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The No. 9 Brownwood Lions look to take another step toward a potential District 2-4A Division I championship repeat as they welcome the San Angelo Lake View Chiefs to Gordon Wood Stadium at 7 p.m. Friday for homecoming.

The Lions (6-1, 1-0) are coming off a 56-7 thrashing of Big Spring (1-6, 0-1) last week, while Lake View (1-6, 0-1) was annihilated by Andrews (4-3, 1-1) in a 63-7 mauling in the league openers for all four squads.

Despite the struggles the Chiefs have endured, sixth-year head coach Sammy Burnett said the message this week for the Lions is maintaining a high level of play, regardless of the foe.

“Our focus is not on them, it’s on us,” Burnett said. “We want to be elite and to do that we have to continue to work. It’s another opportunity for us to get better as a team because the next two weeks we’re going to be in some dogfights, but we’re not overlooking Lake View to get there. If we go out there and think they’re just going to fold up because we stepped on the field we’re sadly mistaken.”

Lake View defeated Class 3A Division I Lamesa (1-6) by a 49-8 count in the season opener and has dropped six straight games since. In last week’s 63-7 loss to Andrews, Lake View trailed 36-0 after one quarter and gave up 660 yards of total offense for the game, including 601 rushing. Andrews averaged 14.3 yards per play on 46 snaps.

For the year, Lake View averages 22 points and 309 yards – 200 passing and 109 rushing – per game, with 23 turnovers.

Quarterback Auston Perez (57 of 92 for 854 yards, 12 TDs, 7 INTs) hasn’t played since the fifth game against Levelland. Jalen Chavez (45 of 55 for 545 yards, 4 TDs, 4 INTs) has come in and provides more of a running threat with 148 yards on the ground.

Ian Cortez (202 yards, 3 TDs) is the leading rusher but also hasn’t played since the fifth game. Sammy Ramirez (137 yards, 0 TDs) has taken over as the main back.

Top receivers are Wyatt Henry (33-356, 3 TDs), Michael Duran (24-500, 4 TDs), Braeden Packard (13-139, 4 TDs) and Adrian Flores (6-134, TD).

The Lions defense is yielding 19 points and 317 yards – 180 passing and 137 rushing – per contest, with six takeaways, though Brownwood has not forced a turnover since the Glen Rose contest.

Standouts include Sam Kallman (84 tackles, 7 for loss, 4 sacks), Noah Gonzalez (74 tackles, 5 for loss, 1 sack), Jake Jetton (72 tackles, 1 sack, 1 fumble recovery, 1 INT), Steve Ramirez (71 tackles, 1 for loss, 2 sacks, 1 INT), Zakk Zabecki (46 tackles, 3 for loss), Weston Wolf (36 tackles, 4 for loss, 2 sacks), Hayden Noe (30 tackles, 1 INT), Jordyn Nickerson (29 tackles), Robert Trowbridge (26 tackles, 2 for loss, 1 sack) and Quinten McCarty (25 tackles, 3 sacks), among others.

Meanwhile, the Lake View defense gives up 43 points and 474 yards – 325 rushing and 149 passing – per game, but has forced 14 takeaways. Three opponents have rushed for more than 400 yards against Lake View.

Among the top tacklers on the Lake View defense are Esaias Salazar (58 tackles), Noah Rios (37 tackles), Luis Puentes (37 tackles), Isaac Monreal (28 tackles), Elijah Stone (26 tackles) and Francisco Ramirez (18 tackles).

Behind the front line of McCarty, Cole Miller, Davis Le, Aidan Packheiser and Logan Knight, Brownwood’s offense is producing 38 points and 393 yards – 209 on the ground and 194 through the air – per contest, with eight turnovers.

Quarterback Ike Hall has completed 62 of 115 passes for 1,099 yards with 10 touchdowns four interceptions, rushed for a team-best 704 yards and 10 scores, and added a 41-yard touchdown reception last week.

Other weapons in the backfield include Levi Pearson (304 rushing yards, 4 TDs; 8-120, TD receiving), coming off his best performance at the varsity level, and Jaylan Brown (297 rushing yards, 5 TDs; 1-11 receiving), who is expected to return this week after missing two games with a knee injury, and Xavier Zepeda (90 rushing yards, TD), who made his debut in the backfield at Big Spring.

Primary receiving threats include Carson Noe (26-331, 2 TDs), Aaron Edmonds (13-206, 2 TDs), Morsello Hooker (8-213, 5 TDs), Hayden Noe (6-133, TD), Stone Ratliff (5-110, TD) and Wolf (5-88, TD).

“We have to go out there and play at an elite level and never give them the opportunity to feel like they’re in the game,” Burnett said. “We need to take away their will to win early, dominate in all three phases and make it an enjoyable night for us and we have the ability to do that.”

According to Harris Ratings Weekly, there is no line in this game. Brownwood is ranked 58 points higher than Lake View this week. Dave Campbell’s Texas Football lists the Lions as 54-point favorites.

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Brownwood Lions 2023 Football Season Stats

Through 7 Games (6-1, 1-0)

TEAM OFFENSE

37.8 points per game (265)

392.8 yards per game (2,750)

208.5 rushing yards per game (1,460)

184.3 passing yards per game (1,290)

57.1 completion percentage (76 of 133)

PASSING

* Ike Hall

62 of 115 for 1,099 yards, 10 TDs, 4 INTs

* Braeden Stacks

14 of 18 for 191 yards, 4 TDs

RUSHING

* Ike Hall

704 yards on 75 carries, 10 TDs

* Levi Pearson

304 yards on 70 carries, 3 TDs

* Jaylan Brown

297 yards on 54 carries, 5 TDs

* Xavier Zepeda

90 yards on 2 carries, TD

* Braeden Stacks

43 yards on 9 carries, TD

* Logan McKibben

31 yards on 8 carries

* Case Burnett

27 yards on 7 carries

* Noah Gonzalez

8 yards on 1 carry, TD

* Aaron Edmonds

-2 yards on 1 carry

* TEAM

-22 yards on 3 carries

RECEIVING

* Carson Noe

26 catches, 331 yards, 2 TDs

* Aaron Edmonds

13 catches, 206 yards, 2 TDs

* Morsello Hooker

8 catches, 213 yards, 5 TDs

* Levi Pearson

8 catches, 120 yards, TD

* Hayden Noe

6 catches, 133 yards, TD

* Stone Ratliff

5 catches for 110 yards, TD

* Weston Wolf

5 catches, 88 yards, TD

* Xavier Zepeda

3 catches, 32 yards

* Jaylan Brown

1 catch, 11 yards

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TEAM DEFENSE

19.1 points per game (134)

317.0 yards per game (2,219)

137.3 rushing yards per game (961)

179.7 passing yards per game (1,258)

61.2 opponents completion percentage (104 of 170)

TACKLES

* Sam Kallman

84 tackles, 7 for loss, 4 sacks

* Noah Gonzalez

74 tackles, 5 for loss, 1 sack

* Jake Jetton

72 tackles, 1 sack, 1 fumble recovery, 1 INT

* Steve Ramirez

71 tackles, 1 for loss, 2 sacks, 1 INT

* Zakk Zabecki

46 tackles, 3 for loss

* Weston Wolf

36 tackles, 4 for loss, 2 sacks

* Hayden Noe

30 tackles, 1 INT

* Jordyn Nickerson

29 tackles

* Robert Trowbridge

26 tackles, 2 for loss, 1 sack

* Quinten McCarty

25 tackles, 3 sacks

* Jaylan Brown

21 tackles, 1 for loss

* Morsello Hooker

21 tackles, 1 for loss, 1 INT

* Kenyan McDowell

21 tackles, 1 INT

* Julius Lara

21 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 for loss

* Cole Miller

19 tackles, 1 for loss

* Gray Stewardson

10 tackles, 1 sack

* Ricky Vasquez

9 tackles

* Isaiah Rosas

8 tackles

* Jamariea Harlmon

5 tackles, 1 for loss, 1 sack

* Xavier Zepeda

5 tackles

* Tyler Beal

3 tackles

* Case Burnett

2 tackles

* Yovani Figueroa

2 tackles

* Davis Le

1 tackle

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KICKING

* Junior Martinez

6 of 8 FGs – long of 52, missed from 44, 40

35 of 35 PATs

53 points

22 punts, 841 yards, 38.2 average – long of 52; 2 inside opponents’ 5

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TURNOVER MARGIN (-2)

* Brownwood: 8 (4 fumbles, 4 interceptions)

* Opponents: 6 (1 fumble, 5 interceptions)

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PENALTIES

* Brownwood: 39 for 358 yards (5.5 for 51.1 per game)

* Opponents: 44 for 342 yards (6.3 for 48.9 per game)