By GREG WILLE TempleBeltonSports.com gwille2@hot.rr.com BELTON – The momentum Belton gained in its season-opening win at Georgetown was slowed by back-to-back home losses to Round Rock and Pflugerville Hendrickson. However, the Tigers have an opportunity to get back on the proverbial horse when they begin District 12-6A competition against winless Copperas Cove at 7:30 tonight at Bulldawg Stadium. Both Belton (1-2) and Cove (0-3) had their open dates last week. The Bulldawgs

MET WITH RESISTANCE: Senior linebacker Faylin Lee (12) and other Temple defenders combine to tackle a Hutto ball carrier during the Wildcats' 60-53 home victory over the Hippos on Sept. 10 at Wildcat Stadium. After an open week, defending District 12-6A champion Temple (1-2) seeks to win its league opener at Bryan (0-3) at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Merrill Green Stadium. The Vikings, who lost 44-7 at Temple last October, have been limited to 14 points in each of their three games.

GETTING BETTER ALL THE TIME: In his first season as Temple's starting quarterback, sophomore Reese Rumfield has passed for 478 yards and five touchdowns against two interceptions. After the Wildcats lost to Austin Westlake and Magnolia West, Rumfield broke through by throwing for 302 yards and three TDs in a 60-53 home win over Hutto. Rumfield, who grew up in Belton but had moved to the Dallas-Fort Worth area, arrived at Temple in May after his father, Brock Rumfield, was hir

IN THE ZONE: Temple senior running back Samari Howard beats Hutto linebacker Brody Bujnoch to the pylon for a 31-yard touchdown run during the Wildcats' 60-53 victory over the Hippos on Sept. 10 at Wildcat Stadium. Howard on Thursday verbally committed to attend and play for Air Force beginning next year. He has 371 rushing yards for defending District 12-6A champion Temple (1-2), which begins league play on the road against the Bryan Vikings (0-3) at 7:30 p.m. Friday. (Photo

RIGHT PLACE, RIGHT TIME: Along with catching three passes for 51 yards, Lake Belton junior Connor Bartz made a touchdown-saving tackle during the Broncos' 28-14 home win over Cameron Yoe on Friday night at Belton High School's Tiger Field. Yoemen linebacker Fabian Salomon had a long fumble return as time expired in the first half, but a sprinting Bartz tracked down Salomon and tackled him at Lake Belton's 6-yard line to prevent a touchdown that likely would have cut the Bronc

BUZZING AROUND: Academy junior wide receiver Scout Brazeal (5), shown making a catch during last year's bi-district playoff game against Hallettsville, has caught 16 passes for an area-leading 406 yards and has scored four touchdowns for the 3-0 Bumblebees, who play at 2-0 Lago Vista in a non-district duel at 7:30 p.m. Friday. (File photo by Dean Kibler/Special to TempleBeltonSports.com) By GREG WILLE TempleBeltonSports.com gwille2@hot.rr.com After scoring back-to-back wins o

TAKE IT AWAY NOW: Temple junior middle linebacker Taurean York (5) celebrates with senior cornerback Triston Cohorn (middle) and senior safety Jaden Jackson after York recovered a Hutto fumble during the Wildcats' 60-53 win over the Hippos last Friday at Wildcat Stadium. York has made a team-leading 39 tackles for Temple (1-2), which after its open week will begin defense of its District 12-6A championship against the Bryan Vikings (0-3) at 7:30 p.m. next Friday at Merrill Gr

BREAK ON THROUGH: Temple senior running back Tavaris Sullivan fights past a Hutto defender to score the first of his two touchdown runs during the Wildcats' 60-53 win over the Hippos last Friday night at Wildcat Stadium. After its open date this week, defending league champion Temple (1-2) will begin its seven-game District 12-6A schedule at Bryan (0-3) on Sept. 24. (Photo by Mike Lefner, Temple ISD/Special to TempleBeltonSports.com) CLASS 6A TEAM STATISTICS OFFENSE Total yar

CELEBRATE GOOD TIMES: Temple senior wide receiver Devan Williams (1) is congratulated by teammates after catching a 57-yard touchdown pass from sophomore quarterback Reese Rumfield (10) 3 minutes into the first quarter of the Wildcats' 60-53 win over Hutto on Friday night at Wildcat Stadium. Rumfield connected with Williams for a 65-yard score in the third period and threw three TDs overall against the Hippos, including a 52-yarder to Andre Anderson. Temple finished 1-2 in no

By GREG WILLE TempleBeltonSports.com gwille2@hot.rr.com BELTON – After absorbing a 35-0 loss to a surging Round Rock squad in their home opener last Friday, the Belton Tigers aim to bounce back and finish non-district play with a winning record when they host Pflugerville Hendrickson at 7:30 tonight at Tiger Field. Belton (1-1) produced plenty of offense in its season-opening 35-31 comeback win at Georgetown two weeks ago, but Round Rock’s sturdy defense limited the Tigers to

ENERGY BOOSTER: Temple junior defensive back Naeten Mitchell reacts after making an interception early in the first quarter to set up a touchdown during the Wildcats' 27-14 home loss to Magnolia West last Friday at Wildcat Stadium. After consecutive home defeats against No. 1-ranked Austin Westlake and Magnolia West, Mitchell and Temple (0-2) will seek to earn their first victory when they host the Hutto Hippos (1-1) at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Wildcat Stadium in the final non-dis

STANDING TALL IN TEMPLE: Devan Williams played defensive back for Temple's varsity football team as a sophomore in 2019 but then moved because of family circumstances in 2020 and played his junior season at Class 3A Division II Wichita Falls City View, helping the 8-5 Mustangs reach the third round of the playoffs. However, Williams moved back to Temple in late April and switched over to offense at wide receiver. The 6-foot-2, 185-pound Williams caught a 3-yard touchdown pass

AROUND THE EDGE: Temple senior running back Samari Howard tries to get past a Magnolia West defender as junior lineman Jeremiah Mungia (58) blocks during the host Wildcats' 27-14 loss last Friday at Wildcat Stadium. Howard caught a 67-yard touchdown pass from sophomore Reese Rumfield later in the game and has rushed for 233 yards this season for Temple (0-2), which hosts Hutto (1-1) at 7:30 p.m. Friday. (Photo by Mike Lefner, Temple ISD/Special to TempoleBeltonSports.com) CLA

HE CAN PICK IT: Temple junior defensive back Naeten Mitchell tries to elude Magnolia West receivers Daniel Horn (left) and Colton Adcox after making an interception 1 minute into the game Friday night at Wildcat Stadium. Mitchell's pick set up a 3-yard touchdown pass from sophomore Reese Rumfield to senior Devan Williams, but the Mustangs – coached by former Temple offensive coordinator Ben McGehee – scored the next 27 points and defeated the Wildcats 27-14, dropping Temple t

By GREG WILLE TempleBeltonSports.com gwille2@hot.rr.com BELTON – After scoring the go-ahead touchdown with 3 minutes remaining and pulling out a season-opening 35-31 win at Georgetown last Friday, the Belton Tigers seek to get off to a 2-0 when they host the Round Rock Dragons (1-0) at 7:30 tonight at Tiger Field. Belton trailed 31-28 before senior receiver Seth Morgan caught a 44-yard touchdown pass from sophomore quarterback Ty Brown with 3 minutes left for a 35-31 lead. Th

LOOK WHO'S BACK IN TOWN: Then-Sweetwater head coach Ben McGehee speaks with Mustangs quarterback Leo Holsey during a practice in 2020. McGehee was Temple's offensive coordinator from 2014-16, helping the Wildcats advance to two Class 5A Division I state championship games before he became Sweetwater's head coach in 2017. McGehee is in his first season as head coach at Magnolia West, whose Mustangs beat Brenham 45-21 in his debut last week. He returns to Temple and Wildcat Sta

SCRAMBLING IN THE RAIN: Temple sophomore quarterback Reese Rumfield tries to elude pressure from Austin Westlake senior lineman Ethan Burke in a first-quarter rainstorm during the Wildcats' season-opening 54-13 loss to the top-ranked Chaparrals last Friday at Wildcat Stadium. Making his Temple debut, Rumfield was 8-of-22 passing for 90 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions. The Wildcats host Magnolia West (1-0) at 7:30 p.m. Friday. (Photo by Mike Lefner, Temple ISD/Specia

Temple junior linebacker Taurean York (5) made a team-leading 11 tackles during the Wildcats' season-opening 54-13 home loss to top-ranked Austin Westlake last Friday night. (Photo by Mike Lefner, Temple ISD/Special to TempleBeltonSports.com) CLASS 6A TEAM STATISTICS OFFENSE Total yards gained Harker Heights 525 (334 rushing, 191 passing) Belton 364 (76 rushing, 288 passing) Temple 329 (239 rushing, 90 passing) Killeen Ellison 204 (90 rushing, 114 passing) DEFENSE Total y

UNDER PRESSURE: Temple sophomore quarterback Reese Rumfield throws a short pass while being pursued by Austin Westlake senior defensive end Ethan Burke during the Wildcats' 54-13 loss to the top-ranked Chaparrals in Friday night's season opener at Wildcat Stadium, Making his first career start after transferring to Temple in May, Rumfield was 8-of-22 passing for 90 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions. (Photo by Mike Lefner, Temple ISD/Special to TempleBeltonSports.com)

BIG GAME HUNTER: Junior middle linebacker Taurean York and the Temple Wildcats face a huge challenge in their season opener, taking on Clemson-committed senior quarterback Cade Klubnik and Class 6A No. 1-ranked Austin Westlake at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Wildcat Stadium. The Chaparrals have won 24 straight games and two consecutive 6A state championships with head coach Todd Dodge, who will retire at the end of this season. Former Mary Hardin-Baylor safety Tony Salazar is the defe