Weekend area prep football capsules

All Times MST

FORT SUMNER (7-2) AT SPRINGER (7-2)

WHEN: 7 p.m. Friday

DISTRICT 2-1A RECORDS: Fort Sumner 2-0, Springer 2-0.

LAST WEEK: The Foxes roughed up Questa 61-14 at home. Springer shut out McCurdy 63-0.

LAST MEETING: 2002, the Red Devils came to Fort Sumner undefeated, but were drilled by the Foxes 47-0.

Springer players to watch: Matt Tafoya, Sr., QB; Gerald Mares, Sr., WR.

KEYS TO THE GAME: Tafoya is not only a passing threat for Springer, but the Foxes’ defense will also have to contain his running ability.

QUOTABLE: “We had a very, very good game against them last year. We were very prepared and things went our way, but they were a very good team. They’ve lost four good athletes off that team, (but) they returned some really good people.” — Fort Sumner coach Mario Martinez.

JAL (7-2) AT TEXICO (8-0)

WHEN: 7 p.m. Friday

DISTRICT 3-1A RECORDS: Jal 1-1, Texico 2-0.

LAST WEEK: The Wolverines blanked Eunice 54-0 on the road for their seventh consecutive shutout. Jal lost a 17-10 decision to Loving.

LAST MEETING: 2002, Texico blitzed the Panthers 52-14 at Jal to wrap up an unbeaten regular season.

Jal players to watch: Matt Cline, Sr., QB; Tony Soto, So., RB.

KEYS TO THE GAME: Not since the season opener at Bovina has Texico seem a team which likes to pass as much as Jal — and the Panthers like to do it even more. The Wolverines’ secondary may be put to the test, unless Texico’s pass-rushers prevent Cline from getting the time to throw.

QUOTABLE: “We tell the kids that (shutting teams out) is nice, but the overall thing that it comes down to is whether you win or lose. We want to win, and our offense has put us in position to do good things.” — Texico coach Mike Prokop, whose defense has given up just six points all year and none in the last 30 quarters.

MULESHOE (3-5) AT LUBBOCK COOPER (6-2)

WHEN: 6:30 p.m. Friday

DISTRICT 2-3A RECORDS: Muleshoe 1-2, Lubbock Cooper 2-1.

LAST WEEK: Muleshoe shut out Dimmitt 45-0 at home. Lubbock Cooper lost at Littlefield 14-10.

LAST MEETING: 2002, the Mules rolled to a 27-6 win over the Pirates in Muleshoe.

LUBBOCK COOPER PLAYERS TO WATCH: Shawn Stults, Jr., FS; Zach McPhaul, Sr., LB; Bradley Madison, Jr., TB; Cory Cleveland, Jr., TB; Brian Cloud, Sr., TE-DE.

KEYS TO THE GAME: The Mules will need to score some points in this one, coach David Wood said, noting that they need to beat Cooper by at least eight points to keep their playoff hopes alive in a possible three-way tiebreaker. … Muleshoe has been alternating senior Landon Sheets, slowed much of the season by injury, and freshman Brant Hamilton at quarterback in recent games. Wood said Hamilton has played well and brings some skills to the table.

QUOTABLE: “You never know how a win or a loss will affect kids. I know we haven’t put two (good) games back-to-back this year, so hopefully we can do that.” — Muleshoe coach David Wood

SPRINGLAKE-EARTH (0-7) AT FARWELL (6-1)

WHEN: 6:30 p.m. Friday

DISTRICT 4-1A RECORDS: Springlake-Earth 0-2, Farwell 1-1.

LAST WEEK: Springlake-Earth lost at Hart 24-6, while the Steers had an open date.

LAST MEETING: 2002, the Wolverines notched a 34-6 win over Farwell at Earth, Texas.

Springlake-Earth players to watch: Curt Bills, Sr., QB-FS; Larry Rosales, Sr., OL-DL; Dustin Graham, Sr., C-LB.

KEYS TO THE GAME: Farwell can’t look at the Wolverines’ record, and isn’t likely to fall into that trap since the Steers have lost 10 in a row in the series dating to 1990. Springlake-Earth came into 2003 with 12 consecutive trips to the playoffs. “They still play hard the whole time,” Farwell coach Jacob Thompson said. “They may have a down year (in terms of record), but they still have that tradition.”

QUOTABLE: “They do some good things, but it seems like they’ve hurt themselves with penalties and turnovers. They have a new coach, and I think their kids are having a hard time adjusting to a new system.” — Farwell coach Jacob Thompson, on Springlake-Earth.

—Compiled by Eric Butler

and Dave Wagner