Area weekend football capsules

All Times MDT

LOVING (4-2) AT TEXICO (6-0)

WHEN: 7 p.m. Friday

DISTRICT 3-1A RECORDS: District opener for both teams.

LAST WEEK: The Falcons had a bye in preparation for the district opener, while the top-ranked Wolverines Hagerman 59-0.

LAST MEETING: 2002, Texico defeated the Falcons 28-0 at Loving.

LOVING PLAYERS TO WATCH: Nathan Vasquez, Jr., QB; Jonathan Fuentes, Sr., RB.

KEYS TO THE GAME: The Falcons are bigger and have more speed at the skill positions that they did last year. Texico will try to keep Vasquez and Fuentes contained by keeping its own offense on the field.

QUOTABLE: “The winner of this one will be sitting pretty good in the distrit race. If you look at scores, they beat Dexter 35-0 and we only beat them 21-0.” — Texico coach Mike Prokop

McCURDY (5-1) AT FORT SUMNER (5-2)

WHEN: 7 p.m. (Homecoming)

DISTRICT 2-1A RECORDS: District opener for both teams. McCurdy is ranked No. 2 in Class 1A, while the Foxes are No. 3.

LAST WEEK: McCurdy lost at Class 2A Newcomb 24-12. Fort Sumner won easily at Escalante 46-0.

LAST MEETING: 2002, Fort Sumner scored all its points in the first half in demolishing the Bobcats 54-6 at Espanola.

McCurdy players to watch: Paul Salazar, Jr., QB; Jeremy Hughes, Jr., RB; Pete Chavez, Sr., OL-DL.

KEYS TO THE GAME: The Foxes defensive line and linebackers may be tested on two fronts as the Bobcats like to run sweeps and throw the ball. Putting pressure on Salazar will help keep the clamps on McCurdy’s offense.

QUOTABLE: “We don’t really ever look at the rankings. But we certainly are in a must-win situation, so the level of intensity needs to be right.” — Fort Sumner coach Mario Martinez, asked if his two-time defending Class 1A state champs too umbrage at McCurdy being higher in this week’s Associated Press poll.

FLOYD (5-2) AT MELROSE (5-2)

WHEN: 7 p.m. Friday

SIX-MAN DISTRICT 3 RECORDS: Floyd 1-0, Melrose 0-0.

LAST WEEK: Floyd defeated Vaughn-Corona 62-8 at Vaughn. Melrose won at home over Clovis Christian 58-13.

LAST MEETING: 2002, the Broncos won a wild one from the Buffaloes 47-44.

FLOYD PLAYERS TO WATCH: Chance Chenault, Sr., WR; Jared Long, So., QB.

KEYS TO THE GAME: Containing the speed of Chenault and Long will be critical for the Buffaloes on both running and passing plays. Meantime, Melrose sophomore running back Carlos Ruiz returns after an injury and a good first game back would go a long way toward a Buffs win.

QUOTABLE: “This is pretty much going to decide the district championship, I’m sure.” — Melrose coach Dickie Roybal.

HART (1-5) AT FARWELL (5-1)

WHEN: 6:30 p.m. Friday

DISTRICT 4-1A RECORDS: Hart 0-1, Farwell 0-1.

LAST WEEK: Hart lost at Bovina 26-8. Farwell lost at Nazareth 36-19.

LAST MEETING: 2002, the Longhorns edged Farwell 14-13 in overtime at Hart.

HART PLAYERS TO WATCH: A.J. Carrasco, Sr., QB-LB; Eron Castillo, Jr., WR-DB; Roy Robledo, Sr., RB-DB.

KEYS TO THE GAME: The Steers want to get back on track mentally after last week’s disappointing loss. “We were rolling along on a high before last week,” coach Jacob Thompson said.

QUOTABLE: “They’ve struggled to put the ball in the end zone this year, but they’ve moved the ball well. I hope they don’t find a way to get in the end zone against us.” — Farwell coach Jacob Thompson, on the Longhorns.

BOVINA (5-2) AT SPRINGLAKE-EARTH (0-5)

WHEN: 6:30 p.m. Friday

DISTRICT 4-1A RECORDS: Bovina 1-0, Springlake-Earth 0-0.

LAST WEEK: Bovina defeated Hart 26-8 at Bovina. Springlake-Earth had an open date.

LAST MEETING: 2002, the Wolverines rolled to a 40-13 win over Bovina at Earth, Texas.

Springlake-Earth players to watch: Curt Bills, Sr., QB-S; Ricky Ibarra, Sr., WR-DE; Sammy Ramon, Jr., OT-DT.

KEYS TO THE GAME: Bovina coach Kent Torbert said the Mustangs will have to be able to control the ball on offense and keep it away from Bills, a dangerous, experienced player who was all-district on both offense and defense a year ago.

QUOTABLE: “If we take care of our business, good things could happen to us. Like we preach to the kids all the time, the harder you work, the luckier you get.” — Bovina coach Kent Torbert.

MULESHOE (2-4) AT BROWNFIELD (0-6)

WHEN: 6:30 p.m. Friday

DISTRICT 2-3A RECORDS: Muleshoe 0-1, Brownfield 0-1.

LAST WEEK: Muleshoe lost at Littlefield 14-6. Brownfield lost at Lubbock Cooper 42-19.

LAST MEETING: 2002, Brownfield pulled away in the second half to beat the Mules 39-6 at Muleshoe.

Brownfield players to watch: Andrew Sides, Jr., QB; Cody Jenkins, Jr., DE; Daniel Garcia, Jr., OT-DT; Trent Sellers, Sr., WR.

KEYS TO THE GAME: The Mules need to get their offense going, coach David Wood said, and hope the return of senior quarterback Landon Sheets (dislocated shoulder) will help. Hurt early in the Mules’ loss at Friona on Sept. 19, Sheets missed the next game against Lubbock Roosevelt and saw action for only three plays last week at Littlefield. Woods said Sheets, who also plays safety, will not be used on defense this week.

QUOTABLE: “(Brownfield) has played a pretty tough schedule; they’re about where we are right now. But we’re in good shape if we can win this game. Our kids have worked hard.” — Muleshoe coach David Wood.

— Compiled by Eric Butler

and Dave Wagner