Week 7 Picks 2017

Just 2 weeks from realignment and all but the smallest Division I districts reach district play. The common opponents will start to pile up and we'll know more in a couple of weeks. Good luck and safe travels!

This Week: (Season: 28-14)

Carrollton Prince of Peace @ Dallas Christian -- The Chargers return to district play after being defeated soundly by All Saints. The TCCH domination of Tyler Grace takes a bit of shine off the district-opening win for DC. The DC vs. TCCH matchup waits until Week 11 so both teams will be looking to pile up wins and not need a win that night to secure a playoff spot. The Eagles were shutout last week against Brook Hill to start district play at 0-2. Prince of Peace had scored a big upset in that game a year ago. The DC defense has been able to control district opponents during the current district winning streak. In their last 14 district games, TCCH reached the highest score for any district opponent last year with 27. They lost the game by 35. It seems incredibly unlikely that the POP offense will be the team to put up bunches of points on the road at DC. There's always room for the unexpected, but I don't see it here. Chargers win 42-6.

Tyler T.K. Gorman @ Bullard Brook Hill -- The Crusaders see their first road game of the season in Week 7 after a 5-0 start. The Guard has had an up and down 2-2 start, but against opposition that is difficult to match-up to TKG's opposition. Its unclear to this point if Brook Hill will be a team fighting for 1st or fighting for 4th in district play. The 43 points allowed to Houston St. John's is probably most concerning for the Guard defense, but holding a 6-0 Mt. Vernon squad to just 21 suggests Brook Hill is far from playing with an empty deck. The Crusaders have been much better defensively than in recent seasons. Last year TKG allowed 213 points in their first 5 games. This year just 125 against the same 5 opponents. The usually strong Crusader offense is back though maybe not on 91 point form from a year ago. Gorman squeaks by a game Brook Hill squad, 42-30.

Tyler Grace Community @ Irving Cistercian -- The Cougars have to still be feeling the sting of the 60 spot put on them in a home district game and heading to a 1-5 start to the season. A somewhat lengthy trip (at least for us non-west Texas folk) awaits them to visit the Hawks. Cistercian has started 5-1 against mostly SPC opposition holding 4 of 6 opponents to under 20 points. The Cougars nearly took down a state-ranked Malakoff squad before falling behind DC and then being dominated by TCCH. The Hawks have wins against teams that are probably behind the likes of Malakoff but the size of defeat by TCCH leaves many questions about Grace and Cistercian seems a possibility to be able to capitalize on those deficiencies, particularly at home. I think the Cougars sneak this one out though. Just enough offense to win, 30-27.

Midland Christian @ Grapevine Faith Christian -- The Mustangs favored status was further cemented with last week's dominant victory for All Saints at DC. Earlier MCS took down a Brock squad that went on to beat both Faith and TCCH in consecutive weeks. The Mustang defense appears to be a tall order for the Lions to overcome. MCS held Brock to just 9 points and next week they put up 42 on the Lions. This one goes a long way to determining who is in the top 2 of District 1 and Faith gets both MCS and FWC at home. Faith has not appeared to be quite up to the standard of last year's state championship team. Mustangs overpower the Lions 42-20.

Frisco Legacy Christian @ Fort Worth Christian -- The Cardinals have dropped only the DC game entering district play. The Eagles have really struggled in the past 3 seasons after losing close games to seemingly the entirety of District 2 in 2014. A road game at FWC does not look like the ideal place to try to get on track. The Cardinals 4 wins have not come against the strongest of opposition it appears, but FWC will undoubtedly be in the mix come November. I just can not see where the struggling Legacy offense finds much of the end zone in this one. Cardinals run away 40-12.

Plano Prestonwood Christian @ Bishop Lynch -- The big game of the week in District 1. After the Friars pounded Bishop Dunne this was known to be the next big task for Lynch. The Friars have not lost since Week 10 last year to FW Nolan. The Lions have looked its usual dominant self on offense but perhaps hasn't shown the strongest defense, but also have only allowed 7 points in the last three games. So perhaps the Lions have turned a corner there. Lynch played a surprisingly low scoring game against TCA last week maybe indicating the first sign of weakness. The Friars would be in a prime position for the top playoff spot with wins over Dunne and Prestonwood in their pocket. If the Lions can score in the 40s I think they will upset the Friars. However, I think Lynch will hold them in check. Friars win 35-21.

Boerne Geneva @ San Antonio St. Gerard -- The Eagles at 4-1 enter off their loss to small school juggernaut Shiner St. Paul. Last year Geneva upset St. Paul on their way to a 9-1 regular season. The Royals finished 1-9 a year ago and have historically struggled to raise their game to match the quality opposition. Already 2 wins this season for St. Gerard and a much better showing defensively against Sacred Heart than in the past. The Eagles will still be too much for the Royals to overcome, but expect St. Gerard to hold them below last year's 47 point total. Geneva wins 35-8.

San Antonio Christian vs. San Antonio Holy Cross @ Harlandale Memorial Stadium -- With Regents off last week, Holy Cross positioned itself at 2-0 and a logical contender for 2nd in District 3. The Knights need this one to set up a battle with Regents next week for the driver's seat in the southern half of Division II. Regents appears to be the class of the district but the Lions have reached 2-0 as well. Neither the Lions nor their opponents have scored 30 yet this season and the Knights have done so only once. Expect the defenses to carry the day, and Holy Cross has allowed just 26 points in 6 games. Knights slide by in a trench battle, 17-6. 

Quick Hits: (Season: 44-16)

Bishop Dunne over Trinity Christian - Addison 
Argyle Liberty Christian over Parish Episcopal
Fort Worth Nolan over Plano John Paul II
Austin Regents over San Antonio Cornerstone
Houston Lutheran South over Sugar Land Fort Bend Christian
Fort Worth All Saints over Pearland Shadow Creek
Flower Mound Coram Deo over Arlington Grace Prep
Waco Reicher over Central Texas Christian
Shiner St. Paul over Schertz John Paul II
Tyler All Saints over Irving The Highlands