'Friday Night Lights': Leopards, Buffaloes, Hippos, Panthers Lead Week 6 Menagerie

This weekend's headline game should be a corker, or at least closer than McCallum's 52-0 blowout over LBJ last night. (Stamp Cedar Park's playoff passport too, though the T-Wolves were lucky to get past Stony Point by a single, stony point, 14-13.) Hurry up and head out 290; even with Friday afternoon traffic, there's still plenty of time to get to Giddings in time for the kickoff of a game with the outcome of 23-3A in the balance. The hometown Buffs entertain the fightin' Leopards of La Grange, and whoever walks off the field with fewer points will do so for the first time all year. The visitors are playing for more than that: the Buffs tied them to the whipping post 58-6 last year, plus La Grange hasn't been scored on since the fourth quarter of their September 15 game at Sealy.

If you'd rather head north, Hutto drops by Cameron Yoe for some payback – the Hippos advanced to the 3A Division II state finals last year but lost to the Yoemen 17-13 at home. Cameron is likewise looking for revenge – Hutto ended their season in the playoffs.

Liberty Hill is ready to explode after dropping two straight to state-ranked Wimberley and Cuero, so pity the poor Rockdale Tigers. Speaking of Wimberley, the Texans are big-city-bound to punish Houston St. Thomas. Good one out in the Hill Country: San Antone's Alamo Heights goes to Fredericksburg for a 27-4A throw down with the Battlin' Billy Goats. Thrall and Thorndale renew probably the area's best single-A rivalry at Thorndale. Homestanding and undefeated Blanco is ranked No. 3 in 2A in the state, but it should have its hands full with visiting Comfort. New Braunfels Canyon, still unbeaten, hosts 27-4A newcomer Lehman. Seguin goes for five years in a row over San Marcos at Rattler Stadium; both teams are undefeated in 25-5A.

Locally, probable playoff team Elgin visits winless Johnston at Nelson; Bowie looks to knock off 25-5A co-leader Austin High at House Park; Anderson rolls up on Westlake; Leander and host Round Rock fight for hand in 14-5A; and Bastrop and Akins each seek their first district win at Burger. And, heartwarmingly, the Statesman reported today that 225 area footballers showed up at last week's free cardiac screenings. Praise the Lord; that only leaves several hundred more to go.

All games tonight at 7:30pm.