The storied rivalry between the Brownwood Lions and Stephenville Yellow Jackets ranks near the top of Texas high school football clashes, but rarely – if ever – has “The Battle of 377” featured a pair of Top 5 teams.

But that will be the case at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Tarleton Memorial Stadium when the Harris Ratings Class 4A Division I No. 5 Lions (4-1), winners of four straight, square off with the 4A Division I No. 1 Yellow Jackets (5-0), who bring a 21-game win streak into the contest.

“This is a great ball game for us, a great rivalry, a great atmosphere, and a great opportunity for us to go out there and prove who we are and what we’re about,” said Lions fifth-year head coach Sammy Burnett. “We’re ready for the challenge and excited about it.”

The Yellow Jackets bring an offense that averages 51 points and 574 yards – 290 rushing and 284 passing – per game into the contest, while allowing 46 points and 468 yards per outing and no fewer than 34 points in any game.

The Lions, meanwhile, have been sparked by a defense that yields just 18 points and 272 yards – 195 rushing and 77 passing – per outing, with eight takeaways. Brownwood’s offense is generating 36 points and 387 yards – 209 rushing and 178 passing – and is coming off a season-high 52 points in last week’s road win over Waco Connally.

“They’re finding ways to win,” Burnett said of Stephenville. “They’re a good team, they’re well-coached, Sterling Doty and his staff do an excellent job, their kids will be prepared and ready to play and they know that they can win. They’ve won enough to know whatever the situation is they are in, they can be successful. People say they’ve won a lot of close games, but they win a lot of close games because they believe they can win.”

Slowing down the Stephenville offense is the biggest key coming into the contest, according to Burnett, but keeping the ball away from the Yellow Jackets is easier said than done. However, the Lions ran the ball on 46 of their 62 plays last week, and pieced together a 16-play, 6:53 touchdown drive as Burnett hopes similar success can be duplicated Friday night.

Brownwood’s defense has been more than willing to shift out of its base formation, as evidenced during the Marble Falls game and the start of the Waco Connally contest, to achieve maximum success, and Burnett said the offense could follow suit and present a different look Friday night.

“They’re giving up a lot of points and when you combine the two and see how powerful they are on offense and what they’re doing on defense, our M.O. is going to be to keep the ball out of their hands, own the clock, slow down our play and keep their offense off the field,” Burnett said. “We feel like if we can get some three and outs and our offense can take the ball and control it and march down the field and score every time we touch the ball, that’s going to be important.”

Despite losing quarterback Ryder Lambert, the Stephenville offense hasn’t missed a beat with Ryan Gafford behind center.

“Ryder Lambert is a good athlete that led them to the state championship and it’s a shame he’s out, he’s a good competitor, a good kid,” Burnett said. “But they have a kid from Andrews that moved in and has stepped in and plays quarterback, and he’s done extremely well. They got behind Wichita Falls Rider three times in the back end and he hit big touchdowns that helped them win that game.”

Gafford, who debuted in the second game of the season, has completed 36 of 52 passes for 747 yards with nine touchdowns and no interceptions, to go along with 166 rushing yards and a score on the ground.

Tate Maruska anchors the ground game with 1,182 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns as he averages 236 yards per game and 7.9 yards per carry.

Receiving threats include Tristian Gentry (24-478, 6 TDs), Payton Poston (21-478, 7 TDs), and Topher Foster (17-284, 6 TDs).

“We have to stop one of the phases of their game, either let them run the ball and take what you get and stop the pass or let them have the pass and do everything you can to stop the run,” Burnett said. “We’re going to have to take one of those elements out, our goal is to take both of them out, but you have to start somewhere. We’ll focus on what we have to do to take away one phase of the game for them and try and put some pressure on the quarterback and see if we can affect his decision-making process.”

Tasked with keeping the Stephenville offense in check is a Brownwood defense led by Chance Jones (44 tackles, 3 sacks, 1 for loss, 1 punt block), Sam Kallman (43 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 for loss, 1 fumble recovery), Quinten McCarty (42 tackles, 5 for loss, 1 punt block, 1 fumble recovery), Cole Miller (35 tackles, 1 for loss, 2 sacks, 1 fumble recovery), Stevie Ramirez (29 tackles, 3 sacks, 1 for loss, 1 fumble recovery), Noah Barron (26 tackles), Jake Jetton (25 tackles, 1 for loss, 1 fumble recovery TD), Hayden Noe (25 tackles, 1 PBU), Jaylan Brown (18 tackles, 1 sack, 1 for loss), Case Markham (17 tackles, 1 PBU), Jordyn Nickerson (16 tackles, 1 for loss), Davis Le (14 tackles), Hayden Deen (13 tackles), and Morsello Hooker (12 tackles, 1 for loss, 2 interception, 4 PBUs).

Regarding the Stephenville struggles on defense this season, Burnett pointed out a few stellar athletes from last year’s squad departed due to graduation.

“They have a lot of returners, but when you look at it and try and figure out a rhythm or reason why they’re giving up so many points a big part of it is they lost Reese Young out of the middle,” Burnett said. “He was a phenomenal linebacker that was around the football all the time and made a lot of plays. He was a big difference maker and he’s starting at ACU as a true freshman. They also had the two receivers that played corner and safety for them last year that did a great job as well.”

Standouts for the Stephenville defense include Kyler Eudy (50 tackles, 1 for loss), Rowdy Markland (47 tackles, 1.5 for loss, 1 sack), Taylor Bennett (36 tackles, 2 for loss, 2 sacks), Jack Barkley (35 tackles, 4 for loss), Camden McKinney (35 tackles, 2 for loss, 1 sack), Bradley Beaty (34 tackles), and Hudson Westbrook (30 tackles, 1 fumble recovery).

On the flip side of the ball, behind the front line of Isaac Gray, Slayde Espinoza, Damian Sanchez, Roan Aguinaga and Chris Robinson, Brownwood quarterback Ike Hall has connected on 56 of 99 passes for 889 yards with five touchdowns and two interceptions, while rushing for 313 yards and scores.

Konlyn Anderson (556 yards, 7 TDs) leads the way on the ground while Logan McKibben (158 yards, 3 TDs) provides a change of pace, and top receivers include Thad Hinds (20-392, 3 TDs), Jordan Leach (17-226, TD), Anderson (6-51), Jason Jackson (5-107, TD), Brayden Daub (4-68), Taylor Bessent (3-25).

On the injury front, Jackson and Markham are out this week, Colton McMillian will be back, and Kallman will be a game-time decision. Dryden Anderson is expected to be out for season.

According to Harris Ratings Weekly, Brownwood is a 7-point underdog.

The history of “The Battle of 377” can be found at the following link: 82nd ‘Battle of 377’ set for Friday between Brownwood, Stephenville | Brownwood News

***

Brownwood Lions 2022 Football Season Stats

Through 5 Games (4-1)

TEAM OFFENSE

36.2 points per game (181)

386.8 yards per game (1,933)

208.8 rushing yards per game (1,044)

177.8 passing yards per game (889)

56.5 completion percentage (56 of 99)

PASSING

* Ike Hall

56 of 99 for 889 yards, 5 TDs, 2 INTs 313 yards on 50 carries, 6 TDs

RUSHING

* Konlyn Anderson

556 yards on 112 carries, 7 TDs

* Ike Hall

313 yards on 50 carries, 6 TDs

* Logan McKibben

158 yards on 31 carries, 3 TDs

* Case Markham

18 yards on 2 carries

RECEIVING

* Thad Hinds

20 catches, 392 yards, 3 TDs

* Jordan Leach

17 catches, 226 yards, 1 TD

* Konlyn Anderson

6 catches, 51 yards

* Jason Jackson

5 catches, 107 yards, 1 TD

* Brayden Daub

4 catches, 68 yards

* Taylor Bessent

3 catches, 25 yards

* Hayden Noe

1 catch, 10 yards

###

TEAM DEFENSE

18.0 points per game (90)

272.4 yards per game (1,362)

195.6 rushing yards per game (978)

76.8 passing yards per game (384)

54.6 opponents completion percentage (41 of 75)

TACKLES

* Chance Jones

44 tackles, 3 sacks, 1 for loss, 1 punt block

* Sam Kallman

43 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 for loss, 1 fumble recovery

* Quinten McCarty

42 tackles, 5 for loss, 1 punt block, 1 fumble recovery

* Cole Miller

35 tackles, 1 for loss, 2 sacks, 1 fumble recovery

* Stevie Ramirez

29 tackles, 3 sacks, 1 for loss, 1 fumble recovery

* Noah Barron

26 tackles

* Jake Jetton

25 tackles, 1 for loss, 1 fumble recovery TD

* Hayden Noe

25 tackles, 1 PBU

* Jaylan Brown

18 tackles, 1 sack, 1 for loss

* Case Markham

17 tackles, 1 PBU

* Jordyn Nickerson

16 tackles, 1 for loss

* Davis Le

14 tackles

* Hayden Deen

13 tackles

* Morsello Hooker

12 tackles, 1 for loss, 2 interception, 4 PBUs

* Azariah Dillard

8 tackles

* Trent Loftin

8 tackles, 1 sack

* Logan McKibben

7 tackles

* Jordan Leach

5 tackles, 1 fumble recovery, 1 PBU

* Colton McMillian

5 tackles

* Xavier Zepada

5 tackles

* Brayden Daub

5 tackles

* Bryan Osbourn

2 tackles

* Logan Knight

2 tackles

* Tristan Salinas

2 tackles

* Dryden Anderson

1 tackle

###

KICKING

* Junior Martinez

6 of 7 FGs, long of 45

23 of 23 PATs

41 points

7 punts, 257 yards, 36.7 average

###

TURNOVER MARGIN (+3)

* Brownwood: 5 (3 fumbles, 2 interceptions)

* Opponents: 8 (6 fumbles, 2 interceptions)

###

PENALTIES

* Brownwood: 40 for 389 yards (8.0 for 77.8 per game)

* Opponents: 41 for 333 yards (8.2 for 66.6 per game)