Tigers set to open playoffs against Mineral Wells

An open date may help the Snyder defense heading into the Class 4A Division I playoffs.
Two of the Tigers’ leading tacklers will return to the lineup against Mineral Wells in Friday’s bi-district playoff game at Shotwell Stadium in Abilene. Kickoff will be at 7:30 p.m.
Lineman Luis Cruz and linebacker Leshun Burns sat out the regular season finale against Brownwood due to injuries. The offense will also receive a boost with the return of running back Jaden Zamora.
Burns leads the Tigers with 96.5 tackles. Cruz, the third-leading tackler with 51.5, has a team-high 13 tackles for loss and is tied with Daniel Drake and Josh Flores for the team lead with two sacks.
Zamora, who missed the last two games, is the leading rusher with 894 yards and 15 touchdowns.
“Cruz and Burns usually get 20 tackles a game,” Snyder head coach James Polk. “We played without our best defensive lineman and linebacker. That’s tough for any team. Jaden is back and ready to go.”
Mineral Wells, which has not won a playoff game since 1985, averages 437 yards on offense (198 rushing, 239 passing) and 39 points per game.
Trent Guinn and Tristan Perry have split time at quarterback. Guinn has completed 102-of-153 passes for 1,373 yards and 14 touchdowns. He is the team’s second-leading rusher with 736 yards with eight touchdowns. Perry has completed 54-of-97 passes for 995 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Johnny Morales leads the Rams in rushing with 984 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Douglas Stevens, Jordan Duckett and Carlos Grey are the leading receivers. Stevens has caught 46 passes for 727 yards and 11 touchdowns. Duckett has 42 catches for 874 yards and 12 touchdowns while Grey has caught 34 passes for 307 yards and three touchdowns.
“Anybody in the playoffs will be a good team,” Polk said. “The defense faced a challenge every week. Mineral Wells will not show us anything different than any of those teams. I don’t believe they can do anything that will surprise us.”
The Tigers are making their first playoff appearance since 2013. That season, Snyder defeated Clint in a bi-district game and lost to Lubbock Estacado in the area round.
Polk, who was the defensive coordinator at that time, said most of his players will be playing in the playoffs for the first time.
“The players are excited about going to the playoffs,” Polk said. “Taylor (Munkres), Jose (Juarez) Logan (Tate) and Jose Jimenez were on the last playoff team. They are in different roles now and the ones running the show. It’s a new experience for most of the players.”
The Tigers, held to 23 points in the last two games, is averaging 36 points in eight games.
Tate has completed 134-of-238 passes for 1,933 yards and 14 touchdowns. Juarez, who missed four games with an injury, rushed for 214 yards and two touchdowns while catching 11 passes for 166 yards and two touchdowns.
Dralon Jackson is the leading receiver with 52 catches for 709 yards and one touchdown. Abram Smith has caught 48 passes for 578 yards and eight touchdowns. Munkres has 34 catches for 434 yards and three touchdowns.
“When you have a bye week at the end of the regular season, it’s good when you make the playoffs and terrible if you don’t make the playoffs,” Polk said. “We played without five starters during the last two games. I’m glad all of those players will be back for the playoffs.”
Jarrett Reneau leads the defense with four interceptions. Reneau, who caught one pass for 25 yards, will see action at running back and receiver, Polk said.
“Jarrett will start on both sides of the ball,” Polk said. “That was the plan before his hand injury. He will be back on offense where he is needed.”
Polk said the keys to victory are the same as every game this season.
“We must make tackles on defense,” he said. “We must control the ball on offense and keep the chains moving. We can’t make dumb mistakes, like false start penalties, and miss tackles on defense.”