Nocona
The Nocona Indians lost against Tioga on Friday night.
The Bulldogs won 35-21, doing a lot of their damage in the second quarter.
The Indians scored first in the opening quarter as quarterback Brady McCasland ran in from five yards out to go up 6-0.
Following an interception, Tioga came back to drive down the field and score on a short run to go up 7-6 early in the second quarter.
The Bulldogs scored twice more in the quarter on another short run and an 87-yard pass to lead 21-6 at halftime.
Nocona cut the lead to one score midway through the third quarter as McCasland found Charlie Fuller open for a 20-yard touchdown pass to make it 21-14 heading into the fourth quarter.
Following a coughed up fumble at midfield from the Indians, Tioga would later score early in the quarter on a 39-yard run up the middle. That was followed shortly by an 11-yard run for a touchdown to make it 35-14.
Nocona answered back quickly as McCasland found Arturo Garcia for a 36-yard touchdown catch to cut the lead to 35-21.
The Indians were not able to get any closer the rest of the game as the clock winded to zero. The Bulldogs would win.

Saint Jo
The Saint Jo Panthers lost their opening district game at home on Friday night against Union Hill.
The Bulldogs beat the Panthers 61-16 in a game that could be the end of Saint Jo’s district title streak.
Union Hill came into the game unbeaten and wanting revenge for last year’s close loss against the Panthers.
Saint Jo came into the game with only one loss and knowing it would need its best game if it wanted to play with the Bulldogs.
Saint Jo survived an opening drive turnover as its defense forced a turnover on downs to get the ball back.
The Panthers then took the lead as Trevor O’Neal got loose on a 26-yard run to go up 8-0. Union Hill tied the score 8-8 two plays later on a big run heading into the second quarter.
After Saint Jo turned it over on downs, the Bulldogs took the lead on a short run to go up 14-8.
The Panthers offense stalled again, but it looked like the defense was going to hold as it had Union Hill in a fourth and 12 scenario.
The Bulldogs hit on a long pass play to score and go up 20-8 and it was off to the races after that according to Panther Coach Mark Stevens.
Union Hill led 26-8 at halftime, but it only continued to get worse in the second half.
Saint Jo scored one other time on its first possession of the third quarter. Matthew Butler-Everson found Devin Stewart open for a 42-yard touchdown catch to cut the lead to 32-16, but that would be the only success for the rest of the game.
The Panthers tried to stay aggressive as they were not having much success on the ground and decided to try and push down the field throwing the ball.
The aggressive approach backfired as the Bulldogs intercepted three passes and recovered another fumble to finish with five for the game, which contributed to the game ending early in the fourth quarter due to the mercy rule.

Gold-Burg vs Forestburg
The Gold-Burg Bears were able to win their opening district game against Forestburg at home on Friday night.
The Bears won 79-33 with the game ending at about midway through the fourth quarter due to mercy rule.
Both teams came into the game feeling battle tested after playing a tough pre-district schedule and coming away with two wins.
Both teams also had two weeks to prepare coming off a bye-week and were hoping to start district off well.
Gold-Burg started the game on fire as Jayon Grace scored on the first offensive play from 15-yards out. The Bears then recovered the onside kick and Grace scored on a 40-yard run.
Gold-Burg’s defense then forced a turnover on downs after four plays before Levi Hellinger found Aidan Foster for an 18-yard touchdown pass.
The Bears led 20-0 after only four minutes of play.
The Longhorns were not just going to lay down for Gold-Burg though. The offense looked like it might turn the ball over again facing a fourth and long, but Jesus Sanchez found Nathan Payne open behind the defense for a 31-yard touchdown pass.
On Gold-Burg’s next offensive possession, Forestburg’s Ty Reid stepped in front of an out route to intercept the pass and return it for a touchdown to cut the lead to 20-12 and turn the game around.
The Bears answered on their next series putting the ball into Grace’s hands and he scored again on a 17-yard run to make it 26-12 heading into the second quarter.
Forestburg answered back on its next series. Facing another fourth and long situation, Sanchez again found a player open for a touchdown, this time Jeremiah Perez from 19-yards out to cut the lead to one score again 26-20.
The Bears controlled the rest of the second quarter. Grace scored twice more on runs from 34 and 17 yards out while the defense forced two turnovers on downs, making the halftime score 38-20.
The Longhorns regrouped and came out trying to stay in the game. Sanchez found Angel Cruz on a crossing pattern and thanks to a block downfield was able to score on a 35-yard touchdown pass to make it 38-26.
That would be as close as Forestburg would get in the second half. Gold-Burg scored on its next possession as Grace scored on a 45-yard run, the defense got a stop and then Hellinger found Jayton Epperson open for 12-yard touchdown pass.
Two more stops from the Bears’ defense led to two more touchdowns on offense in the quarter including a short run from Epperson and Hellinger finding Jack Henry for a 46-yard touchdown pass.
Forestburg scored right before the fourth quarter as Perez found Sanchez for 28-yard touchdown catch to make it 66-33.
It would not be enough for Forestburg to hold on until the end of the game. In the fourth quarter, the Bears scored again on Hellinger finding Epperson for a 23-yard touchdown pass.
Gold-Burg’s defense then got a stop before Ian Grissom burst up the middle for a 35-yard run to end the game, the final score being 79-33.

To read the full story, pick up a copy of the mid-week edition of the Bowie News.