The Brownwood Lions are playing in the state quarterfinals for the first time since 2015, seeking their first state semifinals appearance since 2010, but in order to achieve that goal they must first dispatch of the reigning Class 4A Division I Region I champion Decatur Eagles.
Kickoff between the Lions (12-1) and Eagles (9-4) in the Class 4A Division I Region I championship game is slated for 7 p.m. Friday at Baylor University’s McLane Stadium in Waco.
The Lions carry a seven-game win streak into the contest and haven’t allowed more than 17 points in a game during that span. The Eagles are in the midst of an eight-game win streak and have tallied at least 42 points in each of those contests but one – a 23-17 victory over Springtown, the team Brownwood ousted from the playoffs last week by a 37–17 count.
“When you’re down to the top eight it doesn’t really matter who you play, it’s how you play,” said Lions sixth-year head coach Sammy Burnett. “The team that is the most physical is the team that’s going to win. We have to bring our ‘A’ game and if they bring their ‘A’ game it will be enjoyable to watch, a knockdown drag out. If we don’t bring our ‘A’ game they’ll beat us and if they don’t bring their ‘A’ game we’ll beat them. Whoever plays four quarters and wins the most plays is going to be the team that wins.”
Prior to its current win streak, the Eagles started the season with a 1-4 record with losses to Anna (37-30), Wichita Falls Rider (38-14), Stephenville (56-55) and Alvarado (36-35 OT). During the win streak, opponents to fall to the Eagles include Andrews (56-14), Lubbock Estacado (52-21) and Springtown.
“They remind me of Canyon Randall in that they’re not a bigger team like a Springtown or Stephenville, but I was impressed with Randall, the speed their kids played at, their physicality and their quarterback and running back were both were good,” Burnett said of Decatur. “Defensively they’re not a team that normally that you’re going to break a lot of big runs on, maybe 15 or 20 yards. They fly to the football and take good angles and pursue really well.”
Decatur averages 43 points and 382 yards – 221 rushing and 161 passing – per game, led by TCU commit Nate Palmer (1,770 rushing yards, 28 TDs; 27-226, 3 TDs receiving) in the backfield, along with quarterback Jed Ross (170 of 251 for 2,091 yards, 21 TDs, 4 INTs). Other weapons for the Eagles include running back Abram Graham (727 rushing yards, 5 TDs; 14-240, 4 TDs receiving) and receivers Landon Felts (51-601, 3 TDs), Antwan Gilbreath (37-541, 6 TDs), Luke White (18-289, 2 TDs), and Cooper Stasny (13-139, 2 TDs).
“Offensively they’re extremely talented,” Burnett said. “They have a four-star running back that’s a phenomenal athlete, great lateral movement, great burst, top end speed and everything you want in a tailback. Their quarterback is a big kid, operates really well, throws the ball well and is really accurate, and when he needs to run he can pull it down and do that. They have wide outs, big kids that go get the ball and they block really well on the perimeter. They have a great scheme, they go extremely fast so we’ll have to be simple defensively, clear-minded and play fast and physical. They’re definitely a big play team and have the potential to bust a big play at any moment, and we can’t give them those. We have to rally to the football and when we get there we have to be physical, wrap up, gang tackle and make plays. We have to out-physical them and win that part of the game, get them behind the chains and make them do things they don’t want to do.”
The Lions defense is yielding 14 points and 271 yards – 149 rushing and 122 passing – per game, with 17 takeaways, including seven in the last two outings.
Standouts include linebacker Stevie Ramirez (138 tackles, 8 for loss, 4 sacks, 2 INTs), linebacker Sam Kallman (137 tackles, 8 for loss, 6 sacks, 1 fumble recovery), safety Noah Gonzalez (122 tackles, 7 for loss, 2 sacks, 1 fumble recovery), safety Jake Jetton (116 tackles, 1 sack, 1 fumble recovery, 1 INT), linebacker Zakk Zabecki (94 tackles, 4 for loss, 2 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, 1 INT), lineman Weston Wolf (71 tackles, 6 for loss, 6 sacks), lineman Quinten McCarty (69 tackles, 4 for loss, 4 sacks), lineman Robert Trowbridge (62 tackles, 5 for loss, 1 sack), safety Hayden Noe (47 tackles, 1 for loss, 1 INT) lineman Cole Miller (47 tackles, 2 for loss, 3 sacks), cornerback Jordyn Nickerson (46 tackles, 1 INT, 1 fumble recovery), linebacker Jaylan Brown (46 tackles, 1 for loss) and cornerback Morsello Hooker (42 tackles, 1 for loss, 3 INTs).
“Defense wins championships and we know ours is going to have to perform at an extremely high level and keep us in the ball game,” Burnett said.
The Decatur defense, meanwhile, allows 22 points per game on average. The Eagles posted shutouts against Pampa and Mineral Wells, but in four of the last five outings Decatur has yielded at least two touchdowns. In their four losses, the Eagles have given up no fewer than 36 points. In Brownwood’s 12 wins the Lions have scored no fewer than 24 points, while the one loss resulted in 17 points from the maroon and white.
“On the defensive side they run a 3-4 and are very good up front,” Burnett said. “They have three good linemen that fire off the ball really well and try and dominate the line of scrimmage. They also have a good linebacker corps and a good back end. They’re not big like some of the guys we’ve played in the past, but they fly around. They’ve very well-coached, a very talented team and they’re going to test our mettle.”
Brownwood’s offense is producing 40 points and 395 yards – 241 on the ground and 154 through the air – behind the front line of McCarty, Miller, Davis Le, Aidan Packheiser.
Quarterback Ike Hall has connected on 98 of 177 passes for 1,750 yards with 19 touchdowns and seven interceptions, while rushing for a team-best 1,649 yards and 23 touchdowns. Receiving threats include Carson Noe (36-671, 7 TDs), Aaron Edmonds (23-281, 2 TDs), Hooker (17-436, 9 TDs), Stone Ratliff (9-185, TD), Hayden Noe (6-133, TD) and Wolf (6-109, TD). Options in the backfield include Levi Pearson (571 rushing yards, 5 TDs), Brown (488 rushing yards, 8 TDs), Xavier Zepeda (173 rushing yards, 2 TDs) and Logan McKibben (119 rushing yards, 2 TDs).
The Lions have mustered a total of 6 points, on two field goals, in the first quarter of the last two games and have been forced to come from behind, but Burnett is not overly concerned about the recent starts.
“Of course you want to start fast but if you don’t remain calm, do what you do and you’ll settle into the game,” Burnett said. “The first part of the game is like a dogfight, both teams will put their hands up and will be swinging, but you have to weather the storm, get into the fire and get comfortable. At the first of the game kids are fresh, but the team that can handle the ups and downs of the game into the third and fourth quarters and persevere is the one that will be successful, and that’s the mentality we have.”
Brownwood and Decatur will be crossing paths for the second time this season and third time in two years as the two teams scrimmaged each other during the preseason in 2022 and 2023.
“We scrimmaged them last year and this year and had some success in both scrimmages,” Burnett said. “But this is the first time we’ve ever prepared for Decatur. In the two scrimmages it was just practice and we were just out there working on us. This year we were brand new at the time, especially on offense with 10 new guys trying to learn their way and feel their way. We know Friday night we control our destiny but we have to go out and play a phenomenal football game, a mistake-free football game. Regardless of what happens, win or lose, we’re going to put forth great effort.”
According to Harris Ratings Weekly, Brownwood is a 4-point underdog.
Friday’s winner will face the Region II champion, either Stephenville (11-2) or Anna (12-1), who square off at 7:30 p.m. Friday in North Richland Hills, next week in the state semifinals.