The football competition among the smaller Texas high schools is so powerful that often there seems to be little difference between those who lead the pack and those who trail them closely. Therefore, Puttbeat is proposing a new , award: The Best of the Losers. As the award title indicates, it will go to the team that shows it is indeed the best of the trailers. And already there is a noteworthy pretender: the Boling Bulldogs appear to lead the pack. The Bulldogs have lost

The Top 10 1. New Diana (6-0) / at West Rusk (6-10 West Rusk (6-1) / New Diana Idalou (7-0) /Littlefield (6-1) Newton (3-2) / New Waverly (6-0) East Bernard (5-10 / at Van Vleck (3-4) George West (6-00 / at Hebbronville (6-0) Wallis Brazos (6-1) / Rice Consolidated (6-1) Littlefield (6-1) /Idalou (7-0Rice Consolidated (6-0) Hebbronville (6-0) /George West (6-0) Littlefield (6-0) / at Idalous (7-0)

Top 10, next game 1. Columbus (6-0) Columbus 35 Edna 2 / Wharton (0-6) 1. Gunter (5-1) gunter 80 Plainview 15 / at Pottsboro (4-2) 3. Wall (6-1) @all 30 Llano 14 / SATLCA(2-5) 4. Hallettsville (6-1) Hallettsville 35 SA Cole 5. Dalhart (6-1) Dalhart 48 Brownfield 6 / 10.23 Denver City 6. Shallowwater (5-1) Shallowater 35 Idalou 48 / Bushland (5-2) 7. Yoakum (4-2) Yoakum 48 Smithville 14 / Luling (1-4} 8. Ingram Moore (5-1) Ingram MOore 34 Mson 35 /

1. Goldthwaite (7-0) Goldthwqite 63 Hamilton 0 / at Albany (4-2) Gruver (7-0) Gruver 28 Stratford 26 / at Bovina (3-3) Wink (7-0) Wink 59 Iraan 22 / at McCamey (7-0) McCamey (7-0) McCamey 55 Eldorado 12 / Wink (7-0) Santos (6-1(Santos 32 Frost 30 / Mart (3-4) Stratford (Stratford 26 Gruver 28 / 10.22 Bovina Burton (4-1) Burton 56 Snook 0 / at Holland 92-4) Bremond (6-0) Bremond 55 Bartlett 6 / Snook (2-4) Mart (3-4) Mart 56Frost 13 / at Sa2-nto (6-0) Crawford (4-3) Crawf

T he Top 10/ Next game Mason (6-0) Mason 51 Bangs 0 / San Saba (4-2) Thorndale (7-0) Thorndale 50 Hearne 12/ at Granger (3-3) Shiner (7-00 Shiner 43 Bloomington 3 / Ganado (4-2) Ganado (4-2) Ganado 63 Kenedy 20 / at Shiner (7-0) Sonora (4-1) Sonora 40 Christoval 32 / Ozona (3-4} Shelbyville (4-2) Shelbyville 40 Joaquin 39 / Hemphill (2-4) Joaquin (3-2 Joaquin 39 Shelbyville 40 / Timpson (3-3) San Augustine (4-2) San Augustine 37 Timpson 8 / Garrison (3-3) Axtell (6-0) Axtell

Of the serveral divisions in Texas football for the smaller schools, this may be the most difficult of all to rank. There are several teams appearing to be of equal strenth, all going for the top playoff spots; Even Brazos at #10 has a very fine team, one that would likely give Arp (3!) a very close game. Nonetheless, there are choices to be made: ` 1. Arp (5-0) / at West Rusk (4-10, game of the week 2. Frankston (5-0 / at Kerens (1-4 3. New Diana (5-0l AT Jeffers

FEATURED Joaquin at Shelbyville Refugio at Taft Except for Joaquin at Shelbyville on Thursday, all games are set for Friday, Oct. 9, 2026. Following its 69-0 trouncing by Ropes, Stinnett West Texas drops from the Top 10. Mason (4-0) / Bangs (3-2) Joaquin (3-1) / Oct 8. at Shelbyville (3-1) Shiner (6-0) 62, Weimar 0 / Bloomington (2-4) Frankston ((5-0 53, Alba-Golden 8 / at Kerens (1-4) Ropes (5-0) 69, West Texas 0/ Plains (3-2} Taft (5-0) / Refugio (2=3) Olton (6-0) 33, S

With the Puttbeat's hometoen team, Refugio, showing signs of weakness, the Bobcats are again excluded from our rankings. But the Mason PUnchers are showing clearer signs that this year may bring them another rtitle. FEATURED Ropes at West Texas Mason (5-0) /Bangs (2-2) Joaquin (3-1, / Oct. 8 Shelbyville (3-2) Shiner (5--0) / at Weimar (3-2) Frankston (4-0) /Alba-Golden (1-4) Ropes ((4-0) / at West Texas (4-1) Taft 95-0 / Oct 9 Refugio (2-4) West Texas (4-1) / Ropes (4-0) Ol

Top 10 2AD1; most games on 9/25 FEATURED Mansfield at Joaquin Gruver at Wellington Taft at Skidmore-Tynan 1. Joaquin (3-1) 39-36 over Grand Saline / Mansfield (3-0) 2. Wellington (4-0) 40-6 over Trinity Christian / Gruver (3-0) 3. Gruver (3-0) 60-27 over River Road / at Wellington (4-0) 4. Thorndale (4-0) 49-42 over Mildred / Marlin (1-3) 5. Mason (4-0) 62-8 over Junction / Ingram Moore (4-0} 6. Taft (4-0) 13-7 over Freer / at Skidmore-Tynan 7. Skidmore Tynan (2

Top 10 in 2AD2 1. Collingsworth (3-0), 34-14 over Bells / at Muenster (3-0, competing. in 2A1 2. Wellington (3-0). 46-12 over Sunray / at Trinity Christian (2-1} 3. Crawford (2-1), 39-6 over Valley Mills / at Marlin (0-3) 4. Burton (1-1} 32-14 over Iola / at Milano (0-3) 5. Wink (3-0) 42-7 over Compass Academy /M at New Home (1-2) 6. McCamey (3-0) 46-20 over Christoval / at Regan County (2-1) 7. Harper (3-0) 35-21 over Johnson City / Bangs (2-1) 8. West Sabi

About to enter the third full week of the 2026 season, three teams remain unbeaten in the district: Shelbyville, Timpson and Joaquin. Shelbyville will have its perfect record fully tested on Friday, when the Dragons go against Arp, a 3AD2 team that is also unbeaten. : However, the District 12 title will likely not be decided until October, when the #1 playoff seed will be determined by these three games: Joaquin st Shelbyville, October 9 Timpson at Joaquin, on Oct. 16

Refugio, Wall Canadian and Newsome all won in Week 2 of the 2026 season, indiating that things may not be as unusual as many have anticipated. Wall is, of course, the defending 3A1 champion and only Arp appears to have a team that might be able to challenge the Hawks.. Here's how things look to the Puttbeat for the four units of the two divisions heading into the games of Week 3: Top 10 in 2AD2 1. Collinsville (2-0) 63, Cooper 54 /Bells 2. Wellington (2-0) 14, Vernon 7 /

When perennial powers like Refugio, Mart and Schulenburg plus a defending state champion (Hamilton) open a season with big losses, you just know that the ipsets and teams emerging that for years had been let out of the title chases. Scores for the aforementioned teams show that 2026will be different from normal. George West 40, Refugio 0 Whitney 40, Mart 0 Hallettsville 49, Schulenburg 0 Bremond 26, Hamilton Those surprise losses, especially the size of the f

I'm one of many people who likes to keep opinions and observations as brief and as clear-cut as possible. It's dificult. For already here, I've used more words than I wanted. And in hindsight, I shall make it clearer: I love simpliciy. I like for there to be no question about where I stand. For example: I despise Donald Trump. That's clear enough, is it not? But I have a great need to say more, like: I think he's a horrible president. I despise the way he tries to mani

*I have mixed feelings about the new season. First of all, I'm disappointed in my Refugio Bobcats, who can't seem to be able to adjust to not having Jason Herring as their heqd footbll coach (Herring continues as the AD.) But I'm eager to see whether the Cisco Loboes can return to the throne room. The Loboes have the potential to do so. Most confusing, however, is the fact that so many teams have a shot at making it to the title game. The Shiner Comanches, the Mart Panther

Garrison (#10) will host Danbury tonight, Thursday, as the division's top teams begin the "run to the roses" title for 2026. Other Top Tems begin 2026 tomorrow night. They inlude: 1. Shiner vs Industrial # 2. Muenster vs Lindsay 3. Cisco vs. Clyde 4. Ganado vs. Whitney # 5. Hamilton @ Bremond 6. Mart vs. Whitney # 7. Mason vs. Reagan County 8. San Augustine vs. Groveton # 9. Refugio @ George West For the first time in 15 years Refugio falls s

All except one is either deceased or mostly retired. The exception is currently the vicar oc the Episcopal Cathedral, DC. All are well known except for the two who are famous mainly because I say they are:

"Against all hope, Abrahm believed and so was the father of all nations." Romans 4;18. In a first interpretation, "against" can be terribly confusing, for that first interpretation might be that there was a hope that ran contrary to what Abraham believed. Not so, for, it was Abraham's faith hope that enabled him to live out Go'd's intentions. Thus, Paul reminded the Roman that because Abraham believed he persevered; thus, becoming the father of all nations. In Paul's eyes A