Previewing the Class 1A football championships; Westbrook, Abbott, Benjamin, Loraine
.jpeg "Westbrook, Abbott, Benjamin and Loraine will play in the six man state championships on Wednesday.")
The UIL Class 1A/six-man football title games will kick off championship week at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.
Here is a look at the teams and match-ups:
Games
Division 1
Westbrook (13-1) vs. Abbott (14-0), 2 p.m. Wednesday
Division 2
Benjamin (13-0) vs. Loraine (13-1), 11 a.m. Wednesday
Teams
Westbrook Wildcats
District 8-1A champ (5-0)
State championship appearances: 2 (2022, 2021)
Titles: 1 (defeated May 72-66 in 2021)
Winning streak: 9 games
Losses: 46-42 vs. Garden City (Week 5)
Playoff wins: 72-22 vs. Garden City, 48-0 vs. Buena Vista, 62-16 vs. Rankin, 40-30 vs. Happy
Points for: 777 (55.5 per game)
Points allowed: 272 (19.4 per game)
Most points: 86 vs. Roby (Week 8)
Fewest points: 30 vs. Jonesboro (Week 2)
Largest margin of victory: 50 (4 times)
Smallest margin of victory: 1 (59-58 vs. Rankin, Week 3)
Abbott Panthers
District 12-1A champ (4-0)
Final state ranking: 1
State championship appearances: 3 (2022, 2015, 2012)
Titles: 1 (defeated Crowell 40-30 in 2015)
Winning streak: 14 games
Losses: 0
Playoff wins: 56-10 vs. Milford, 58-10 vs. Union Hill, 32-24 vs. Gordon, 88-60 vs. Irion County
Points for: 770 (55.4 per game)
Points allowed: 138 (9.9 per game)
Most points: 88 vs. Irion County (semifinal)
Fewest points: 32 vs. Gordon (regional final)
Largest margin of victory: 56 (2 times)
Smallest margin of victory: 8 (32-24 vs. Gordon, regional final)
Benjamin Mustangs
District 6-1A champ (4-0)
Final state ranking: 1
State championship appearances: 1 (2022)
Titles: 0
Winning streak: 13 games
Losses: 0
Playoff wins: 56-6 vs. Motley County, 56-0 vs. Newcastle, 48-0 vs. Throckmorton, 76-31 vs. Whitharral
Points for: 807 (62.1 per game)
Points allowed: 98 (7.5 per game)
Most points: 88 vs. Guthrie (Week 4)
Fewest points: 40 vs. Chillicothe (Week 10)
Largest margin of victory: 88 (88-0 vs. Guthrie, Week 4)
Smallest margin of victory: 31 (61-30 vs. Loraine, Week 6)
Loraine Bulldogs
District 13-1A champ (3-0)
Final state ranking: 6
State championship appearances: 1 (2022)
Titles: 0
Winning streak: 8 games
Losses: 61-30 vs. Benjamin (Week 6)
Playoff wins: 56-0 vs. Panther Creek, 52-0 vs. Richland Springs, 24-6 vs. Cherokee, 86-38 vs. Oakwood
Points for: 741 (52.9 per game)
Points allowed: 285 (20.4 per game)
Most points: 86 vs. Oakwood (semifinal)
Fewest points: 24 vs. Cherokee (regional final)
Largest margin of victory: 56 (56-0 vs. Panther Creek, first round)
Smallest margin of victory: 18 (24-6 vs. Cherokee, regional final)
Prediction
Abott is the No. 1 team in the state in 1A D1 and its defense has been stingy all season with under 10 points allowed per game. However, the Panthers schedule doesn’t compare to Westbrook, which may favor the Wildcats.
Abbott didn’t face a single Top 10 team until the playoffs.
The Panthers beat No. 8 Gordon and No. 7 Irion County during their last two playoff games.
Meanwhile Westbrook has faced six Top 10 teams, including No. 5, No. 3 and No. 4 in the first three games. The Wildcats have thrown 17 touchdowns with 15 coming from junior QB Parker Matlock, but this is a run-heavy squad with nearly 4,000 yards on the ground.
Cedric Ware (1,758 yards, 43 TD) and Grayson Jeffrey (1,270 yards, 24 TD) lead the way.
Can Loraine pull off the upset over 1A D2 top-ranked Benjamin? It’s that saying in sports, it’s always hard to beat a team a second time? But after the Mustangs beat Loraine by 31 points earlier in the season, it’s difficult to believe if the Bulldogs can do it.
According to the team’s Max Preps, Benjamin has only turned the ball over once all season. The QBs have combined for 22 TDs to zero interceptions and sophomore Grayson Rigdon has rushed for nearly 1,600 yards and 36 TDs.
Score
Westbrook 68, Abbott 58
Benjamin 56, Loraine 24
This story was originally published December 13, 2022 at 9:14 AM.
