Regional Playoff Picks 2018

One round closer to the finish line. Just 28 games left in 11-man for the year.
 
This Week: (Season: 72-19)

Dallas Christian vs. Fort Worth Christian @ Gopher-Warrior Bowl -- The Chargers and Cardinals are long time rivals dating back to before the creation of TAPPS. There have been a number of great battles through the years. FWC once led 20-0 before DC had an offensive snap before DC came back to win 28-20. The Cardinals bested the Chargers in the state title game 3 seasons ago in both schools most recent appearance in the final. The Chargers won last year's regional playoff game 45-35 in Burleson and the regular season meeting 19-14 (after leading 19-0). For this year's matchup, both teams may be lacking some key players from last year's shootout. The defense has led the way for Dallas Christian this season allowing more than 14 in just 2 of 11 games on their way to a 10-1 record. The Cardinals posted an 8-3 campaign including a loss at TK Gorman 54-42. In contrast the Chargers bested TKG 35-0 on a rainy night in Tyler. However, FWC dominated Frisco Legacy 41-13, while the Chargers struggled to get on track offensively in a 17-3 playoff win. The battle appears to be between the Cardinals offense and the Chargers defense. FWC has scored 38 or more in each game of its current five game win streak. In contrast, DC has scored 38+ just 3 times all year. The Cardinals playoff win over Brook Hill may provide the best example. FWC posted 56 while DC managed just 21 against the same squad. Brook Hill scored 50 at FWC but just 7 at DC. If the game gets in the 30s DC will have a very difficult time. Chargers win the slugfest, 26-21.

Grapevine Faith Christian vs. Trinity Christian - Cedar Hill @ Farrington Field -- The Lions looked to be the best challenger to the Tigers throne through 9 games. Then FWC bested them and the Lions needed a missed FG to squeak out a 2 point win against TK Gorman. Now its hard to see the Tigers as anything other than overwhelming favorites to repeat. TCCH was held under 44 points just 3 times this season, by DC, Melissa, and Bishop Lynch. The Faith defense is no pushover, but allowing 33 to TKG who managed just 6 combined against DC and TCCH is not an encouraging sign. The Lions best win was a neutral site win over Canadian, along with a stretch of 3 district wins over various Eagles by a combined margin of 162-10. Recapturing that offensive form will be needed to out gun the Tigers. There can certainly be playoff upsets in high school football, but I don't see it here. Tigers march continues, 48-20.

Houston Second Baptist vs. Houston Cypress Christian @ Delmar Stadium -- The Warriors are the other state champion in the Division II bracket and the only road team to spring an upset last week. The Eagles are the long time favorite in the Houston area in the TAPPS 2nd largest division. Second Baptist is also the last school south of the I-20 corridor to win the Division II (then 4A) state title way back in 1999, for perspective now closed Carrollton American Heritage won the 2A title that year. The Eagles have posted a 10-1 record on the season, losing only at Van Vleck (Leopards by the way) who is still in the UIL playoffs. The Warriors struggled some in the move up to Division II, but after getting blasted by Regents in Week 1 posted 8 wins including some tight battles, 4 point win at Hyde Park, 3 point win over Westbury, and a 4 point win at Victoria St. Joseph. When these two met in Week 9, the Eagles dominated in a 38-10 victory. That game was at Second Baptist and it always feels like beating the same team again can be a challenge. Cypress will be a force for Second Baptist to deal with in the years to come, but will not have enough this week. Second Baptist wins, 38-17.

San Antonio Holy Cross vs. Austin Regents @ Buda -- The battle of Knights reasserts itself for the 2nd time this season, marking the 3rd straight season Holy Cross and Regents will square off in both the regular season and the playoffs. Regents has won 6 in a row in this series, including a 34-7 win this year. You have to go back to 2014 to find a Holy Cross win. The Regents offense has really gotten loose on the Holy Cross Knights scoring 41, 34, and 32 in the last three meetings. The Regents Knights continue to be a hard out for anyone south of the I-20 corridor (and they were playing 6-man when Second Baptist won that 1999 title). Second Baptist is probably the best chance to break the Regents hold on the southern half of Division II, but Holy Cross will get past the Regents juggernaut at some point, but hasn't delivered on the promise that the Central Catholic win seemed to hold. Regents continues it march back to the title game, 30-12.

Fort Worth Nolan vs. Dallas Parish Episcopal @ Gopher-Warrior Bowl -- The Vikings have quietly amassed a 9-1 record and have to be considered a contender in the next tier of Division I. That top tier was probably just Prestonwood and Dunne, but Lynch forced their way in with their win over Prestonwood. The Panthers also have to be considered in that next group having beaten Lynch. In earlier results the Vikings ran over Liberty while the Panthers fell to the Warriors just 2 weeks ago. Nolan has not had the excitement statewide that many 9-1 teams would get, probably a product of not winning more than 5 games for the last 4 seasons. The blowout loss to Lynch was another blow to the Vikings ratings. The Dunne-Pius winner will not get a pushover either way, but I'll take the Panthers in a close one, 30-28.

Houston St. Pius X vs. Bishop Dunne @ Manor -- Probably the main event in the Division I bracket this week is the rematch of Panthers and Falcons. When these two last met, St. Pius took a 17-7 victory in Houston in front of a national audience. These two meet up in the playoffs for the 4th straight season, with the Panthers winning last year after the Falcons took the first two. The Falcons "Red Swarm" defense has been a top unit all season allowing no more than 19 in any game this season. The Dunne defense has done this against top competition, including Desoto, Prestonwood, and St. Pius. Now given that defense the record does include 3 losses. The offense has not always kept pace, getting past 23 on the scoreboard just 4 times in 11 games. The Panthers offense is the dominant unit, having been held under 40 just twice on the season. Somewhat curiously they won both of those games including the previously mentioned game against Dunne. St. Thomas and Prestonwood tripped up the Panthers this year with the former defeat bringing this matchup forward to the Regional round. If this game gets up in the 40s then Dunne will struggle to keep up, but St. Pius bested Dunne in a defensive slugfest last time out so I don't think it goes in reverse. Dunne gets enough points to get over the top this time. Falcons win 23-19.

Austin Texas School for the Deaf vs. League City Bay Area Christian @ Sealy -- Reaching into the smaller divisions, the Broncos enter this 2nd round contest with an 8 game winning streak after they lost their first 3. Bay Area positioned themselves as a Division III contender by squeaking out a 14-6 district opening win over The Woodlands Christian and then dominating the rest of the district slate winning each game by 27 or more. The Broncos posted a 48-7 thrashing of Schertz JPII to open the postseason. The Rangers 8 wins is already their most since 2007 and have responded with four big wins since falling to Boerne Geneva. The TSD offense has been a high powered unit posting 59, 59, and 62 in their last three including a 38 point victory over Northland in round 1. These two offenses should produce quite the shootout. Broncos sneak by 48-40.
 
Quick Hits: (Season: 94-27)

Dallas Bishop Lynch over Houston St. Thomas
Plano Prestonwood Christian over Argyle Liberty Christian
Willow Park Trinity Christian over Arlington Pantego Christian
Flower Mound Coram Deo Academy over Arlington Grace Preparatory Academy
Boerne Geneva over The Woodlands Christian
Fort Worth Lake Country Christian over Dallas Covenant
Dallas First Baptist Academy over Muenster Sacred Heart
Hallettsville Sacred Heart over Tomball Rosehill Christian School
Shiner St. Paul over Beaumont Legacy Christian