Coach J.R. Compton instructs his offense during the Sundown game on Oct. 15, 2021. (Ryan Crowe/Floyd County Record)
NEW DEAL — In Jimmy Dean’s Grammy-winning 1961 song “Big Bad John,” he talked about a man that stood 6-foot-6 and weighed 245. “Big John” was an extraordinary-sized coal miner. Well, Big John would be Middle-Sized John in the New Deal Lions’ 2021 offensive line.
New Deal coach Matt Hill could release a potential hit about Big Matthew Langford that stands 6-foot-7 and weights 310, or Wide-Body Josiah Howard that stands 6-foot-4 and weighs 350. These are high school players that anchor a way-above-average class 2A offensive line that averages 6-foot-3 and 260 pounds. Plus, all five of their down linemen are in their second straight season of starting as a unit.
This offensive line is big reason why New Deal is 7-1 on the season, 3-0 in District 2-2A-I; why the Lions are rated No. 6 in the state by Dave Campbell’s Texas Football; why senior quarterback Harley Patterson has passed for 947 yards and 14 touchdowns while running for 341 yards and five scores; why senior running back Leric Eaton has a 1,003 yards and 16 touchdowns; and why receivers Jordan Aubrey, Kendrick Nelson and Clyde Johnson have a combined 14 scoring catches between them. New Deal’s success starts with Big Matthew and Wide Josiah, while Patterson, Eaton and company get the headlines.
The Whirlwinds (2-6, 1-2) find themselves between a rock and hard place of figuring out how to slow down with the likes of New Deal and get through this game to play a meaningful game with Hale Center in the regular season finale on November 5 that will probably decide the number four playoff seed from 2-2A-I. Hale Center (3-5, 1-2) is in a similar situation of dealing with the Post Bold Gold Antelopes (2-6, 1-2) whose season record is very deceiving.
Floydada has fielded a young, scrappy team this fall and could enjoy a more fruitful 2022 with a team that will be more experienced. The Whirlwinds have only two senior starters on offense and one on defense. They have taken their share of lumps. There is still something to play for in 2021, though. Just ask the Roosevelt Eagles who were a 3-8 playoff team in 2019, a much improved 8-3 playoff team again in 2020, and currently (8-0, 3-0) a top-10 state rated team already heading back to the playoffs in 2021 for a school-record third year in a row. The turn around always has to have a starting point.
The Whirlwinds’ attack is led by senior quarterback Trace Glassock with 812 yards passing, which is second-highest in the district behind New Deal’s Patterson. Floydada’s ground game is built around a pair of junior running backs in Andres Mendoza and Izaiah Alvarado with a combined 730 yards of rushing and 10 touchdowns. The Whirlwinds’ top tackler on defense is Alvarado with 89, which is third most in 2-2A-I. Jayson Cooper is next with 74, while linebackers Aiden Trevino, Davian Ramos and Hagen Hinsley have a combined 131 stops. Freshmen Ty Henderson is tied with New Deal’s Ethan Brown for first place in interceptions with four.
The gauntlet through Sundown, Post and New Deal is hard, to say the least. J.R. Compton and staff are doing a lot of good things, and the Whirlwinds’ effort has been evident throughout the fall.
Kickoff: 7 p.m., Friday, Oct. 29
Location: Noland Stadium, New Deal
Radio Broadcast: KFLP 106.1 FM
Video Stream: www.floydcountyrecord.com
District 2-2A-I Standings
New Deal – 3-0, 7-1
Sundown – 3-0, 6-2
Hale Center – 1-2, 3-5
Post – 1-2, 2-6
Floydada – 1-2, 2-6
Tahoka – 0-3, 0-8
District 2-2A-I Schedule – Oct. 29
Floydada @ New Deal
Post @ Hale Center
Sundown @ Tahoka
