BANGS – The five-game win streak for the Bangs Dragons reached its conclusion this past Friday with a 47-20 home loss to Hamilton, and now second-year head coach Colton Buzzard’s squad heads to De Leon to face the other District 5-2A Division I co-leader.

Kickoff between the Dragons (5-3, 2-1) and Bearcats (6-2, 3-0) is set for 7 p.m. Friday, and a Bangs victory would create a logjam atop the district standings with one week left in the regular season.

Reflecting on last week’s setback to Hamilton (6-2, 3-0), Buzzard said, “I told the kids I was excited to see how we do against a Top 10 team in the state. For the most part we were toe to toe, but the score doesn’t relay the actual game. They had a couple of big plays there at the end of the third quarter that helped them pull away a bit. But I can’t be more proud of the kids and the fight they had. It’s good to see where we are and where we need to get to be one of those Top 10 teams in the state.”

De Leon has opened district action with victories over Hico (56-27) – a game in which the Bearcats trailed, 27-24, in the third quarter – Coleman (58-0) and Ballinger (66-14).

For the season, the Bearcats average 47 points and 443 yards – 235 passing, 208 rushing – per contest.

Quarterback Heston Jobe (116 of 180 for 1,841 yards, 19 TDs, 2 INTs) is the driving force for De Leon, as leading receivers include Max Jones (41-627, 4 TDs), Jake Cooper (36-585, 7 TDs), and Bryce Burkeen (27-494, 7 TDs). Backfield weapons are Lane Couch (630 rushing yards, 12 TDs) and Adan Salinas (587 rushing yards, 11 TDs).

“De Leon is more of a spread, inside zone type offense where Hamilton does a little bit of everything,” Buzzard said. “They’re similar in ways, but De Leon has a four-year starter at quarterback and he’s really good. We have to try and slow him down, make the decisions he’s making hard, not give him the correct pre-snap read, and be aggressive.”

The Bangs defense is allowing 20 points and 233 yards – 117 passing and 116 rushing – per game, with 14 takeaways.

Leading the charge are Cason Tidwell (83 tackles, 10 for loss, 1 sack, 2 fumble recoveries, 1 interception), Eliseo Rivas (52 tackles, 6 for loss), Ryan Alqorum (47 tackles, 19 for loss, 7 sacks), Jaxon Duncan (42 tackles, 3 for loss, 2 sacks, 1 fumble recovery), Joaquin Rubio (29 tackles, 9 for loss, 2 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries), Brennan Mendieta (27 tackles, 3 fumble recoveries, 1 interception), Kian Kelly (29 tackles, 11 for loss, 4 sacks), Jayden Robinson (25 tackles), and Rooster Laughlin (23 tackles, 9 for loss, 6 sacks).

“Defensively this week we need to improve on our keys, our eyes and getting them in the right spot, and then tackling in open space,” Buzzard said.

De Leon’s defense surrenders 24 points per contest on average with 15 takeaways and 12.5 sacks.

Standouts for the Bearcats are Samuel Martinez (61 tackles, 5 for loss, 3 sacks, 1 FR), Yonathan Hernandez (58 tackles, 7 for loss, 2.5 sacks), Trenton Zmeskal (52 tackles, 6.5 for loss, 1 INT), Burkeen (52 tackles, 1 for loss, 2 INTs, 1 FR), and Gage Heinz (52 tackles,3 for loss, 1 sack). Meanwhile, Jones and Harley Pinckard have each recorded three interceptions.

The Dragons counter with an offense that generates 37 points and 312 yards – 239 on the ground and 73 through the air – per outing, with seven turnovers.

Tidwell (1,108 rushing yards, 19 TDs) anchors the rushing attack along with Rivas (231 rushing yards, 3 TDs), Jackson Edmisten (185 rushing yards, 1 TD) and Robinson (124 rushing yards, 1 TD). Through the air, Hunter Withers has connected on 27 of 50 passes for 372 yards with seven touchdowns and four interceptions, while leading receivers include Connor Bible (11-271, 4 TDs), Rex Guerrero (11-106, 3 TDs), Tidwell (8-91) and Robinson (5-132).

“I want to see movement up front this week, we have to move their guys,” Buzzard said of the offensive goals Friday night. “Our double teams have to move them fast, and that didn’t start working until midway through the second quarter and midway through the fourth quarter last week. We have to start moving them sooner and that’s been our emphasis this week.”

Regarding the keys to emerging victorious, Buzzard said, “We have to eliminate the big plays. That’s what hurt us against Hamilton last week, three big plays. We were there, we just have to make the tackle on those plays. De Leon is a big play team, and we have to eliminate those and make them have to sustain drives, do the right things over and over, and sometimes when you do that, things go the way of the defense and you create a turnover. Offensively,we have to control the clock with our run game, move the ball and get first downs, and keep the ball out of their quarterback’s hands.”

According to Dave Campbell’s Texas Football, Bangs is a 25-point underdog, while Harris Ratings Weekly lists the Dragons as 28-point underdogs.

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Bangs Dragons 2025 Football Season Stats

Through 8 Games (5-3, 2-1)

TEAM OFFENSE

37.2 points per game (298)

312.4 yards per game (2,499)

239.4 rushing yards per game (1,915)

73.0 passing yards per game (584)

PASSING

* Hunter Withers

27 of 50 for 372 yards, 7 TDs, 4 INTs

* Jaxon Duncan

12 of 21 for 204 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT

* Cason Tidwell

1 of 1 for 8 yards

RUSHING

* Cason Tidwell

1,108 yards on 168 carries, 19 TDs

* Eliseo Rivas

231 yards on 56 carries, 3 TDs

* Jackson Edmisten

185 yards on 40 carries, 1 TD

* Jayden Robinson

124 yards on 4 carries, 1 TD

* Jaxon Duncan

91 yards on 24 carries, 1 TD

* Dayton Vrana

84 yards on 11 carries

* Brennan Mendieta

71 yards on 9 carries, TD

* Connor Bible

18 yards on 4 carries

* Hunter Withers

2 yards on 8 carries, 3 TDs

* Damian Hudspeth

1 yard on 1 carry, 1 TD

RECEIVING

* Connor Bible

11 catches, 271 yards, 4 TDs

* Rex Guerrero

11 catches, 106 yards, 3 TDs

* Cason Tidwell

8 catches, 91 yards

* Jayden Robinson

5 catches, 132 yards

* Joaquin Rubio

4 catches, 17 yards

* Eliseo Rivas

4 catches, 13 yards, 1 TD

* Ryan Alqorum

2 catches, 61 yards, 1 TD

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TEAM DEFENSE

20.3 points per game (163)

233.4 yards per game (1,634) – not including Hamilton

116.1 rushing yards per game (813) – not including Hamilton

117.3 passing yards per game (821) – not including Hamilton

TACKLES

* Cason Tidwell

83 tackles, 10 for loss, 1 sack, 2 fumble recoveries, 1 interception

* Eliseo Rivas

52 tackles, 6 for loss

* Ryan Alqorum

47 tackles, 19 for loss, 7 sacks

* Jaxon Duncan

42 tackles, 3 for loss, 2 sacks, 1 fumble recovery

* Joaquin Rubio

29 tackles, 9 for loss, 2 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries

* Brennan Mendieta

27 tackles, 3 fumble recoveries, 1 interception

* Kian Kelly

29 tackles, 11 for loss, 4 sacks

* Jayden Robinson

25 tackles

* Rooster Laughlin

23 tackles, 9 for loss, 6 sacks

* Connor Bible

20 tackles, 2 for loss, 1 sack, 1 interception, 1 fumble recovery

* Rex Guerrero

20 tackles, 2 for loss

* Dayton Vrana

15 tackles, 1 for loss, 1 sack, 2 fumble recoveries

* Kason Klutts

13 tackles

* Bryce Schoen

5 tackles

* Jackson Edmisten

4 tackles

* Caleb Wagner

3 tackles, 1 for loss

* Quentin Doll

3 tackles

* Braxton Wommack

2 tackle

* Jace Duncan

1 tackle, 1 for loss

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TURNOVER MARGIN (+7)

* Bangs: 7 (1 fumble, 6 interceptions)

* Opponents: 14 (3 interceptions, 11 fumbles)