Thursday

Jordan (6-2, 4-2) vs. Tompkins (5-3, 4-2), 6:30 p.m. at Rhodes Stadium

Last year: Tompkins 65, Jordan 14

• It’ll be the biggest game of the season for both Jordan and Tompkins on Thursday as the two teams will battle in a game that could decide the fates of their season.
  The winner of the game puts themselves in prime position to seal a playoff spot, but the loser would have their playoff chances taken out of their hands and have to hope on other results. For both programs it’s a huge one. Jordan is trying to earn its first ever playoff berth while Tompkins is trying to reach the postseason for the sixth straight year.
  Jordan comes off a loss to Taylor in what was a wild game that came down to the wire. Colin Willetts did everything he could to try and get the Warriors into the win column, throwing for 345 yards and three touchdowns, but also throwing two interceptions, while Andrew Marsh had 130 yards receiving and three touchdowns, Tanner West had 98 yards receiving and 29 yards rushing and Deacon Stanfield had 75 yards receiving. But the Jordan defense struggled with some unlucky breaks as Taylor’s four completions went for 151 yards and the Mustangs were able to get timely points.
  The Falcons meanwhile come off a dominant win where they stretched their winning streak to four games against Mayde Creek. Everything was going for the Falcons in the win, Wyatt Young looked fresh and 100%, rushing for 114 yards on just four carries and adding 131 yards in the air, while Caleb Blocker had 108 yards in the win as well. The defense was just as influential in the win, limiting Mayde Creek to under 250 yards and not ever allowing the Rams into the game.
  It will be a game of different strengths. Tompkins has a huge advantage in the trenches and will try to pound the ball and assert the run game while not allowing Jordan to get anything going in their run game. The Warriors meanwhile will try and attack with their skill players and get down the field. But on defense they will have to be up to the task and slow down Wyatt Young and Caleb Blocker.

Mayde Creek (3-6, 2-5) vs. Morton Ranch (1-7, 1-5), 7:15 p.m. at Legacy Stadium

Last year: Morton Ranch 47, Mayde Creek 10

• Mayde Creek and Morton Ranch are both out of the playoff hunt, but it will has the makings of a good contest on Thursday as the two meet, with both trying to get back in the win column and get their seasons on a good note towards the end.
  Morton Ranch comes off a bye week and will be refreshed coming into this game. Despite their record, the Mavericks have been in most of their games this season and have things to build off of as they try to turn being competitive into a win. Mike Gerald has been huge for the Mavericks all season and has kept them in games offensively and Ryan Hall is a threat in the run game. The Mavericks defense has continued to improve throughout the year and they are set up to make it a good game.
  The Rams meanwhile come off a loss to Tompkins where they weren’t able to get things going on either side of the ball. Mayde Creek was led by Christian Bradford offensively, who ran for 74 yards and a score, while Trey Williams ran for 29 yards and Tavious Mitchell ran for 26 yards. Nelson added 43 yards receiving while Mitchell had 24, with Williams throwing for 76 yards. The defense wasn’t able to stop the run or pass though, giving up 295 yards on the ground and 133 through the air.
  The Rams and Mavericks will have different goals heading into this game in how they want to attack each other. The Rams will try to get the intermediate game going and use RPOs to their advantage, the Mavericks meanwhile will try to pound the ball and hope that opens up the play action game for deep shots. The Rams defense will have to hone in on the run and slow that down first, while Morton’s defense will have to have good communication playing against an offense that uses lots of motion and misdirection.

Friday

Paetow (1-7, 1-5) vs. Taylor (5-3, 5-1), 6:30 p.m. at Rhodes Stadium

Last year: Paetow 40, Taylor 10

• Paetow and Taylor come into their matchup on Friday on opposite ends of the district, but with both coming off a win and combining for a matchup that could be competitive.
  Paetow’s defense has slowly turned into one of the district’s best as the season has gone on and things finally came together for the Panthers first win of the season last week against Seven Lakes. It was a game won in all three phases. Jackson Farrar ran in two touchdowns and threw for two touchdown while the Panthers defense never let Seven Lakes get back into the game after building up a 28 point lead.
  The Mustangs meanwhile, come off their biggest win of the season as they became the second District 19-6A team to punch a ticket to the playoffs by beating Jordan last week in what was a thriller. Dante Archie ran for 54 yards in the game, while Daniel Bruns threw for 151 yards and a touchdown on just four completed passes. Ethan Jacobson ran in a touchdown as well and I was a game of all three phases for Taylor, with Josiah Rodriguez returning an interception for a touchdown and Kameron Green taking a kickoff back for a touchdown. The Taylor defense stepped up in big spots, keeping Jordan in check even though they gave up some yards through the air, intercepting Jordan twice and limiting the Warriors to just 46 rushing yards.
  Taylor has now won three in a row, trailing just Tompkins and Katy for the longest win streaks in district right now and they’ll be determined to keep that going. The Mustangs will have to commit to slowing down the Paetow run game and will need to be very thoughtful about not turning over the ball on offense as that is what Paetow feasts on. The Panthers meanwhile will have to do the same thing, committing to slowing down the Taylor run game and being ready for play action, while on offense they will need to find a way to be successful through the air and not let Taylor pack the box every play.

Katy (7-1, 6-0) vs. Seven Lakes (2-6, 1-5), 7:15 p.m. at Legacy Stadium

Last year: Katy 59, Seven Lakes 0

• Katy and Seven Lakes are on differing ends of the district. The Tigers are winners of six in a row and undefeated in district play, coming off another big win over Cinco Ranch while Seven Lakes suffered its third straight loss against Paetow.
  Katy continued to have a strong offense behind its run game. Tremayne Hill ran for 170 yards and two scores while Chase Johnsey added 54 yards and two touchowns on the ground. Gunner Nelson kept up his strong play as well, throwing for 154 yards and two touchdowns, both of which went to Israel Olotu-Judah who finished the game with 57 yards receiving. Katy’s defense also continued its improvement, holding Cinco Ranch to under 200 yards of total offense in the win.
  Seven Lakes meanwhile was never able to get things going against Paetow in its loss. The Panthers jumped ahead early and never looked back. It took until the third quarter for the Spartans to get on the board with a field goal while Barrett Hudson scored the only touchdown for the team in the fourth on a 2-yard run. The rund defense was what really struggled for the Spartans, allowing the Panthers to pound the ball throughout the game.
  Katy’s focus will be the same. Dictate the pace of the game offensively, pounding the ball with the run and building up the play action game, while defensively trying to keep Seven Lakes from being able to get going in the run game and playing downhill. The challenge for Seven Lakes will be having to commit to stopping the run but still being able to stop the pass game that Katy does off of it. The Spartans on offense will need to do what Katy does so successfully, starting with a strong run game and building off of that to get the play action and pass game going.