and 32 TDs against just four interceptions for the Bulldogs. Book has also rushed for 337 yards and nine TDs. The Bulldogs have two others (Tanner Wood and Devin Medina) who combine for more than 700 rushing yards and 10 total TDs. Brothers Carson Ellison, a senior, and Cooper Ellison, a sophomore, have combined for more than 1,000 yards receiving and 17 TDs for Miles, which also has six other receivers with at least one TD catch. It’s been quite a turnaround for the Dogs, who were a combined 6-16 the last two years with two fourth-place playoff berths. Miles will likely face former district opponent Eldorado or 11-man newcomer Sterling City in the first round of the playoffs. Miles beat Sterling City in nondistrict play this year.

The pick: Miles 62, Cross Plains 28

Garden City (8-1, 3-0) at Rankin (8-1, 3-0)

This game is for first and second place in District 7-1A Division I and it pits the Red Devils, ranked No. 4 in the latest Texas Football magazine Top 10 rankings, against the No. 7 Bearkats. In the sixmanfootball.com rankings, the teams are switched around. Garden City is No. 4 and Rankin is No. 7. The discrepancy is fitting since it could be anybody’s guess who will come out on top in this grudge match. After beating Rankin twice in 2018 – once in nondistrict play and once in the playoffs – enroute to the state semifinals – Garden City has fallen three consecutive years to Rankin, including last year’s 82-58 shootout. The Kats are coming into the game on a five-game winning streak after their only loss of the season, 63-34 to two-time state finalist May in nondistrict play. The Devils’ only loss was a 59-58 nondistrict decision to defending state champ Westbrook. They have won their last six games. Garden City bounced back from the May loss with a 46-42 win over Westbrook. The loser of this game will likely face Westbrook in the playoff opener.

The pick: Garden City 46, Rankin 45

This article originally appeared on San Angelo Standard-Times: Top 5 high school football games to watch, Week 11