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A second consecutive District 2-4A Division I championship is one victory away for the No. 7 Brownwood Lions, who close out the 2023 regular season and league campaign at 7 p.m. Friday when the Andrews Mustangs invade Gordon Wood Stadium.

The Lions (8-1, 3-0) are seeking an unblemished record in league play for the second year in a row, while Andrews (4-4, 1-1) is in the role of spoiler and can create a potential three-way tie with Lubbock Estacado (6-2, 1-1) for the district crown with a victory.

Last year’s district championship-clinching victory came at Andrews, by a 47-3 count, and Brownwood head coach Sammy Burnett said to secure the title in front of a home crowd Friday, “Would mean everything. Back-to-back district championships, that’s something we’ve been working toward for six years with consistency in the program from top to bottom. We’re seeing that all the way from the junior high to the subvarsities up to the varsity. To win at home and lift that trophy at home would be really special for the seniors and our community.”

Andrews has shifted to the slot-T offense this season, something Brownwood has familiarity with as Marble Falls ran a similar scheme in Week 2. The Mustangs average 34 points and 415 yards of total offense per game, with 390 of those yards coming on the ground. Andrews has attempted just 18 passes all year, completing four – all for touchdowns.

“They’re going to try and confuse you with formations and the speed at which they run their plays,” Burnett said. “There will be a lot of motion and eye candy to try and distract you from what you’re trying to do and beat you with deception. We have to be disciplined and do what we’re supposed to do. We have a couple of guys, Morsello Hooker and Jordyn Nickerson, whose job it is to cover the pass, period. If we don’t get help in the run game from them we just don’t. We have to make sure we take the pass element out of the game for them and make them earn their first downs. We want them to have to throw the football, but when they do we can’t be deceived.”

Jaesean DeBouse leads the stable of Mustangs running back with 1,501 yards and 15 touchdowns, while other key contributors include Leeroy Millan (528 yards, 5 TDs), Merqucio Saiz (485 yards, 5 TDs) and Aidyn Olivas (441 yards, 6 TDs) – who is also 4 of 17 through the air for 201 yards with four scoring tosses. Kade Adams (2-118, 2 TDs), Cooper Ivison (1-24, TD) and DeBouse (1-59, TD) have caught the completions.

“We have to win the battles up front, be lower than they are, control the line of scrimmage,” Burnett said. “We can’t get up the field with our defensive line, we have to play down the line and close the gaps. Running up the field does us no good unless it’s a pass. When they make cuts be ready to fill your spot, control gaps, understand the formations, get lined up quickly and don’t let them beat you off the football.”

The Lions defense, which gave up just 57 yards and four first downs in last week’s 35-14 victory at Lubbock Estacado, is yielding 16 points and 267 yards – 149 through the air and 118 on the ground – per outing, with eight takeaways.

Leading the charge are Sam Kallman (96 tackles, 7 for loss, 6 sacks, 1 fumble recovery), Stevie Ramirez (83 tackles, 3 for loss, 2 sacks, 1 INT), Jake Jetton (81 tackles, 1 sack, 1 fumble recovery, 1 INT), Noah Gonzalez (81 tackles, 6 for loss, 2 sacks), Zakk Zabecki (55 tackles, 3 for loss), Weston Wolf (42 tackles, 5 for loss, 5 sacks), Quinten McCarty (34 tackles, 1 for loss, 4 sacks) and Hayden Noe (33 tackles, 1 INT).

Defensively, Andrews is giving up 31 points and per game, but surrendered a season-high 52 points to Estacado in its most recent outing – a 38-point home loss on Oct. 13.

“We have to set the tone with the run game,” Burnett said. “I’m assuming they’re going to pack the box and play zero coverage like they’ve shown, but they may play a little more cover 3 or cover 4 stuff like Estacado did. That allowed us to run the ball a little bit better, but if Andrews is going to put seven in the box we have to be able to beat man coverage. It leaves the field wide open so we think we can take some vertical shots against them. We’ll set up the pass with the run.”

Brownwood is producing 41 points and 414 yards – 243 rushing and 171 passing – per game, behind the blocking of Logan Knight, Aidan Packheiser, Davis Le, Cole Miller and McCarty.

Quarterback Ike Hall has connected on 79 of 142 passes for 1,307 yards with 11 touchdowns and five interceptions, while rushing for a team-best 1,069 yards and 16 scores. Other weapons out of the backfield include Levi Pearson (454 rushing yards, 3 TDs; 9-123, TD receiving), Jaylan Brown (328 rushing yards, 7 TDs; 1-11 receiving); Xavier Zepeda (162 rushing yards, 2 TDs) and Logan McKibben (117 rushing yards, 2 TDs). Top receiving threats include Carson Noe (27-344, 3 TDs), Aaron Edmonds (22-285, 2 TDs), Hooker (10-238, 5 TDs), Stone Ratliff (8-177, TD), Hayden Noe (6-133, TD) and Wolf (6-109, TD).

According to Harris Ratings Weekly, Brownwood is a 25-point favorite. Dave Campbell’s Texas Football lists the Lions as 26-point favorites.

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Brownwood Lions 2023 Football Season Stats

Through 9 Games (8-1, 3-0)

TEAM OFFENSE

40.7 points per game (366)

413.7 yards per game (3,724)

243.2 rushing yards per game (2,189)

170.5 passing yards per game (1,535)

57.9 completion percentage (95 of 164)

PASSING

* Ike Hall

79 of 142 for 1,307 yards, 11 TDs, 5 INTs

* Braeden Stacks

16 of 22 for 228 yards, 4 TDs, 1 INT

RUSHING

* Ike Hall

1,069 yards on 109 carries, 16 TDs

* Levi Pearson

454 yards on 98 carries, 3 TDs

* Jaylan Brown

328 yards on 62 carries, 7 TDs

* Xavier Zepeda

162 yards on 13 carries, 2 TDs

* Logan McKibben

117 yards on 15 carries, 2 TDs

* Braeden Stacks

78 yards on 11 carries, TD

* 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

27 catches, 344 yards, 3 TDs

* Aaron Edmonds

22 catches, 285 yards, 2 TDs

* Morsello Hooker

10 catches, 238 yards, 5 TDs

* Levi Pearson

9 catches, 123 yards, TD

* Stone Ratliff

8 catches for 177 yards, TD

* Hayden Noe

6 catches, 133 yards, TD

* Weston Wolf

6 catches, 109 yards, TD

* Xavier Zepeda

3 catches, 32 yards

* Ike Hall

2 catches, 61 yards, TD

* Jordyn Nickerson

1 catch, 17 yards

* Jaylan Brown

1 catch, 11 yards

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TEAM DEFENSE

16.4 points per game (148)

267.1 yards per game (2,404)

117.9 rushing yards per game (1,061)

149.2 passing yards per game (1,343)

59.6 opponents completion percentage (115 of 193)

TACKLES

* Sam Kallman

96 tackles, 7 for loss, 6 sacks, 1 fumble recovery

* Steve Ramirez

83 tackles, 3 for loss, 2 sacks, 1 INT

* Jake Jetton

81 tackles, 1 sack, 1 fumble recovery, 1 INT

* Noah Gonzalez

81 tackles, 6 for loss, 2 sacks

* Zakk Zabecki

55 tackles, 3 for loss

* Weston Wolf

42 tackles, 5 for loss, 5 sacks

* Quinten McCarty

34 tackles, 1 for loss, 4 sacks

* Hayden Noe

33 tackles, 1 INT

* Robert Trowbridge

31 tackles, 2 for loss, 1 sack

* Jordyn Nickerson

31 tackles

* Morsello Hooker

24 tackles, 1 for loss, 2 INTs

* Julius Lara

24 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 for loss

* Jaylan Brown

24 tackles, 1 for loss

* Kenyan McDowell

23 tackles, 1 INT

* Cole Miller

23 tackles, 1 for loss, 1 sack

* Gray Stewardson

17 tackles, 1 sack

* Ricky Vasquez

13 tackles

* Isaiah Rosas

12 tackles, 1 sack

* Jamariea Harlmon

7 tackles, 2 for loss, 1 sack

* Xavier Zepeda

6 tackles

* Tyler Beal

5 tackles

* Yovani Figueroa

3 tackles

* Ross Strasner

2 tackles

* Colton McMillian

2 tackles

* Case Burnett

2 tackles

* Davis Le

1 tackle

* Logan McKibben

1 tackle

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KICKING

* Junior Martinez

7 of 9 FGs – long of 52, missed from 44, 40

48 of 49 PATs

69 points

24 punts, 921 yards, 38.4 average – long of 52; 2 inside opponents’ 5

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TURNOVER MARGIN (-2)

* Brownwood: 10 (4 fumbles, 6 interceptions)

* Opponents: 8 (2 fumbles, 6 interceptions)

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PENALTIES

* Brownwood: 48 for 428 yards (5.3 for 47.5 per game)

* Opponents: 56 for 440 yards (6.2 for 48.9 per game)