VALIANT PERFORMANCE: A week after he tore the ACL and meniscus in his right knee in Academy's area-round playoff win against Winnie East Chambers, senior Blake Bundy made eight tackles while playing the entire game on defense at safety and kicked two extra points in the Bumblebees' 37-34 loss to Diboll in a Class 3A Division I Region III semifinal at College Station High School. Competing in the third round of the playoffs for the first time in program history, Academy (11-2)

ALWAYS ON THE RUN: Academy wide receiver Scout Brazeal, shown making a 70-yard touchdown reception during the Bumblebees' bi-district playoff loss to Hallettsville in 2020, has produced a stellar junior season with 66 catches for 1,271 yards and 15 TDs along with 89 tackles and three interceptions as a safety. After close playoff victories over Yoakum and Winnie East Chambers, coach Chris Lancaster's 11-1 Academy team carries a seven-game win streak into its Class 3A Division

SENIOR SURGE: After playing his junior season at Wichita Falls City View, wide receiver Devan Williams returned to Temple for his senior year and led the Wildcats (9-3) with 37 catches for 777 yards and 11 touchdowns as they went undefeated in District 12-6A. He returned a kickoff for a touchdown in Temple's 28-14 bi-district playoff win over Waxahachie and caught a 7-yard TD pass from Mikal Harrison-Pilot in the Wildcats' 45-33 area-round loss to Rockwall-Heath last Friday i

PHYSICAL BATTLE: Temple junior linebacker Taurean York tries to tackle Rockwall-Heath senior running back Zach Evans during a Class 6A Division II area-round playoff game Friday night at Burleson ISD Stadium. Evans carried 38 times for 207 yards and scored two touchdowns as the fifth-ranked Hawks (11-1) recorded a 45-33 victory that stopped a nine-game winning streak for the District 12-6A champion Wildcats (9-3). Rockwall-Heath, guided by former Temple head coach Mike Spradl

IN HOT PURSUIT: Temple junior linebacker Taurean York (5) chases Waxahachie junior quarterback Roderick Hartsfield Jr. during the Wildcats' 28-14 victory in last Friday's Class 6A Division II bi-district playoff game at Wildcat Stadium. District 12-6A champion Temple (9-2) clashes with 10-6A champ and fifth-ranked Rockwall-Heath (10-1) in an area-round battle at 7:30 Friday night at Burleson ISD Stadium. It's a rematch of the Hawks' 56-28 second-round win last December in Wac

GETTING BETTER ALL THE TIME: In his first full season as a varsity starter, Temple junior strong safety Zion Moore has contributed 47 tackles and two interceptions as a versatile, productive member of the Wildcats' defense. Moore and Temple shut out Waxahachie in the fourth quarter last Friday at Wildcat Stadium to prevail 28-14 in a Class 6A Division II bi-district playoff game. Coach Scott Stewart's District 12-6A champion Wildcats (9-2) battle fifth-ranked 10-6A champ Rock

KEY COMPONENT: Academy junior wide receiver/safety Scout Brazeal, shown after his team's 32-28 home win over Cameron Yoe on Oct. 8, has excelled on both sides of the ball while helping the Bumblebees (10-1) move into a Class 3A Division I area-round playoff game against Winnie East Chambers (8-3) at 7:30 tonight at Tomball ISD Stadium. Brazeal has made 59 receptions for 1,143 yards and 13 touchdowns, including a 9-yard TD catch from Kasey Mraz in overtime to give Academy a 28

OFF TO THE RACES: Temple junior wide receiver/quarterback Mikal Harrison-Pilot sprints for a long gain against Waxahachie as senior tight end KeAndre Smith (left) and other teammates block during the Wildcats' 28-14 home win over the Indians in a Class 6A Division II bi-district playoff game last Friday at Wildcat Stadium. Harrison-Pilot has scored 14 touchdowns (eight rushing, six receiving) this season for Temple (9-2), which battles fifth-ranked Rockwall-Heath (10-1) in an

RELENTLESS PURSUIT: Temple junior defensive end Jaylon Jackson tackles Waxahachie junior quarterback Roderick Hartsfield Jr. as junior linebacker Taurean York closes in during the Wildcats' 28-14 victory in a Class 6A Division II bi-district playoff game Friday night at Wildcat Stadium. The game was tied 14-14 entering the fourth quarter before senior Samari Howard scored two touchdown runs to help Temple (9-2) earn its ninth straight win. Coach Scott Stewart's Wildcats advan

GOING ALL OUT: Temple junior Samari Howard stretches out and partially blocks a third-quarter punt by Rockwall-Heath's Grady Brewer during the Wildcats' 56-28 loss to the Hawks in a Class 6A Division II area-round playoff game Friday night at Baylor's McLane Stadium in Waco. Howard ran for 134 yards with a 16-yard touchdown, finishing the season with 1,261 yards and 22 total TDs for District 12-6A champion Temple (10-2). (Photo by Matt Corley, Temple ISD/Special to TempleBelt

FULL STEAM AHEAD: After last week's 38-0 bi-district playoff win over Waxahachie at Wildcat Stadium, junior running back Samari Howard (8) and senior quarterback Humberto Arizmendi (10) lead the District 12-6A champion Temple Wildcats (10-1) into their Class 6A Division II area-round playoff game against Rockwall-Heath (8-2) at 7 p.m. Friday at Baylor's McLane Stadium in Waco. The Hawks, 42-14 winners last week over Garland, are guided by former Temple head coach Mike Spradli

ANOTHER BRICK IN THE WALL: Despite having only one returning starter and two new coaches, Temple's offensive line of senior left tackle Alex Rodriguez (left), senior left guard Allen Camacho, senior center Matthew Frye, senior right guard Kai Lynn and junior right tackle Colby Rice has built itself into being a productive group. Under the tutelage of first-year Temple assistants Mike Bickham and Justin Bell, the line's blocking has paved the way for the Wildcats to average 41

FAMILIAR FACE, NEW COLORS: Rockwall-Heath second-year head coach Mike Spradlin holds the gold ball trophy while speaking to his players after the host Hawks beat Garland 42-14 in a Class 6A Division II bi-district playoff game last Friday. Spradlin coached Temple from 2011-15 and guided the Wildcats to a 44-17 record and four playoff berths, highlighted by a 5A Division I state runner-up finish in 2014. He'll face his former team when Rockwall-Heath (8-2) battles Temple (10-1

GRAYS' AREA: Temple junior outside linebacker Marshall Grays (11) grabs Waxahachie senior quarterback Brandon Hawkins Jr. and tackles him for a 3-yard loss on fourth-and-goal late in the first quarter as Wildcats junior safety O'Tarian Peoples (2) looks on. Grays returned an interception 26 yards for a touchdown only 68 seconds into the game, helping the host Wildcats blast the Indians 38-0 in a Class 6A Division II bi-district duel Friday night at Wildcat Stadium. It was Tem

PARTY AT THE PILE: Temple defenders Eric Shorter (left), Jayven Taylor (95), O'Tarian Peoples (2) and Johnny Donoso (22) converge on Killeen Shoemaker's Devin Brown during the visiting Wildcats' 27-24 win over the Grey Wolves on Nov. 19 at Leo Buckley Stadium. District 12-6A champion Temple (9-1) hosts the Waxahachie Indians (5-4) at 7:30 p.m. Friday in a Class 6A Division II bi-district playoff game at Wildcat Stadium. Coach Scott Stewart's Wildcats are seeking their first p

MAN IN MOTION: Junior defensive end Eric Shorter has produced an outstanding season for the District 12-6A champion Temple Wildcats (9-1), who host the Waxahachie Indians (5-4) in a Class 6A Division II bi-district playoff game at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Wildcat Stadium. The 5-foot-8½, 216-pound Shorter ranks second on the Wildcats' defense with 54 tackles, including 12 for losses and a team-best five sacks along with two fumble recoveries. In 2019 he made 57 tackles and was a se

WINNING MOMENT: Temple players celebrate their District 12-6A championship after they defeated Killeen Shoemaker 27-24 at Leo Buckley Stadium two weeks ago. Having won at outright district title in the state's largest classification for the first time since 2007, the Wildcats (9-1) will host a Class 6A Division II bi-district playoff game against Waxahachie (5-4) at 7:30 p.m. next Friday at Wildcat Stadium. (File photo by Matt Corley, Temple ISD/Special to TempleBeltonSports.

WACO – Rogers pushed Buffalo until the end in a District 13-3A Division II rematch Friday night, but the Eagles didn't have quite enough firepower as the Bison prevailed 37-35 in a Class 3A Division II Region IV semifinal Friday night at Waco ISD Stadium. Two months after Rogers lost 46-28 at Buffalo, coach Charlie Roten's Eagles (7-6) played the Bison (12-1) closer the second time around in the teams' third meeting in the last 12½ months. In 2019, Rogers rallied late to defe

FLYING HIGH AGAIN: After Rogers got off to a 1-4 start this season, senior defensive lineman Ty Sebek (left) and senior linebacker/running back John Hill have helped power coach Charlie Roten's resurgent Eagles (7-5) to a berth in the Class 3A Division II Region IV semifinals against district rival Buffalo (11-1) at 7:30 tonight at Waco ISD Stadium. Rogers edged third-ranked and previously unbeaten Poth 21-20 a week ago. The Eagles seek to avenge their 46-28 road loss to Buff

SENIOR STRENGTH: Linebacker Peyton Miller (left) and safety/halfback/kicker/punter Wrook Brown are two of Salado's many seniors who have propelled the Eagles to an 11-1 record and a No. 6 state ranking entering their Class 4A Division II Region III semifinal against No. 1 Carthage (10-0) at 5:30 p.m. Friday at New Caney ISD's Randall Reed Stadium in Porter. Salado earned a 28-23 win over Bellville last Friday, while Carthage blasted Silsbee 49-0. The East Texas-based Bulldogs