No. 4 Wall Begins State-Title Push Against Bowie

WALL, TX — The No. 4 Wall Hawks (9-1, 4-0 in district) begin their state-title push on Friday against the Bowie Jackrabbits (5-5, 1-3 in district) in Cisco.

• When: Friday, Nov. 13
• Where: Chesley Stadium, Cisco
• Kickoff: 6 p.m.

Last time out, Wall claimed a dominant win over Ingram Moore, 37-17. With the win, Wall also claimed an outright district championship and the No. 1 seed. Many thought that Ingram Moore would prove a tough test to the Hawks, but after jumping out to a 27-0 halftime lead, Wall proved once again why the Hawks are one of the top dogs in 3A football.

"I thought our kids played great," head coach Craig Slaughter said after practice on Wednesday. "Especially defensively. I thought our kids did a great job. There were specific things that we were trying to take away, and I thought we did a great job doing that. We played physical, we played cranked up, and the energy was great. I thought they played an awesome game."

With the win, Wall enters the 2026 playoffs as one of the top teams in the region, facing Bowie in the bi-district round. 

Offensively, the Jackrabbits bring a balanced attack to the table. With a 1,400-yard passer and an 1,100-yard rusher in senior quarterback Tyler Richie, Wall's defense will need to come ready to play.

He has 1,447 passing yards and 17 touchdowns this season. One area Wall can exploit in this matchup is Richie's tendency to turn the ball over. While he has those 17 touchdowns, he also has 15 picks. The Hawks rarely lose a game when the defense hands Wall's potent offense extra possessions, so look for Wall to take advantage here.

A true dual-threat quarterback, Richie has also rushed for 1,141 yards and 19 touchdowns. The senior seems to be the focal point of the offense, and if Wall makes him uncomfortable early, expect a blowout from the Hawks.

"If these guys were in our district, they absolutely would be battling for one of the playoff spots," Slaughter said of Bowie's talent. "Credit to them, they are going to be fired up. Bowie had to win last Friday to get in. You can tell on the film, their guys are cranked up and excited. It's the first time they have been to the playoffs in nine years. I told our kids that they are going to get Bowie's best effort. Nothing to lose. They have some dynamic pieces, and their quarterback is an outstanding player."

On the Hawks' offensive side, it was nice to see Jager Thompson back in action against Ingram Moore. Out of action since the injury suffered against Midland Christian, Wall's offense has been dangerous but not the same without Thompson. He was on a pitch count last week, but continues to inch closer to full strength. Expect him to make an impact early and often against Bowie.