Big Country Game of the Week: Albany Lions (7-2, 3-0) at Hamlin Pied Pipers (6-2, 3-0)

THE BEARD'S PICKS LAST WEEK: 37-2 (.949); 11-man: 19-2; Six-man: 18-0

OVERALL: 329-88 (.789); 11-man: 168-32; Six-man: 161-56

There's not a Big Country football matchup I'm more familiar with than Albany-Hamlin. This will be my third time seeing these teams clash.

For the second-straight year, the District 7-2A Division II title is on the line when these rivals meet at Piper Stadium in our Big Country Game of the Week.

Many of Friday's players were part of last season's games, both won by the Lions (7-2 overall, 3-0 district). The teams are familiar with each other, which has its pros and cons.

"Well, it can help you and hurt you because they're familiar with us, also," Albany coach Denney Faith said. "You have to do a few things a little different and you might tweak a few things. But they're going to do what they do best, and we're going to do what we do best.

"It's going to be two really good football teams playing each other on Friday."

No. 2 Albany has won five in a row, allowing 6.6 points per game during the stretch. The offense drew praise from Faith, too.

Lions quarterback Ben West threw for four TDs last week against Haskell, and sophomore Jaheim Newton ran for 175 yards and three scores.

"Offensively, being able to stay balanced is something that we strive to do," Faith said. "And then just being sound on defense and playing hard. Our kids are flying around on defense."

Sixth-ranked Hamlin (6-2, 3-0) has bounced back from a 36-9 loss to Stratford to win three in a row. Pipers coach Russell Lucas said the setback was a wakeup call.

"When you play a quality opponent, they're going to point our your weaknesses. Boy, did they show us some," Lucas said of the No. 4 Elks. "They put it on us pretty good...We feel like we've made some changes that have improved us. A lot of times it'll make you or break you, and I feel like our kids responded well to (the loss). They understood that the way things were going wasn't going to get it done.

"...I think we had gotten a little bit comfortable. All of a sudden we came out ranked No. 1, and you start reading all that and thinking that you're unbeatable. I just felt like we kind of lost a little bit of our sense of urgency...There's too many good teams out there for you just to show up and not play to your potential and (still) win." 

The Pipers have allowed seven points in district play, or 2.3 per game. Lucas knows Friday will be tougher test.

"They just always seem to have an answer," Lucas said of Albany. "If somebody lines up and takes something away from them, they always seem to have a response to that...That's why Coach Faith does such a good job."

Quarterback Braydin Warner leads the Hamlin offense and is also coming off a four-TD game. The Pipers also have playmakers in Jevon Williams and Jackson Sepeda. Sepeda, the team's leading rusher in 2018, had five carries for 93 yards and two TDs against Cross Plains after missing the previous game.

"They're going to make you cover the whole field," Faith said. "They can stretch you vertically and horizontally. They've got several guys that they can get the ball to. You can't really just focus in and try to limit one guy because there's way too many."

Both coaches praised the other's defensive effort. The game should come down to who can make a stop late, because I see both of these offenses putting up points.

I picked against Albany in both matchups last season, and I've finally learned my lesson.

PICK: Albany 34, Hamlin 28

If there were two Stephens

Eastland (8-1, 3-1) at Jim Ned (7-2, 2-2)

There's plenty of playoff implications Friday when Eastland and Jim Ned meet.

With a win, the Indians could force a three-way tie with Clyde for second place. So, for as devastating as Jim Ned's loss to Clyde seemed, the team has a chance to make up for it.

Of course, the Mavericks would prefer to take the No. 2 seed outright. It'll be a great matchup between the explosive Eastland offense and Jim Ned's stingy defense.

PICK: Eastland 31, Jim Ned 21

Keep your eyes on:

Hawley (9-0, 3-0) at Ozona (7-2, 3-0); PICK: Hawley by 12

Strawn (6-3, 2-0) at Gordon (8-1, 2-0); PICK: Strawn by 5

Pecos (5-4, 3-2) at Snyder (3-6, 3-2); PICK: Pecos by 9

Big Country power rankings

Class 3A

1. Cisco (8-1); Last week: No. 1—W, 34-7 at Anson

2. Eastland (8-1); Last week: No. 2—W, 42-27 vs. Clyde

3. Jim Ned (7-2); Last week: No. 5—W, 45-22 at Early

4. Dublin (7-2); Last week: NR—W, 20-16 vs. Comanche

5. Clyde (6-3); Last week: No. 4—L, 42-27 at Eastland

Class 2A

1. Hawley (9-0); Last week: No. 1—W, 50-7 vs. Forsan

2. Albany (7-2); Last week: No. 2—W, 47-14 vs. Haskell

3. Hamlin (6-2); Last week: No. 3—W, 41-0 at Cross Plains

4. Stamford (5-4); Last week: No. 5—Idle

5. Cross Plains (6-3); Last week: No. 4—L, 41-0 vs. Hamlin

Class 1A

1. Jayton (10-0); Last week: No. 1—W, 62-8 vs. Lueders-Avoca

2. Ira (9-0); Last week: No. 2—W, 58-16 at Aspermont

3. May (8-1); Last week: No. 3—W, 72-48 vs. Gorman

4. Blackwell (9-0); Last week: No. 4—W, 64-0 vs. Trent

5. Gordon (8-1); Last week: No. 5—W, 54-8 vs. Gustine

The Beard's picks

Thursday

CLASS 1A

BLACKWELL at Loraine

Friday

CLASS 4A

BROWNWOOD at China Spring

SAN ANGELO LAKE VIEW at Big Spring

SWEETWATER at Monahans

CLASS 3A

DUBLIN at Millsap

Tolar at COMANCHE

ANSON at San Angelo Grape Creek

BALLINGER at San Angelo TLCA

Bangs at CISCO

Breckenridge at CLYDE

COAHOMA at Lubbock Roosevelt

Early at WALL

MERKEL at Coleman

Stanton at COLORADO CITY

CLASS 2A

CROSS PLAINS at Roscoe

Munday at MEMPHIS

SANTO at Ranger

SAN SABA at De Leon

STAMFORD at Forsan

CLASS 1A

Bluff Dale at GUSTINE

BRONTE at Paint Rock

BROOKESMITH at Rising Star

CHEROKEE at Panther Creek

Hermleigh at IRA

HIGHLAND at Water Valley

Lometa at ZEPHYR

MAY at Lingleville

MORAN at Trent

Robert Lee at EDEN

Rotan at SPUR

Rule at LUEDERS-AVOCA

Santa Anna at GORMAN

Sidney at BLANKET

Woodson at THROCKMORTON