We're back with a more complete schedule before yet another hurricane takes on the United States. A mixture of openers, cross district showdowns, and big public school opponents dot the Week 2 landscape. As always, please contribute your own thoughts. Let me know where I may have strayed and if JP2 will end its 33 games losing streak this week.
This Week: (Last Week: 4-2)
Dallas Christian @ Houston Christian -- A surprise season opener for two teams that didn't play each other last year and a game that was supposed to be the second one. These two haven't met since a 2008 playoff game controlled by the Chargers. The Chargers look to pick up some speed heading into a district campaign that will include a tougher TCCH squad as well as the usual Tyler based suspects. The Mustangs return to play from a team that finished 5-4 a year ago and lost its final 3. Always difficult to make the cross region comparison especially when one is TAPPS and the other is SPC. The Charger defense held down most opponents a year ago allowing 20 in just 4 of 12 games. The Mustang defense allowed that many in all 4 losses and win over an ESD squad that DC held to just 7. What has a new year brought for these teams? Well with both teams at 0-0 it's hard to know. What type of team does each school have? Will it be the usual DC running game that pushes teams around or Houston Christian throwing it up and down the field? Chargers defense starts the season strong and DC wins 38-10.
Trinity Christian - Cedar Hill @ Grapevine Faith Christian -- Probably the big game of the week in Division II. The Tigers look to be an improved squad from a year ago and the Lions are the defending state champion. Trinity clearly handled an ESD squad 39-14, but 13 penalties would appear to be a hindrance to their chances if it repeats again. The Lions crushed Austin St. Michael's 45-3 and will be right in the middle of the big 3 battle in District 1. This also lets us look at the balance between Districts 1 and 2 to go along with next week's DC-FWC matchup. The Tigers allowed at least 21 points in every game last year and held ESD to 14, is that the beginning of a defensive turnaround. The Lions allowed 21 in only 2 of their regular season games a year ago. Look for the Faith defense to continue its hold and further establish itself as a title contender. Lions win 32-15.
Fort Worth All Saints @ Trinity Christian - Addison -- The Saints enter after notching a quality win over Prestonwood 61-50. The Trojans have been an odd team that has bounced between the greatest offense anyone has ever seen to being an also ran that stops less than a jugs machine on defense. Oddly, their best defensive game a year ago came against Concordia in the playoffs but their offense only backed it up with 14 points in a 1st round loss. All Saints move to TAPPS started well with their Prestonwood win and if the offense puts up 60 again it will be hard for TCA to keep up. The Trojans lost to Denison to open the season after defeating them a year ago. TCA will likely find its way to the usual 30 points or so, but unless the defense is much better than a year ago the Saints will be too much. All Saints wins 56-30.
Midland Christian @ Brock -- The Mustangs hit the road for their 1st of just 4 regular season road trips this year. A tough challenge awaits in an Eagles squad that went to the 4th round of the playoffs a year ago. Interestingly Brock was eliminated by a Wall squad that MCS beat earlier in the year. The Mustangs went down early before surging back but ultimately falling 57-41 a year ago in Midland. MCS defeated an Eastwood squad that it lost to last year but the points allowed continues to be a worry as it was a year ago. Good teams scored quite a few on the Mustang defense in non-district contests last year and led to starting 0-3 last year despite score 28 in all 3 games. MCS has often played it best late in the year when the chips are down and this year will probably be no different. I think Brock scores too many to overcome this week though. Eagles win 50-38.
White Oak @ T.K. Gorman -- Much like TCA when the Crusader defense gains some traction TKG becomes very hard to beat. The offense has scored bunches in the past few seasons, including 91 in a game last year and 68 in a 15 point playoff loss in 2015. The defense has surrendered plenty including 71 and 83 in those two games. The TKG defense finished the year allowing 56 and 64 in 2 of the last 3 to end last season. The Roughnecks beat TKG a year ago for these reasons. The Crusaders scored 38, but that was only good enough to lose by 11. Even last week TKG needed all of its 41 points to get a 41-35 win at home. Another home game bodes well for the Crusaders though. The Roughnecks won 10 games a year ago and should have enough offense to push past the Crusaders for a 2nd straight year, but definitely take the over (and seek help after betting totals on high school football). White Oak wins 42-37.
Canton @ Tyler Grace Community -- The Cougars point toward the big district opener with DC in Week 5. The Eagles will look to improve on a 1-point home win from last year. The Grace defense has not been the sieve that Gorman's has, but has betrayed it in some big games. Similarly, the defense has held teams down on nights the offense didn't produce. Getting both units on the same night has been a challenge in reaching the top of the division for the Cougars. The Eagles won 8 games a year ago before bowing out in round 1. If the Eagles score the 42 points they did a year ago they should win this game, but if they are closer to the meager 21 they scored last week in a loss to Brownsboro the Cougars should control this one with their offense. I'll take Grace at home 43-30.
Bellaire Episcopal @ Prestonwood Christian -- The Lions could never get the stop needed despite scoring 50 on offense and thus lost to All Saints to open the season. The Knights have been unable to turn dominant regular season squads into SPC titles in recent years, but they won't see All Saints in the title game this year. Week 1's best defender keeps us from knowing just how good the Knights might be this year, and I certainly don't envy the task of stopping the Lion offense any week. Though cleaning up from a hurricane and flood on top of it seems worse. Hopefully, the Knights get a bit of a return to normalcy on the field, but I think the road trip is too much to overcome. Lions win 49-35.
Quick Hits: (Last Week: 8-2)
Bishop Lynch over Irving
Frisco Legacy Christian over Plano John Paul II
FW Southwest Christian over Dallas Molina
Parish Episcopal over Episcopal School of Dallas
Moody over Waco Reicher
Shiner St. Paul over Bryan St. Joseph
Joshua over FW Nolan
FW Trinity Valley over FW Country Day
Celina over Liberty Christian
Austin Regents over Cypress Christian
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