Marquee game

Wagner at Smithson Valley, 7 p.m. Friday: This District 27-6A opener pits Wagner’s punishing rushing attack vs. Smithson Valley’s stout run defense.

The Thunderbirds (2-1) are averaging 366.3 rushing yards per contest and are scoring 41.3 points an outing. They have tallied a combined 110 points in the past two games.

Smithson Valley (3-0) yields 101.7 rushing yards and nine points per encounter. The Rangers silenced El Paso Eastwood a week ago, holding the Troopers to 14 points. They entered averaging more than 50 and had scored 75 a week earlier.

Wagner edged Smithson Valley 27-24 in overtime a year ago, only its second win in 13 meetings vs. Smithson Valley.

Notable games

Cuero at Navarro, 7:30 p.m. Friday: These former district foes, who in recent years have also met several times in the playoffs, square off in non-district play. Cuero (3-0), No. 7 in Texas Football magazine/Associated Press Class 4A Division II rankings, are coming off back-to-back wins over state-ranked Yoakum and Wimberley. Navarro (2-1) have rebounded after a close season-opening loss to Port Lavaca Calhoun with victories over La Vernia and Needville.

 Floresville at Southside, 7 p.m. Friday: The cardiac Tigers (3-0) look to remain unbeaten when they travel to Southside for a District 15-5A II opener. Floresville is fresh off a 44-41 win over Southwest Legacy in which it won on a 50-yard touchdown pass on the final play. Floresville defeated Antonian 42-41 in its season opener on Aug. 27. Southside (1-2) looks to get back on the winning track after losses to Somerset and Austin St. Michael’s the past two weeks. The Cardinals opened with a 62-14 triumph over Brownsville Lopez but have scored a combined 18 points since.

Boerne at Sweetwater, 7 p.m. Friday: The Greyhounds (1-2) travel to West Texas for a non-district encounter in the iconic Mustang Bowl, which was built by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) in 1939. Sweetwater (1-2) earned its first win last week vs. San Angelo Lake View after opening with back-to-back setbacks to Stephenville (No. 6 in Class 4A Division I) and defending state champion Jim Ned (No. 1 in Class 3A Division I). Boerne had to find opponents on the fly the past two weeks after previously scheduled games were canceled because of COVID-19 issues with opponents.

Tale of the tape

Poth defense vs. Shiner athlete Dalton Brooks: A junior who is a threat running and catching the ball on offense and in the secondary on defense for the defending Class 2A Division I state champion, Brooks is a four-star prospect who reportedly has offers from the likes of Ohio State, Michigan and Auburn. It will be crucial for the Pirates to know where Brooks is at all times in this showdown of state-ranked teams — Shiner is No. 2 in 2A Division I and Poth is No. 10 in 3A Division II.

terrence@terrencesports.com

Twitter: @sa_terrence1