The Brownwood Lions are in the midst of a two-game win streak and have leveled their overall record with the start of the District 4-4A Division I schedule upon us, and the first league test for first-year head coach Jeryl Brixey’s squad comes in the form of the undefeated Lampasas Badgers at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Gordon Wood Stadium.

“I don’t know if I can overstate how big a win Friday would be for this team,” Brixey said. “When you go through our non-district schedule and look at the people we played, to be 3-3 and going into district with back-to-back wins is a good place to be. Now we’ve got to open district with a win and build on that and continue to get that momentum. It’ll be a huge challenge for us. They’re 6-0 for a reason and won the last four games by a touchdown or less, so that says something about their program.”

The Lions (3-3) pummeled Ingleside, 62-0, this past Friday at Smithson Valley as Brownwood allowed just 36 total yards, recorded five takeaways and chalked up six more sacks on defense, while the offense churned out 371 yards – 194 with five touchdowns through the air and 177 with three more scores on the ground – and the special teams unit contributed a 75-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to start the contest.

“You always challenge your team when a play a team that may not be where you are that you need to make sure you play well and not play down to their level, and that’s what our kids did,” Brixey said. “Our kids played our game and played hard, got after it and that shows in how easy it looked at times. Their program is down a little this year, and in that regard I feel like we did a lot of good things.”

Despite returning just three starters on each side of the ball from last year’s 10-3, District 4-4A Division I runner-up squad, Lampasas (6-0) is off to an even better start in 2025 having yet to experience a defeat.

Offensively, the Badgers are averaging 36 points and 448 yards – 266 on the ground and 182 through the air – per outing, and have scored at least 31 points in all but one game, that being a 13-12 victory at Class 5A Division I Killeen Chaparral.

Quarterback Bryson Roberts has connected on 75 of 114 pass attempts for 1,066 yards with 13 touchdown passes and five interceptions, while contributing 228 rushing yards and two more scores. Leading receivers include Jaden McElwain (25-422, 5 TDs; 158 rushing yards), Kayden Vanpelt (21-177, TD), and Shawn Roberts (7-120, TD), while the ground game is anchored by KJ Reed (600 rushing yards, 0 TDs; 8-85, TD receiving), and Wesley Stephens (485 rushing yards, 3 TDs).

“Offensively they’re going to try and limit what our defense can do scheme-wise with stunts and line movement by getting the ball outside quickly,” Brixey said. “They like to throw screens on the edge, make you run side to side. Their quarterback played receiver for them last year. He has a good arm but is very athletic. They have some read-run game for him, and two backs that scored on the first plays of their first and second drives last week. And all of their kids are good receivers we’re going to have to defend and have an answer for. ”

Brownwood’s defense is coming off its first shutout since the 2023 bi-district round of the playoffs against San Elizario as the Lions surrender 23 points and 226 yards – 137 through the air and 89 on the ground – per game on average, with 13 takeaways and 16 sacks.

Leading the defensive push for the Lions are Brinson Martin (43 tackles, 6 for loss, 3.5 sacks, 1 fumble recovery), Caven Webster (35 tackles, 1 interception), Christian Gray (31.5 tackles, 6 for loss, 4.5 sacks) Wyatt Wolf (29.5 tackles, 1 interception), Durham Brown (25.5 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 fumble recovery), Isaac Gonzales (25 tackles, 1 for loss, 2.5 sacks), Nick Rodriguez (19.5 tackles, 1 for loss, 1 interception), Sirr Beam (17 tackles, 1 for loss, 2 interceptions, 1 fumble recovery), Raul Eberhardt (14.5 tackles, 1 for loss, 2 sacks, 1 fumble recovery), and Raven Prado (10 tackles, 1 for loss, 1 punt block, 2 fumble recoveries).

“Our defensive staff is coaching to secure the tackle and then we’re very conscious of trying to create turnovers and I appreciate that and the job that they’re doing,” Brixey said. “I couldn’t be more pleased with the job our defensive staff, led by (defensive coordinator) Coach (Steve) Fanara, is doing. The kids are enjoying playing this defense and are flying around and creating havoc.”

Defensively, Lampasas yields 21 points per game on average, but has recorded 13 takeaways and 12 sacks.

Standouts include Tate Langford (59 tackles, 10 for loss, 4.5 sacks, 1 interception, 2 fumble recoveries), Jonathan Bowling (56 tackles, 1 for loss, 1 interception, 1 fumble recovery), Corbin Kepler (55 tackles, 8 for loss, 3.5 sacks, 1 fumble recovery), Aaron Everts (54 tackles, 2 for loss, 1 fumble recovery), Sean Smith (31 tackles, 2 for loss, 2 interceptions), and Campbell Roberts (30 tackles, 6 for loss, 3 sacks).

“They play a 3-3 stack and it’s really an eight-man front,” Brixey said. “It’s the same coverage concepts as a 4-2-5 with just three down and three inside backers. It’s the first look we’ve had at that, but they’ll play some multiple fronts and move into a 4-2-5 at times. As long as we can get our kids coached on how to attack it and where the double teams need to occur and all those things, I think we’ll have a good plan for them. They remind me of our kids in that they play hard and pursue and get after it. They’re not going to take a play off, you’re not going to catch a guy resting, so we’re going to have to make them work the whole game.”

The Lions are coming off their best offensive outing of the season against Ingleside and are now averaging 24 points and 238 yards – 143 passing and 95 rushing – per outing, with 15 turnovers, behind the front five of Gustavo Gonzalez, Aidan Packheiser, Avuid Gomez, Jackson Rainey and Rylan Martin.

Quarterback Judson Coalson has connected on 52 of 87 passes for 855 yards with nine scoring tosses and five interceptions, while leading receivers include Carson Noe (25-438, 4 TDs), Robbie Robinson (9-99), Connor Cornelius (71-106, 3 TDs), Raven Prado (5-63) and Grant Gray (3-113, 2 TDs). Top rushers for the Lions include Levi Pearson (280 yards, 1 TD) and Trent Buffington (259 yards, 4 TDs).

“Like I said before, we’ve been getting incrementally better at running the football week in and week out and we’ve got to continue to do that,” Brixey said. “As you get better at running the football the flip side of that is all of the sudden the play-action passing game becomes a lot better. The more people have to commit bodies to stop the run, the more it opens all the other stuff up.”

According to Dave Campbell’s Texas Football, the Lions are 5-point underdogs. Harris Ratings Weekly lists Brownwood as a 25-point underdog this week.

“We’re going to have to eliminate penalties, eliminate turnovers and create turnovers and make sure we come out ahead on that end of it,” Brixey said. “We also have to limit the big plays and make them move the chains and put drives together. On our side, we have to do those things, move the chains, make the next first down, and play the next play. If we do all those, we have a great chance of coming out on top.”

***

Brownwood Lions 2025 Football Season Stats

Through 6 Games (3-3)

TEAM OFFENSE

23.7 points per game (142)

237.7 yards per game (1,426)

95.2 rushing yards per game (571)

142.5 passing yards per game (855)

PASSING

* Judson Coalson

52 of 87 for 855 yards, 9 TDs, 5 INTs

* Hayden Christiansen

0 of 1 for 0 yards

* Levi Pearson

0 of 1 for 0 yards, 1 INT

RUSHING

* Levi Pearson

280 yards on 94 carries, 1 TD

* Trent Buffington

259 yards on 47 carries, 4 TDs

* Nick Rodriguez

38 yards on 4 carries

* Robbie Robinson

27 yards on 9 carries

* Daylyn Ansons

13 yards on 6 carries

* Carson Noe

6 yards on 1 carry

* Hayden Christiansen

-10 yards on 2 carries

* Judson Coalson

-14 yards on 23 carries, 1 TD

* TEAM

-28 yards on 3 carries

RECEIVING

* Carson Noe

25 catches, 438 yards, 4 TDs

* Robbie Robinson

9 catches, 99 yards

* Connor Cornelius

7 catches, 106 yards, 3 TDs

* Raven Prado

5 catches, 63 yards

* Grant Gray

3 catches, 113 yards, 2 TDs

* Wyatt Wolf

1 catch, 22 yards

* Levi Pearson

1 catch, 11 yards

* Daylyn Ansons

1 catch, 3 yards

###

TEAM DEFENSE

22.7 points per game (136)

226.0 yards per game (1,356)

88.7 rushing yards per game (532)

137.3 passing yards per game (824)

TACKLES

* Brinson Martin

43 tackles, 6 for loss, 3.5 sacks, 1 fumble recovery

* Caven Webster

35 tackles, 1 interception

* Christian Gray

31.5 tackles, 6 for loss, 4.5 sacks

* Wyatt Wolf

29.5 tackles, 1 interception

* Durham Brown

25.5 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 fumble recovery

* Isaac Gonzales

25 tackles, 1 for loss, 2.5 sacks

* Nick Rodriguez

19.5 tackles, 1 for loss, 1 interception

* Sirr Beam

17 tackles, 1 for loss, 2 interceptions, 1 fumble recovery

* Raul Eberhardt

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

* Raven Prado

10 tackles, 1 for loss, 1 punt block, 2 fumble recoveries

* Finn Hull

9.5 tackles, 1 interception

* Trent Buffington

5.5 tackles, 1 fumble recovery

* Maddox Mendoza

4.5 tackles, 1 sack

* Aiden Jimenez

4.5 tackles

* Robbie Robinson

4 tackles

* Carson Noe

3 tackles

* Hudson Fry

2.5 tackles, 1 for loss

* Hayden Fulkersin

2 tackles, 1 sack

* Preston Cook

2 tackles

* Ke’Shaun White

1.5 tackles

* Kasyn Wooten

1.5 tackles

* Levi Pearson

1.5 tackles

* Luke McGinnis

1 tackle, 1 for loss

* Gustavo Gonzalez

1 tackle

* Eli Valenciano

1 tackle

* Daylyn Ansons

0.5 tackles

###

KICKING

* Eli Valenciano

3 of 5 FGs – long of 41, 1 blocked

15 of 18 PATs – 1 blocked

24 points

17 punts, 580 yards, 34.1 average – long of 53; 3 inside opponents’ 20

* Carson Noe – 75-yard kick return TD vs. Ingleside

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TURNOVER MARGIN (-2)

* Brownwood: 15 (6 interceptions, 9 fumbles)

* Opponents: 13 (6 interceptions, 7 fumbles)

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PENALTIES

* Brownwood: 26 for 231 yards (4.3 for 38.5 per game)

* Opponents: 36 for 312 yards (6.0 for 52.0 per game)