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Great games slated around the state this weekend
Here are pairings for the best high school football playoff games in each region this weekend …
5A Division I
Region I: Euless Trinity vs. Plano - Can Trinity put 88 on Plano like it did Flower Mound (88-27) last week?
Region II: Dallas Skyline vs. DeSoto - Skyline beat Rowlett 38-0 in the first round, while DeSoto blanked Bryan 40-0.
Region III: Beaumont West Brook vs. Fort Bend Hightower - A game West Brook squad is the next obstacle in Hightower’s quest for a second straight state title appearance.
Region IV: Austin Westlake vs. Converse Judson - Two of the state’s most storied programs in a battle of Austin suburb vs. San Antonio suburb.
5A Division II
Region I: Southlake Carroll vs. Allen - Perhaps the greatest game in the state this week.
Region II: Lake Highlands vs. John Tyler - Each team scored 49 points in their first-round wins over North Garland and Copperas Cove.
Region III: Katy vs. Atascocita - Katy looks like it could run through this region unchallenged yet again.
Region IV: Pflugerville vs. San Antonio Brandeis - Pflugerville aims to beat its second straight San Antonio school.
4A Division I
Region I: El Paso Del Valle vs. Abilene Cooper - Each scored 52 in first-round blowouts.
Region II: Longview vs. Midway; Highland Park vs. South Oak Cliff - Midway tries to exact revenge for last year’s 43-42 OT loss in the region final; North Dallas vs. South Dallas as the Scots meet SOC.
Region III: Huntsville vs. Beaumont Central - Huntsville’s O (scored 45 last week) meets a Central team that won 7-0 against Goose Creek Memorial.
Region IV: Lake Travis vs. Cibolo Steele - The biggest game in 4A this week as Lake Travis likely faces its only Region IV challenge.
4A Division II
Region I: Lake Dallas vs. Everman - The winner very well may win the region.
Region II: Marshall vs. Corsicana - The Mavericks’ stable of backs meets Corsicana’s workhorse, Cody Evans.
Region III: Brenham vs. Port Neches-Groves - Perennial contender Region III contender Brenham meets 11-0 PN-G.
Region IV: Castroville Medina Valley vs. Corpus Christi Calallen - MV won by 48 last week and faces established South Texas power Calallen.
3A Division I
Region I: Abilene Wylie vs. Andrews - Wylie, expected by many to reach the state title game, runs into an underdog Andrews team that upset Fort Stockton 26-23 in OT.
Region II: Prosper vs. Alvarado - Combined bi-district scores: 100-0.
Region III: Silsbee vs. Navasota - Matchup of teams with a few quality wins under their belts this season. Winner likely gets Gilmer.
Region IV: Sealy vs. Cuero - Most expect the winner to reach the state semifinals.
3A Division II
Region I: Graham vs. Monahans - Case McCoy and Graham try to knock off unbeaten Monahans and the Loboes’ running game.
Region II: Celina vs. Kennedale - Celina’s history matches up with Kennedale’s offense.
Region III: Carthage vs. Mexia - One of the 3A’s best defenses faces off against one of the 3A’s best offenses.
Region IV: LaGrange vs. Edna - Could be a shootout as the teams scored 54 and 48, respectively, last week.
2A Division I
Region I: Amarillo River Road vs. Littlefield - Littlefield must avoid the upset after River Road snapped Muleshoe’s 25-game winning streak, 25-21.
Region II: Pilot Point vs. Gunter - Pilot Point may be on a collision course with Godley in the regional final.
Region III: Jefferson vs. Arp - Four Div. I-caliber Dogs try to stop Arp’s LaVocheya Cooper and Michael Wade.
Region IV: Hempstead vs. Comfort - Comfort could be hot after recording a convincing 52-21 upset of Geronimo Navarro.
2A Division II
Region I: Henrietta vs. Comanche - Big offenses meet at 2 p.m. Saturday in Mineral Wells.
Region II: Caddo Mills vs. Grandview - The Zebras try to stop Caddo Mills’ Nate Jeffery, who’s in a battle with Cayuga’s Traylon Shead in an attempt to break former Rosenberg Lamar Consolidated star Jacquizz Rogers’ state TD record (136).
Region III: Linden-Kildare vs. West Rusk - Three common opponents and 7-0 combined records against them probably mean a quality matchup.
Region IV: Rogers vs. Blanco - Rogers tries to derail a potential region final of Blanco vs. Refugio.
A Division I
Region I: Canadian vs. Wellington - This one’s probably for the region.
Region II: Collinsville vs. DeLeon - Collinsville’s 56-21 upset of No. 1 Quinlan Boles caught the entire state’s attention, especially after a 5-5 regular season.
Region III: Riesel vs. Colmesneil - Winner likely gets rewarded with a region final matchup against Joaquin.
Region IV: Goldthwaite vs. Shiner - Can Shiner’s recent success propel it to the regional final?
A Division II
Region I: New Deal vs. Iraan - Almost identical first-round scores … New Deal 48, Farwell 7 … Iraan 49, Plains 7.
Region II: Petrolia vs. Albany - After a first-round bye, Albany starts its march to the state semis.
Region III: Mart vs. Evadale - Perennial power Mart, with a 44-0 win over Dawson in its hip pocket, meets the 10-0 Rebels. Winner likely gets 11-0 Tenaha.
Region IV: Mason vs. Falls City - 23-point and 31-point winners face off in a highly anticipated matchup down south.
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Who I’d invite to the Heisman ceremony
Everyone expected defending Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford of Oklahoma, Texas’ Colt McCoy, and 2007 winner Tim Tebow to conduct a season-long three-man battle for the 2009 Heisman.
That hasn’t happened.
Bradford’s injury has cost him his junior season and, ultimately, college career. Tebow has posted pedestrian numbers, although he has broken Georgie legend Herschel Walker’s SEC rushing touchdown record and is currently tied for most touchdowns scored in the SEC with LSU’s Kevin Faulk. McCoy’s numbers have been good, but certainly not what they were last year.
With that in mind, here are the five players I would invite to this year’s Heisman ceremony in New York …
Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama: 1,297 rushing yards, 10 rushing TDs; 25 catches, 225 yards, 3 TDs
Toby Gerhart, RB, Stanford: 1,395 rushing yards, 19 rushing TDs; 8 catches, 87 yards
Jordan Shipley, WR, Texas: 81 catches, 1,096 yards, 8 TDs; 2 punt-return TDs
Jerry Hughes, DE, TCU: 49 tackles, 10 sacks
C.J. Spiller, ATH, Clemson: 836 rushing yards, 6 rushing TDs; 24 catches, 382 yards, 4 TDs; 3 kickoff-return TDs; 1 punt-return TD; 1 TD pass
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Who’s hot entering the 2nd round
Gilmer QB Stump Godfrey - OK, when is Godfrey not hot? The senior threw for three scores and ran for another in Gilmer’s 57-21 win over Jasper this past Friday, giving him 35 TD passes and 13 rushing TDs. Godfrey has 107 career TD passes, placing him sixth on the state’s all-time list and six ahead of former Burnet standout Stephen McGee. Next in Godfrey’s sights is former Baytown Lee and Iowa star Drew Tate (113).
Carthage QB Anthony Morgan - The first-year signal caller had some ups and downs during the non-district schedule, but still managed to throw for 8 TDs and 6 picks through five games. Since then, he’s on fire. Morgan has thrown 18 TDs and only 1 pick in six games, and is 32-for-38 for 699 yards, 10 TDs, and no INTs in Carthage’s past three games. His 26 TD passes are third-most in a season at Carthage behind Si’Darius Blackshire’s 37 in 2008 and 32 in 2007.
Pittsburg RB Ted Burns - The only reason Burns isn’t hotter going into this week’s area matchup against Quinlan Ford is because the Pirates received a first-round bye. Two weeks ago, Burns rushed for 390 yards and five TDs as the Bucs won the 16-3A championship with a win over Pleasant Grove. Burns has eclipsed the 2-grand mark (2,005) and has run for almost as many scores (31) as Stump Godfrey has thrown. You’d have to think that Burns joins Godfrey and Morgan as top All-East Texas Offensive Player of the Year candidates.
Marshall’s running game - It seems that the Mavericks’ ground attack gets better and better each week. The tandem of Jamal Anderson and J.C. Haigwood has combined for 1,778 yards and 28 TDs. Anderson and Haigwood combined for 213 yards and three scores on 27 carries in Marshall’s 44-7 bi-district win over Kilgore. By the way, Bryce French, Anthony Davenport, and Demeon Timmons are three players defensive coordinators must worry about, too. Davenport had a 102-yard third quarter against Kilgore, and French averages almost nine yards per carry.
Daingerfield LB Steve Edmond - The move from defensive end to linebacker has been easy for Edmond, a 6-3, 235-pound junior. He accumulated 122 tackles and five sacks in the regular season, then came up huge in the Tigers’ 68-14 bi-district win over New Diana, returning two INTs for scores and adding 12 tackles. Edmond had about 60 tackles in Daingerfield’s playoff run last season, and he’ll almost certainly match that number and exceed it playing linebacker this year.
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Final Four picks for the entire state
Here are my picks for the region champions in every region of every class in this year’s Texas high school football playoffs …
Class 5A Division I
- Region I — Euless Trinity
- Region II — Dallas Skyline
- Region III — Fort Bend Hightower
- Region IV — San Antonio Clark
Class 5A Division II
- Region I — Cedar Hill
- Region II — John Tyler
- Region III — Katy
- Region IV — San Antonio Reagan
Class 4A Division I
- Region I — Denton Ryan
- Region II — Longview
- Region III — Beaumont Central
- Region IV — Lake Travis
Class 4A Division II
- Region I — Lake Dallas
- Region II — Marshall
- Region III — Brenham
- Region IV — Corpus Christi Calallen
Class 3A Division I
- Region I — Abilene Wylie
- Region II — Prosper
- Region III — Gilmer
- Region IV — Sealy
Class 3A Division II
- Region I — Graham
- Region II — Argyle
- Region III — Carthage
- Region IV — Giddings
Class 2A Division I
- Region I — Muleshoe
- Region II — Pilot Point
- Region III — Arp
- Region IV — Geronimo Navarro
Class 2A Division II
- Region I — Bushland
- Region II — Aubrey
- Region III — Daingerfield
- Region IV — Blanco
Class A Division I
- Region I — Canadian
- Region II — Quinlan Boles
- Region III — Joaquin
- Region IV — Shiner
Class A Division II
- Region I — New Deal
- Region II — Albany
- Region III — Cayuga
- Region IV — Mason
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Wednesday’s agenda
At some point today, I’d like to give you my final four for all 10 divisions, Class A through 5A.
Not going to be any state championship picks because picking the final four in each division of each class in high school football is next to impossible, so why complicate it further?
In the meantime, with the first-round matchups set around the area, we’re getting some idea of potential second-round matchups that could be intriguing, to say the least. Such as …
- A Longview/Hewitt Midway rematch
- Gilmer/Waco La Vega in 3A Division I
- Carthage/Mexia in 3A Division II
Making good progress on the six previews and eight capsules this week, which means I hope to be on the blog more as the week progresses. The postseason should be the best time for everyone to check in daily for updates, facts, and figures on the Texas high school football playoffs.
Stay tuned. Hit you back later today.
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Who’s in and who’s out - 4A and 3A
13-4A
Division I — [1] Longview (9-1) … [2] Texas High (6-3)
Division II — [1] Marshall (7-3) … [2] Sulphur Springs (7-3)
First-round matchups: Division I — Whitehouse vs. Longview … Jacksonville vs. Texas High; Division II — Kilgore vs. Marshall … Lindale vs. Sulphur Springs
14-4A
Division I — [1] Jacksonville (7-3) … [2] Whitehouse (3-7)
Division II — [1] Lindale (6-4) … [2] Kilgore (6-4)
First-round matchups: Division I — Whitehouse vs. Longview … Jacksonville vs. Texas High; Division II — Kilgore vs. Marshall … Lindale vs. Sulphur Springs
16-3A
Division I — [1] Liberty-Eylau (6-4)
Division II — [1] Pittsburg (9-1) … [2] Pleasant Grove (7-3)
First-round matchups: Division I — Liberty-Eylau BYE; Division II — Pittsburg vs. Eustace … Pleasant Grove vs. Van
17-3A
Division I — [1] Gilmer (10-0)
Division II — [1] Tatum (6-4) … [2] Gladewater (3-7)
First-round matchups: Division I — Jasper vs. Gilmer; Division II: Center vs. Tatum … Carthage vs. Gladewater
18-3A
Division I — [1] Jasper (8-2)
Division II — [1] Carthage (10-0) … [2] Center (7-3)
First-round matchups: Division I — Jasper vs. Gilmer; Division II: Center vs. Tatum … Carthage vs. Gladewater
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Tonight’s big playoff-impacting games
1.Sulphur Springs at Hallsville - Win-and-in for both teams. Loser goes home. Period. Word is Sulphur ATH Bryant Jackson might miss this game.
2.Whitehouse at Henderson - Win-and-in for both teams. If Henderson loses and Kilgore loses, the Lions are by virtue of head-to-head tiebreaker.
3.Gladewater at Chapel Hill - Affects both Region III brackets in the Division I and Division II. Win-and-in for Glade; Chapel Hill must win by at least seven points to make it.
4.Pretty much every game in 18-2A. Three 5-1 teams entered the week with high hopes, but somebody could be going home with a 5-2 league record. That’s a tough pill to swallow.
5.Beckville vs. Mount Enterprise - Win-and-in for both teams.
Check back late tonight for playoff matchups and more high school football postseason thoughts.
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A revision and a couple of playoff scenarios
First, the revision …
Let me straighten it out that Gladewater’s +12 thanks to its 40-28 win over Spring Hill, while Chapel Hill is -1 thanks to its 29-28 loss to Spring Hill. Spring Hill is -11, obviously, so it’s impossible for the Panthers to get in even with a win against Bullard.
I previously said Gladewater was +11, but I meant +12. So, what +12 means is that Chapel Hill has to win by seven or more points to win the points tiebreaker over Gladewater. A seven-point Chapel Hill win makes the Bulldogs +6 and leaves Gladewater at +5.
OK, now that’s out of the way, here’s a look at a muddy 14-4A …
Jacksonville and Lindale are in as both enter this week’s de facto 14-4A championship game with identical 3-1 league records. Where each team goes in the playoffs depends on several scenarios, which are too complicated to list. We’re just concerned with who’s in and who’s out right now.
The other two 14-4A spots are still up for grabs; Henderson, Kilgore, and Whitehouse are the three teams competing for those. Each of them is 2-2 entering this week’s games (Whitehouse at Henderson, Kilgore at 0-4 Nacogdoches).
The winner of the Whitehouse-Henderson game is in with a 3-2 record. If Kilgore wins, it’s in with a 3-2 record. If Whitehouse wins and Kilgore loses, Henderson is in despite losing to Whitehouse because the Lions hold a head-to-head tiebreaker over Kilgore thanks to their 38-27 win over the Bulldogs.
As far as divisions go, the only sure thing right now is that Jacksonville is Division I and Lindale is Division II. Whitehouse would be a Division I school, while Henderson would be a Division II school. If Henderson and Kilgore make it, Henderson’s D-II and Kilgore’s D-I. If Whitehouse and Kilgore get in, Whitehouse is D-I and Kilgore’s D-II.
Now for 13-4A …
This district is much easier because three spots are already sewn up: Longview will be the 1-seed in D-1, Texas High will be the 2-seed in D-1, and Marshall will be the 1-seed in D-II.
The second D-II seed comes down to this week’s Sulphur Springs-Hallsville game. Both teams are 2-3 in 13-4A play. The winner is in.
It’s hard to think that the defending D-II state champion could miss the playoffs entirely, but Sulphur Springs simply does not have the offensive firepower it had last year. The Wildcats appear better defensively, but that notion could be challenged considering they allowed 32 points to Longview in last year’s 19-point loss and 45 points in a 45-0 shutout loss to Lobos this year, as well as the 48-13 thrashing Marshall handed to them last week (Sulphur beat Marshall 57-36 last year). You’ve got to think that Hallsville will use a ball-control approach and run Quantrail Johnson into the Sulphur front seven as often as it can, keeping the ball out of the hands of Bryant Jackson, Shane McQueen, and Devion Hill while wearing down Kedrick Dial, Jocko Spataro, and Tyler Higginbotham at the same time.
Check back for more pre-playoff breakdowns throughout the week. Maybe I’ll muster up the energy to look into the 18-2A race at some point.
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Gladewater-Chapel Hill decides more than own playoff fates
This Friday’s Gladewater at Chapel Hill game at Bulldog Stadium in New Chapel Hill has significant postseason implications for more than just the Bears and Dogs.
If Gladewater wins, the Bears will have bounced back from an 0-4 start to finish 3-2 in District 17-3A and earn the league’s third playoff spot. The Bears don’t necessarily have to win, though.
Chapel Hill sits at 1-3 in 17-3A play entering this week’s game. The Bulldogs must beat Gladewater to have a chance at qualifying for the playoffs, but the victory must be by at least six points.
Heading into the week, Spring Hill is 1-1 against Gladewater and Chapel Hill. The Panthers beat Chapel Hill by 1, but lost to Gladewater by 12, so they have a -11 in the district’s plus-minus tiebreaker involving three teams. No team with a negative plus-minus in a three-team tiebreaker will qualify for the postseason, so Spring Hill is already out regardless of Friday’s result against Bullard. Right now, Gladewater is, obviously, +11, and Chapel Hill is -1. A six-point Chapel Hill win would put the Dogs and Bears both at +5, but Chapel Hill would have head-to-head over Gladewater.
If Chapel Hill wins by at least six, it goes to the Division I bracket as the 17-3A representative since it has the league’s largest enrollment. Gilmer and Tatum, which have already qualified for the playoffs, would be the Division II representatives.
If Gladewater wins or loses by 5 or less, Chapel Hill doesn’t qualify and Gilmer goes Division I, leaving Tatum and Gladewater as the D-II reps.
So, it’s obvious that not only Gladewater and Chapel Hill are affected by this outcome, but Gilmer, Tatum, and any team any of the three 17-3A squads would face in the first round. Jasper, which will be 18-3A’s D-I rep, opened the season against Gilmer, losing 42-14. Jasper probably wouldn’t mind seeing Chapel Hill get in so it could avoid the Buckeyes in the first round.
As the standings sit right now, Jasper would get Gilmer. In the D-II bracket, Tatum would play Center, 18-3A’s second D-II seed, while Gladewater would get No. 2 Carthage. If Chapel Hill does what it needs to do, Jasper gets Chapel Hill, Gilmer gets Center, and Tatum gets Carthage for the second consecutive year.
Stay tuned all week as I break down more possible playoff scenarios across East Texas. Let’s hope they’re not quite this complicated.
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“Tweeting” live from Tyler on Thursday
I’ll have the Twitter going tomorrow evening at Trinity Mother Frances Rose Stadium in Tyler for the District 13-4A matchup featuring the No. 3 Longview Lobos (8-1, 5-0) and the Pine Tree Pirates (1-7, 0-4).
If any of you remember, I “tweeted” updates from UFCU Disch-Falk Field in Austin during Carthage’s state tournament run back in June. Same kinda thing Thursday night. Go to www.twitter.com/gabrieldbrooks for live updates and comments.
Longview won last year’s game 41-14 to wrap up the 13-4A championship en route to a 4A Division I state title appearance.
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UIL decides to split divisions in 2A, A next year
Starting with the February realignment, fans of Class A and 2A football programs won’t have to worry about where their teams are going come playoff time.
The UIL announced Monday that, along with setting predetermined state championship sites for all classifications, Classes A and 2A will be split to Division I and Division II districts before the season starts. Therefore, everyone, obviously, will know which division they’re going when the playoffs roll around.
I really like this. It eliminates the guessing game that we all experience every year with a hand full of teams we’re not sure about. The prime example this year is in 3A Region III, where everybody’s wondering if Gilmer and Carthage will be in the same Division II region. (Right now, doesn’t look like it.)
Travis Stewart of TexasFootball.com raised a good point in his analysis: If the UIL decided to do this with A and 2A, why not just rename the classes? The two A divisions would be the new A and 2A; the two 2A divisions would be the new 3A and 4A; and 3A, 4A, and 5A would become the new 5A, 6A, and 7A. It’s essentially what the UIL is doing by splitting divisions.
Sounds good to me. I’m in favor of this, obviously, because all of us who cover the games wonder who we’ll get to see where and when. Good move by the UIL.
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Notes from Friday night’s action
Kilgore sophomore Ladarius Anthony just won’t stop. He rushed for 192 yards on 26 carries in Kilgore’s 35-30 win over Whitehouse this past Friday. That means Anthony has rushed for 966 yards in the Bulldogs’ past four games - 241.5 yards per game. Anthony sits at 1,124 yards and 20 rushing touchdowns with two games remaining in the regular season. Anthony’s averaging 7.7 yards per carry.
Just when you thought No. 1 Gilmer’s offense couldn’t get any better, the Buckeyes get a boost in the form of Gus Osborne’s return. Osborne, who has missed much of the season with a high ankle sprain, came back this past Friday in Gilmer’s 66-14 win at Spring Hill. Osborne had 64 yards on only four carries as Gilmer eclipsed the 320-yard mark on the ground. Osborne joins Stump Godfrey, Vance Green, Jeremy Jackson, and Marlon Granville in a potent Gilmer running game. The Buckeyes have shown supreme balance this year, throwing for 2,122 yards and 27 touchdowns while rushing for 1,800 yards and 30 touchdowns.
On the other side of the coin, there’s Carthage’s defense. The No. 2 Bulldogs held Jasper to 51 total yards Friday; Jasper entered the game averaging almost 350 rushing yards per game. Carthage’s first-team defense has allowed three points in three district games, and that was a second-quarter Jasper field goal following a Carthage turnover. The 19 points Rusk scored against Carthage came against reserves. Also of note is Carthage’s 21-game winning streak, which is the third-longest active streak in Texas behind 4A Lake Travis (38) and 2A Muleshoe (23).
Cedar Park made news in 5A with a 28-21 upset of Round Rock Stony Point, a team many people have considered a state title contender. You’ve gotta give Cedar Park props for scoring 28 points against Stony Point because those 28 points account for 38.4 percent of the points Stony Point has allowed this season (73).
There are 242 football programs in Class 4A. Only 23 have scored at least 300 points so far this season. Longview (336) and Marshall (307) are two of them.
Dallas Jefferson has been outscored 470-7 this season.
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High school games of the week
Jacksonville (5-2, 1-1) at Henderson (5-2, 2-0) - Two of District 14-4A’s favorites collide at Lion Stadium. After a first-week hiccup against Whitehouse in league play, Jacksonville bounced back last week with a 23-6 win over Nacogdoches as Tevin Garland rushed for 153 yards. Henderson built an early lead over Kilgore and held off a Bulldog comeback to be the only district unbeaten through two weeks of league action. It will be interesting to see if Henderson’s front seven can contain Jacksonville QB Ryan Black, a lefty who can move out of the pocket and cause problems throwing on the run.
Tatum (4-3, 2-0) at Chapel Hill (3-4, 0-2) - On paper, this might not appear to be a great game with a 2-0 District 17-3A team and an 0-2 squad on the other side. Thing is, Tatum had to erase a 22-point deficit to Gladewater two weeks ago to win 29-28, then played Bullard last week to run its record to 2-0. Chapel Hill blew a 14-point, fourth-quarter lead on Spring Hill in a 29-28 loss two weeks ago, then lost to top-ranked Gilmer last week to fall to 0-2. These teams are much closer than the records may make them appear. This contest joins the Nov. 6 Gladewater at Chapel Hill game as the two games most likely to decide the 17-3A race - the final two playoff spots and, subsequently, which division Gilmer goes in the playoffs.
No. 2 Carthage (7-0, 2-0) at Jasper (6-1, 2-0) - This contest appears to be the de facto District 18-3A championship game. Jasper’s only loss was a 42-14 setback to Gilmer in the season opener as the Bulldogs have won six straight games. Carthage has rolled in its first two district games without starting RB O’Bryan Washington. Hunter Holland and Tamonte Hines, however, have combined for 335 yards in his stead, while the Dawg defense continues to shut down opponents. Weather could be a factor with Jasper’s grass field. Jasper’s past two games - a 14-0 win over Diboll and 35-0 win over Huntington - were both played in mud pits. Jasper probably wouldn’t mind that happening again Friday night.
Liberty-Eylau (4-3, 2-0) at Pittsburg (6-1, 2-0) - This could also be a league title game, only in District 16-3A (Pleasant Grove might have something to say about that, though). L-E and Pitt are both unbeaten in the first two weeks of 16-3A action and feature tough tailbacks in the Leopards’ Tra Carson and the Pirates’ Ted Burns, who is making a case for All-East Texas Offensive Player of the Year with his running and catching abilities.
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Pac-10 schools find RBs in the bayou states
Four of the Pac-10 Conference’s starting tailbacks hail from Texas or Louisiana:
LaMichael James, Oregon (Liberty-Eylau)
Jacquizz Rodgers, Oregon State (Rosenberg Lamar Consolidated)
Dimitri Nance, Arizona State (Euless Trinity)
Joe McKnight, USC (River Ridge, La., John Curtis)
The tactic of finding backfield playmakers on either side of the Sabine River has paid off.
You can find all four in the Pac-10’s top eight in rushing yards per game:
- 1.Toby Gerhart, Stanford — 124.1
- 2.Jacquizz Rodgers, Oregon State — 116.2
- 3.Jahvid Best, Cal — 102.7
- 4.LaMichael James, Oregon — 96.8
- 5.Joe McKnight, USC — 92.0
- 6.Nic Grigsby, Arizona — 84.8
- 7.Chris Polk, Washington — 76.7
- 8.Dimitri Nance, Arizona State — 72.7
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Trouble at WO-S adds Region III intrigue
Just when you think the buildup to Region III playoff drama in Class 3A couldn’t get any bigger, this happens.
According to the Beaumont Enterprise, West Orange-Stark standout Trey Franks, who has committed to play at Oklahoma, has been suspended for the remainder of the season for violating the student conduct code. The West Orange-Cove ISD school board made the announcement Monday night.
http://www.beaumontenterprise.com/sports/local/breaking_wo-sfootballstarsuspendedforseason.html
We’ve already detailed the drama in the 17-3A race and how it could potentially impact both divisions of the 3A Region III playoffs. With West Orange-Stark not at full strength, teams such as Gilmer, Mexia, and Carthage can have an only better chance of advancing further in the playoffs.
Another pivotal game in the 17-3A race/who-goes-where-in-Region III saga happens Friday when Tatum visits Chapel Hill. The Bulldogs are virtually fighting for their playoff lives in this one; if they drop to 0-3, it’ll take a crazy tiebreaker scenario we can’t begin to decode here. A 3-0 Tatum team would be sitting in the driver’s seat for second place. In fact, the Eagles are tied with No. 1 Gilmer for first place in 17-3A right now with identical 2-0 league records.
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High school games of the week
Marshall (4-2, 2-0) at No. 3 Longview (6-1, 3-0) - There will be few games across the entire state Friday night with as much speed and athleticism on the field in this DQ Game of the Week and almost century-old rivalry. Everyone knows Longview’s loaded with athletes on both sides of the ball, but after watching Marshall in person last week, the Mavericks may be the second-most athletic team in 13-4A behind the Lobos. Marshall has three backs with game-breaking ability - Jamal Anderson, Bryce French, and Demeon Timmons - two backs with bullish power - J.C. Haigwood and Anthony Davenport - and set of linebackers as good as any in East Texas - Aaron Franklin, Jaquan Kelly, Sam Oney, Davenport, and Haigwood. Don’t forget Marshall WR Daveon Williams, who has freakish ability on the perimeter.
Henderson (4-2, 1-0) at Kilgore (3-3, 1-0) - The 259 rivalry renews Friday at R.E. St. John between two teams surging into this second week of 14-4A play. Henderson’s won four straight, holding opponents to less than 16 points per game behind the play of twin defenders Corey and Cord Fletcher. Kilgore’s won two straight thanks in large part to sophomore sensation LaDarius Anthony, who has eclipsed 600 rushing yards in the Bulldogs’ past two games.
Harleton (4-2, 3-0) at Union Grove (5-2, 2-1) - Harleton sits alone in first place in 18-2A, but Union Grove is mired in a four-way tie for second with White Oak, Harmony, and New Diana. The Lions feature RB Richard Pittman, one of East Texas’ top rushers, who had 246 yards and four TDs on 33 carries last week in a 45-0 win over Winona. Harleton’s D might have the answer, though, as the Wildcats have allowed only nine points per game in their three district wins.
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Crazy numbers posted across the state last Friday
Here are a few you can try to digest …
The Trent Gorillas beat Novice 132-86 in six-man football action. Fox Southwest’s High School Scoreboard show was tentatively reporting the Gorillas’ total as the highest output in the history of Texas high school football. That’s a lot of games and a lot of points.
This one comes from TexasFootball.com’s weekend recap. Amarillo Palo Duro had not only one 300-yard rusher in last week’s 55-42 win over Amarillo Caprock, but two. Denzel Everhart ran for 321 yards, while Ty Hicks posted 304.
How about winning streaks? Here are a few that come to mind: Lake Travis - 37 consecutive wins … Longview - 31 consecutive district wins; 27 consecutive home wins … Gilmer - 31 consecutive home wins … Carthage - 19 consecutive wins.
He was the News-Journal Offensive Player of the Week, but I think it’s worth pointing out again the night Kilgore’s LaDarius Anthony had last week against Lindale. Anthony, who is only a sophomore at 6-0, 175, rushed for 251 yards, giving him 610 rushing yards in Kilgore’s past two games.
Anthony wasn’t the only Player of the Week who had his second straight big game. Carthage MLB Kendall Thompson, an athletic 6-3, 235-pound junior, had 10 tackles, 2 for losses, 2 picks, and a forced fumble in Carthage’s impressive 35-0 shutout of Center. Carthage held a Roughrider team averaging 40 points in its previous four games to 102 yards while forcing five turnovers. In Carthage’s past two games, Thompson has 25 tackles thanks to his 15-tackle, 1-sack, 1-fumble recovery performance two weeks ago against Jacksonville.
Speaking of big defensive numbers, how about Henderson DT Corey Fletcher? He’s posting huge numbers, recording 7 tackles for losses in Henderson’s 43-28 win over Nacogdoches. One was a sack, giving Fletcher an East Texas-leading 8.
Again, speaking of defense, Gilmer had a big game - yeah, understatement of the year - in its 71-0 win over Bullard. Everybody knows about Stump Godfrey and the Buckeye offense, but Gilmer’s D held Bullard to minus-7 rushing yards on 34 attempts.
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17-3A race getting interesting
If you asked many fans across East Texas if Spring Hill’s 29-28 comeback win over Chapel Hill had decided the divisional fate of Gilmer, they’d probably say yes.
Not so fast.
Gladewater and Tatum have something to say about it, too.
Tatum did the same thing Spring Hill did Friday - trailed by multiple scores (in this case 22-0) before coming back for a 29-28 win over Gladewater.
Every game involving these four teams carries huge weight for the 3A playoff brackets. Spring Hill travels to Gladewater this Friday, while Tatum hosts Bullard. Chapel Hill gets to travel to the No. 1 Buckeyes.
Again, as a reminder, Chapel Hill is the largest school in 17-3A. If Chapel Hill finishes in the top three, it goes D-I. If Chapel Hill doesn’t, Gilmer goes D-I.
Here are what will probably be the pivotal games in the 17-3A race and how the race will determine who goes to which division:
Spring Hill at Gladewater, Friday
Tatum at Chapel Hill, Oct. 23
Spring Hill at Tatum, Oct. 30
Gladewater at Chapel Hill, Nov. 6
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Spring Hill-Chapel Hill could influence all of Region III
The top two teams in the Associated Press Class 3A Top 10 - top-ranked Gilmer and defending Division II champion Carthage - open District 17-3A and 18-3A action, respectively, Friday night.
But the eyes of many Region III coaches, players, fans, and media members gaze on the New Chapel Hill, Texas. The Chapel Hill Bulldogs host the Spring Hill Panthers in a 7:30 p.m. 17-3A matchup that could potentially influence the playoff destinations and routes of several Region III contenders.
In 2008, Chapel Hill, which has 17-3A’s largest enrollment, qualified for the playoffs behind RB Matthew Tucker. That sent Gilmer to Division II, where Carthage went when Jasper, 18-3A’s largest school, qualified for the postseason.
After graduating most of its major contributors from 2008, Chapel Hill was picked in the preseason to miss the playoffs, while Tatum and Spring Hill were picked by Dave Campbell’s Texas Football magazine to claim the second and third spots, respectively, behind preseason No. 1 Gilmer in 17-3A.
Chapel Hill enters the game 3-2 after winning two straight over Quinlan Ford (7-0) and Athens (35-17). Spring Hill is 1-3 or 2-3, depending who you ask because of the Brownsboro rainout when Spring Hill led 8-6 and the Bears picked up and left in the middle of the second quarter. Barring the Brownsboro controversy, Spring Hill hasn’t won since the first week of the season, a 35-29 win over Lindale when the Eagles outgained Spring Hill by almost 200 yards.
The Hills have one common opponent: 18-3A upstart Center. The Roughriders beat Spring Hill 45-6 three weeks ago, while beating Chapel Hill 36-7 four weeks ago.
While Spring Hill and Chapel Hill still must play the rest of their 17-3A schedules, many people believe the winner is the frontrunner for the third spot. It appears now, though, that everything behind Gilmer is up for grabs.
The intrigue enters when you look at who would go where depending on the second- and third-place 17-3A spots. If Tatum and Spring Hill got them, Gilmer goes Division I. If Chapel Hill gets in the top three, Gilmer goes back to Division II, where the Buckeyes were last year.
It appears Carthage is Division II-bound again with Jasper off to a 4-1 start and a No. 12 ranking in the Harris poll. Jasper’s already beaten perennial Region III power West Orange-Stark.
If Gilmer goes Division II, the Buckeyes must travel the same path they did last year. That included Mexia, West Orange-Stark, and Carthage, all of whom have been ranked in the top 10 at some point this season. Rockdale and Cleveland are no slouches, either.
Simply put, the 3A Division II Region III bracket may be the toughest region in the entire state.
Region III in Division I wouldn’t be easy as Navasota would likely be waiting, but there’s not going to be the depth in the D-I bracket as the D-II.
That’s why Friday’s Spring Hill vs. Chapel Hill game carries so much weight with everyone from the Red River to the Gulf.
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Former Liberty-Eylau RB taking flight for Ducks
Remember LaMichael James?
Gilmer fans probably do, and they probably have bad memories of him.
James was the diminutive junior speed back for Liberty-Eylau who spearheaded the Leopards’ first-round upset of No. 1 Gilmer in the 2006 Class 3A Division I playoffs. In that game, James gave the Buckeyes fits, carrying 22 times for 135 yards and three TDs and catching five passes for 57 yards and another TD. Liberty-Eylau went on to win the state championship.
After a 2,043-yard senior season in 2007, James signed with the Pac-10’s Oregon Ducks in February of 2008. Some people may have lost track of the 5-9, 180-pound speedster. Well, James has resurfaced in grand fashion.
After redshirting last season, James has stepped to the forefront of the Oregon offense, thanks in part to LeGarrette Blount’s postgame blowup in lieu of the Ducks’ season-opening loss at Boise State. Blount’s suspension busted the door down for James to step in.
In Oregon’s past three games - wins against Utah, Cal, and Washington State - James has rushed 61 times for 351 yards and four TDs. That’s 5.75 yards per carry.
James, who rushed twice for 22 yards against Boise State and nine times for 56 yards against Purdue, currently sits in seventh place on the Pac-10’s rushing list, averaging more than 85 yards per game.
His best game came in the 31-24 win over Utah. James carried 27 times for 152 yards and a score. He followed that up with a 21-for-118 game against Cal, then had 13 for 82 and two TDs last week in a blowout of Wazzu.
It appears going so far from home is paying off for the former Leopard.
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SEC West flexes muscles
The SEC West proved over the weekend why it’s the best division in college football as its six teams went 5-1. LSU, Alabama, Auburn, and Ole Miss recorded road wins over SEC East opponents, while Arkansas dismantled Texas A&M in a non-conference matchup at JerryWorld. The only blip was Mississippi State, which lost 42-31 at home to a newly-ranked Georgia Tech squad.
- LSU 20, Georgia 13
The Tigers overcame horrific play-calling to get their first meaningful win of the 2009 season. LSU didn’t commit to the running game the entire afternoon, but inexplicably decided to with less than a minute left and only one timeout. Fortunately for the Tigers, Charles Scott gained 5 and 33, the second of which was a TD, on his two last-minute carries to push LSU over the top.
The win sets up a potentially seismic matchup against No. 1 Florida in a Saturday-night-in-Tiger Stadium showdown. Tim Tebow’s health is at the forefront, and, as of Monday, he had not yet been cleared to practice. Nevertheless, the Gators opened as 11-point road favorites.
Could the recipe be cooking the right way for the Tigers?
- Alabama 38, Kentucky 20
The Tide built a 38-13 lead through three quarters as Mark Ingram rushed for 140 yards and two TDs. The Bama defense, playing its first game without standout LB Dont’a Hightower, didn’t show any signs of struggle, picking off Brian Hartline three times and holding Kentucky RB Derek Locke to 75 yards.
The road gets tougher this weekend with a trip to No. 20 Ole Miss, a situation that sets up for Houston Nutt and the Rebs perfectly. After dropping a road game to South Carolina a couple weeks ago, Nutt gets his opportunity to play underdog to a highly-ranked conference opponent, his best role by far.
- Auburn 26, Tennessee 22
After seeing the Vols play tough defense against teams like UCLA and Florida, I figured they’d put together a performance that would shut down Auburn’s Gus Malzahn-led spread, which had posted startling numbers the first few weeks.
Wrong.
Auburn displayed solid balancing, almost splitting its 459 yards of offense evenly between the run and the pass. Tennessee waited too long to do anything about it, scoring 16 of its 22 points in the fourth quarter. It doesn’t look like Jonathan Crompton is the answer under center for the Vols.
It’s a shame the Eric Berry Era at Tennessee has been so unsuccessful at the team level.
- Ole Miss 23, Vanderbilt 7
Jevan Snead threw three picks, but the Ole Miss D held Vanderbilt QB Larry Smith to 10-for-27 passing for 69 yards. The Rebs dominated third down, converting 10 of 18 while allowing only 5 of 17.
Despite Snead’s three picks, Ole Miss built a 23-0 lead with 11 minutes left and cruised for the win. The Rebels were terrible on third down the week before in a road loss at South Carolina, but Saturday’s performance shows a good resolve, especially since it came on the road and snapped a two-game losing streak to Vandy.
Now Houston Nutt and Ole Miss can get their first crack at proving their preseason hype wasn’t undeserved as they host Alabama on Saturday.
- Arkansas 47, Texas A&M 19
The stats were misleading - A&M won total yardage 458-434, time of possession 32:13-27:47, first downs 28-16, and takeaways 3-2.
But after the Hogs spotted the Aggies 10 points, Arkansas fans screamed pig sooie the rest of the evening in JerryWorld as the Razorbacks scored the next 30 points en route to an easy win.
Don’t look now, but former Texas High standout Ryan Mallett is putting up staggering numbers in Bobby Petrino’s offense. Mallett has thrown for 1,148 yards, 11 TDs, and only two INTs in Arkansas’ first four games.
With weapons like TE D.J. Williams, WRs Joe Adams, Jarius Wright, Greg Childs, and Cobi Hamilton, and a fleet of capable backs balancing the offense, Mallett could post huge numbers this year and the next two seasons.
After losing its first two SEC matchups to good teams in Georgia and Alabama, the Hogs get a chance at redemption against a ranked and visiting Auburn team Saturday.
Latest comments
Longview is going to lose against Waco Midway.
... read the full comment by Braylon | Comment on Final Four picks for the entire state Read Final Four picks for the entire state
Trent Gorillas? i think that might be the best mascot in the state. nice.
... read the full comment by scott brunner | Comment on Crazy numbers posted across the state last Friday Read Crazy numbers posted across the state last Friday
Rub some dirt on it and get back out there!
Defensive coordinators and head coaches in the Big 12 can rest a little easier now. Griffin is the single biggest reason to be on upset alert when Baylor takes the field.
I know I will sleep
... read the full comment by DPG | Comment on Griffin situation at Baylor needs careful handling Read Griffin situation at Baylor needs careful handling