The Richland Springs Coyotes are two victories shy of state championship No. 10 in program history, and their first since the 2019 campaign.

Standing in the way at 5 p.m. Saturday at Art Briles Stadium is a familiar postseason foe in the Strawn Greyhounds, as the two clash in the Class A Division II state semifinals with a state title game berth at AT&T Stadium in Arlington Wednesday, Dec. 17 on the line.

Richland Springs (12-1) and Strawn (12-1) have met eight previous times in the postseason, with each team winning four contests. The most recent playoff match-up occurred in 2021, with Strawn earning a 100-54 victory.

The one blemish on each team’s record came at the hands of Class A Division I No. 1 Gordon, which knocked off the Coyotes, 52-6, in the season opener, and the Greyhounds, 58-8, in Week 3.

The Region IV champion Coyotes advanced to the state semifinals with a 72-22 victory over Oglesby last weekend, the team that knocked Richland Springs out of the playoffs in 2023 and 2024. Meanwhile, the Region III champion Greyhounds blanked Three Way, 46-0, last weekend to earn their state semifinal berth.

In Richland Springs’ win over Oglesby, the Coyotes generated 425 total yards as Cohen Ethridge rushed for 227 yards and five touchdowns and passed for 123 yards and two more scores. Billy Perry added 33 yards and three touchdowns on the ground, while Billy Perry added three touchdowns and 33 of the Coyotes’ 294 yards on the ground. Eli Hutchins caught a 51-yard touchdown pass, while Ethan Deeds hauled in a 37-yard scoring reception.

Defensively, the Coyotes surrendered just 217 yards of total offense – 109 passing and 108 rushing – with five total stops, including a pair of interceptions by Evan Deeds, as Richland Springs scored the final 50 points of the contest.

For Strawn, players to watch include Michael Barcenas, Kaison Nunez, Johnny Fraga, Ben Hopkins, Nic Lynn, Jackson Brister, Daniel Ordun, Alex Hughes, Carter Mallory, Yandel Yanez, Chris Hernandez, Alfonso Alanis, and Danny Sifuentes.

The Greyhounds returned all 12 lettermen, including all six starters on each side of the ball, from last year’s 8-3 playoff team.

According to sixmanfootball.com, Richland Springs is an 11-point favorite.

Saturday’s winner will face either Region I champion Klondike (14-0) or Region II champion Jayton (13-0) – who meet at 6:30 p.m. Friday at Colorado City – in the Class A Division II state championship game at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 17 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. 

The game will be broadcast live on KOXE 101.3.