The semis are here. Who will finish their journey to state? We start the week with a chance for 4 of 8 finalists to be the Eagles. Hopefully we avoid that. Can anyone surprise us more than Liberty's upset of Prestonwood? Good luck and safe travels.
Division I
Dallas Parish Episcopal School vs. Dallas Bishop Dunne High School @ SMU -- When we haven't been pushing Prestonwood as the favorite in the top division we've had the Falcons as the favorite in Division I. Of course Bishop Lynch slid in and grabbed a state title one year when we were hyping Dunne and Prestonwood. The Falcons have won 6 in a row since losing a national TV game at St. Pius. Dunne avenged that loss last week with a 35-0 1st quarter to pace to a regional win. The "Red Swarm" defense has lived up to billing never allowing 20 points in any game this season, including holding these Panthers to 7 in their meeting on Oct. 12. The Parish offense will have to find a way around this dominant unit to reach the final. The Panthers have had an up and down season at times, dominating the likes of Fort Worth Christian and notching a win over Bishop Lynch, but then also dropping games to Liberty when the Warriors were not going well. The Panthers shouldn't get blown out by any means as they held the Falcons to 16 in their first meeting. However, I thought that about St. Pius X last week. If Parish can find a way to score in the high 20s the Falcons offense should have trouble matching that. I just don't see the Dunne defense getting picked apart in game 13 after their dominant season. Dunne wins a trench battle, 22-8.
Dallas Bishop Lynch High School vs. Argyle Liberty Christian School @ Irving -- The Warriors stunned us all by sending Prestonwood home in round 2. The Liberty defense posted an amazing season last year that led us to think they could be a surprise team in the playoffs. It turns out we were a year early. The Warriors started just 1-3 with the win being a rain shortened shutout, but over a notable opponent in Brock. Included in those 3 losses was a 49-20 drubbing at the hands of Prestonwood. The Warriors would reach 2-4 after Nolan put up another 49 on Warriors defense in the district opener. It just didn't seem to be Liberty's year. They've won 6 in a row since including last weeks revenge win over Prestonwood. The Friars figured to be a contender in Division I, but maybe in the 2nd group behind the trio of Dunne, Prestonwood, and St. Pius. Well, only Dunne remains of that group and the Friars are still standing. The Friars chances appeared to take a substantial hit when they lost the district opener to Parish and Dunne forced them to 0-2 in the district slate. Then despite digging an early hole Lynch responded with a 50-40 shocker of undefeated Prestonwood. On tiebreakers though the Friars still finished 4th, but the Friars won their most recent state title from a 5th place finish. If the Friars can score like they have in their big wins (Prestonwood, Nolan, MCS, St. Thomas) then they will be a tough out for the Warriors. If the Liberty defense can produce an outing like last week, they will be a similar mountain for the Friars. I think Lynch is the better team, but they've struggled in close games this year. Friars squeak past the Warriors 30-27.
Division II
Fort Worth Christian School vs. Cedar Hill Trinity Christian School @ Grand Prairie -- The Cardinals dominated Dallas Christian defensively last week, scoring first and never relinquishing that lead. DC managed just a 1st half field goal and a trick play touchdown in the 2nd half. While the Cardinals offense hasn't been a highlight unit all season, they feature one of the Division's best playmakers at QB. They've also run off 6 in a row since falling to Parish Episcopal in the non-district. While the defense has led them to key victories over Faith and DC. It almost got them in trouble seeing Brook Hill score 50 in the playoff opener. The Tigers have been the favorites for this year's title since probably Week 10 of last season and nothing in the current 12-0 campaign has changed that. A season opening win over DI semifinalist Bishop Lynch continues to look better each week. A blowout of St. Thomas looks more impressive after St. Thomas took their district title over St. Pius. The Brook Hill team that scored 50 at FWC, scored just 12 against TCCH. While FWC features one of the top playmakers, the Tigers feature 4 or 5 of the best playmakers in Division II. Could there be an upset? The Cardinals defense will have to lead the way and keep the Tigers out of the endzone. Maybe a short field or two could stem the tide. The Tigers are just too much on paper though. TCCH goes back to the final, 40-21.
Houston Second Baptist School vs. Regents School of Austin @ Brenham -- Regents and Second Baptist has been the expected South matchup for a couple of seasons. While the Knights and Eagles squared off in the regular season for two straight years, someone always got in the way of the playoff meeting. The Knights will look to return to the Division II Final for the 3rd consecutive season, having lost to Grapevine Faith and then being handled by TCCH last year. The regular season win streak fell for Regents in a surprise loss to San Antonio Central Catholic. They posted their usual two victories over a competitive Holy Cross squad and have held the opposition to 20 or less in all 10 of their wins. The Eagles bring their usual potent offense to the 3rd round having posted 93 points in 2 playoff victories. Last season the Knights held that attack to just 10 points and the playoff defeats have come when the Eagles offense has gone MIA. Just 9 points in last year's loss to Hyde Park, 10 in the 2016 loss to Holy Cross. 18 and 17 in the 2 playoff defeats before that. Second Baptist needs a big output to pass by Regents and take their shot at TCCH. The Knights I think are too much for the Eagles. Regents gets a 3rd shot, wins 30-17.
Division III
Willow Park Trinity Christian Academy vs. Flower Mound Coram Deo Academy @ Pennington Field -- These two met just three weeks ago with the Eagles taking a 20-14 road victory. Trinity has ascended the 11-man ranks very quickly, reaching the semifinals in all three seasons on the large field. McKinney Christian ousted the Eagles last year. The Lions struggled in 11-man until 2016 and now have secured at least 8 wins in three straight seasons. The 2018 Lions already have 11 wins and just the lone loss to these Eagles. Since that loss in Week 11 the Lions have rolled off 94 points in 2 playoff wins. Just 4 teams have held Coram Deo under 30 points. One is Shelton who the Lions posted 42 on the playoffs. Division II Frisco Legacy held the Lions to 14, and the Trinity's, Lubbock and Willow Park held the Lions down. The Eagles need to repeat that effort to reach the final. The Eagles offense is no slouch either, being only limited by Coram Deo among Division III opposition. I think in the rematch the offenses will show a little more prowess than in their first meeting. Look for a high scoring affair with Coram Deo claiming revenge, 41-35.
Geneva School of Boerne vs. League City Bay Area Christian @ Giddings -- The Eagles have been a force in whatever division they've been in, playing at least 12 games every season since 2012 outside of a transition season from 6-man to 11-man (they went undefeated against that outlaw schedule too). This year they've won 8 in a row after a 1-3 start, including 110 points in 2 playoff games. Only Shiner St. Paul held the Eagles under 40 during the win streak and that was just 38. The Broncos sport a matching 9-3 record after losing their first 3. Only Northland managed more than 14 against the Broncos among the 9 wins. Both teams limited TSD to just 2 touchdowns making me expect a defensive struggle in this one. Eagles finally reach a state final, winning 20-12.
Division IV
Fort Worth Lake Country Christian School vs. Dallas First Baptist Academy @ Pennington Field -- TAPPS smallest division brings us another Eagles. Lake Country struggled in the non-district slate going just 3-4, but have allowed only 34 points in their last 5 games including 4 DIV opponents. The Eagles have always tested themselves in the non-district leading to some less than stellar records, but multiple playoff appearances. The Saints have found their niche after school changes lowered their enrollment significantly. FBA won a 2013 state championship and have been a playoff team each of the past 7 seasons. The Saints in 2018 have scored at least 19 in every full game and at least 32 in every win that went 48 minutes. Both teams offenses should put up some numbers here and the depth in the smaller divisions can make matching up defensively quite the task. Look for a shootout, Saints win 42-35.
Hallettsville Sacred Heart Catholic School vs. Shiner St. Paul High School @ Columbus -- The Indians and Cardinals face off in the usual playoff rivalry. Sacred Heart claimed what looked like it would be the last Division IV state title in 2011 with a win over St. Paul, but St. Paul went ahead and won 2 titles in Division III in the mean time despite having an enrollment under 100 (smaller than some 6-man champions). The Cardinals are a favorite of this space due to their relatively low numbers and willingness to take on just about anyone anyway. This season though the Cardinals are just 4-8, and that is with 2 playoff wins. They are still very much a threat for the title though and are 4-1 against Division IV opponents. Of course the loss is to these Indians, by a score of 28-7 in Week 9. Among private school opponents the Indians 28 was a season low. Only Nixon-Smiley and Flatonia held Sacred Heart to fewer. In a rematch with short rosters I think you have to expect an offensive showdown. Cardinals get revenge, 36-32.
Season: 78-20
Quick Hits finishes the season at 102-28.
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