Rice, East Bernard Battle for District Lead
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Updated: October 20, 2026
EAST BERNARD, Texas: One of the biggest games in District 14-3A Division II arrives Friday night when Rice Consolidated travels to face No. 6 East Bernard in a battle of teams unbeaten in district play.
Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23, at Memorial Field in East Bernard, where the Brahmas will also celebrate homecoming.
Rice Consolidated and East Bernard both enter the matchup 6-1 overall and 3-0 in district play, meaning the winner will take a major step toward claiming the District 14-3A Division II championship. East Bernard enters the week ranked No. 6 in Class 3A Division II.
The Raiders are coming off a 54-31 victory over Brazos, their third consecutive district win. Sophomore running back Tarell Tarver led the way with 23 carries for 189 yards and three touchdowns, averaging 8.2 yards per attempt.
Senior quarterback Kordae Johnson added an efficient performance through the air, completing 11 of 15 passes for 147 yards.
The Raiders have also found success getting senior tight end Glenn Mills involved in the passing game. Mills finished with 76 receiving yards and two touchdowns against Brazos, and the Johnson-to-Mills connection has produced four touchdowns and more than 200 yards over the past two games.
Mills has been just as important defensively. Against Brazos, he recorded a sack and forced two fumbles as a Rice defense that thrives on creating pressure helped force six turnovers.
Senior linebacker Ja’jawuan Hicks is another player to watch for the Raiders. His addition has strengthened the middle of a defense that will face one of its toughest assignments of the season Friday.
Rice Consolidated tight end/linebacker Glenn Mills against Brazos on Oct. 16, 2026. Photo by Jaden Newman.
East Bernard has plenty of playmakers of its own.
Senior wide receiver/cornerback Amare Jones is a threat in multiple phases of the game and is coming off a performance in which he recorded a touchdown, an interception and approximately 125 all-purpose yards. Jones totaled 1,128 yards and 17 touchdowns last season and recently announced on his X account that he received his first Division I offer from Houston Christian University.
Senior running back Dom Munoz, senior running back Luke Anderson and senior outside linebacker Gage Jenkins are among the other experienced players Rice will have to account for.
East Bernard wide receiver/cornerback Amare Jones during the 2025 game against Ganado. Photo by Jaden Newman.
The Matchup
For Rice, the formula starts on defense.
The Raiders cannot allow East Bernard’s playmakers to consistently get into open space. Rice will need to contain Jones while also limiting Munoz and Anderson and forcing East Bernard to sustain drives instead of producing explosive plays.
Pressure could also be critical. Rice’s defense recorded three sacks against Brazos and created enough disruption to turn a competitive game into a 23-point victory.
East Bernard faces a different problem.
The Brahmas must find a way to slow down a balanced Rice offense. Tarver’s 189-yard performance showed what can happen when the Raiders establish their running game, while Johnson and Mills have developed into a dangerous combination through the air.
Friday’s winner will not officially clinch the district championship, but the result could go a long way toward determining who eventually finishes on top.
Rice follows Friday’s game by hosting Tidehaven before closing the regular season at Van Vleck. East Bernard travels to Boling next week before finishing at home against Vanderbilt Industrial.
There is history at stake as well.
Rice Consolidated is looking for its first victory over East Bernard since 2009 and is chasing its first district championship since 2018. East Bernard, meanwhile, is seeking its first district title since 2020.
By Jaden Newman
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