Pre/Game: Bracken Christian vs. Austin Hill Country

                        Warriors (10-0)        Knights (9-2) 

                        Game Time: 1:00 pm     Saturday, November 19th
                        Where: Marble Falls

                        History: The Warriors lead the series, 4-2
                       ‘06 BCS 16  Knights    64
                       ‘07 BCS 54  Knights    48
                       ‘08 BCS 44  Knights    16
                       ‘09 BCS 64  Knights    72
                       ‘10 BCS 54  Knights    21
                       ‘11 BCS 68  Knights    48

                This Year:
                AHC  48  Bracken Christian      68
                AHC  88  Avalon                 40
                AHC  38  Richland Springs       74
                AHC  90  Kerrville OLH          71
                AHC  54  Tomball Rosehill       26
                AHC  54  Greenville Christian   06
                AHC  52  Abbott                 06
                AHC  54  Temple Holy Trinity    08
                AHC  48  Round Rock Christian   00
                AHC  48  Waco Vanguard Prep     00
                AHC  68  Rockwall Heritage      36

                BCS  68  Austin Hill Country    48
                BCS  58  Houston Emery-Weiner   08
                BCS  66  Tomball Rosehill       18
                BCS  62  Round Rock Christian   00
                BCS  55  NB Christian           00
                BCS  68  San Antonio Lutheran   06
                BCS  74  CASA                   06
                BCS  54  SA The Winston         00
                BCS  64  Marble Falls Faith     08
                BCS  79  Kerrville OLH          34

The most common denominator for this week’s game with Austin Hill Country will revolve around common opponents. There were four games that match that criteria.

Round Rock Christian was a district game for the Knights played near the end of the season, while RR was Bracken’s fourth game.

Both teams shut out the Knights from Round Rock while mercy ruling the team. The difference was the three extra touchdowns Bracken had in comparison.

Round Rock was totally dominated by the Warriors Defense while amassing one first down and a negative 17 yards of total offense.

Advantage Bracken just based on scoring three touchdowns more than Austin Hill Country.

Tomball Rosehill is next with a loss to both teams. The 28 point loss to AHC was a decent showing while BCS made Rosehill another mercy game.

Rosehill did score 18 points on Bracken and had more rushing yardage (170) than any other school was able to gain on Bracken this season.

Advantage Bracken based on being able to mercy rule Rosehill.

Kerrville OLH also received two losses to this week’s combatants.

AHC scored 90 points while giving up 71 to the Hawks. BCS once again was able to mercy their, in district friends, by allowing only 34 points to this high powered offensive team.

Advantage has to go to your Warriors based on the spread of points in the score as well as having a superior defense in points allowed.

Oh yeah, the fourth game’s common opponent was Austin Hill Country. The game was won by BCS, 68-48 which would make it hard for the Knights to claim they were better.

You can say that this was the first game of the season and your team might not have been ready…so by that logic, your team will have to improve enough to win this time around.

Problems with this logic…AHC would have to improve over 20 points in order to will a different outcome. While hoping the Warriors have not improved at all during that same time span.

So going on the, ‘We are better’, argument and The ReSporter would not argue that point, however BCS has also improved and so the game would have to be decided by intangibles of playing a game where anything can happen.

Austin Hill Country game was the last time Bracken has not been leading in a game. The Knights were ahead 48-44 going into the fourth quarter.

The Warriors scored the last 24 points while holding AHC scoreless that same quarter.

There will be three players you will hear their name called throughout the game.

Quarterback Austen Smith, Cole Bland and Brandon Simpson are the players Bracken will have to slow down or stop.

The Knights love to pass and will run if the other five options are covered. Smith had a 60 yard run for a touchdown in the earlier game against BCS.

All-State running back Grady Achilles will get more rushes in this game than he had in seven previous games. Achilles rushed for 265 yards on 20 carries against Austin Hill Country.

Sophomore Preston Koch has returned to anchor a stout defense along with Connor Simmons. Both players have improved immensely as this season has matured.

Maturation is the key word, not only for the younger players, but also another newcomer Austin Wilkinson.

The Senior Wilkinson literally shut down OLH’s Marshall Walker two weeks ago.

The game was Wilkinson’s first six-man contest and he will be another key player to watch to see if the Warriors can get stops and have the offense do their scoring to get their separation and win.

Depth will be huge as AHC tends to play the same six players on both sides of the ball, while The ReSporter has not even mentioned Ehren Jacobson, Eli Achilles, Kevin Knapick, Peter Corey, Davis Scott, Ty Zunker, Jordon McDaniel, you get the idea, etc.

How the ReSporter sees this Game:

                 AHC       BCS
 Offense         √√√√      √√√√
 Defense         √√        √√√√
 Special Teams   √√√       √√√√
 Coaching        √√√√      √√√√
 Bench/Depth     √         √√√

 √√√√  Top Notch
 √√√   Top Notc
 √√    Top Not
 √     Top No 

The ReSporter will have to give the Advantage to Bracken based on the main common opponent….BCS, and not thinking AHC has improved enough to overtake the 2010 State Champions.