Regional Playoff Picks 2016

The picks move to this temporary home until the fine folks at LSCSN are able to rejoin us. Hopefully you all traveled the twisting internet road safely to this place.

Big playoff games dot the landscape. How does each team deal with the pressure and the moment and what surprise will await us? A pick from 11-man every playoff game for your enjoyment. Good luck and safe travels.

This Week:

Dallas Christian vs. Grapevine Faith @ Dallas’ Kincaide Stadium – The rubber meets the road in the northern half of the Division II bracket as the Chargers and Lions face off. The Chargers enter at 11-0 with plenty of history that doesn’t get them much in this matchup. Both teams defenses have put the stops on any team that wasn’t up to the task. The Lions holding 5 opponents to single figures, and the Chargers 6. Both teams crushed Southwest Christian by similar margins, 38 for Faith and 40 for DC. The outlier is the Lions thrashing of FWC in a road game. The offensive form that had 52 in the first half that night will be hard for any team to match. DC did beat that FWC team in September but it was a 4 point game at DC. The DC offense has not looked as sharp at times this season and had a bit of struggle getting going against Southwest. The DC defense allowed no points a week ago and we’ll need to be that good or better against the Lions. Should be a good one, but I think we all have some idea of how these picks go. Chargers win 38-33.

Midland Christian vs. Tyler Grace @ Graham – The Mustangs haven’t lost a Division II game in quite some time. Will this be the one? Its interesting looking at common opponents given you only have to go back 2 weeks. MCS found a 1 point loss at FWC 2 weeks ago, The Cougars found a 4 point win but had the game at home. The Mustangs were also down a QB in their defeat. Much like Faith 52 point half at FWC raised some eyebrows, MCS allowing 31 in a half to Brook Hill intrigues me. I think that was probably an aberration of a playoff moment for the Guard, but the Cougar offense outpaces the Guard. Other than the 2 years in Division I it seems teams are never quite ready to step up to the Mustangs level. I just can’t pick against that past this week. Mustangs win 40-25.

Fort Bend Christian vs. Austin Regents @ Giddings – The Knights charge in 11-0 and looking for that South spot in the final. Regents has dominated the schedule with only 2 close games agasint fellow quarterfinalists Holy Cross and Second Baptist. The Eagles are saddled with a rematch of 30 point defeat in Week 2, though have appeared to improve since that time. Only Second Baptist has been able to hold Regents under 30 and the Eagles relatively narrow win over Hyde Park does not lead to many reasons to like the Eagles this weekend. The Knights get a head start on the semifinals with the only Friday night game of the 4. Regents wins 38-10.

San Antonio Holy Cross vs. Houston Second Baptist @ Cuero – The Knights take on the Eagles (wait didn’t I already pick this game…). How will the Knights bounce back from a slog of a game with Lutheran South? A 10-1 season only blemished by Regents lacks the pizzazz of Regents or DC at 11-0 or even Faith’s 9-2 season. The Knights just haven’t had the blowout wins or dominating victories over other teams in the division that others have. Holy Cross has held its opponents to single digits in 5 games and will need to lean on that defense here. The Eagles dominated their opposition and enter with an identical blemish to Holy Cross. Second Baptist has scored 40 or more in its last 7 games and scored 70 on the Lutheran South team that Holy Cross could only manage 14 points against. The Eagles were the class of District 4 all year and don’t have an easy task against Holy Cross, but seem to be the better team here though 25 points allowed to SACS is concerning. Eagles win 42-20.

Brownsville St. Joseph vs. Bishop Lynch @ Harlandale – The Bloodhounds turned an early 3 TD deficit into a playoff win over Nolan and Bishop Lynch went to St. Thomas and controlled the 2^nd half in a road playoff game. That was the Friars team that many of us had pegged as a top 3 finisher early in the season. Lynch scored 40 in 5 of 6 wins and less than 40 in all 5 losses. How the Bloodhounds defense holds up to the District 1 opposition a 2^nd week in a row will decide this one. St. Joseph will need to score enough to outdo the Friar offense. I don’t see where those points come from, but I didn’t see where they’d come from against Nolan either. Friars hold them off 42-35.

Tomball Concordia @ Plano Prestonwood – The Lions controlled the toughest district around losing only to Bellaire Episcopal on a 9-1 campaign. How will the Crusaders respond to the road game? They produced the best outing anyone has had against TCA last week in an upset win. This upset would be much bigger, especially in a true road game. The Lions offense is just too much for Concordia here. Prestonwood wins 49-21.

Fort Worth Temple Christian vs. Fort Worth Lake Country Christian @ Fort Worth Christian – This one moves into the upper section because I like to complain about too many schools choosing Eagles. There are 8 teams left in the 11-man playoffs that are the Eagles, and this despite none in Division I. Temple enters off a bye thanks to their win over Grace Prep to close the season. Temple also grateful to not see Colleyville Covenant across the way in this one. They have responded nicely since that blowout defeat only dropping an OT game to Coram Deo. Lake Country struggled through some stretches before awakening on offense with consecutive 60 point outings, while no match for Lubbock Christian the Lake Country offense should do well here. I’m expecting a back and forth game and picking the Eagles…ok I’ll go with Temple 42-35.

Quick Hits:

Bishop Dunne over SA Central Catholic

Houston St. Pius X over Parish Episcopal

Colleyville Covenant over Lubbock Christian

Willow Park Trinity over McKinney Christian

Waco Reicher over Houston Cypress Christian

Houston Northland Christian over Boerne Geneva

Muenster Sacred Heart over Arlington Grace Prep

Bryan Brazos Christian over The Woodlands Legacy Prep
Shiner St. Paul over Beaumont Legacy