Showdown for the Big Screen: Brady Takes on Ozona in Week 3

BRADY, TX— The high-flying Ozona Lions are traveling to the heart of not only McCulloch County, but the Heart of Texas, to take on the well-balanced Brady Bulldogs in a battle meant for the silver screen.

“Are you not entertained?”- Maximus Decimus Meridius (Gladiator)

In a battle of the unbeatens, both the Ozona Lions and the Brady Bulldogs are playing some of the best football in the Concho Valley.

Ozona and Brady sort of mirror each other. Both teams are 2-0, the defenses have given up a combined 51 points, they both held opponents scoreless in the opening week, and both teams can run the ball.

Even though it's only Week 3, Ozona running back Christian Villarreal is already making one of the best cases for COVER1’s MVP Award. Over two weeks, Villarreal has rushed for 744 yards (all on 35 carries), is averaging 372 yards a game, and scored 12 touchdowns on the ground. Catching the football has netted Villarreal 134 yards and one score, bringing a grand total of 878 yards and 13 touchdowns. Villarreal is the king of the monsters.

While Brady might not have a workhorse, they do have a three-headed beast in quarterback Sean Jacoby, and skill players Alijah Stark and Ashton Taylor. The dual-threat Jacoby has 276 yards and five touchdowns while Taylor and Stark have 221 (4 scores) and 102 yards, respectively.

Both teams pass when they need to keep opponents honest. Without a 99-yard scoring play to Villarreal, the Lions would have 242 yards and Brady has 181 yards.  

Defensively, the Bulldogs have 151 tackles (led by Johnny Roque’s 30), 14 tackles for loss, one Colby Hinton sack, and three interceptions. The Lions have 65 tackles, 19 for loss, three sacks, and one Leo Blanco interception.

“This is what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object.”- The Joker (The Dark Knight)

Where this game is interesting is Villarreal versus DeMarcus Reed and Nasir Menefield. Reed and Menefield are two big-time defensive linemen. Menefield has 10 tackles on the season so far and Reed has 21.

Both teams know they have to win the line of scrimmage and, if Ozona decides to run outside, it’s up to the Brady linebackers and defensive back to push him back inside. For the Lions, they’ll have to stay fresh on defense for all three rushing threats. Ozona and Brady can put the ball in the air when needed so, it’s imperative for the back seven to stay honest.

“Let them fight.” – Dr. Ishiro Serizawa (Godzilla 2014)

The Ozona Lions take on the Brady Bulldogs in Brady on Sept. 12, 2025, at 7 p.m.