Plenty up for grabs this week with 2 games to play for almost everyone. Maybe not the most attractive group of matchups, but sometimes that's where to look for the upsets. Somehow the picks this week features two Eagles and three schools named Trinity. Lets try and work on our variety going forward.
This Week: (Season: 55-12)
McKinney Christian @ Dallas Christian -- The Chargers return to the home gridiron after taking their first loss. TCCH really put the screws to the DC offense and they rarely escaped the tight grip. When you put the game back together it wound up with the DC offense at 16, the TCCH offense at 21, but the TCCH defense had its own 16. The Chargers defense has been the better unit all year, but the offense will have to catch up when we get later in the month. Its been a tough season for the Mustangs in Division II at just 2-5 and also taking a 4 game losing streak. After allowing 54 to Tyler Grace in the district opener, holding Brook Hill to 39 last week was an improvement. TCCH blasted the Mustangs 49-0 and DC defeated Brook Hill 21-7. Its hard to see where the Mustangs score enough to keep themselves in this one. There are certainly no guarantees though. Chargers win big at home 42-9.
Bullard Brook Hill @ Tyler T.K. Gorman -- The Crusaders find the temselves in the basement of District 2 after 3 weeks. The opening pair against DC and TCCH was always going to be a challenge, but following that with a loss to Tyler Grace has made this a must win for the Crusaders. They aren't out of the race if they can win this week since Tyler Grace still has both DC and TCCH to play. The Guard can virtually lock up 3rd place with a win, having already beaten McKinney Christian and Tyler Grace. When the defense hasn't betrayed them the Guard have been a good team. Holding DC to 21, Albany to 14, and Tyler Grace to 28 are among the good outings. On the negative ledger, Plano JP2 scored 48 in a home defeat. If the Crusaders score 40 like that the Guard will be beaten. Rather the Crusaders can regain that form remains to be seen. I think they will at home with their backs to the wall. Crusaders win 35-27.
Tyler Grace Community @ Trinity Christian - Cedar Hill -- The Tigers defense squashed DC at every corner last week in securing their most important win of the season so far. The Tigers have been dominant in 6 of their 8 wins. The closest opponents have been Bishop Lynch and Melissa, and it is difficult to see the Cougars being on that level and stopping the quest for 14-0 and back-to-back titles. The Cougars did wonders for their playoff chances with a win over TKG last week that they definitely needed with DC and TCCH still to play. Slowing the Tigers offense will be a mountain to climb for Grace. The Cougars best defensive game was holding McKinney Christian to 18. Each of the 7 other opponents have scored at least 28. TCCH will probably score more than that. Tigers dominate at home 45-12.
Plano Prestonwood Christian @ Dallas Bishop Lynch -- The Lions have met every challenge as the defending state champion, putting up bundles of points in the last 4 weeks particularly. Perhaps Parish scoring 24 last week is sign of weakness, but more likely its just that they are one of the best opponents seen thus far and Prestonwood still held all the cards in the result. The Friars are probably a better squad than a 3-4 record would suggest, given the largest margin of defeat on the year is 8. The dominant win over Nolan on Oct. 5 suggests that the top 4 teams in District 2 might all win District 1. The Friars defense is probably the best the Lions have seen in a while, and maybe even the best of the season. A trip to Roffino Stadium makes this a little more difficult for the Lions, but I think they'll still get over the hump to 9-0. Another close loss for the Friars 35-21.
Argyle Liberty Christian @ Trinity Christian - Addison -- The Trojans actually had one of the better games played against Prestonwood this year, but its come undone in a bad way since, winning just once in eight tries. The Warriors are out at 4-4, but have won big district games the last two times out. A win here would assure Liberty of the 2nd slot in District 1 and they'll be heavily favored to achieve that. The usually strong Liberty defense has been showing weakness in recent weeks, allowing 34 and 36 in their last 2. The Warriors won both games though. In simpler terms, Liberty beat All Saints 49-36 while TCA lost 20-7. Warriors win on the road, 35-21.
Victoria St. Joseph @ Houston Westbury Christian -- The Flyers have enjoyed a resurgent campaign, winning five games for the first time since 2009. They've won only one district game though and need a win to move up the standings. The Wildcats were a playoff team a year ago, but have managed just one win this season. Westbury has lost three district games, by 6 in OT, by 3, and by 14. St. Joseph on the other hand has been blown out by Second Baptist and Lutheran South before besting Fort Bend Christian. On the road this looks to be an uphill climb for the Flyers, but that's weird to say when the opposition has just a single win. Westbury finally wins a close one, 30-26.
Lubbock Christian @ Willow Park Trinity Christian -- Eagles descend on Parker County for an early start in a key Division III contest. Both Trinity and LCS are 5-3 and the winner will move into 2nd place in District 1. Lubbock Christian already had their shot at Coram Deo, falling by a single point 35-34. Trinity will play Coram Deo next week and a win this week sets up a winner-take-all game for the district title. A road win for LCS would make things very interesting at the top and set up a possible 3-way tie. The West Texas slant in the LCS non-district slate makes comparing difficult. Both teams have dominated the lesser squads in district play. Lubbock Christian has scored 150 more points than Trinity this season while allowing just 1 point more. The LCS offense must be the difference if they are going to win on the road here. I don't think they'll have enough. Trinity wins 42-35.
Quick Hits: (Season: 67-22)
Fort Worth Christian over Carrollton Prince of Peace
Grapevine Faith Christian over Fort Worth Southwest Christian
Fort Worth Nolan over Fort Worth All Saints
Austin Brentwood Christian over Austin Hyde Park
Austin Regents over Austin St. Michael's
Houston Lutheran South over Houston Cypress Christian
Houston Second Baptist over Sugar Land Fort Bend Christian
Dallas Parish Episcopal over Plano John Paul II
San Antonio Central Catholic over Tomball Concordia Lutheran
Austin Texas School for the Deaf over Waco Reicher
Beaumont Kelly over Tyler All Saints
Tuesday, October 30, 2018
Tuesday, October 23, 2018
Week 9 Picks 2018
Just three weeks remain in the regular season. The weather has begun to turn, it might not rain this week, times are good in Texas. Good luck and safe travels.
This Week: (Season: 50-10)
Trinity Christian - Cedar Hill @ Dallas Christian -- The Division II favorite Tigers travel around 635 to Mesquite for the key district tilt in District 2. Both teams enter at 7-0 records with DC lacking the wow factor in their 7 wins. The Tigers have really nice looking wins over Bishop Lynch and Melissa in their first 4 games and some nice offensive outputs of 66, 52, and 49 in their last three outings. The Chargers in comparison posted only 35 in last week's Tyler monsoon and managed just 21 against Brook Hill. The weather is a wildcard this year as they scored 54 in good weather at Kemp. DC will have to score to get the upset of the defending state champions. Perhaps the road slows the Tigers but its going to be a big test for the Chargers. If you are a regular visitor to this space you know who is getting picked to win no matter the analysis. Chargers pull the upset 28-27.
Bullard Brook Hill @ McKinney Christian -- The Guard secured a big district win over Tyler Grace last week, leveling their district record at 1-1. The Mustangs appear to have an uphill climb to reach the postseason after starting 2-4 and 0-2 in district. Wins over Fort Worth Temple and Waco Reicher are not enough to inspire much hope in this one. Both squads have matched up with Tyler Grace early in the district slate with the Mustangs falling by 36 and the Guard winning by 3. The McKinney Christian defense will have to reach a new level to keep Brook Hill in range. Its a pretty long road trip for Brook Hill (insert West Texas laughter here), and Plano John Paul II did put up 48 on both teams. Brook Hill should have enough to notch this win though. Guard win 35-13.
Tyler T.K. Gorman @ Tyler Grace Community -- The Crusaders visit Clyde-Perkins Stadium for the 2nd straight week. This time they actually take on the host Cougars. TKG has dropped both games against district favorites DC and TCCH to open the district slate and scored just 6 points in the process. The Crusaders were off to a much better start than their cross-town rivals going 4-1 in the non-district with wins over quality opponents in Fort Worth Christian and Garrison. TKG also dominated Redwater by a 49-8 margin, the week after they had posted 54 against Tyler Grace. The Cougars did win that game, scoring 75 of their own. The Cougars put at least 42 on the scoreboard in 5 of their first 6 games, but dropped a key district game at Brook Hill last week. The road to the playoffs gets very murky for Grace if they can't get this one at home, since they finish with DC and TCCH for their final 2. The Grace defense must improve to best TKG, but perhaps the blueprint for slowing the Crusaders has been shown. I think the Crusaders score too many to be caught this week though. TKG wins 42-30.
Austin Brentwood Christian @ Austin Regents -- The Bears have been on an upstart campaign in District 3 charging to 7-0 and winning their district opener against St. Michael's. Brentwood though lacks the big win over opposition with the Regents pedigree, and so we enter with a bit of an unknown. There have been dominant wins including posting at least 40 in three of the last five weeks. The Knights will not go into the postseason with the weight of an undefeated record this year after falling to San Antonio Central, but have recorded three excellent defensive showings since that defeat, allowing just 32 points in three weeks after the Buttons scored 36. That defense should be enough to win at the clearing known at the Regents football field, but don't expect an easy out of the Bears. Knights win 30-12.
Midland Christian @ Fort Worth Nolan -- I thought we'd be looking at the likely district title game after the Mustangs would go to 8-0 by besting Liberty at home, but the Warriors shot down that idea. The Mustangs appear to be the toughest opposition left for the Vikings and the main thing standing in the way of earning the 1st round bye on offer to the District 1 champ. Nolan enters at 6-1 having only lost to Bishop Lynch in the non-district slate and having bested Liberty 49-21 in their district opener. The Mustangs fell at home to the same Liberty squad last week 41-34. In a game now dominated by offense, the Mustangs reached 7-0 without scoring 40 in any game. I wouldn't call their offense a struggle though, as they've posted at least 20 in every game. If the Mustangs can score they will be tough for Nolan to match. The road shouldn't phase the Permian Basin travelers, but I think the Vikings are just too much given the Liberty results and MCS close games with teams I think Nolan is better than. Vikings win 35-27.
Dallas Bishop Lynch @ Dallas Bishop Dunne -- The Catholic showdown visits Rugged Drive as the Friars search for their first district win this season. In some ways, all of this is a prelude to the real action given every team will be in the playoff bracket come November. After besting Nolan by 24, I was surprised to see Lynch fall to Parish last week and the Falcons' defense is not the unit you'd like to see after a disappointing loss. The Falcons have not had a bye week yet in matching Lynch's three loss total, recording close low-scoring defeats against Shreveport Byrd, Desoto, and Houston St. Pius. All 3 setback came on the road. The Falcons stay home for this test where they beat Parish Episcopal just 2 weeks ago. The most anyone has scored on Dunne is 19, so if the Falcons reach 20 they win this one. No easy task in this rivalry showdown though. Falcons get just enough and win 26-19.
Plano Prestonwood Christian @ Dallas Parish Episcopal -- The Lions have reached 7-0 and current favorite status by winning last year's state title and putting up at least 49 points in their last 4 games. Curiously TCA was the last to hold Prestonwood to just 30. The weather problems of this season make examining margins of victory a little problematic though. Keeping up with that potent offense will be the task for the Panthers. They do get the Lions on the blue turf this week but probably need to find an offensive form that they haven't showed in the last 3 weeks, averaging just 22 points per game in that short stretch. I can't see 22 being enough for either side to win this one. The Lions offense will score too many, but the Panthers should find the scoreboard some. Prestonwood eases away in the 2nd half, winning 49-22.
Quick Hits: (Season: 59-20)
Fort Worth Christian over Frisco Legacy Christian
Carrollton Prince of Peace over Fort Worth Southwest Christian
Austin Hyde Park over Austin St. Michael's
Argyle Liberty Christian over Fort Worth All Saints
Houston Lutheran South over Houston Westbury Christian
Victoria St. Joseph over Sugar Land Fort Bend Christian
Flower Mound Coram Deo over Lubbock Trinity Christian
Lubbock Christian over Fort Worth Temple Christian
Fort Worth Trinity Valley over Irving Cistercian
Katy St. John XXIII over Tyler All Saints
This Week: (Season: 50-10)
Trinity Christian - Cedar Hill @ Dallas Christian -- The Division II favorite Tigers travel around 635 to Mesquite for the key district tilt in District 2. Both teams enter at 7-0 records with DC lacking the wow factor in their 7 wins. The Tigers have really nice looking wins over Bishop Lynch and Melissa in their first 4 games and some nice offensive outputs of 66, 52, and 49 in their last three outings. The Chargers in comparison posted only 35 in last week's Tyler monsoon and managed just 21 against Brook Hill. The weather is a wildcard this year as they scored 54 in good weather at Kemp. DC will have to score to get the upset of the defending state champions. Perhaps the road slows the Tigers but its going to be a big test for the Chargers. If you are a regular visitor to this space you know who is getting picked to win no matter the analysis. Chargers pull the upset 28-27.
Bullard Brook Hill @ McKinney Christian -- The Guard secured a big district win over Tyler Grace last week, leveling their district record at 1-1. The Mustangs appear to have an uphill climb to reach the postseason after starting 2-4 and 0-2 in district. Wins over Fort Worth Temple and Waco Reicher are not enough to inspire much hope in this one. Both squads have matched up with Tyler Grace early in the district slate with the Mustangs falling by 36 and the Guard winning by 3. The McKinney Christian defense will have to reach a new level to keep Brook Hill in range. Its a pretty long road trip for Brook Hill (insert West Texas laughter here), and Plano John Paul II did put up 48 on both teams. Brook Hill should have enough to notch this win though. Guard win 35-13.
Tyler T.K. Gorman @ Tyler Grace Community -- The Crusaders visit Clyde-Perkins Stadium for the 2nd straight week. This time they actually take on the host Cougars. TKG has dropped both games against district favorites DC and TCCH to open the district slate and scored just 6 points in the process. The Crusaders were off to a much better start than their cross-town rivals going 4-1 in the non-district with wins over quality opponents in Fort Worth Christian and Garrison. TKG also dominated Redwater by a 49-8 margin, the week after they had posted 54 against Tyler Grace. The Cougars did win that game, scoring 75 of their own. The Cougars put at least 42 on the scoreboard in 5 of their first 6 games, but dropped a key district game at Brook Hill last week. The road to the playoffs gets very murky for Grace if they can't get this one at home, since they finish with DC and TCCH for their final 2. The Grace defense must improve to best TKG, but perhaps the blueprint for slowing the Crusaders has been shown. I think the Crusaders score too many to be caught this week though. TKG wins 42-30.
Austin Brentwood Christian @ Austin Regents -- The Bears have been on an upstart campaign in District 3 charging to 7-0 and winning their district opener against St. Michael's. Brentwood though lacks the big win over opposition with the Regents pedigree, and so we enter with a bit of an unknown. There have been dominant wins including posting at least 40 in three of the last five weeks. The Knights will not go into the postseason with the weight of an undefeated record this year after falling to San Antonio Central, but have recorded three excellent defensive showings since that defeat, allowing just 32 points in three weeks after the Buttons scored 36. That defense should be enough to win at the clearing known at the Regents football field, but don't expect an easy out of the Bears. Knights win 30-12.
Midland Christian @ Fort Worth Nolan -- I thought we'd be looking at the likely district title game after the Mustangs would go to 8-0 by besting Liberty at home, but the Warriors shot down that idea. The Mustangs appear to be the toughest opposition left for the Vikings and the main thing standing in the way of earning the 1st round bye on offer to the District 1 champ. Nolan enters at 6-1 having only lost to Bishop Lynch in the non-district slate and having bested Liberty 49-21 in their district opener. The Mustangs fell at home to the same Liberty squad last week 41-34. In a game now dominated by offense, the Mustangs reached 7-0 without scoring 40 in any game. I wouldn't call their offense a struggle though, as they've posted at least 20 in every game. If the Mustangs can score they will be tough for Nolan to match. The road shouldn't phase the Permian Basin travelers, but I think the Vikings are just too much given the Liberty results and MCS close games with teams I think Nolan is better than. Vikings win 35-27.
Dallas Bishop Lynch @ Dallas Bishop Dunne -- The Catholic showdown visits Rugged Drive as the Friars search for their first district win this season. In some ways, all of this is a prelude to the real action given every team will be in the playoff bracket come November. After besting Nolan by 24, I was surprised to see Lynch fall to Parish last week and the Falcons' defense is not the unit you'd like to see after a disappointing loss. The Falcons have not had a bye week yet in matching Lynch's three loss total, recording close low-scoring defeats against Shreveport Byrd, Desoto, and Houston St. Pius. All 3 setback came on the road. The Falcons stay home for this test where they beat Parish Episcopal just 2 weeks ago. The most anyone has scored on Dunne is 19, so if the Falcons reach 20 they win this one. No easy task in this rivalry showdown though. Falcons get just enough and win 26-19.
Plano Prestonwood Christian @ Dallas Parish Episcopal -- The Lions have reached 7-0 and current favorite status by winning last year's state title and putting up at least 49 points in their last 4 games. Curiously TCA was the last to hold Prestonwood to just 30. The weather problems of this season make examining margins of victory a little problematic though. Keeping up with that potent offense will be the task for the Panthers. They do get the Lions on the blue turf this week but probably need to find an offensive form that they haven't showed in the last 3 weeks, averaging just 22 points per game in that short stretch. I can't see 22 being enough for either side to win this one. The Lions offense will score too many, but the Panthers should find the scoreboard some. Prestonwood eases away in the 2nd half, winning 49-22.
Quick Hits: (Season: 59-20)
Fort Worth Christian over Frisco Legacy Christian
Carrollton Prince of Peace over Fort Worth Southwest Christian
Austin Hyde Park over Austin St. Michael's
Argyle Liberty Christian over Fort Worth All Saints
Houston Lutheran South over Houston Westbury Christian
Victoria St. Joseph over Sugar Land Fort Bend Christian
Flower Mound Coram Deo over Lubbock Trinity Christian
Lubbock Christian over Fort Worth Temple Christian
Fort Worth Trinity Valley over Irving Cistercian
Katy St. John XXIII over Tyler All Saints
Wednesday, October 17, 2018
Week 8 Picks 2018
Everyone board your boats as we travel to our games this week. District standings will start to sort themselves out very quickly. Its rare I move a game in DC's district to the Quick Hits section, but too many other good games (or at least good mascots) this week.
This Week: (Season: 45-8)
Dallas Christian vs. Tyler T.K. Gorman @ Tyler Grace -- The rain moves this one slightly around Loop 323 to Tyler Grace from the previously planned visit to McCallum Stadium. The Chargers toppled Brook Hill last week in a 21-7 slog. The weather this season has been plagued with makes every week that much trickier to analyze. DC has reached 6-0 and now has the two big games in back to back weeks. The Chargers must not look past the Crusaders and ahead to TCCH next week. The Chargers have allowed no more than 14 points in any game this season, but somewhat curiously have no shutouts through 6 games. The Crusaders fell to 4-2 after being pounded by TCCH last week. TKG has posted at least 42 points in each of their 4 wins while TCCH limited them to just 6 points last week. The Chargers and Crusaders have played many classic games, 7-0, overtime thrillers, 97 yard punts, just to name 3. The author is not totally unbiased, but the Chargers defense should win the day. DC wins 33-14.
Tyler Grace Community @ Bullard Brook Hill -- The Cougars travel across Smith County to Herrington Stadium to matchup with the Guard. The Guard secured 4 non-district wins before falling 21-7 at DC to open district play. The lack of common opponents makes this a hard to forecast. The Cougars have 4 nice wins of their own, but have been a bit porous defensively allowing numbers like 54, 40, and 34 in wins. The Guard may not be a juggernaut offense, but there is certainly some ability with outputs of 42, 42, and 50 among their winning efforts. The best I can point to is to expect a high scoring game. There is plenty at stake here with the winner having a leg up on the 4th playoff spot and a shot at the DC-TKG loser to shoot for 3rd. The Cougars won this one a year ago 63-13. The Guard should be closer than that, but the Cougars are still the pick. Grace wins 46-32.
Dallas Bishop Lynch @ Dallas Parish Episcopal -- The Friars recorded 3 consecutive wins before their bye and opening district play. The Panthers unbeaten season came to a end with a 16-7 loss to Bishop Dunne. The Parish offense posted outputs of 56 the first two weeks, but has taken a steady tumble falling first to 48 then 31 then the Dunne limited them to just 7. Bishop Lynch is probably not who you want to see when you are trying to get on track offensively based on track records. The Panthers offense may be the top unit we expected before last week, but with so few common data points its hard to compare. Look for a turnover or special teams play to swing things in a low scoring battle. Panthers win at home 20-17.
Grapevine Faith Christian @ Carrollton Prince of Peace -- The week's only battle of unbeaten private schools heads to Midway Road as the Lions visit the Eagles. The Lions may not have been the pick to be undefeated at this point, but after winning the state title in 2016 its not a shock. The Eagles are a more surprising addition to the undefeated ranks, but have been impressive on offense to reach 6-0. The opposition definitely ramps up here for the Eagles, but they do enter district play off a bye. Outputs in the 60s will certainly win you a lot of games, but its very much an open question if they can do it against the likes of Faith. The Lions blasted Frisco Legacy 56-0 to open the district slate last week and hopefully kept any "Beat the Eagles" signage to reuse this week. Faith's best result to this point is a neutral site win over Canadian and they going to be a force to be reckoned with in Division II this year. History suggests that the Lions will be too much for the Eagles, but I think the Prince of Peace style will keep it interesting for much of the 1st half. Lions run away with this one later on and win 45-18.
Argyle Liberty Christian @ Midland Christian -- The longtime rivals head to Awtry Field to renew this matchup. The two have actually played very few times on the MCS campus despite playing at seemingly every stadium in Denton and Midland Counties. The "game of inches" was played at what is not the UNT soccer field. "Showergate" was at Bronco Stadium in Denton. This is at least 3rd different field the Mustangs have hosted the Warriors at in Midland. The Mustangs are off to what I consider a surprising 7-0 start and can be one of the first in the state to reach 8-0. They will set themselves up to secure a district title if they can win the next t2o against Liberty and Nolan. The Warriors have notched just 2 wins in 6 outings, but besting Brock is one of the better wins in the division even if rain shortened. Nolan held the Liberty offense in check after the Warriors blasted Hyde Park with 51. If the Warriors can not get to 30 they will have a hard time with MCS who has posted close win after close win this season. Can't see the Warriors stealing this one in the Tall City. Mustangs win 33-24.
Austin Hyde Park @ Austin Regents -- The Knights have reached the last 2 state championship games, but suffered at setback against Central Catholic in Week 4. The Regents offense has posted over 40 in 3 wins this year with other victories over Holy Cross and FW All Saints. The All Saints win appeared to be a possible upset at the time, but things have played out differently for the Saints. The Panthers started with 3 nice looking wins over Holy Cross, Comfort, and Houston St. John's before hitting times with Rockdale and allowing 51 points at Argyle Liberty. This is the district opener for both teams with just 4 teams in District 3. The Regents offense should be too much at home, but the Panthers are never pushover. Knights win 35-21.
Houston Lutheran South @ Victoria St. Joseph -- The Pioneers take a long district road trip by their standards as they head toward the Coastal Bend. The Flyers have experienced a bit of resurgence this year starting 4-2. They were dominated by district favorites Second Baptist last week in the district opener. An offensive performance like the 59 they posted in the opener will be needed this week. LSA opened district play by blowing out Fort Bend Christian and the Pioneer offense has rolled up the points since a 16-15 opening win and a 33-31 loss in Week 2. The Flyers have definitely improved and should figure into the playoff spots in District 5, but I don't think they'll have enough this week. This battle of great mascots goes to the Pioneers 40-21.
Quick Hits: (Season: 49-19)
Trinity Christian - Cedar Hill over McKinney Christian
Fort Worth Southwest Christian over Frisco Legacy Christian
Dallas Bishop Dunne over Plano John Paul II
Fort Worth All Saints over Trinity Christian - Addison (Can't say I thought these two would have 2 wins between them in Week 8)
Flower Mound Coram Deo over Fort Worth Temple Christian
Colleyville Covenant Christian over Kennedale Fellowship Academy
Austin Brentwood Christian over Austin St. Michael's
San Antonio Holy Cross over San Antonio Christian
Houston Cypress Christian over Sugar Land Fort Bend Christian
Houston Second Baptist over Houston Westbury Christian
Houston St. Pius X over Tomball Concordia Lutheran
This Week: (Season: 45-8)
Dallas Christian vs. Tyler T.K. Gorman @ Tyler Grace -- The rain moves this one slightly around Loop 323 to Tyler Grace from the previously planned visit to McCallum Stadium. The Chargers toppled Brook Hill last week in a 21-7 slog. The weather this season has been plagued with makes every week that much trickier to analyze. DC has reached 6-0 and now has the two big games in back to back weeks. The Chargers must not look past the Crusaders and ahead to TCCH next week. The Chargers have allowed no more than 14 points in any game this season, but somewhat curiously have no shutouts through 6 games. The Crusaders fell to 4-2 after being pounded by TCCH last week. TKG has posted at least 42 points in each of their 4 wins while TCCH limited them to just 6 points last week. The Chargers and Crusaders have played many classic games, 7-0, overtime thrillers, 97 yard punts, just to name 3. The author is not totally unbiased, but the Chargers defense should win the day. DC wins 33-14.
Tyler Grace Community @ Bullard Brook Hill -- The Cougars travel across Smith County to Herrington Stadium to matchup with the Guard. The Guard secured 4 non-district wins before falling 21-7 at DC to open district play. The lack of common opponents makes this a hard to forecast. The Cougars have 4 nice wins of their own, but have been a bit porous defensively allowing numbers like 54, 40, and 34 in wins. The Guard may not be a juggernaut offense, but there is certainly some ability with outputs of 42, 42, and 50 among their winning efforts. The best I can point to is to expect a high scoring game. There is plenty at stake here with the winner having a leg up on the 4th playoff spot and a shot at the DC-TKG loser to shoot for 3rd. The Cougars won this one a year ago 63-13. The Guard should be closer than that, but the Cougars are still the pick. Grace wins 46-32.
Dallas Bishop Lynch @ Dallas Parish Episcopal -- The Friars recorded 3 consecutive wins before their bye and opening district play. The Panthers unbeaten season came to a end with a 16-7 loss to Bishop Dunne. The Parish offense posted outputs of 56 the first two weeks, but has taken a steady tumble falling first to 48 then 31 then the Dunne limited them to just 7. Bishop Lynch is probably not who you want to see when you are trying to get on track offensively based on track records. The Panthers offense may be the top unit we expected before last week, but with so few common data points its hard to compare. Look for a turnover or special teams play to swing things in a low scoring battle. Panthers win at home 20-17.
Grapevine Faith Christian @ Carrollton Prince of Peace -- The week's only battle of unbeaten private schools heads to Midway Road as the Lions visit the Eagles. The Lions may not have been the pick to be undefeated at this point, but after winning the state title in 2016 its not a shock. The Eagles are a more surprising addition to the undefeated ranks, but have been impressive on offense to reach 6-0. The opposition definitely ramps up here for the Eagles, but they do enter district play off a bye. Outputs in the 60s will certainly win you a lot of games, but its very much an open question if they can do it against the likes of Faith. The Lions blasted Frisco Legacy 56-0 to open the district slate last week and hopefully kept any "Beat the Eagles" signage to reuse this week. Faith's best result to this point is a neutral site win over Canadian and they going to be a force to be reckoned with in Division II this year. History suggests that the Lions will be too much for the Eagles, but I think the Prince of Peace style will keep it interesting for much of the 1st half. Lions run away with this one later on and win 45-18.
Argyle Liberty Christian @ Midland Christian -- The longtime rivals head to Awtry Field to renew this matchup. The two have actually played very few times on the MCS campus despite playing at seemingly every stadium in Denton and Midland Counties. The "game of inches" was played at what is not the UNT soccer field. "Showergate" was at Bronco Stadium in Denton. This is at least 3rd different field the Mustangs have hosted the Warriors at in Midland. The Mustangs are off to what I consider a surprising 7-0 start and can be one of the first in the state to reach 8-0. They will set themselves up to secure a district title if they can win the next t2o against Liberty and Nolan. The Warriors have notched just 2 wins in 6 outings, but besting Brock is one of the better wins in the division even if rain shortened. Nolan held the Liberty offense in check after the Warriors blasted Hyde Park with 51. If the Warriors can not get to 30 they will have a hard time with MCS who has posted close win after close win this season. Can't see the Warriors stealing this one in the Tall City. Mustangs win 33-24.
Austin Hyde Park @ Austin Regents -- The Knights have reached the last 2 state championship games, but suffered at setback against Central Catholic in Week 4. The Regents offense has posted over 40 in 3 wins this year with other victories over Holy Cross and FW All Saints. The All Saints win appeared to be a possible upset at the time, but things have played out differently for the Saints. The Panthers started with 3 nice looking wins over Holy Cross, Comfort, and Houston St. John's before hitting times with Rockdale and allowing 51 points at Argyle Liberty. This is the district opener for both teams with just 4 teams in District 3. The Regents offense should be too much at home, but the Panthers are never pushover. Knights win 35-21.
Houston Lutheran South @ Victoria St. Joseph -- The Pioneers take a long district road trip by their standards as they head toward the Coastal Bend. The Flyers have experienced a bit of resurgence this year starting 4-2. They were dominated by district favorites Second Baptist last week in the district opener. An offensive performance like the 59 they posted in the opener will be needed this week. LSA opened district play by blowing out Fort Bend Christian and the Pioneer offense has rolled up the points since a 16-15 opening win and a 33-31 loss in Week 2. The Flyers have definitely improved and should figure into the playoff spots in District 5, but I don't think they'll have enough this week. This battle of great mascots goes to the Pioneers 40-21.
Quick Hits: (Season: 49-19)
Trinity Christian - Cedar Hill over McKinney Christian
Fort Worth Southwest Christian over Frisco Legacy Christian
Dallas Bishop Dunne over Plano John Paul II
Fort Worth All Saints over Trinity Christian - Addison (Can't say I thought these two would have 2 wins between them in Week 8)
Flower Mound Coram Deo over Fort Worth Temple Christian
Colleyville Covenant Christian over Kennedale Fellowship Academy
Austin Brentwood Christian over Austin St. Michael's
San Antonio Holy Cross over San Antonio Christian
Houston Cypress Christian over Sugar Land Fort Bend Christian
Houston Second Baptist over Houston Westbury Christian
Houston St. Pius X over Tomball Concordia Lutheran
Tuesday, October 9, 2018
Week 7 Picks 2018
Many districts reach district play and the tensions ramp up. Who will announce themselves as a contender and who will slip?
This Week: (Season: 40-6)
Bullard Brook Hill @ Dallas Christian -- The Chargers enter the district slate with a 5-0 record and coming off a bye week. The Guard are the last team to come to Wheeler Field and leave with a district victory, besting the Chargers in 2014. The Guard have started 4-1 and also enter off a bye week into the district slate. Brook Hill has posted a plethora of points scoring 42, 42, and 50 in three of their wins. The Guard will need all of those points to succeed this week and score a big road upset. The Chargers have allowed no more than 14 in all five wins (though one was just a half). If the Guard can roll up 4 touchdowns, they'll have a great chance. In common opponents both teams played Plano JP2, with Brook Hill falling at home 48-29 and DC winning a road contest 37-7. If the Chargers do not get caught looking ahead to TKG next week they should run away with this one. Chargers win 38-13.
Trinity Christian - Cedar Hill @ Tyler T.K. Gorman -- The Tigers take the show to the Rose City having started 5-0. TCCH has picked right where they left off with the state championship last season and have only cemented their favorite status thus far. The Crusaders return home after winning blow out road games against Redwater and Reicher in their last two outings. A one point loss to Tenaha is the only blemish on either record entering district play. The Tigers offense overwhelmed Houston St. Thomas last time we saw them, posting 66 point before the bye week. The season opening win over Bishop Lynch still looks a great win, but blowing out All Saints seems very common this season. This looks to be TKG's best defense in several seasons, but last year's team looked that way too. When the Crusaders reached the tough district games, it fell apart. I think TKG should hold TCCH under last season's output of 75 when they met head-to-head, but the Tigers will be too much. TCCH wins 42-21.
Tyler Grace Community @ McKinney Christian -- The Cougars head to new district mate McKinney Christian at a 3-2 mark. The best defensive performance for Grace thus far is holding Wills Point to 34. Given those numbers its a testament to their offense that they've won more than they've lost. The Mustangs are off to a 2-2 start with just 1 home game thus far thanks to the weather. After a shutout win over Reicher showed some spark, being blown out by Plano JP2 does not bode well for the district slate. The Cougars offense has a stalwart unit, scoring 42+ in every game except for the trip to Parish Episcopal. The non-district slate has put DC, TKG, and of course TCCH as the top teams in the District 2. The winner here will have the first shots at ascending into that group, and Grace gets 2 of 3 at home if they can get past the Mustangs and Guard. I think the Grace offense will be too much for the Mustangs, but if they are not in usual 42 point form then the home team will be in it. Grace wins 48-28.
Trinity Christian - Addison @ Midland Christian -- Certainly no one had the Mustangs as a pushover in Division I this year, but I'm not sure many had them at 6-0 to start district play. MCS has not been dominant in any of their 6 wins, but they haven't played any pushovers either. Two wins over UIL 6A opposition and road wins at FWC and an always strong Monahans team. All Saints struggles probably has MCS pointing toward two big games with Liberty and Nolan and eyes on possibly a district title. The Trojans have long been the underdog that will beat you in the former District 1 of Division I and they appear to be that in this new District 1 too. They've only found the win column once in 6 outings and dropping last week's game to Plano JP2 has to be very concerning for the district slate ahead. TCA will not be a walkover, but this looks to be a tall task for the Trojans. The long trip and the staunch Mustang defense appear to be too much to overcome. Mustangs win 35-19.
Fort Worth Nolan @ Argyle Liberty Christian -- The Warriors and Vikings are both in position to benefit from All Saints struggles in the non-district and this district opener has large implications toward the district title given its 25% of these teams district records. The Vikings dropped their first game of the season last week to Bishop Lynch, but posted nice wins over Kinkaid and Celina earlier on. The Warriors did not get their chance at Celina due to the weather, but scored a quality rain-shortened shutout win over Brock before blowing out Hyde Park last week to complete a 2-3 non-district slate. The Warriors allowed at least 37 in each of 3 losses and just 10 points combined in their 2 wins. If the Vikings can put the ball in the endzone I can't see Liberty keeping pace. With early district favorite status on the line, I think Nolan scores an early road win. Vikings win 38-20.
Dallas Parish Episcopal @ Dallas Bishop Dunne -- The Panthers had a down campaign last year, finishing just 5-7. They've returned with a vengeance this year, starting 5-0 and averaging over 48 points per game offensively and allowing just over 7. The Falcons took a tough road loss to Houston St. Pius X before a national audience, but only by 17-7. The teams were a bit offensively challenged, but plenty can be credited to both defenses. In their 3 losses the Falcons have struggled offensively and will have to be better to best the Panthers. If Dunne can get to 30 they should have a chance, as that will keep the Parish offense off the field. I think the Panthers are too good on this day. Parish wins 40-22.
Flower Mound Coram Deo @ Lubbock Christian -- The Lions have started 5-0 allowing just 12 points in the last 4 weeks. The Eagles are off to a 3-2 start but comparing their non-district results is always tough given the geography. Losses to Sundown and Tulia space between three wins where the Eagles scored 51, 52, and 56. The Eagles certainly have the historical success edge, but winning last year really doesn't get you any wins this year. The Lions have to hold the Eagles under 30 to win I think, especially considering the bus ride to Lubbock. I can't see enough stops to pull this one off though. Eagles win 38-25.
Quick Hits: (Season: 38-19)
Grapevine Faith Christian over Frisco Legacy Christian
Fort Worth Christian over Fort Worth Southwest Christian
Plano Prestonwood Christian over Plano John Paul II
Houston St. Pius X over San Antonio Central Catholic
San Antonio Holy Cross over Corpus Christi John Paul II
Willow Park Trinity Christian over Fort Worth Temple Christian
Austin Hyde Park over San Antonio Christian
Houston Lutheran South over Sugar Land Fort Bend Christian
The Woodlands Christian over Houston Lutheran North
Lubbock Trinity Christian over Midland Trinity Christian
Austin Brentwood Christian over Shiner St. Paul
This Week: (Season: 40-6)
Bullard Brook Hill @ Dallas Christian -- The Chargers enter the district slate with a 5-0 record and coming off a bye week. The Guard are the last team to come to Wheeler Field and leave with a district victory, besting the Chargers in 2014. The Guard have started 4-1 and also enter off a bye week into the district slate. Brook Hill has posted a plethora of points scoring 42, 42, and 50 in three of their wins. The Guard will need all of those points to succeed this week and score a big road upset. The Chargers have allowed no more than 14 in all five wins (though one was just a half). If the Guard can roll up 4 touchdowns, they'll have a great chance. In common opponents both teams played Plano JP2, with Brook Hill falling at home 48-29 and DC winning a road contest 37-7. If the Chargers do not get caught looking ahead to TKG next week they should run away with this one. Chargers win 38-13.
Trinity Christian - Cedar Hill @ Tyler T.K. Gorman -- The Tigers take the show to the Rose City having started 5-0. TCCH has picked right where they left off with the state championship last season and have only cemented their favorite status thus far. The Crusaders return home after winning blow out road games against Redwater and Reicher in their last two outings. A one point loss to Tenaha is the only blemish on either record entering district play. The Tigers offense overwhelmed Houston St. Thomas last time we saw them, posting 66 point before the bye week. The season opening win over Bishop Lynch still looks a great win, but blowing out All Saints seems very common this season. This looks to be TKG's best defense in several seasons, but last year's team looked that way too. When the Crusaders reached the tough district games, it fell apart. I think TKG should hold TCCH under last season's output of 75 when they met head-to-head, but the Tigers will be too much. TCCH wins 42-21.
Tyler Grace Community @ McKinney Christian -- The Cougars head to new district mate McKinney Christian at a 3-2 mark. The best defensive performance for Grace thus far is holding Wills Point to 34. Given those numbers its a testament to their offense that they've won more than they've lost. The Mustangs are off to a 2-2 start with just 1 home game thus far thanks to the weather. After a shutout win over Reicher showed some spark, being blown out by Plano JP2 does not bode well for the district slate. The Cougars offense has a stalwart unit, scoring 42+ in every game except for the trip to Parish Episcopal. The non-district slate has put DC, TKG, and of course TCCH as the top teams in the District 2. The winner here will have the first shots at ascending into that group, and Grace gets 2 of 3 at home if they can get past the Mustangs and Guard. I think the Grace offense will be too much for the Mustangs, but if they are not in usual 42 point form then the home team will be in it. Grace wins 48-28.
Trinity Christian - Addison @ Midland Christian -- Certainly no one had the Mustangs as a pushover in Division I this year, but I'm not sure many had them at 6-0 to start district play. MCS has not been dominant in any of their 6 wins, but they haven't played any pushovers either. Two wins over UIL 6A opposition and road wins at FWC and an always strong Monahans team. All Saints struggles probably has MCS pointing toward two big games with Liberty and Nolan and eyes on possibly a district title. The Trojans have long been the underdog that will beat you in the former District 1 of Division I and they appear to be that in this new District 1 too. They've only found the win column once in 6 outings and dropping last week's game to Plano JP2 has to be very concerning for the district slate ahead. TCA will not be a walkover, but this looks to be a tall task for the Trojans. The long trip and the staunch Mustang defense appear to be too much to overcome. Mustangs win 35-19.
Fort Worth Nolan @ Argyle Liberty Christian -- The Warriors and Vikings are both in position to benefit from All Saints struggles in the non-district and this district opener has large implications toward the district title given its 25% of these teams district records. The Vikings dropped their first game of the season last week to Bishop Lynch, but posted nice wins over Kinkaid and Celina earlier on. The Warriors did not get their chance at Celina due to the weather, but scored a quality rain-shortened shutout win over Brock before blowing out Hyde Park last week to complete a 2-3 non-district slate. The Warriors allowed at least 37 in each of 3 losses and just 10 points combined in their 2 wins. If the Vikings can put the ball in the endzone I can't see Liberty keeping pace. With early district favorite status on the line, I think Nolan scores an early road win. Vikings win 38-20.
Dallas Parish Episcopal @ Dallas Bishop Dunne -- The Panthers had a down campaign last year, finishing just 5-7. They've returned with a vengeance this year, starting 5-0 and averaging over 48 points per game offensively and allowing just over 7. The Falcons took a tough road loss to Houston St. Pius X before a national audience, but only by 17-7. The teams were a bit offensively challenged, but plenty can be credited to both defenses. In their 3 losses the Falcons have struggled offensively and will have to be better to best the Panthers. If Dunne can get to 30 they should have a chance, as that will keep the Parish offense off the field. I think the Panthers are too good on this day. Parish wins 40-22.
Flower Mound Coram Deo @ Lubbock Christian -- The Lions have started 5-0 allowing just 12 points in the last 4 weeks. The Eagles are off to a 3-2 start but comparing their non-district results is always tough given the geography. Losses to Sundown and Tulia space between three wins where the Eagles scored 51, 52, and 56. The Eagles certainly have the historical success edge, but winning last year really doesn't get you any wins this year. The Lions have to hold the Eagles under 30 to win I think, especially considering the bus ride to Lubbock. I can't see enough stops to pull this one off though. Eagles win 38-25.
Quick Hits: (Season: 38-19)
Grapevine Faith Christian over Frisco Legacy Christian
Fort Worth Christian over Fort Worth Southwest Christian
Plano Prestonwood Christian over Plano John Paul II
Houston St. Pius X over San Antonio Central Catholic
San Antonio Holy Cross over Corpus Christi John Paul II
Willow Park Trinity Christian over Fort Worth Temple Christian
Austin Hyde Park over San Antonio Christian
Houston Lutheran South over Sugar Land Fort Bend Christian
The Woodlands Christian over Houston Lutheran North
Lubbock Trinity Christian over Midland Trinity Christian
Austin Brentwood Christian over Shiner St. Paul
Wednesday, October 3, 2018
Week 6 Picks 2018
Maybe a little lighter schedule this week, but still plenty of games to take note of. No Eagles making the top section this week, but somehow three different Panthers.
This Week: (Season: 34-5)
Austin Regents @ San Antonio Holy Cross -- The Knights returned to the win column by dominating Wimberly last week. Regents has been a force in Division II for multiple seasons now and this one will tell us plenty about what this season holds. The Holy Cross Knights (I guess I need to specify) scored a big rivalry win over Central Catholic but dropped games to Hyde Park and Boerne on either side of it. They've gone on to best Antonian and St. Michael's in back-to-back weeks. Central Catholic then beat Regents. So on common opponents you would have to take Holy Cross. Regents has taken five in a row from Holy Cross in the last three seasons, including two playoff wins. There is much to like in both squads to this point, and despite their inconsistency I think I have to go with the home team. Holy Cross wins 35-28.
Austin Hyde Park @ Argyle Liberty Christian -- Division II Hyde Park visits Argyle in a Thursday night tilt. The Division I Warriors scored a big win in dominating Brock in a rain shortened game, but then followed it with a blasting at the hands of Prestonwood and then a handy China Spring win to push Liberty to 1-3. The Panthers have been a perennial playoff program in recent years, but have appeared to be a step behind the main South contenders in Regents and Holy Cross. This season though the Panthers defeated Holy Cross in the opener and have parlayed that to a 3-1 start. The lone loss came to a good Rockdale team in which Hyde Park still scored 36. This is a tricky one to call. The best Warriors defense, as featured against Brock, would likely win this one. The unit that saw 86 points against the last two weeks would seem to have a tough time getting past the Panthers. I'll take the Warriors at home, but no easy win here for sure. Liberty wins 30-26.
Fort Worth Nolan @ Dallas Bishop Lynch -- The Vikings were less talked about as a state title contender entering the year. Lynch, Dunne, All Saints, St. Pius and maybe even Midland Christian would have been predicted as ahead of Nolan on paper this season. The I-30 Catholic title game though finds Nolan as the undefeated team at 5-0 entering the game. The Friars have started just 2-2 with a season opening loss to Division II champion TCCH, and loss in Shreveport to a Louisiana school. Lynch has followed with 2 wins though to even their record and scored 98 points between the two games. Contrast this with the 37 combined in the two losses. The Vikings have scored a couple of less impressive victories over FW Eastern Hills and Dallas Lincoln, but did take care of business in dominating fashion. Wins over Houston Kinkaid and Celina showcase plenty to think Nolan is a contender in Division I, particularly with All Saints struggles to start the year. In the Twitter picks I went against the rest by taking Lynch, and so I must consolidate that pick here. This should be close, but at Roffino Stadium I think the Lynch defense does enough. Friars win 28-22.
Dallas Bishop Dunne @ Houston St. Pius X -- The Panthers dropped another close one to Prestonwood last week after a one point loss in the state final last year. The offense put up by St. Pius this season is plenty to make them a contender. The Panthers low output of the season is 42, and based on the score I bet they could have scored more. Scoring 48 at Prestonwood means Dunne will have their hands full on defense. The Falcons dropped a 7 point decision in the semifinals against St. Pius last year, but won a 3 point decision in 2016. A 3-2 start this season leaves some questions for Dunne, but with losses to only Desoto and an out of state opponent it doesn't leave too many questions. Several were answered with last weeks destruction of All Saints, 52-7. The Panthers will need to be great on offense to beat the Panthers on the road. I can't see Dunne having quite enough to get this away win. St. Pius wins 49-38.
Fort Worth Christian @ Dallas Parish Episcopal -- The homestanding Panthers dominated Division II Tyler Grace last month and this will give the Cardinals a nice measuring stick heading to district play. Parish's 4-0 start has seen at least 48 points on the board in each game. Only the weather has slowed the Panther offense. The Cardinals have started 3-2, and lost a tight one to Midland Christian last week. A road loss to TKG suggests FWC may have a tall test with the Panther offense. History and recent results would suggest that allowing 54 points to TKG will lead to at least that many for Parish. I think the Cardinals offer more resistance that Tyler Grace did, but not enough to get over the hump. Panthers win 48-24.
Tyler T.K. Gorman @ Waco Reicher -- Its been a notable 3-1 start for the Crusaders, who travel to Waco after taking their bye week. Perhaps the defense may finally be on par with the offense as TKG held Redwater to just 8 after the same group scored 54 at Tyler Grace. Besting FWC certainly positions the Crusaders as one of the teams in the tier chasing Division II champion TCCH. The Cougars managed to lose twice in two days to Bosqueville based on MaxPreps, but it seems pretty likely their start is really just 2-3 and not 2-4. The Cougars two wins have come by just 3 points combined and Grace Prep scoring 35 last week does not bode well for slowing the Crusaders. Its been a struggle for Reicher so far on defense with the opposition scoring at least 33 every week. TKG should be too much on offense even on the road. Crusaders win 44-19.
Plano Prestonwood Christian @ Fort Worth All Saints -- This game looked to be a huge indicator of things to come when the season started. Two contenders, if not favorites, in Districts 1 and 2 matching up right before district play. However, the season hasn't played out that way. The Lions are all of the contender they've been, and appear to have a stronger defensive unit this year to go with the always potent offense. Even allowing 48 points to St. Pius doesn't take the shine of a strong squad. The Saints have struggled out of the gates to just a 1-3 start. Falling to each of Regents, TCCH, and Dunne. They'll be excited to be back home after two road games (both on grass interestingly). The Lions though appear to be too much. Prestonwood wins 48-23.
Quick Hits: (Season: 31-16)
Carrollton Prince of Peace over Beaumont Legacy Christian
Trinity Christian - Addison over Plano John Paul II
Midland Christian over San Antonio Cornerstone
Houston Kinkaid over Tomball Concordia Lutheran
Houston St. Thomas over China Spring
Cameron Yoe over Katy St. John XXIII
Austin Brentwood Christian over Austin St. Dominic Savio
Fort Worth Lake Country Christian over Arlington Pantego Christian
Yorktown over Victoria St. Joseph
Boerne Geneva over Shiner St. Paul
This Week: (Season: 34-5)
Austin Regents @ San Antonio Holy Cross -- The Knights returned to the win column by dominating Wimberly last week. Regents has been a force in Division II for multiple seasons now and this one will tell us plenty about what this season holds. The Holy Cross Knights (I guess I need to specify) scored a big rivalry win over Central Catholic but dropped games to Hyde Park and Boerne on either side of it. They've gone on to best Antonian and St. Michael's in back-to-back weeks. Central Catholic then beat Regents. So on common opponents you would have to take Holy Cross. Regents has taken five in a row from Holy Cross in the last three seasons, including two playoff wins. There is much to like in both squads to this point, and despite their inconsistency I think I have to go with the home team. Holy Cross wins 35-28.
Austin Hyde Park @ Argyle Liberty Christian -- Division II Hyde Park visits Argyle in a Thursday night tilt. The Division I Warriors scored a big win in dominating Brock in a rain shortened game, but then followed it with a blasting at the hands of Prestonwood and then a handy China Spring win to push Liberty to 1-3. The Panthers have been a perennial playoff program in recent years, but have appeared to be a step behind the main South contenders in Regents and Holy Cross. This season though the Panthers defeated Holy Cross in the opener and have parlayed that to a 3-1 start. The lone loss came to a good Rockdale team in which Hyde Park still scored 36. This is a tricky one to call. The best Warriors defense, as featured against Brock, would likely win this one. The unit that saw 86 points against the last two weeks would seem to have a tough time getting past the Panthers. I'll take the Warriors at home, but no easy win here for sure. Liberty wins 30-26.
Fort Worth Nolan @ Dallas Bishop Lynch -- The Vikings were less talked about as a state title contender entering the year. Lynch, Dunne, All Saints, St. Pius and maybe even Midland Christian would have been predicted as ahead of Nolan on paper this season. The I-30 Catholic title game though finds Nolan as the undefeated team at 5-0 entering the game. The Friars have started just 2-2 with a season opening loss to Division II champion TCCH, and loss in Shreveport to a Louisiana school. Lynch has followed with 2 wins though to even their record and scored 98 points between the two games. Contrast this with the 37 combined in the two losses. The Vikings have scored a couple of less impressive victories over FW Eastern Hills and Dallas Lincoln, but did take care of business in dominating fashion. Wins over Houston Kinkaid and Celina showcase plenty to think Nolan is a contender in Division I, particularly with All Saints struggles to start the year. In the Twitter picks I went against the rest by taking Lynch, and so I must consolidate that pick here. This should be close, but at Roffino Stadium I think the Lynch defense does enough. Friars win 28-22.
Dallas Bishop Dunne @ Houston St. Pius X -- The Panthers dropped another close one to Prestonwood last week after a one point loss in the state final last year. The offense put up by St. Pius this season is plenty to make them a contender. The Panthers low output of the season is 42, and based on the score I bet they could have scored more. Scoring 48 at Prestonwood means Dunne will have their hands full on defense. The Falcons dropped a 7 point decision in the semifinals against St. Pius last year, but won a 3 point decision in 2016. A 3-2 start this season leaves some questions for Dunne, but with losses to only Desoto and an out of state opponent it doesn't leave too many questions. Several were answered with last weeks destruction of All Saints, 52-7. The Panthers will need to be great on offense to beat the Panthers on the road. I can't see Dunne having quite enough to get this away win. St. Pius wins 49-38.
Fort Worth Christian @ Dallas Parish Episcopal -- The homestanding Panthers dominated Division II Tyler Grace last month and this will give the Cardinals a nice measuring stick heading to district play. Parish's 4-0 start has seen at least 48 points on the board in each game. Only the weather has slowed the Panther offense. The Cardinals have started 3-2, and lost a tight one to Midland Christian last week. A road loss to TKG suggests FWC may have a tall test with the Panther offense. History and recent results would suggest that allowing 54 points to TKG will lead to at least that many for Parish. I think the Cardinals offer more resistance that Tyler Grace did, but not enough to get over the hump. Panthers win 48-24.
Tyler T.K. Gorman @ Waco Reicher -- Its been a notable 3-1 start for the Crusaders, who travel to Waco after taking their bye week. Perhaps the defense may finally be on par with the offense as TKG held Redwater to just 8 after the same group scored 54 at Tyler Grace. Besting FWC certainly positions the Crusaders as one of the teams in the tier chasing Division II champion TCCH. The Cougars managed to lose twice in two days to Bosqueville based on MaxPreps, but it seems pretty likely their start is really just 2-3 and not 2-4. The Cougars two wins have come by just 3 points combined and Grace Prep scoring 35 last week does not bode well for slowing the Crusaders. Its been a struggle for Reicher so far on defense with the opposition scoring at least 33 every week. TKG should be too much on offense even on the road. Crusaders win 44-19.
Plano Prestonwood Christian @ Fort Worth All Saints -- This game looked to be a huge indicator of things to come when the season started. Two contenders, if not favorites, in Districts 1 and 2 matching up right before district play. However, the season hasn't played out that way. The Lions are all of the contender they've been, and appear to have a stronger defensive unit this year to go with the always potent offense. Even allowing 48 points to St. Pius doesn't take the shine of a strong squad. The Saints have struggled out of the gates to just a 1-3 start. Falling to each of Regents, TCCH, and Dunne. They'll be excited to be back home after two road games (both on grass interestingly). The Lions though appear to be too much. Prestonwood wins 48-23.
Quick Hits: (Season: 31-16)
Carrollton Prince of Peace over Beaumont Legacy Christian
Trinity Christian - Addison over Plano John Paul II
Midland Christian over San Antonio Cornerstone
Houston Kinkaid over Tomball Concordia Lutheran
Houston St. Thomas over China Spring
Cameron Yoe over Katy St. John XXIII
Austin Brentwood Christian over Austin St. Dominic Savio
Fort Worth Lake Country Christian over Arlington Pantego Christian
Yorktown over Victoria St. Joseph
Boerne Geneva over Shiner St. Paul
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