Texas high school football playoffs: 2023 UIL small school bi-district roundup
As the opening round of the Texas high school football playoffs continued across the Lone Star State, SBLive Texas is keeping tabs on the latest scores, top storylines and best performances throughout the bi-district round.
After gathering the top finishes in the Class 6A Division I, Class 6A Division II and Class 5A brackets, we dove into the small-school brackets.
The bi-district round runs through Saturday, the area round is Nov. 16-18, regionals are Nov. 23-25, the regional quarterfinals Nov. 30-Dec. 2, setting up state championship week: semifinals and finals Dec. 7-9 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.
Stay up on the final SBLive Texas Power 25 rankings, SBLive's South Texas Top 25 and SBLive's computer rankings for each classification.
Here are 10 bi-district games you should not have missed from UIL Classes 1A-4A:
BEST OF THE BRACKET: CLASSES 1A-4A
TOP-RANKED BOERNE ROLLS IN BI-DISTRICT CONTEST
The No. 1 team in the Class 4A Division I poll, Boerne, rolled to a playoff-opening win 42-28 against Taylor on Thursday.
Adams Hicks and Hutson Hendrix ran for two touchdowns each and both ran for more than 100 yards for the Greyhounds (10-1). Hicks ran for 130 yards on 25 carries, while Hendrix had 106 yards on 16 carries. Hendrix, a junior, had a big game on both sides of the ball. He had a team-high 11 tackles, 3 TFL and one interception.
Brooks Perez had six catches for 103 yards and one touchdown for Boerne – winners of 10 straight.
Boerne plays La Vernia (9-2) – winners of 5 in a row – in the area round.
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GAFFORD PASSES STEPHENVILLE INTO THE AREA ROUND
The Stephenville Yellow Jackets raced out to a 37-0 lead at the break and cruised to a 48-7 win over Fort Worth Western Hills on Thursday night at Tarleton State’s Memorial Stadium.
Quarterback Ryan Gafford was perfect passing the ball, going 8-for-8 for 231 yards and four touchdowns. He also ran for a touchdown.
Four different receivers caught one touchdown each for Stephenville (9-2). The Yellow Jackets’ defense allowed only 157 yards of offense to the Cougars.
Up next is Dallas Carter, which survived with a 41-35 win over Sulphur Springs on Friday.
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LITTLE RIVER UPSETS STATE-RANKED HITCHCOCK
In one of the few upsets in the bi-district round, the Associated Press Class 3A Division I No. 6-ranked Hitchcock squad lost 42-36 in a rematch of a bi-district game from last year against Little River Academy.
Kasey Mraz threw a pair of touchdowns and 118 yards, while rushing for 106 yards. On the defensive side of the ball, he had a team-high 12 tackles, while forcing a fumble and recovering a fumble. Sophomore running back Cavali Nealy added 77 yards and three touchdowns on 19 totes for the Bumblebees (9-2).
Texas Tech pledge Lloyd Jones III had three touchdowns for the Bulldogs. Hitchcock finished the year 9-2 after a 7-0 start.
The Bumblebees face Diboll (9-2) in the area round.
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ANNA HOLDS OFF DALLAS WILMER-HUTCHINS
The Class 4A Division I No. 2-ranked Anna Coyotes held off a challenge from the Wilmer-Hutchins Eagles on Thursday night.
Jamison Adams made a pair of big plays in the win – he had a touchdown run in the fourth quarter and an interception in the end zone to keep the game tied at 0-0 in the second quarter.
The game was 3-0 going into the fourth.
All 17 points for the Coyotes came off turnovers – including an interception return by CJ Miller from 20 yards out.
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ALVIN IOWA COLONY CLAIMS FIRST PLAYOFF WIN
The Alvin Iowa Colony Pioneers, a second-year program, won its first playoff game with a 37-0 bi-district win against Furr in the Class 4A Division I playoffs.
The Pioneers (11-0) will play Lindale (7-4) in Bryan for the area playoffs.
Iowa Colony’s defense had three interceptions, including a 34-yard touchdown return by Haydon Caston.
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RUSHING ATTACK LEADS CELINA PAST PARIS
The Celina Bobcats bounced back from a loss last week by picking up a 49-14 win against Paris on Friday in Allen.
The Bobcats ran for 455 yards with the one-two punch of sophomore Logan Gutierrez and junior Harrison Williams combining for 300 yards. Williams had 180 yards and one score, while Gutierrez had 122 yards and a pair of scores. Celina scored on four of its first five possessions and led the 28-7 at the break over the Wildcats.
Celina faces Alvarado (7-4) on Friday in the area round.
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HALL LEADS BROWNWOOD TO WIN OVER SAN ELIZARIO
Ike Hall three a trio of touchdown passes and ran for another in a 56-0 win over San Elizario on Thursday. Hall had two touchdown passes to Morsello Hooker for 68 yards and 24 yards. Hall added an 89-yard touchdown run as well for the Lions (10-1).
Brownwood faces the Canyon Randall Raiders (7-4) next week.
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BAY CITY ADVANCES WITH WIN OVER STAFFORD
Alex Estrada threw for 210 yards and a pair of touchdowns, while the defense came up big in the Blackcats’ 24-7 win on Friday in a Class 4A Division I bi-district game.
The defense got 13 tackles from Jaden Malone, while Jada Andrews caused four fumbles and had an interception as well for Bay City (7-3).
Bay City, ranked No. 9 in AP rankings, faces No. 3-ranked Kilgore in the area round. Kilgore won 49-8 over Livingston on Friday.
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SILSBEE HOLDS OFF SEALY TO ADVANCE
Silsbee stayed undefeated by holding off Sealy, 35-22, in a game on Thursday at New Caney.
The No. 2-ranked team in Class 4A Division II was tied 7-7 at halftime and fell behind 14-7.
Raydrian Baltrip had a kickoff return for a score to the game at 14-14 and Mikey Moshier’s touchdown gave Silsbee (11-0) the lead for good.
The Tigers play Gatesville (7-4), which beat Gonzales, 34-31, on Friday.
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DEFENDING CHAMPIONS GUNTER ROLLS IN OPENER
Gunter, last year’s Class 3A Division II champs, had its second-best offensive game of the season with a 75-0 over Cedar Hill Trinity Leadership on Friday.
Walker Overman had four touchdown passes and threw a 2-point conversion in the win for the Tigers (11-0) – the 26th in a row.
The season-high for Gunter is 82 points and this was the second time it scored 75.
Millsap (7-4) awaits Gunter in the area round of the playoffs.
-- Cody Thorn | @sblivetx
Lead photo by Blake Purcell
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