We’ve reached the regional finals of the Class 1A Texas high school football playoffs, and Dave Campbell’s Texas Football six-man insider Leman Saunders breaks down the eight quarterfinal matchups.

DIVISION I

Region I Final — McLean (11-1) vs. White Deer (10-2)
6 p.m. Friday at Borger

Last week, White Deer turned it on in the second half to defeat Ira, 80-50, while McLean walloped a sound Spur team, 54-8, to set up this district championship rematch. In the district title game on a snow-covered field in White Deer, McLean used all-state back Ben Crockett to pound the run game and bring home a 66-22 win. This time around, I seriously doubt it will be that easy for Crockett and his crew of Tigers.

White Deer seems to be at full strength, and the Bucks’ second-half domination of Ira should make Tigers fans wary. If White Deer can get its passing game going, McLean might have some trouble keeping up with their receiving core. But the best player on the field belongs to McLean in Ben Crocket — his powerful running attack and great defensive skills at linebacker should power the Tigers past the Bucks again.

Players to Watch: McLean — Ben Crockett; White Deer – Graysen Freeman, Mason Mooney
Saturday’s Tweetable Headline: Crockett & Company Exceed Their Limit on White Deer
Leman’s Pick: McLean by 16

Region II Final — Borden County (12-0) vs. Rankin (11-1)
4 p.m. Saturday at Robert Lee

Borden County sent a statement with a 72-24 win over Balmorhea last week, while Rankin used a big second half to 45 a pesky Ropes team, 76-30. Region II has been a gauntlet, and the cream has risen to the top. Borden County has quietly been rolling along this season, the only DI team undefeated sitting at 12-0. Their bend-don’t-break defense is one of the best in 1A, and their offense does a good job at keeping defenses guessing with a balanced run/pass attack.

This game should come down to what gives between the Coyote defense and the Red Devil offense. Rankin has several offensive weapons at its disposal, namely De’shon Goodley and Titan Quigg — they can put up some points, averaging almost 65 per game. Borden County proved they can light up the scoreboard last week by dropping 72 on a tough Balmorhea defense.

This game comes down to defense, and the Coyotes have one of the best defenses in the state. Expect a tight game for the first half with Borden County making defensive stops in the second half to pull away late.

Players to Watch: Borden County – Cam Edwards, Tommy Kingston; Rankin – De’Shon Goodley, Titan Quigg
Saturday’s Tweetable Headline: Coyotes Howl Scares off the Red Devils
Leman’s Pick: Borden County by 20

Region III Final — Blum (10-2) vs. Saint Jo (11-1)
7 p.m. Friday at Springtown

Saint Jo sprung maybe the upset of the week in the area round, defeating Avalon 52-22. Blum slugged it out with Union Hill in low-scoring affair, winning 36-16. Both teams have been flying under the radar and this should be a fun game to watch.

Blum’s the six-man blue blood, expected to be a playoff team every year, while Saint Jo is the upstart — the Panthers had great success once moving to six-man in 2008 with three straight playoff appearances, but their quarterfinal appearance this year is the farthest they have advanced since making the switch.

Blum seems the odds-on favorite in this matchup, but Saint Jo already upset Avalon and could have another one or two left in them. Both are not afraid to air it out, so the outcome will depend on who has the better receiving corps and pass defense (not to mention ground attack). The Bobcats have all those edges on the Panthers, but this is one of the hardest games to call.

Players to Watch: Blum – Dylan Vardman; Saint Jo – Logan Brawner, Eli Jones
Saturday’s Tweetable Headline: Blum Bounces Saint Jo from the Playoffs
Leman’s Pick: Blum by 4

Region IV Final — Jonesboro (11-1) vs. Nueces Canyon (10-2)
6 p.m. Friday at Forestburg

This was the most hotly contested region in the area round — Jonesboro made plays late to defeat Eden, 46-36, in a wild back-and-forth game, while Nueces Canyon squeaked by perennial playoff power May, 66-62. This will be an exciting matchup between a six-man powerhouse in Jonesboro (two state title game appearances this decade) and a six-man newcomer in Nueces Canyon (in their fourth season of six-man ball).

Nueces Canyon is the faster team, but Jonesboro is the more powerful team. Can the Eagles slow down the Panthers offense? Playoff experience and pedigree may play a deciding factor. Jonesboro knows what it is like to practice and play on the long Thanksgiving weekend. It’s a pick’em type game, but I lean toward the more established program.

Players to Watch: Jonesboro – Ian Shoaf, Sean Hernandez; Nueces Canyon – Victor Contreras, Jordan Short
Saturday’s Tweetable Headline: Eagles Soar Over Nueces Canyon
Leman’s PIck: Jonesboro by 10

DIVISION II

Region I Final — Motley County (10-2) vs. Groom (9-3)
7 p.m. Friday at Nazareth

These two teams squared off in the first round of the playoffs last year, as Motley County edged the Tigers, 72-56. Both teams graduated some key players off their 2018 squads, but Motley County seems to have returned a stronger core of young players when compared to Groom. That said, the Tigers have rolled in the playoffs and easily defeated Whitharral via the mercy rule in a game many thought would be a tight contest last week.

There are a lot of similarities between hese two teams — both played tough non-district schedules; both have great playoff traditions; both have solid offensive attacks (MC averaged 66.8 points per game, and Groom 56.6); and both defenses can be prone to giving up points (MC allowed 35.5 points per game, Groom 24.1). Motley County coach Mike Bigham brings unique offensive scheming to the table, and the Matadors are always tough in the playoffs. The Motley County playmakers like Demitric Sims and Kade Wampler will be tough for coach Tony Dodson and the Tigers to counter. Expect a high-scoring game.

Players to Watch: Motley County – Demitric Sims, Kade Wampler; Groom — Cade Linquist, Braedon Williams
Saturday’s Tweetable Headline: Crew of Motley Matadors Grooms the Tigers
Leman’s Pick: Motley County by 20

Region II Final — Jayton (12-0) vs. Blackwell (12-0)
6:30 p.m. Friday at Borden County

In a No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup last week, Jayton capitalized off Grandfalls-Royalty turnovers and came up with a few big defensive stops in the second half to pull away for 72-32 win. Blackwell moved to 12-0 for the first time in school history with a 46-0 first-half win over Throckmorton. This is a rematch from last year’s playoffs, when heavy underdog Jayton beat Blackwell soundly, 68-18, thanks to a second half scoring frenzy. While both squads field roughly the same team from a year ago, it’s easy to see how No. 1 Jayton is the favorite. But the Hornets have been stewing on that defeat for more than a year and are out for revenge.

Jayton features one of the best running backs in 1A in Tye Scogin (936 yards, 20 TDs rushing) and a potent passer in Aaron Hernandez (914 yards, 21 TDs passing) to balance their very dangerous offensive attack. That one-two offensive combo helped the Jaybirds win ten of their 12 games via the mercy rule. Blackwell has its own one-two offensive attack in running back Cameron Coldiron (1,025 yards, 24 TDs rushing) and quarterback Michael Lowry (1,493 yards, 33 TDs passing). Blackwell has played four full games this season compared to Jayton’s two, so conditioning may be a factor in the second half of play. Everything has to go right for the Hornets to pull the upset, and Jayton has been the No. 1 team in Texas all season for a reason.

Players to Watch: Jayton – Tye Scogin, Aaron Hernandez, Evan Cheyne; Blackwell – Cameron Coldiron, Joel Guia, Nathaniel Shipman
Saturday’s Tweetable Headline: Jaybirds Remedy a Mighty Hornet Sting to Win
Leman’s Pick: Jayton by 6

Region III Final — Gordon (11-1) vs. Strawn (8-4)
7 p.m. Thursday at Hico

A pair of handy area round wins sets up a rematch in one of the most hotly contested rivalries in Texas, this time for a region title. Gordon defeated Strawn for the district championship in the final week of the regular season, 27-26, and both teams expected to meet again in this regional final.

Two factors figure to be paramount this time around: making adjustments, and making extra points. Both Dewaine Lee at Strawn and Mike Reed at Gordon will make changes to their schemes since the previous meeting, and the team with the best implementation, execution and adjustments will have a big advantage. But who can make extra points? Both had trouble in the district title game, with Gordon’s one-point conversion on the last score proving to be the game-winner. The team with the best kicker in Hico will have a significant advantage.

Strawn’s J.W. Montgomery’s right hand is a big question — the Greyhounds star broke the hand several weeks ago, and the cast took away his throwing ability against Gordon the first time around. If the cast is off, he could add a passing dynamic to the Greyhounds’ attack and that could be a game-changer.

Back in 2008, Gordon took down Strawn for the district title, and Strawn got revenge by pulling away for a win in the quarterfinals. It could be a similar pattern — a tight first half, with the two-time defending champs getting the breaks in the second half.

Players to Watch: Strawn — J.W. Montgomery; Gordon — Brandon Mahan
Saturday’s Tweetable Headline: Strawn’s Sweet Revenge! Greyhounds Sprint Past Longhorns to the Semis
Leman’s Pick: Strawn by 16

Region IV Final — Richland Springs (10-0) vs. Oakwood (8-4)
7 p.m. Friday at Hico

In what’s become a playoff tradition, Richland Springs survived a close call against Calvert last week, 34-29. Meanwhile, Oakwood flew past Blanket, 60-20, setting up this rematch of last year’s regional final, where Oakwood toppled the Coyotes, 66-56.

Oakwood’s Key Davis is one of the fastest players in 1A, and is complemented by Jerimiah Sargent and Garett Bean. Richland Springs has the Rigdon brothers — Matthew and Griffin — and the Coyotes added QB Landon Burkhart to their roster this year by hiring back Jerry Burkhart as head coach. Davis will probably be the best offensive playmaker on the field, but coach Tommy Tritz will need a big game from his defense if he wants to knock off Richland Springs again.

Extra points will be a factor in this game as both teams have had their struggles with the kicking game this season, but it will come down to who can step up defensively. Richland Springs’ Lane Shannon and Wade Appleton might be the unsung heroes here, stepping up for the Richland Springs defense.

Players to Watch: Richland Springs – Matthew Rigdon, Lane Shannon; Oakwood – Key Davis, Jerimiah Sargent
Saturday’s Tweetable Headline: Keying of Key is Key to Coyote Victory
Leman’s Pick: Richland Springs by 10