Here’s a look at the best regional final high school football playoff games in the Texas Panhandle.
GAME OF THE WEEK
Gruver (11-2, 3-1) vs Stratford (11-2, 4-0)
7 p.m. Friday, Happy State Bank Stadium
For the second time this season, the Greyhounds and Elks are set to square off with plenty at stake.
Stratford handed Gruver its only District 1-2A Division II loss of the 2025 campaign en route to a league title this season, but Kurt Haberthur’s team has been on a roll since then. The Greyhounds fell 40-27 against Jon Murphy’s squad on Oct. 10, and nearly two months later, Gruver will get another shot at the Elks.
Led by senior quarterback Briggs Satterfield, the Greyhounds scored at least 40 points in the five contests following their loss to Stratford. Last week was the first time since early October that the group hasn’t reached that mark, but Satterfield and company still picked up a 23-13 win against Ropes in a rematch from the 2024 postseason.
The Elks have been on a similar run after dropping their second contest of the season on Oct. 3 to Childress. In the two months since then, Stratford has won seven consecutive games and scored at least 35 points in each matchup.
Last week, junior quarterback Chase Lantelme and company beat fellow District 1-2A Division II rival Bovina 48-14 in the regional semifinal.
This week, Lantelme and Satterfield will duel for a spot in the state semifinals after Gruver reached the fifth round of the playoffs in 2024.
Other games to watch in the Texas Panhandle
West Plains (12-1, 5-0) vs Stephenville (13-0, 4-0)
7 p.m. Friday, Lowrey Field
Last week: West Plains 35, Canyon 3; Stephenville 51, Randall 6
The Wolves topped the Yellow Jackets 42-35 to reach the state semifinals in 2024, and will have to overcome another strong Stephenville squad to make a return to the fifth round.
West Texas (13-0, 5-0) vs Cisco (12-1, 5-0)
Last week: West Texas 26, New Home 19; Cisco 28, Spearman 20
The Comanches haven’t dropped a contest all year, but will meet a Lobos squad who has reeled off 12 consecutive wins this week in the Region I-2A Division I title game. Both teams topped Spearman and notched a one-point win against Panhandle this season.
This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Gruver football meets Stratford in regional final for our Game of the Week
Reporting by Randall Sweet, Amarillo Globe-News / Amarillo Globe-News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
