Football Game Preview: Estacado Matadors vs. Levelland Lobos

Estacado is preparing for their first district matchup of the season on Friday. They will take on the Levelland Lobos at 7:00 p.m. Each of these teams will be battling to keep a three-game winning streak alive.

On Thursday, Estacado earned a 28-20 victory over Andrews. The final result isn't all that surprising considering the Matadors' considerable advantage in MaxPreps' Texas football rankings (they are ranked 294th, while the Mustangs are ranked 606th).

Cedric Ross had an outrageously good game as he rushed for 97 yards and two touchdowns on only eight carries, and also picked up 31 receiving yards and one score.

Levelland hadn't beaten Snyder on the road since September 23, 2016 but that history sure didn't bother them on Friday. The Lobos claimed a resounding 41-14 win over the Tigers. The score at the end of the third wound up being the final score as the Lobos just coasted through the last quarter.

Levelland's win came from a few key players Estacado will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Ethan Salazar, who threw for 294 yards and four TDs while picking up 10.9 yards per attempt. He is becoming a predictor of Levelland's success: when he posts at least three passing touchdowns the team is undefeated (and 1-2 when he doesn't). Kaden Brogden was Salazar's top target, picking up 140 receiving yards and a pair of scores.

Estacado's record is now 4-2. As for Levelland, their record now sits at an identical 4-2.

Estacado didn't have too much breathing room in their matchup against Levelland when the teams last played back in October of 2024, but they still walked away with a 28-23 victory. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Matadors since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.