Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I trust you will take at least a few minutes to find something or someone in your life to be thankful for this week. If you're a fan of Texas high school football, you can, at the very least, be grateful for one of the most entertaining seasons in recent memory.
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November 26, 2009 is the fifteenth anniversary of this all-time Texas high school playoff gem between Plano East and Tyler John Tyler, not to mention the most 'homer'-riffic call of a football game ever.
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Here's a play run by Bethel College that I doubt any coach that is still in the Texas high school playoffs would have the courage to call.
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Upsets were the order of the weekend in Round 2 of the 2009 UIL football playoffs, along with some near misses. Plenty of teams will give thanks this weekend for still having at least one more game to play when many people thought they would not.
The Woodlands fell at the hands of the Stony Point Tigers on Saturday night. This is an upset because TWHS was the top-ranked team in the Houston area and the third-ranked team in the state. But it isn't like Stony Point was an overwhelming underdog. Coach Craig Chessher, with his team trailing 17-3 at halftime, apparently pulled out a Lombardi-esque halftime speech and Sam Kelley sliced and diced the Highlander defense in the second half.
The Tigers outscored The Woodlands 35-7 in the final two periods to advance to play Tyler Lee. You can listen to that game on the LSN.
And how 'bout those West Brook Bruins? After knocking off North Shore in the final week of the regular season to win District 21-5A, the Little Team that Could out of Beaumont rolled on through a first-round win over Deer Park before they upset almost everyone's pick to come out of Region III in the 5A Division 1 bracket, the Hightower Hurricanes.
Now, the Bruins have their fourth extremely tough test in a row, against the Cinco Ranch Cougars, in the regional semifinal round. But, after the last three weeks, who is to say that Craig Stump's team can't or won't pull off another upset?
Again, you can follow that game at the LSN, and it will be one of our video streams for the weekend. Listen AND SEE all the action.
In still another LSN broadcast on Friday, Brazoswood and Alief Taylor play in a third round matchup that I doubt anyone saw coming. Brazoswood knocked out North Shore, 7-3, in what could be considered a mild upset, though you couldn't tell that to anyone who has seen the Bucs' defense play this season. Alief Taylor won their second consecutive playoff game, which also happen to be the first two playoff wins in school history.
Outside the Houston area, Dallas Skyline posted 41 points in the first half, and then held on for dear life as DeSoto shut them out and made a furious attempt to end the Raiders' undefeated season. Skyline eked out a 41-36 win and now will face Cypress Woods in a rematch of last year's Region II semifinal game.
Cy Woods held off a late rally by Westfield to advance. In their first two seasons as a varsity program, David Jones' Wildcats have now advanced to the third round of the playoffs both years. That's a strong benchmark to establish.
Beyond the 5A classification, there will be plenty of other exciting matchups as the remaining number of teams dwindles.
Beaumont Central and Friendswood meet again in a Class 4A 2008 playoff rematch. The Central Jaguars feel like they were robbed by the Mustangs last season and come into this game with revenge on their minds. This is another of our LSN-TV games this week.
Perhaps no games will be as entertaining as the 1A matchups we have this weekend. Riesel and Mart, a pair of 22-1A teams who are both still alive in the playoffs, square off against some tough competition. Mart will take on Tenaha, who comes out of East Texas with a 12-0 record. But Mart can put up a lot of points offensively, as their 60-7 victory over previously-unbeaten Evadale last week would attest.
And they are a rugged team on defense, something that should be no surprise from a team coached by a man named Rusty Nail. Mart and Tenaha play Friday night in Van.
Riesel finished behind Mart and Lovelady in 22-1A, but are still alive and well in the 1A Division 1 regional final round. They'll have a tough battle against 10-2 Joaquin, but are just one win from the state semifinal round. Joaquin is about as close to Louisiana as you can get without being in it (over near Possum Trot and Huxley) and they take their football seriously. So that will be an entertaining game on Friday afternoon.
By the way, Lovelady, the 22-1A champs are also still alive in the 1A playoffs at 12-0. They play 10-1 Cayuga this week.
All in all, it's another bountiful week of playoff football. That makes me thankful, indeed!
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Expanding the Legacy...
When the Legacy Sports Network launched, we made a promise to build a legacy one game at a time. As a catchy slogan, it was easy to come up with, but to everyone involved with the LSN, it was more than just a catchy slogan.
Our goal was literally to create a legacy of entertaining, top-quality broadcasts of your favorite prep and college athletic events. That goal still motivates every one of us each day.
But we also understood that it was not our birthright to assume we’d be handed anything. We knew it would take a lot of hard work. To attain our goal of building a legacy, we’d have to also prove ourselves one game at a time. We were willing to do that--and still are.
So, when we see the hard work and diligence pay off, we take a minute to recognize and celebrate it.
This weekend marks the beginning of a working relationship that Legacy Sports Network has established with HoopTV.net and Fox Sports. We are pleased to be providing on-air broadcasting talent and behind-the-scenes production personnel (in the form of camera operators) for the HoopTV/Fox Sports broadcasts of the UIL State Volleyball Championships.
When you tune in to Fox Sports’ coverage of the 2009 UIL Volleyball championships from San Marcos this weekend, it’ll be LSN voices that you’ll be hearing and LSN people delivering the pictures.
From the 5A matches, featuring Cinco Ranch, Austin Westlake, Georgetown and Amarillo, to the 1A contests, featuring Bronte, Lindsay, Louise and Normangee, we’ll be there to help bring the finals to you.
And as I mentioned, this is only the beginning. We look forward to the days and weeks ahead and many more opportunities to work alongside these groups to provide you with quality broadcasts of your favorite prep teams.
We continue to work on and value our relationship with TAPPS, through our sister group, TAPPStv.com. And as the weeks and months progress, you’ll also see some additions to our UIL and NJCAA coverage as we continue to expand in order to become the standard-bearer for quality audio and video athletic productions.
These aren’t just hollow words and empty promises. We are extremely proud to be adding to our legacy by being a part of the team that makes this season—and many to come—a memorable one.
Our goal was literally to create a legacy of entertaining, top-quality broadcasts of your favorite prep and college athletic events. That goal still motivates every one of us each day.
But we also understood that it was not our birthright to assume we’d be handed anything. We knew it would take a lot of hard work. To attain our goal of building a legacy, we’d have to also prove ourselves one game at a time. We were willing to do that--and still are.
So, when we see the hard work and diligence pay off, we take a minute to recognize and celebrate it.
This weekend marks the beginning of a working relationship that Legacy Sports Network has established with HoopTV.net and Fox Sports. We are pleased to be providing on-air broadcasting talent and behind-the-scenes production personnel (in the form of camera operators) for the HoopTV/Fox Sports broadcasts of the UIL State Volleyball Championships.
When you tune in to Fox Sports’ coverage of the 2009 UIL Volleyball championships from San Marcos this weekend, it’ll be LSN voices that you’ll be hearing and LSN people delivering the pictures.
From the 5A matches, featuring Cinco Ranch, Austin Westlake, Georgetown and Amarillo, to the 1A contests, featuring Bronte, Lindsay, Louise and Normangee, we’ll be there to help bring the finals to you.
And as I mentioned, this is only the beginning. We look forward to the days and weeks ahead and many more opportunities to work alongside these groups to provide you with quality broadcasts of your favorite prep teams.
We continue to work on and value our relationship with TAPPS, through our sister group, TAPPStv.com. And as the weeks and months progress, you’ll also see some additions to our UIL and NJCAA coverage as we continue to expand in order to become the standard-bearer for quality audio and video athletic productions.
These aren’t just hollow words and empty promises. We are extremely proud to be adding to our legacy by being a part of the team that makes this season—and many to come—a memorable one.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Interesting weekend starts the playoffs right
It was an interesting first weekend of playoff football in the Houston area.
Some games went exactly as expected; others were complete surprises. Several teams that were expected to win did so, but got much more of a run for their money than they would’ve liked in the first round. So, who fared best over the weekend? And which team might have raised some questioning eyebrows in the course of moving on?
First of all (since I saw this one first-hand), Klein Collins only elevated their stature as a contender for the Region II/Division 2 crown in my mind. Their 44-7 win over Oak Ridge was a textbook example of the two huge strengths that this team has: a punishing defense and an offense that does not make mistakes to beat themselves.
Before the game, Coach Drew Svoboda refused to single out any one or two players on defense who are THE difference-makers, instead saying that he wouldn’t trade any one of his eleven for any other group of kids. In the aftermath, it was easy to understand why.
The Lamar Redskins and North Shore Mustangs were impressive in victory, not simply because they defeated Eisenhower and Pearland, respectively, but because of the manner in which they thoroughly controlled their games against opponents that were expected to be a little more evenly matched to them.
Last week, we wrote that we expected The Woodlands to be given a big test right out of the gate by Klein Forest. We expected a TWHS win, but a very close game. But, the game was even closer than expected, coming down to missed PAT in overtime by the Golden Eagles, which gave the Highlanders a 32-31 win.
Finally, here’s a short multiple-choice quiz:
At some point in their playoff opener, Cypress Ridge looked like they would [a] blow out Cedar Park by halftime, [b] live through the rest of the school year with the pain of a huge blown lead, [c] win a gritty overtime thriller, or [d] all of the above.
If you can’t figure out the answer, find a box score of the game.
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I wanted to rant about this issue last week, but got consumed with playoff predictions instead…
Do you know which Dallas-Fort Worth area venue has hosted the most playoff games to this point? It’s that high school Mecca, Cowboys Stadium in Arlington.
And do you know why they’ve hosted more games than any other venue? It’s because they’ve hosted a Thursday night doubleheader, a Friday night doubleheader and a Saturday quadrupleheader. It'll happen again this weekend too.
If you’re thinking my rant is about the greed of Jerry Jones and the Cowboys, then you’ll be sadly disappointed. I’m a lot like Gordon Gekko in the movie Wall Street: “Greed is good.”
Jones and the Cowboys are in business to make money (as well as pay off the debt they incurred to build that edifice).
My rant is instead directed toward the coaches and administrators of the teams and schools who, for the ‘prestige’ of being able to say they played a game in Cowboys Stadium, are willing to sacrifice their team’s best interest and agree to be a part of a hurry-in, hurry-out format of either two or four games in a single day.
The Thursday night twinbill started at 5:00 PM. The teams in the early game at least get the benefit of a solid hour or more on the field before game time. But parents must choose to sacrifice work time to make it to the game on time, arrive late or not go at all, which seems unlikely.
The parents fare better for a Thursday 8:00 PM start, but then the teams suffer because the pre-game on-field time is cut down due to waiting on the early contest to wrap up.
Undoubtedly, the ticket prices at that venue are higher than other locales. In every game, the game officials will be ‘encouraged’ to run a tightly-timed event. Quarter changes and halftimes will be sliced and diced. And I can envision guys with walkie-talkies out on the field after each game to run off both teams who just finished and run the next contestants onto the field…
Assembly-line playoffs.
Friday night doubleheaders start an hour later, because there is no school on Saturday and you can ‘legitimately’ start a second game at 9:00 PM. But imagine trying to keep a group of restless high school kids focused until that hour.
Then, there are the Saturday marathons: 11:00 AM, 2:00 PM, 5:00 PM and 8:00 PM kickoff times.
If I were a coach of a team whose administration was considering being a part of that scenario, I’d take a stand for my team and refuse to play under those terms and conditions. I think, in situations where more than one game at a given site are necessary or expedient, there should be a minimum of five hours in between kickoff times for each game.
If a site can’t or won’t do that, then the coach has the obligation to the best interests of his team to turn down the opportunity to play there—no matter how grand a stage it may be.
(Yes, I know that currently the Alamodome in San Antonio hosts Saturday tripleheaders with four hours in between kickoff times; that’s better, but still pushing the envelope a little, in my estimation.)
I think this is just a North Texas/DFW phenomenon. And this isn't the first year this has happened in that region of the state. The same practice was in place for years at Texas Stadium in Irving.
You haven’t seen those kinds of scenarios here, even back in the day when the Astrodome hosted high school playoffs. Saturday day/night doubleheaders are generally no problem, but four games at one site seem ridiculous.
But apparently certain coaches in North Texas—much like the general population of that area—are more concerned with style over substance and where they are seen rather than how much of a chance to succeed they give themselves.
I guess if you are resigned to the fact that, ultimately, you’re not going to make it through the bracket to play on a major stage at the end of the season, it really isn’t a big deal.
* * * * *
Speaking of North Texas matchups, I feel lonely out on this limb: I’ve picked De Soto to end Dallas Skyline’s season. I’m either the smartest prognosticator in the world…or the dumbest.
I also think Converse Judson will take out Austin Westlake in Region IV this Friday night. That seems to put me in the minority as well, but the Rockets play this game at home (at D.W. Rutledge Stadium) and I think this team is going to play for a while.
Many would say it isn’t wise to trumpet unpopular picks immediately after lampooning others, but I’ve never been accused of being a wise man. Only a wise...well, you know.
Some games went exactly as expected; others were complete surprises. Several teams that were expected to win did so, but got much more of a run for their money than they would’ve liked in the first round. So, who fared best over the weekend? And which team might have raised some questioning eyebrows in the course of moving on?
First of all (since I saw this one first-hand), Klein Collins only elevated their stature as a contender for the Region II/Division 2 crown in my mind. Their 44-7 win over Oak Ridge was a textbook example of the two huge strengths that this team has: a punishing defense and an offense that does not make mistakes to beat themselves.
Before the game, Coach Drew Svoboda refused to single out any one or two players on defense who are THE difference-makers, instead saying that he wouldn’t trade any one of his eleven for any other group of kids. In the aftermath, it was easy to understand why.
The Lamar Redskins and North Shore Mustangs were impressive in victory, not simply because they defeated Eisenhower and Pearland, respectively, but because of the manner in which they thoroughly controlled their games against opponents that were expected to be a little more evenly matched to them.
Last week, we wrote that we expected The Woodlands to be given a big test right out of the gate by Klein Forest. We expected a TWHS win, but a very close game. But, the game was even closer than expected, coming down to missed PAT in overtime by the Golden Eagles, which gave the Highlanders a 32-31 win.
Finally, here’s a short multiple-choice quiz:
At some point in their playoff opener, Cypress Ridge looked like they would [a] blow out Cedar Park by halftime, [b] live through the rest of the school year with the pain of a huge blown lead, [c] win a gritty overtime thriller, or [d] all of the above.
If you can’t figure out the answer, find a box score of the game.
* * * * *
I wanted to rant about this issue last week, but got consumed with playoff predictions instead…
Do you know which Dallas-Fort Worth area venue has hosted the most playoff games to this point? It’s that high school Mecca, Cowboys Stadium in Arlington.
And do you know why they’ve hosted more games than any other venue? It’s because they’ve hosted a Thursday night doubleheader, a Friday night doubleheader and a Saturday quadrupleheader. It'll happen again this weekend too.
If you’re thinking my rant is about the greed of Jerry Jones and the Cowboys, then you’ll be sadly disappointed. I’m a lot like Gordon Gekko in the movie Wall Street: “Greed is good.”
Jones and the Cowboys are in business to make money (as well as pay off the debt they incurred to build that edifice).
My rant is instead directed toward the coaches and administrators of the teams and schools who, for the ‘prestige’ of being able to say they played a game in Cowboys Stadium, are willing to sacrifice their team’s best interest and agree to be a part of a hurry-in, hurry-out format of either two or four games in a single day.
The Thursday night twinbill started at 5:00 PM. The teams in the early game at least get the benefit of a solid hour or more on the field before game time. But parents must choose to sacrifice work time to make it to the game on time, arrive late or not go at all, which seems unlikely.
The parents fare better for a Thursday 8:00 PM start, but then the teams suffer because the pre-game on-field time is cut down due to waiting on the early contest to wrap up.
Undoubtedly, the ticket prices at that venue are higher than other locales. In every game, the game officials will be ‘encouraged’ to run a tightly-timed event. Quarter changes and halftimes will be sliced and diced. And I can envision guys with walkie-talkies out on the field after each game to run off both teams who just finished and run the next contestants onto the field…
Assembly-line playoffs.
Friday night doubleheaders start an hour later, because there is no school on Saturday and you can ‘legitimately’ start a second game at 9:00 PM. But imagine trying to keep a group of restless high school kids focused until that hour.
Then, there are the Saturday marathons: 11:00 AM, 2:00 PM, 5:00 PM and 8:00 PM kickoff times.
If I were a coach of a team whose administration was considering being a part of that scenario, I’d take a stand for my team and refuse to play under those terms and conditions. I think, in situations where more than one game at a given site are necessary or expedient, there should be a minimum of five hours in between kickoff times for each game.
If a site can’t or won’t do that, then the coach has the obligation to the best interests of his team to turn down the opportunity to play there—no matter how grand a stage it may be.
(Yes, I know that currently the Alamodome in San Antonio hosts Saturday tripleheaders with four hours in between kickoff times; that’s better, but still pushing the envelope a little, in my estimation.)
I think this is just a North Texas/DFW phenomenon. And this isn't the first year this has happened in that region of the state. The same practice was in place for years at Texas Stadium in Irving.
You haven’t seen those kinds of scenarios here, even back in the day when the Astrodome hosted high school playoffs. Saturday day/night doubleheaders are generally no problem, but four games at one site seem ridiculous.
But apparently certain coaches in North Texas—much like the general population of that area—are more concerned with style over substance and where they are seen rather than how much of a chance to succeed they give themselves.
I guess if you are resigned to the fact that, ultimately, you’re not going to make it through the bracket to play on a major stage at the end of the season, it really isn’t a big deal.
* * * * *
Speaking of North Texas matchups, I feel lonely out on this limb: I’ve picked De Soto to end Dallas Skyline’s season. I’m either the smartest prognosticator in the world…or the dumbest.
I also think Converse Judson will take out Austin Westlake in Region IV this Friday night. That seems to put me in the minority as well, but the Rockets play this game at home (at D.W. Rutledge Stadium) and I think this team is going to play for a while.
Many would say it isn’t wise to trumpet unpopular picks immediately after lampooning others, but I’ve never been accused of being a wise man. Only a wise...well, you know.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Some thoughts on the 5A brackets...
Here are some random observations about the first-round games this week and the playoffs, in general.
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When we’ve had the opportunity to see The Woodlands play this season, the one area that has always stood out to both Brett Mills and I was the play of the Highlanders’ defense. They are a hard-hitting bunch with instincts for being around the football at the right times. But in their first-round Class 5A Region II Division 1 matchup this week, they could be tested unlike any they’ve faced so far in 2009.
The Klein Forest Golden Eagles averaged 41 points per game this season and have a tag-team monster in Matt Davis and Cory Idlebird that can wear down a defense.
But, a few weeks back, I had said to several people that if the Highlanders went into Lufkin and defeated the Panthers on their home turf, I’d start really believing in The Woodlands. They did; I do. I think TWHS has the swarming defense to slow down Davis and Company enough to bring the Highlanders a victory. I expect a good, close game—but The Woodlands will move on.
And as for the Cypress Falls Golden Eagles? Will I predict that they’ll knock off the Stony Point Tigers? Sorry, no. If I were picking with my heart, I definitely would. But my head overrides and says that there’s no way the Eagles’ defense can shut down Stony Point. Having said that, if a miracle can be wrought, I’d believe that David Raffield can be the ‘wroughter’.
Ultimately, in 5A Region II Division 1, I believe that the regional final matchup will be The Woodlands-DeSoto, and I believe that the Highlanders will win the region.
In the Class 5A Region III Division 1 bracket, even though it’s early, I believe that the winner of this week’s North Shore-Pearland game has to be considered a solid favorite to make it to the regional final. I know that North Shore uncharacteristically lost the District 21-5A championship to gritty Beaumont West Brook team, but that game should only prove to be a catalyst in Professor David Aymond’s chemistry lab when it comes to coming up with a playoff potion for the Mustangs.
On the other side of the 5A Region III Division 1 bracket, I believe Cinco Ranch and Hightower are on a collision course with each other in the regional semifinal round.
I predict we’ll see a Hightower-North Shore regional final. I like the Hurricanes to make it through.
My prediction for the 5A Division 1 Final Four: Coppell (Region I), The Woodlands (Region II), Hightower (Region III) and Converse Judson (Region IV).
Wouldn’t it be great to see a Woodlands-Hightower 5A D-1 state championship game? Okay…I’ll predict it. Remember, you read it here first!
* * * * *
In Class 5A Region II Division 2, I will again go with the team who has proven to have the best defense: Klein Collins. The Tigers finally allowed a couple of teams more than 20 points in a game for the first time in Drew Svoboda’s tenure. It took Westfield an overtime to manage to score 21 points (the Tigers held them to 14 points in regulation), and Klein Forest scored 21 in the regular-season finale.
Those are two high-octane offenses and neither could generate more than three TDs against Klein Collins. I’m hard-pressed to believe that other (lesser) offenses will fare any better. Klein Collins allowed an average of 11 points per game this season in arguably the toughest district in the state. In the playoffs, if you can hold your opponents to 14 points or less, you can basically write your own ticket through the bracket.
I like the Tigers to make it through their side of the bracket to play Lufkin in the regional final.
Finally, in the Class 5A Region III Division 2 bracket, how can you NOT pencil in the Katy Tigers? I can’t make a firm case for any other team in the bracket to knock off the Big Red Machine. The closest thing to a mystery in my mind, regarding Katy, is whether Allen will make it back to the state championship game for a rematch of last year’s final. (For the record, I personally think Cedar Hill will make it through from Region I.)
My prediction for the 5A Division 2 Final Four: Cedar Hill (Region I), Klein Collins (Region II), Katy (Region III) and San Antonio Reagan (Region IV).
Perhaps because the images of William Cole running all over Cypress Falls in the 2006 state championship game are still indelibly burned into my memory, I’ll predict a Katy-Cedar Hill 5A D-2 final.
Please prove me wrong, Klein Collins!
* * * * *
When we’ve had the opportunity to see The Woodlands play this season, the one area that has always stood out to both Brett Mills and I was the play of the Highlanders’ defense. They are a hard-hitting bunch with instincts for being around the football at the right times. But in their first-round Class 5A Region II Division 1 matchup this week, they could be tested unlike any they’ve faced so far in 2009.
The Klein Forest Golden Eagles averaged 41 points per game this season and have a tag-team monster in Matt Davis and Cory Idlebird that can wear down a defense.
But, a few weeks back, I had said to several people that if the Highlanders went into Lufkin and defeated the Panthers on their home turf, I’d start really believing in The Woodlands. They did; I do. I think TWHS has the swarming defense to slow down Davis and Company enough to bring the Highlanders a victory. I expect a good, close game—but The Woodlands will move on.
And as for the Cypress Falls Golden Eagles? Will I predict that they’ll knock off the Stony Point Tigers? Sorry, no. If I were picking with my heart, I definitely would. But my head overrides and says that there’s no way the Eagles’ defense can shut down Stony Point. Having said that, if a miracle can be wrought, I’d believe that David Raffield can be the ‘wroughter’.
Ultimately, in 5A Region II Division 1, I believe that the regional final matchup will be The Woodlands-DeSoto, and I believe that the Highlanders will win the region.
In the Class 5A Region III Division 1 bracket, even though it’s early, I believe that the winner of this week’s North Shore-Pearland game has to be considered a solid favorite to make it to the regional final. I know that North Shore uncharacteristically lost the District 21-5A championship to gritty Beaumont West Brook team, but that game should only prove to be a catalyst in Professor David Aymond’s chemistry lab when it comes to coming up with a playoff potion for the Mustangs.
On the other side of the 5A Region III Division 1 bracket, I believe Cinco Ranch and Hightower are on a collision course with each other in the regional semifinal round.
I predict we’ll see a Hightower-North Shore regional final. I like the Hurricanes to make it through.
My prediction for the 5A Division 1 Final Four: Coppell (Region I), The Woodlands (Region II), Hightower (Region III) and Converse Judson (Region IV).
Wouldn’t it be great to see a Woodlands-Hightower 5A D-1 state championship game? Okay…I’ll predict it. Remember, you read it here first!
* * * * *
In Class 5A Region II Division 2, I will again go with the team who has proven to have the best defense: Klein Collins. The Tigers finally allowed a couple of teams more than 20 points in a game for the first time in Drew Svoboda’s tenure. It took Westfield an overtime to manage to score 21 points (the Tigers held them to 14 points in regulation), and Klein Forest scored 21 in the regular-season finale.
Those are two high-octane offenses and neither could generate more than three TDs against Klein Collins. I’m hard-pressed to believe that other (lesser) offenses will fare any better. Klein Collins allowed an average of 11 points per game this season in arguably the toughest district in the state. In the playoffs, if you can hold your opponents to 14 points or less, you can basically write your own ticket through the bracket.
I like the Tigers to make it through their side of the bracket to play Lufkin in the regional final.
Finally, in the Class 5A Region III Division 2 bracket, how can you NOT pencil in the Katy Tigers? I can’t make a firm case for any other team in the bracket to knock off the Big Red Machine. The closest thing to a mystery in my mind, regarding Katy, is whether Allen will make it back to the state championship game for a rematch of last year’s final. (For the record, I personally think Cedar Hill will make it through from Region I.)
My prediction for the 5A Division 2 Final Four: Cedar Hill (Region I), Klein Collins (Region II), Katy (Region III) and San Antonio Reagan (Region IV).
Perhaps because the images of William Cole running all over Cypress Falls in the 2006 state championship game are still indelibly burned into my memory, I’ll predict a Katy-Cedar Hill 5A D-2 final.
Please prove me wrong, Klein Collins!
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Must-win teams can't cash in...with one exception
By the time Saturday evening rolled around in Week 10, there were only a handful of teams that took the field who were already playing for their playoff lives. Win-or-go-home time. Sure, there would be several games that would determine seedings or district championships, but only a few meant the right for a team to keep playing beyond this weekend.
Mayde Creek was one of those teams. And they seemed to have the easiest of tasks. The Rams just needed to beat winless Morton Ranch to clinch a playoff spot out of District 17-5A. But, the Mavericks spoiled the party with a 28-21 win and ended Mayde Creek's season.
Across town, at Thorne Stadium, the Humble Wildcats held their playoff fate in their own hands as they took the field against the Nimitz Cougars. The Wildcats had gotten off to a rugged start to the 2009 season before putting things together in District 19-5A play. Nimitz would be finishing off a disappointing season, having been eliminated from the playoff picture seemingly early.
But, the Cougars would also bring a disappointing end to Humble's season as well, pulling out a 33-28 win that allowed Kingwood and Aldine to claim the final two playoff berths from 19-5A thanks to tiebreakers over Humble.
The one team that seemed unlikeliest of all to accomplish the task of winning a game to earn a playoff spot was the Cypress Falls Golden Eagles. Cy Falls needed a win, against district co-leader Cypress Woods, coupled with a loss by Cypress Springs to the other district co-leader, Cypress Creek.
It seemed like an impossible task, a fact that Eagles' head coach David Raffield acknowledged on Saturday night.
"Everybody had us as an underdog in this game," Raffield stated. "But these kids love each other and play for each other."
In the unlikeliest of necessary wins, in the unlikeliest of second-half comebacks, Cy Falls outscored Cy Woods 24-7 in the final two quarters to come away with a 46-43 win and earn District 15-5A's fourth and final playoff spot.
Brice Christian capped the comeback with a 22-yard field goal with 1:55 left on the game clock. After the Cy Falls defense fended off a last minute drive by the Wildcats, the celebration began on the Eagles' sideline.
Trailing at halftime, 36-22, following a barrage of points in the last two minutes of the half by Woods, Raffield admitted his team went into the locker room in a less-than-optomistic mood.
"Their heads were down," said the coach, "but we said, 'We've got 24 minutes left to play. We're going to go out and send the seniors out with their heads held high."
Because of the effort, those seniors will have at least one more week to play before they move on with their lives. Cy Falls plays Round Rock Stony Point, a state-ranked team in almost every statewide poll, on Friday night at Round Rock ISD Stadium.
For Cypress Falls fans, the last weekend of the 2009 season had a similar feel to the final weekend of the 2005 season, Raffield's third as head coach.
That year, Cy Falls had lost in Week 9 to Tomball, 24-21, to all but eliminate themselves from playoff contention. There was a chance, going into the final weekend of play, for the Eagles to make the playoffs, but it would be a slim one and they'd need some help.
Cy Falls needed to beat Magnolia (in a Thursday night contest), and have Jersey Village beat a high-powered Langham Creek team on the last Saturday of the season.
Cy Falls defeated Magnolia, 52-22, and then waited for a couple of days and crossed their fingers hoping Jersey Village could help their cause. And the Falcons did squeak out an 18-16 win over Langham Creek, sending Falls into the playoffs while bumping the Tomball team who had beaten the Eagles a week earlier.
It's a neat story, but it doesn't end there.
After the Golden Eagles made it into the Class 5A playoffs by the skin of their teeth, that same team wound up taking the vaunted Katy Tigers down to the wire in the 5A Region III championship game, losing when Katy made a furious fourth-quarter rally to win 32-28 at Rice Stadium on the first weekend in December that season.
It's my guess that Raffield and Company wouldn't mind seeing 2009 take a similar path to that season. And, because of Saturday's results, they still have that chance.
Mayde Creek was one of those teams. And they seemed to have the easiest of tasks. The Rams just needed to beat winless Morton Ranch to clinch a playoff spot out of District 17-5A. But, the Mavericks spoiled the party with a 28-21 win and ended Mayde Creek's season.
Across town, at Thorne Stadium, the Humble Wildcats held their playoff fate in their own hands as they took the field against the Nimitz Cougars. The Wildcats had gotten off to a rugged start to the 2009 season before putting things together in District 19-5A play. Nimitz would be finishing off a disappointing season, having been eliminated from the playoff picture seemingly early.
But, the Cougars would also bring a disappointing end to Humble's season as well, pulling out a 33-28 win that allowed Kingwood and Aldine to claim the final two playoff berths from 19-5A thanks to tiebreakers over Humble.
The one team that seemed unlikeliest of all to accomplish the task of winning a game to earn a playoff spot was the Cypress Falls Golden Eagles. Cy Falls needed a win, against district co-leader Cypress Woods, coupled with a loss by Cypress Springs to the other district co-leader, Cypress Creek.
It seemed like an impossible task, a fact that Eagles' head coach David Raffield acknowledged on Saturday night.
"Everybody had us as an underdog in this game," Raffield stated. "But these kids love each other and play for each other."
In the unlikeliest of necessary wins, in the unlikeliest of second-half comebacks, Cy Falls outscored Cy Woods 24-7 in the final two quarters to come away with a 46-43 win and earn District 15-5A's fourth and final playoff spot.
Brice Christian capped the comeback with a 22-yard field goal with 1:55 left on the game clock. After the Cy Falls defense fended off a last minute drive by the Wildcats, the celebration began on the Eagles' sideline.
Trailing at halftime, 36-22, following a barrage of points in the last two minutes of the half by Woods, Raffield admitted his team went into the locker room in a less-than-optomistic mood.
"Their heads were down," said the coach, "but we said, 'We've got 24 minutes left to play. We're going to go out and send the seniors out with their heads held high."
Because of the effort, those seniors will have at least one more week to play before they move on with their lives. Cy Falls plays Round Rock Stony Point, a state-ranked team in almost every statewide poll, on Friday night at Round Rock ISD Stadium.
For Cypress Falls fans, the last weekend of the 2009 season had a similar feel to the final weekend of the 2005 season, Raffield's third as head coach.
That year, Cy Falls had lost in Week 9 to Tomball, 24-21, to all but eliminate themselves from playoff contention. There was a chance, going into the final weekend of play, for the Eagles to make the playoffs, but it would be a slim one and they'd need some help.
Cy Falls needed to beat Magnolia (in a Thursday night contest), and have Jersey Village beat a high-powered Langham Creek team on the last Saturday of the season.
Cy Falls defeated Magnolia, 52-22, and then waited for a couple of days and crossed their fingers hoping Jersey Village could help their cause. And the Falcons did squeak out an 18-16 win over Langham Creek, sending Falls into the playoffs while bumping the Tomball team who had beaten the Eagles a week earlier.
It's a neat story, but it doesn't end there.
After the Golden Eagles made it into the Class 5A playoffs by the skin of their teeth, that same team wound up taking the vaunted Katy Tigers down to the wire in the 5A Region III championship game, losing when Katy made a furious fourth-quarter rally to win 32-28 at Rice Stadium on the first weekend in December that season.
It's my guess that Raffield and Company wouldn't mind seeing 2009 take a similar path to that season. And, because of Saturday's results, they still have that chance.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Vote for the Texas high school all-century team
I should've been promoting this several weeks back, but better late than never, right?
Here's where to make your voice heard on who are the greatest Texas high school football players ever. As part of the UIL's Centennial Celebration, they are conducting a poll until November 7 to vote for the Texas High School All-Century Team. You can even write in the name of your favorite sophomore or freshman!
While you're there, just spend a few minutes taking in some of the names--many of whom you'll recognize from NCAA or NFL fame--of those who played their high school football in Texas.
Is this a great state or what??
Here's where to make your voice heard on who are the greatest Texas high school football players ever. As part of the UIL's Centennial Celebration, they are conducting a poll until November 7 to vote for the Texas High School All-Century Team. You can even write in the name of your favorite sophomore or freshman!
While you're there, just spend a few minutes taking in some of the names--many of whom you'll recognize from NCAA or NFL fame--of those who played their high school football in Texas.
Is this a great state or what??
Monday, November 2, 2009
Houston area 5A races: still a lot to be determined in Week 10
First, an update from the weekend you may not have seen: Violent Illness 1, LK 0.
* * * * *
Friday night at George Stadium, the power went out before game time due to a transformer that went down at approximately 5:50 PM near the stadium. After waiting for nearly two hours, we were told by officials of the Spring ISD that the game had been postponed and the schools were working out a mutually-agreeable time to play on Saturday.
We packed up the remote broadcast equipment and headed down the stadium stairs (no electricity equals no elevator), but my partner Brett Mills noticed something that, at the time, seemed mildly amusing: Klein Oak head coach David Smith telling Spring ISD uniformed policemen that the game wasn't called yet.
He relayed the story to me and we laughed, thinking that, "Yeah, it is. They've sent everybody home!"
Turns out Smith was right...and it's probably his insistence that they wait a little longer and (perhaps) his unwillingness to agree upon a Saturday time that allowed the game to be played, and ultimately won by his Klein Oak Panthers.
As I packed the gear into the trunk of my car and got it, my cell phone rang. It was Mills.
"Did you just see that?" he asked. "The stadium lights just came on."
Sure enough, shortly after 8:00 PM, the electricity was restored and, almost immediately, Smith ran his team (still suited up and ready to go) onto the field to warm up.
The exact chain of events that followed are unknown to me, but by 8:40 PM, the game was on and it wound up being a huge win for the Panthers.
* * * * *
Here’s my unofficial look at the districts going into the final week. (Of course, we always go back and review this info to make sure it’s as accurate as possible and we welcome your feedback if you see something we’ve missed.)
District 13-5A
Klein Collins is the district champion and must wait to see who joins them in the playoff picture before knowing whether they will be a D-I or D-II representative. Klein Forest, win or lose, also has enough tiebreakers to know they are in. The rest of the picture is still muddled.
We know with certainty that the loser of the Klein Oak-Dekaney game is out of the picture. But if Collins beats Forest, there could potentially be a four-way tie for three spots. Without dragging out all the details, it appears to come down to this:
• Westfield: win and they’re in
• Dekaney: win and they’re in
• Klein Oak: win and they’re in
• Klein: win AND need Spring to upset Westfield
District 14-5A
The Woodlands, Lufkin and Oak Ridge, thanks to their 24-0 shutout of College Park last week, are in. That leaves the final spot for the winner of the Conroe-College Park matchup this weekend.
District 15-5A
As usual, this district is a mess going into the final week. Six of the eight teams still have possibilities of making the playoffs.
Cy Creek and Cy Woods are in. Cy Ridge is in with a win. Cy Falls is in with a win and a Cy Springs loss. Cy Springs would be in with a win and a Langham Creek loss. There are also a couple of scenarios where Langham Creek gets in.
If Langham Creek, Cy Falls and Cy Springs all lose, they wind up in a three-way tie for fourth place. Those three teams are 1-1 vs the others, so a positive point differential would come into play and Langham would have the advantage.
If Cy Springs loses to Cy Creek, Cy Falls upsets Cy Woods and Langham beats Cy Ridge, then Falls, Ridge and Langham all wind up in a three-way tie for two spots. The third playoff spot would go to Cy Falls, who is 2-0 against Langham and Ridge. Langham would then get the fourth spot by virtue of their head-to-head win over Ridge.
Cy Springs and Cy Falls would appear to have the most difficult roads, each having to play—and defeat—the top two teams in the district, Cy Creek and Cy Woods. But stranger things have happened in the CFISD district in the past.
District 17-5A
Cinco Ranch, Katy and Katy Taylor have all clinched. Nick Georgandis of the Katy Times has broken down the fight for the fourth playoff spot nicely.
District 18-5A
Memorial, Stratford and Elsik are in. Taylor is in with a win over Elsik. Hastings is in with a win AND a Taylor loss. Even with a win, Strake doesn’t hold the tie-breaker in any scenario so they are out. The Alief schools would be the DI reps and the Spring Branch schools would be the DII reps.
District 19-5A
Atascocita and Eisenhower are in. Humble is in with a win and Kingwood is in with a win or losses by either Humble or Aldine. Aldine is in with a win coupled with a win by Humble and loss by Kingwood.
District 20-5A
Whew! An easy one…the four teams are set: Westside, Madison, Lamar and Chavez. Week 10 will help sort out the district positioning, but Westside and Lamar will be the D-I reps and Madison and Chavez will go D-II.
District 21-5A
This has turned out to be an interesting race, with Baytown Sterling being the only team eliminated from playoff contention.
West Brook and North Shore are in, and will play in Beaumont on Friday night for the district championship. Baytown Lee has also clinched a spot. But Channelview's upset of Port Arthur Memorial last Friday means that, if Channelview wins and Port Arthur Memorial loses this week, the Falcons make the unlikeliest of playoff appearances.
Conversely, Memorial needs a win OR a Channelview loss to Baytown Sterling to ensure their playoff berth.
District 22-5A
Pasadena Memorial, Pearland, Deer Park and La Porte will be the playoff reps from this district. Barring any kind of major upsets this weekend, Pearland will be the higher-seeded D-I team and Deer Park the other. Pasadena Memorial will be the higher-seeded D-II team.
District 23-5A
Hightower and Willowridge win their zones, so both will make the playoffs. The Hurricanes will go D-I while the Eagles head for a D-II matchup. Those two teams will face off on Friday for the district championship. Corey Roepken of the Fort Bend Sun lays out the remaining district contests for this week, and the accompanying playoff implications here.
District 24-5A
Joshua Buckley of the Galveston Daily News breaks down the implications of Week 10 in this district. To boil it down, Clear Springs and Brazoswood are both in; Galveston Ball, Dickinson and Clear Creek are all vying for the final two spots.
* * * * *
And in conclusion, how 'bout them Ags?
* * * * *
Friday night at George Stadium, the power went out before game time due to a transformer that went down at approximately 5:50 PM near the stadium. After waiting for nearly two hours, we were told by officials of the Spring ISD that the game had been postponed and the schools were working out a mutually-agreeable time to play on Saturday.
We packed up the remote broadcast equipment and headed down the stadium stairs (no electricity equals no elevator), but my partner Brett Mills noticed something that, at the time, seemed mildly amusing: Klein Oak head coach David Smith telling Spring ISD uniformed policemen that the game wasn't called yet.
He relayed the story to me and we laughed, thinking that, "Yeah, it is. They've sent everybody home!"
Turns out Smith was right...and it's probably his insistence that they wait a little longer and (perhaps) his unwillingness to agree upon a Saturday time that allowed the game to be played, and ultimately won by his Klein Oak Panthers.
As I packed the gear into the trunk of my car and got it, my cell phone rang. It was Mills.
"Did you just see that?" he asked. "The stadium lights just came on."
Sure enough, shortly after 8:00 PM, the electricity was restored and, almost immediately, Smith ran his team (still suited up and ready to go) onto the field to warm up.
The exact chain of events that followed are unknown to me, but by 8:40 PM, the game was on and it wound up being a huge win for the Panthers.
* * * * *
Here’s my unofficial look at the districts going into the final week. (Of course, we always go back and review this info to make sure it’s as accurate as possible and we welcome your feedback if you see something we’ve missed.)
District 13-5A
Klein Collins is the district champion and must wait to see who joins them in the playoff picture before knowing whether they will be a D-I or D-II representative. Klein Forest, win or lose, also has enough tiebreakers to know they are in. The rest of the picture is still muddled.
We know with certainty that the loser of the Klein Oak-Dekaney game is out of the picture. But if Collins beats Forest, there could potentially be a four-way tie for three spots. Without dragging out all the details, it appears to come down to this:
• Westfield: win and they’re in
• Dekaney: win and they’re in
• Klein Oak: win and they’re in
• Klein: win AND need Spring to upset Westfield
District 14-5A
The Woodlands, Lufkin and Oak Ridge, thanks to their 24-0 shutout of College Park last week, are in. That leaves the final spot for the winner of the Conroe-College Park matchup this weekend.
District 15-5A
As usual, this district is a mess going into the final week. Six of the eight teams still have possibilities of making the playoffs.
Cy Creek and Cy Woods are in. Cy Ridge is in with a win. Cy Falls is in with a win and a Cy Springs loss. Cy Springs would be in with a win and a Langham Creek loss. There are also a couple of scenarios where Langham Creek gets in.
If Langham Creek, Cy Falls and Cy Springs all lose, they wind up in a three-way tie for fourth place. Those three teams are 1-1 vs the others, so a positive point differential would come into play and Langham would have the advantage.
If Cy Springs loses to Cy Creek, Cy Falls upsets Cy Woods and Langham beats Cy Ridge, then Falls, Ridge and Langham all wind up in a three-way tie for two spots. The third playoff spot would go to Cy Falls, who is 2-0 against Langham and Ridge. Langham would then get the fourth spot by virtue of their head-to-head win over Ridge.
Cy Springs and Cy Falls would appear to have the most difficult roads, each having to play—and defeat—the top two teams in the district, Cy Creek and Cy Woods. But stranger things have happened in the CFISD district in the past.
District 17-5A
Cinco Ranch, Katy and Katy Taylor have all clinched. Nick Georgandis of the Katy Times has broken down the fight for the fourth playoff spot nicely.
District 18-5A
Memorial, Stratford and Elsik are in. Taylor is in with a win over Elsik. Hastings is in with a win AND a Taylor loss. Even with a win, Strake doesn’t hold the tie-breaker in any scenario so they are out. The Alief schools would be the DI reps and the Spring Branch schools would be the DII reps.
District 19-5A
Atascocita and Eisenhower are in. Humble is in with a win and Kingwood is in with a win or losses by either Humble or Aldine. Aldine is in with a win coupled with a win by Humble and loss by Kingwood.
District 20-5A
Whew! An easy one…the four teams are set: Westside, Madison, Lamar and Chavez. Week 10 will help sort out the district positioning, but Westside and Lamar will be the D-I reps and Madison and Chavez will go D-II.
District 21-5A
This has turned out to be an interesting race, with Baytown Sterling being the only team eliminated from playoff contention.
West Brook and North Shore are in, and will play in Beaumont on Friday night for the district championship. Baytown Lee has also clinched a spot. But Channelview's upset of Port Arthur Memorial last Friday means that, if Channelview wins and Port Arthur Memorial loses this week, the Falcons make the unlikeliest of playoff appearances.
Conversely, Memorial needs a win OR a Channelview loss to Baytown Sterling to ensure their playoff berth.
District 22-5A
Pasadena Memorial, Pearland, Deer Park and La Porte will be the playoff reps from this district. Barring any kind of major upsets this weekend, Pearland will be the higher-seeded D-I team and Deer Park the other. Pasadena Memorial will be the higher-seeded D-II team.
District 23-5A
Hightower and Willowridge win their zones, so both will make the playoffs. The Hurricanes will go D-I while the Eagles head for a D-II matchup. Those two teams will face off on Friday for the district championship. Corey Roepken of the Fort Bend Sun lays out the remaining district contests for this week, and the accompanying playoff implications here.
District 24-5A
Joshua Buckley of the Galveston Daily News breaks down the implications of Week 10 in this district. To boil it down, Clear Springs and Brazoswood are both in; Galveston Ball, Dickinson and Clear Creek are all vying for the final two spots.
* * * * *
And in conclusion, how 'bout them Ags?
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