Game One: ACHS vs. Newcastle

7:30 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 2
Abilene Christian High Panthers vs. Newcastle Bobcats

Game one of the Sixth Annual Action Sports Medicine Champions Classic will certainly be quite a match between two scrappy teams of veteran “cats” – the Abilene Christian High School Panthers and the Newcastle Bobcats.

The Panthers, who were in the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools Six-Man playoffs last season, return nine lettermen, with two starters on each side of the ball. The team is led by seniors Trey Tyson (5-10, 185-pound RB-DL) and Gabe Espinoza (5-10, 175-pound QB-DL), plus sophomore Trevor Tyson (5-11, 175-pound WR-DB).

Other players who could make a showing in the Classic are Blaze Walker, a 6-1 quarterback who transferred from Abilene High and freshman Samai Massaquoi, a native of Liberia.

Not only is Coach Mark Coley’s charges taking on a powerful Newcastle team in the Classic, but this season they also face power-houses Woodson and Ira before they start TAPPS play. “Well, the good thing is our guys will be battle-tested,” Coley told the Abilene Reporter-News. “But we also could be beat up. It’s an ambitious schedule. Hopefully, we can get enough wins to have a good attitude when we get to district.”

The Panthers have 20 players out for the team, a bigger number than usual, which will definitely be a plus against Newcastle, a good team with plenty of players coached by Ty Spitzer, who gave up a home game to be part of the Champions Classic festivities.

Spitzer has 20 returners this season, including 5 starters on each side of the ball. Good things are expected because of those numbers and the fact that first-team, all-region selection at end Paul Martinez is back, in addition to quarterback Bailey Spencer, and 5-7, 165-pound running back Justin Bohannon (1,073 yards last season).

Six-Man football games are already exciting to watch. Two teams with plenty of experience in front of a Classic crowd will no doubt notch that up considerably.