Final Results 2019

Dallas Parish Episcopal over Plano John Paul II (42-14) -- Correct
--A brilliant start for the Cardinals as they took the ball and a 7-0 lead. Unfortunately for them, the Panthers had too much firepower. It was certainly a different year in Division I, but the Panthers were the best from start to finish (the All Saints loss not withstanding). Congratulations to the Panthers on their 3rd state title!

Trinity Christian - Cedar Hill over Austin Regents (48-19) -- Correct
--The Tigers send the Knights to Buffalo Bills territory with a 4th straight championship loss. Regents put up a good battle, but bogged in the red zone twice when they could have tied or taken the lead. The TCCH offense then took over in the 3rd and 4th quarters. Much like last year, the Tigers were the best in Division II from start to finish. Congratulations to the Tigers on their 7th state title!

Lubbock Christian over Boerne Geneva (18-49) -- Wrong
--The Geneva defense was way better than I expected, dealing a 2nd half shutout to the previously undefeated Lubbock Christian. Congratulations to the Eagles on their 1st state title!

Shiner St. Paul over Hallettsville Sacred Heart (20-16) -- Correct
--The best in Division IV deliver another great game. The Cardinals took a more traditional route to a state title after a 6-8 crown last year. For the size of these two schools and towns, the continued football excellence is very impressive. Congratulations to the Cardinals on their 8th state title!

And with that everyone is undefeated again...

Summary By Year:
 
This Week:
2015: 94-16
2016: 79-25
2017: 78-32
2018: 88-22
2019: 89-21

Quick Hits:
2015: 60-15
2016: 103-26
2017: 101-29
2018: 102-28
2019: 103-27

State Championship Picks 2019

The road ends here with four games (actually seven but I do not do 6-man for my own sanity) at Midway ISD's Panther Stadium. For two matchups it makes sense as a neutral site. For two others it makes no sense at all. I understand some desire to centralize, but there has to be a better way than two Dallas area schools driving to Waco to play at noon on a Friday. I complain about this pretty much every year, so this will be the end of that for this preview. For the rest we celebrate another great season of games and twists and turns of a season. Congratulations to all the finalists!

Division I: Plano John Paul II vs. Dallas Parish Episcopal -- Friday 12:00 -- On the bottom side of the bracket we have the team we expected. The Panthers shot to the top of the favorite list with a season opening win over TCCH on ESPN2. They did have a fault against All Saints early on, but throughout the season showed themselves to be the dominant force in Division I. Parish has won every game outside of the All Saints loss and TCCH overtime win by at least 20. Most notably beating John Paul II on November 1st, 47-7. The Parish offense has been held under 40 just 3 times in 12 games. On the top side of the bracket we have the team we didn't expect. The Cardinals have won 3 playoff games this season after winning none since their first varsity season in 2006. JP2 has won 10 games this year after winning just 20 in all seasons combined. Since Coach Teague took the helm in 2017, the Cardinals have won 16 games in 3 seasons. In the 11 seasons before that, they won just 14 games total. These Cardinals are a far cry from the teams that lost 33 in a row. Its a tall task to reverse the 40 point defeat they suffered on the blue turf in November, but these have been the unexpected playoffs in Division I. The Cardinal offense must find the 49 point form they showed against heavily favored Nolan. While Prestonwood and DC are good teams, the 10 and 14 the Cardinals scored those nights led to losses for a reason. I wouldn't say the Cardinals have been inconsistent, no team winning 10 games is, but they have struggled offensively in some of the biggest games. The 7 points scored at Parish being a notable example. Thrilled to see the Cardinals make a dent in the Division I scene and reach their 1st title game, but the Panthers should be too much here in their 3rd appearance. I expect Parish to remain unbeaten in the finals, but I doubt it comes as easy as the first meeting of these two. Panthers win their 3rd state title 35-14.

Division II: Trinity Christian - Cedar Hill vs. Austin Regents -- Friday 7:00 -- On the opposite end of the unexpected John Paul II Cardinals, we find the Tigers and Knights meeting in a 3rd straight Division II title game. In 2017, the Knights kept pace for a while before the potent Tiger attack put some distance between them and secured a 62-30 victory. In 2018, Regents struck first with a safety but would fall behind 37-2 shortly after. The Knights made a surge in the 2nd half, but it was not particularly close ending at 49-24. It is the 4th straight title game for Regents, having lost the last 3. The Knights are 11-1 having fallen only to Division I FW All Saints. Only in that loss did the Knights allow more than 14 points in a game this season. In contrast, the Tigers have scored 40+ in their last 11 straight. The Sanders led Tigers are heading out of TAPPS after this year, but they are in good position to go out on top as winners of 3 straight titles. The TCCH defense has also only allowed more than 16 points in 1 game this season. I think this will be lower scoring than the last 2 meetings, but still the champs have to be favored. The TCCH run has brought their title game record to even at 6-6. The Knights runner-up streak has brought them down to just 2-5 in 11-man finals. Much like the Division I game, the chaos lover in me wants the upset but I just can't pick it. Tigers win their 7th state title, 38-22.

Division III: Lubbock Christian vs. Boerne Geneva -- Saturday 12:00 -- We made it all the way to the Division III game before we encountered any Eagles, but like last year its Eagle on Eagle crime in this group. Lubbock Christian has gone 13-0 and can be the only undefeated team in TAPPS 11-man this season. Covenant kept pace for an extended period, but the West Texas offense proved to be too much in a 63-32 semifinal win. That type of offensive output was the norm to start the season with 45 or more in each of their first four games. There were then some lulls in the middle part of the season, but the defense picked up the slack. Then in the playoffs the offense has returned with authority, posting 52, 56, and 63, in three victories. The Eagles have struggled in state title games, with just a 1-4 record. Geneva held a lead deep into the 2018 title game before Willow Park Trinity (also the Eagles) scored late to earn a 15-14 win. Geneva is back for their 2nd try at the title in just their 4th full varsity season. The Eagles started just 1-4, but have won 8 in a row to reach 9-4 and the title game. Most notably a win over Shiner St. Paul righted the Geneva ship. The Geneva offense has been lighting it up even more than Lubbock Christian, scoring 69 and 77 in the playoffs. In the middle, they scored just 21 against a strong Bay Area Christian side. They did manage 47 in a loss to Division I FW All Saints in the early season. I expect lots of scoring in this one, but I feel like I'm usually wrong when I say that. Lubbock Christian goes undefeated and wins its 2nd state title, 44-41.

Division IV: Hallettsville Sacred Heart vs. Shiner St. Paul -- Saturday 7:00 -- The Indians and Cardinals have met many times with various titles on the line. The 2011 state title game looked to be the last Division IV title with realignment dropping to 3 classes. The Indians won that one 21-7. Division IV did come back and the Cardinals went on to win Division III in the mean time. These two match each other at 7 titles each. Sacred Heart has taken two more defeats in the title game, but this one will decide who enters the small group with 8 11-man titles. November 1st turns out to have been state championship preview night, as these to met in addition to their Division I brethren. The Cardinals took that meeting 21-14 as part of their 9-3 season. The Indians have struggled a bit more with a record of 7-5. Though that seems a silly thing to care about given St. Paul won the title last year after starting 1-8. The Cardinals lost to two Division II sides and Division III finalist Geneva. The Cardinals have reached the title game in 7 of the last 10 seasons. Its the first state final since 2015 for the Indians. It feels like the Cardinals are always destined to win in Division IV despite having fewer than 100 students enrolled most years. Its always hard to beat the same good team twice in a season, but I have to take St. Paul. Cardinals win their 8th state title, 35-28.

Season: 86-20

Historical Results:
2015: 94-16
2016: 79-25
2017: 78-32
2018: 88-22

Quick Hits
2015: 60-15
2016: 103-26
2017: 101-29
2018: 102-28
2019: 103-27

Semifinal Playoff Picks 2019

The Chargers may have been eliminated, but that doesn't mean we stop trying to pick some winners. Just 12 games left in the private school 11-man season. With 16 teams left, there are 5 Eagles including at least 1 in each division. Will this be the year every division is won by the Eagles? I doubt it and I hope not.

This Week: (Season: 80-18)

Division I

Plano John Paul II vs. San Antonio Antonian @ Georgetown -- This may be the least likely semifinal I could have imagined when the year started. The Apaches entered 2019 having won 9 games in the last two seasons, they've now won 9 this year after defeating Prestonwood on a game ending Hail Mary. The Cardinals are the perennial losers in Division I, having never won a playoff game in program history until this year. Prior to Coach Teague's arrival John Paul had lost 32 in a row an had never won more than 3 games in a season. In his first year, they broke the steak but still won just 2. In year two, the Cardinals reached 4 wins for the first time. This year, they've exploded for a 7-3 regular season and 2 playoff wins. With 9 vicotries in 2019, John Paul II has as many wins this season as they did from 2012-2018 combined. Given these histories it should come as no surprise the school have never met in football. Now that we've done the history lets look at the teams. The 3 defeats for the Cardinals came to Dallas Christian by 11, Prestonwood by 12, and a blowout by Parish Episcopal. The Apaches took 3 losses in a row to Beeville Jones, Boerne, and Houston St. Thomas. The struggles of the schools south of I-20 in the Division I playoffs led to us pretty much counting out the District 3 runner-up. Of course, 3rd place in District 2 didn't really inspire confidence yet here we are. The Cardinals offense has been dynamic against inferior opponents and generally struggled against the best opposition. Then, they dominated Nolan last week in posting 49 points. They also snuck by Central Catholic, but similar margin that Antonian playd with them. The Apaches beat Prestonwood which JP2 could not do in the regular season. I really don't know about this one, mainly because I wouldn't have imagined them playing in the semifinals. Blind guess, the Cardinal run continues. John Paul II to the state final 33-30.

Dallas Parish Episcopal vs. Houston St. Thomas @ The Star -- In the other half of the bracket we get the teams we expected. The Panthers have been the best team in Division I all year, except for the loss to All Saints in Week 4. Given what has taken place since, I'm just considering that the aberration. While many teams have not played well off the 1st round bye, the Panthers likely benefited as they had played 10 games in 10 weeks leading up to that bye. Only the All Saints loss saw the Panthers fail to reach 30 points, and a 44-6 blowout of Midland Christian certainly announces to the field the Panthers readiness. The Eagles managed 9 wins after dropping their first 2. Some years it seems the big games with Strake Jesuit and St. Pius are all that interests in the Eagles. This year has been different with their first semifinal appearance since 2014. St. Thomas is another squad that snuck by Central Catholic. The Buttons lost to 3 of the 4 semifinalists by a combined 9 points. They may have been better than a 5-6 team. The weather will not be a factor in this one which I think only helps the Panthers. Parish beat TCCH in Week 2 to open their season while St. Thomas lost to the Tigers 50-0. The Eagles beat Bishop Lynch by 4 to reach Round 3, but the Panthers bested them by 40 earlier in the year. While it is a year of upsets in the Division I playoffs, Parish gets to its first Division I title game 42-21.

Division II

Grapevine Faith Christian vs. Trinity Christian - Cedar Hill  @ TC-Addison -- The Lions slid by DC with 2 late touchdowns to turn a 17-14 deficit into a 28-17 win, and at 10-1 will certainly have their shot at the king. The Tigers are the back-to-back state champions and have been largely unchallenged this season after losing to Parish in Week 2 in OT. Dallas Christian closed to within 4 early in the 2nd half, but the Tigers galloped away in the later stages. At 24 points, it was the closest margin of victory for TCCH on the season. The Lions have only been beaten by UIL power Canadian. Admittedly the Tigers level of dominance is hard to match, but the Lions have not had the same margin in their wins. Just a 4 point win over FWC makes it hard to pick Faith here. A win over SPC champion Country Day is a nice one, and they did wind up with not too dissimilar score against DC. However, the champs are on top until someone can knock them off. Tigers try for 3 in a row after winning 42-21.

Regents School of Austin vs. Houston Second Baptist @ Waller -- The Eagles and Knights meet for a spot in the title game for the 2nd straight year. Regents took home a shutout win, 35-0, last year. The Eagles are the only undefeated team left Divisions I or II and have lit up the scoreboard all year. Only Victoria St. Joseph held Second Baptist under 38 points, and they did it twice. I suspect the Knights will be the best defense the Eagles have seen this year. The Knights have scored 29 or more in every game this year. There are a few common opponents. Regents bested Brentwood, Fort Bend, and Lutheran South by scores of 35-6, 45-14, and 34-13. Second Baptist won 43-29, 56-12, and 42-14. There isn't much there to go on there. The upset here will be if its a blowout. Neither side would surprise me as a winner. I think they'll hold each other relatively in check. I'll go low scoring, and with Regents to reach a 4th straight title game. Knights win 22-19.

Division III

Lubbock Christian vs. Colleyville Covenant Christian @ ACU -- The Eagles are 12-0 again and a prime contender for the Division III title and will break a streak of taking on the Lions three weeks in a row. The Cougars are a more surprising Round 3 participant. Reaching the semis after a 3-6 regular season. Both squads won road games at Lubbock Trinity. The Eagles were much more dominant early on, but have regained offensive prowess with 52 and 56 in their two playoff games. This shouldn't be the day Lubbock Christian is knocked off, but the Cougars did just reverse a regular season loss to Pantego. No turkeys left after thanksgiving, so it won't be easy. Eagles return to the state final, 31-21.

Boerne Geneva vs. The Woodlands Christian @ Bastrop -- The Eagles are back in the semis for a 3rd straight season. Willow Park Trinity bested them in the final last season. The Warriors are the other 12-0 team in Division III. Perhaps a battle of 13-0 squads for a title next Saturday? The Eagles had a ugly 1-4 start, but against good opponents. Now Geneva is a 7-0 run and have been excellent against Division III opposition this year. TWCA's low game of the season was 34 points. Geneva will not be an easy out, but this should be the Warriors year. I think the TWCA offense is too much, but the playoffs do strange things. Warriors reach their first state title game, 42-21.

Division IV

Muenster Sacred Heart vs. Hallettsville Sacred Heart @ Riesel -- The Sacred Heart showdown pits two teams on opposite ends of the playoff expectations. The Indians came into the playoffs at 4-5 before posting wins over First Baptist and Brazos Christian. The Tigers came off a 1st round bye at 10-0 and got by Legacy Prep 20-12. At one point illness led to cancelling a game with lack of players for the Indians. The Tigers have looked to be a top contender in Division IV all year. Only 3 of 11 opponents reached 20 against the Tigers. The Indians scored 20 or more just 6 times in 11 games, but have done so in their last 3. The Northern Sacred Heart's are a clear favorite, but the Southern variety did play the defending champion to a 7 point game. I feel like I've picked too many favorites this week, but I'll take another. Tigers reach another state final, 32-22.

Shiner St. Paul vs. Fort Worth Lake Country Christian @ Temple -- Last year's championship was both expected and unexpected for the Cardinals. On the one hand, they are always in the mix in Division IV, deserving to be complimented for making the most of their relatively small enrollment (almost certainly smaller than a 6-man champion this year). On the other hand, they finished the regular season at 2-8. Accomplishing the rare 6-8 state championship. It was a better year for the Cardinals, posting a 7-3 regular season and earning a 1st round bye. The three losses to much larger schools in Geneva, Victoria St. Joseph, and Weimar. Lake Country enters at 8-4 having just taken out the District 4 champion in Rosehill. Muenster Sacred Heart and Dallas Covenant account for two of the Eagles losses. Covenant was the Cardinals most recent playoff opponent. St. Paul scored 63 while Lake Country just 14. The Eagles have been playing well to reach this point, but St. Paul should have enough. The Cardinals reach yet another state final with a 35-20 win.

Historical Results:
2015: 94-16
2016: 79-25
2017: 78-32
2018: 88-22

Quick Hits finishes the year at 103-27. Amazingly consistent from year to year.
2015: 60-15
2016: 103-26
2017: 101-29
2018: 102-28

Regional Playoff Picks 2019

Ready for another week of playoff football? The trophies are on the horizon, but who will reach Waco?

This Week: (Season: 76-16)

Division II

Grapevine Faith Christian School vs. Dallas Christian School @ Wildcat-Ram Stadium -- The Chargers and Lions meet in the playoffs for the 3rd time in 4 seasons. In 2016, the Lions took a 2OT victory. In 2017, the Chargers dealt a shutout to advance to Round 2. Dallas Christian has enjoyed a largely dominant season, reaching 10 wins for the 7th time in 8 season. The Chargers held there first 6 opponents to 14 or less while 4 of the last 5 have scored at least 21. This has included the best of DC's opposition and the lone defeat at TCCH. The Lions fell just once on the season, in a neutral site game against UIL stalwart Canadian. The Lions have also posted strong defensive performances with just 4 opponents scoring more than 18. Both teams are strong at the quarterback position, and that seems to be the key in this game. Which QB will get the upper hand on the other's defense? I think this is a low slow scoring battle with a big surge late. In common opponents both teams saw Tyler Grace and FWC in the last two week. Each team played a similar game against Tyler Grace. Each established a sizable lead for a handy victory. A 45-27 win for DC is remarkably similar to a 48-28 win for Faith. The Chargers built a big lead over FWC before landing on a 46-21 victory. Faith edged FWC 27-23 for the district title. Not a ton of mystery in the punch line for this author. Chargers win 30-28.

Bullard Brook Hill School vs. Cedar Hill Trinity Christian School @ Athens -- The Guard and Tigers met just 2 weeks ago to close the regular season. Only two opponents scored more than 14 against TCCH this year. DC posted just 16 while Parish scored 33 in the Tigers lone defeat. The Guard have surged late in the season reaching 8-3 on the season. After securing two district wins and showing well in a 21-3 defeat to DC, Brook Hill was pounded 44-7 by the Tigers. The Tigers are the back-to-back state champions for a reason and I doubt the Guard can turn around 37 points in just 2 weeks. Maybe a bit of overconfidence could get in the way, but I doubt it. Tigers win handily, but a bit closer in Round 2. A nice road win in Round 1 for Brook Hill, TCCH to the semis 38-8.

Regents School of Austin vs. Houston Lutheran South Academy @ Hallettsville -- The Knights have reached the last 3 state championship games, losing all 3. Unfortunately, that means they are entering Buffalo Bills territory. The Pioneers have been a next level contender for several seasons in a row now, but have been unable to secure the big win. Most notably, a 2014 regional round game saw a Monday finish due to weather and a disappointing 44-41 loss for their best team. Both teams have posted impressive records this season, with Regents at 9-1 and LSA at 9-2. In the Knights 9 wins, the most points allowed is 14. Only Division I FW All Saints posted more than 2 TDs and took a victory from the Knights. The Pioneers 2 defeats came at the hands of undefeated Second Baptist (expected) and in OT to Concordia Lutheran (unexpected). The lack of overlapping opponents makes this one a tricky contest. LSA saw the Centurions score 36 last week, which makes me think Regents will score plenty this week. The Knights defense should be good enough to keep the Pioneers in check too. Regents back to the semis, 33-21.

Victoria St. Joseph High School vs. Houston Second Baptist School @ Wharton -- The Eagles have been the dominant force south of I-20 this year in Division II, reaching 11-0. The Flyers snagged a road win to reach Round 2 for the first time since 2009 where they lost a tight one to Parish Episcopal (17-15). St. Joseph has always been impressive for their ability to take long road trips and be ready to play. The Flyers had real chances to beat the eventual champions in both the 2008 and 2009 playoffs. This year's squad is probably more of an upstart that likely can not match the Eagles this week. The Flyers are just 6-3 thanks to some cancellations and limited Second Baptist to just 30 in their first meeting, the Eagles lowest output of the season. Last week's saw Brentwood give the Eagles a quality fight. Falling just 43-29 at SBS. The Eagles probably need a better defensive game to secure this win, but I also think Brentwood's offense might be stronger than the Flyers. A close battle to the end, but Second Baptist wins to set up the expected Regents-SBS showdown for a spot in the title game. Eagles to the semis, 30-20.

Division I

Fort Worth Nolan Catholic High School vs. Plano John Paul II High School @ Grapevine -- The Cardinals scored their first ever playoff win last week with a 21-16 victory over San Antonio Central. The Cardinals 8 wins is 4 more than any other season in program history. DC, Prestonwood, and Parish are the 3 to best JP2 this season. Only Parish blew out the Cardinals. The Vikings were back on track last week by dominating the defending state champion 45-14 and are now 11-0. In common opponents, the Vikings dominated Bishop Lynch 37-6. The Cardinals scored their first ever win over the Friars to close the regular season, 21-13. While these are not the Cardinals that lost 35 in a row and didn't win a game for 3 straight seasons. The Vikings are a well balanced team succeeding with both offense and defense on the road to 11-0. The form that Nolan showed to blast past Dunne is enough to win here, but it will not be a walkover. I just do not see the Cardinals posting enough points to win this week. Vikings win 35-21.

Dallas Parish Episcopal School vs. Midland Christian School @ Abilene Christian University -- The Panthers were the recipients of the first round bye this season after Nolan fell in Round 2 last year after having the bye. The team that knocked off Nolan last year? Parish. The Panthers knocked off TCCH to start the season and then were shocked by Fort Worth All Saints, who exited in Round 1. Parish has been incredibly dominant in their 8 game win steak since then, scoring at least 40 in every game and allowing fewer than 19 in every game. Just one of the 8 opponents past 14 points and the Panthers won by at least 23 every week. The Mustangs had an up-and-down season, currently sitting at 7-4. A dominant 2nd half saw the MCS push to round 2 with a 46-22 win over St. Pius. The Mustangs secured that home game with a season closing win over Fort Worth All Saints, the lone squad to beat Parish. Each of MCS 4 losses was closely contested with only Nolan scoring a double-digit win. MCS is rarely blown out and I doubt they will be here. The struggles offensively against the Mustangs best opponents makes it hard for me to pick them here. It won't be a rout, but the Panthers win. Parish to the semis, 32-24.

Quick Hits: (Season: 97-23)

Dallas Bishop Lynch over Houston St. Thomas
Plano Prestonwood Christian over San Antonio Antonian
Lubbock Christian over Flower Mound Coram Deo
Arlington Pantego Christian over Colleyville Covenant Christian
Boerne Geneva over League City Bay Area Christian
The Woodlands Christian over Austin Texas School for the Deaf
Muenster Sacred Heart High School over The Woodlands Legacy Prep
Hallettsville Sacred Heart over Bryan Brazos Christian
Shiner St. Paul High School over Dallas Covenant School
Tomball Rosehill Christian over Fort Worth Lake Country Christian

Area Playoff Picks 2019

My apologies for the delay this week, its a busy time as things ramp up to the postseason. A long season has given way to a four week sprint to the finish. There are some clear favorites and some wide open divisions. Let's dive in to Week 12!

This Week: (Season: 67-15)

Division II Playoff Preview

Fort Worth Christian @ Dallas Christian -- The long time rivals clash again in Mesquite. Many games have come down to the end or the years. Punters have been called down inside their own 20, teams have been made to wait 10 minutes for a pre-game ceremony to start, blowouts have left bad feelings, just your typical rivalry. The Chargers finished a 9-1 season with a mostly dominant win over Tyler Grace. The 4th quarter was not DC's best though, and 27 points was the worst performance in regulation of the season against non-TCCH opponents. After opening a 31-0 lead on the 1st offensive play of the half, DC seemed to ease off the throttle opening the door. This is a bit of a disturbing trend for the Chargers. A 21-0 lead over Cornerstone turned into a 21-21 tie and 2OTs. After scoring on the 1st play of the 2nd half to make it 20-16 against TCCH, DC did not score again in a 40-16 loss. Then the slow finish against Tyler Grace. The starts have been good against the best teams, but the finishes suspect. The Cardinals have an uncharacteristic 5-5 season, including a pretty surprising loss to Frisco Legacy that left the Cardinals heading on the road in Round 1. Which team will visit Mesquite? The one that was shut out in the 2nd half against Legacy? The one that had Grapevine Faith in a 4 point game with the ball and a chance for the lead? The one that managed just 19 against Fort Worth Southwest? The one that beat SPC champ Country Day? I really don't know. I think Chargers are the better team, and the game is at DC. However, DC managed just 10 in last year's regional playoff loss against FWC. I'm expecting a close memorable game like so many between these two are. Chargers win 21-18.

Tyler Grace Community @ Grapevine Faith Christian -- The Lions took back the district crown from FWC with a 27-23 win to close the season at 8-1. With such a heavy favorite in Division II and Faith in the opposite district from TCCH, its been easy to lose track of them. The only blemish came to UIL power Canadian while still scoring 35 points. The Lions have scored 27 or more in all 9 games this season. The Cougars have been unable to get that big win for the last few seasons. A 5-5 campaign ended with a 45-27 loss at DC. They posted a strong 2nd half in that one, but had dug too big a hole early on. A better start is imperative for the Cougars in this road clash. Also, the Cougars defense is going to need to find its best performance of the year. Three district losses in a row with each opponent scoring at least 33 points does not bode well to take on the previously detailed Lions offense. Faith wins at home 42-21.

Bullard Brook Hill @ Frisco Legacy Christian -- The Guard were once again the team expected to probably only beat McKinney Christian in the district slate, and once again they beat Tyler Grace to secure a better finish. The Eagles surprised me when they dominated the 2nd half against FWC to move up to 2nd place in the district. A much improved 8-2 season sets up an interesting game in Round 1. Last week's struggle in defeating Prince of Peace just 18-14 does not speak well for the playoff success. For comparison, FWC beat the same POP squad 50-11. Legacy beat FWC though and earned their spot. Brook Hill's 7-3 season with losses to Division I John Paul II, DC, and TCCH makes them an interesting road team in Round 1. The Guard had some impressive offensive outputs early on this season, but just 20 total points in their 3 losses. If the Guard scores 28 in this one I think its a win, but that is far from a given. I feel like I always need at least one road win pick in this round. I'll take the Guard 28-24.

Fort Worth Southwest Christian @ Trinity Christian - Cedar Hill -- The Tigers remain the dominant power in Division II and little appears will change this season. TCCH has been a little less dominant this year than last, but still only being really tested by Bishop Lynch and Parish Episcopal in the opening pair of games this season. Only Lynch and a thunderstorm held the Tigers under 27 points this year. The Eagles made it back to the playoffs with the 4th place spot going back to District 1 this year. They also improved from 3-7 to 6-4. Southwest lost the first two district games to FWC and Legacy by just 7 points combined, and secured a win over SPC champion Country Day. Good to see the Eagles improving, but its not going to happen this week. Tigers win big, 44-7.

Sugar Land Fort Bend Christian @ Austin Regents -- The Knights will look to reach a 4th straight title game in these playoffs and seek another shot at the king. Regents has lost just 2 regular season games in 4 years. This year only Fort Worth All Saints got the better of the Knights and that was by just 5 points. The Knights offense has scored at least 29 in all 9 games this season and should be primed for a big playoff push. The Eagles have had a much improved season after 2018 saw them not finish the season due to low numbers. While a 5-4 season is not one to put down as their best, it is a step in the right direction. The Eagles have scored quite a few points themselves, scoring at least 28 in 7 of 9 games. Regents will be a tough task for 1st year head coach Jordan Black (Dallas Christian and NFL alum). Knights win 38-14.

Houston Lutheran South vs. Corpus Christi John Paul II @ Edna -- The nature of having 5 districts in Division II has not been kind to the Pioneers. For the 2nd time in as many seasons, Lutheran South finishes 2nd but does not get a home game. The Pioneers really burst into the Division II mix in 2014 with a high powered offense that lost a thriller in the regional round that was held over to Monday due to storms. 2019 has been a 8-2 campaign with a loss last week to Second Baptist keeping them from the district title. The Pioneers recovered nicely after a disappointing loss to Tomball Concordia early on the Pioneers ran off 7 in a row. Only Second Baptist has been able to limit the Lutheran South attack that posted at least 35 points in all other outings. The Centurions have made great strides this year posting just its 2nd 7-win season and 1st since 2011. With no overlap in opponents this is a tricky one to project. I commend both schools for picking interesting mascots, but I'll go with LSA just on reputation. Pioneers win 35-20.

Victoria St. Joseph @ San Antonio Holy Cross -- The Knights won another district title among the San Antonio grouping with the usually strong defense leading the way. Only Regents cleared 30 on the Knights this season. Despite this success Holy Cross finished the regular season just 6-3. Finding the offense to get the big win will be the challenge for Holy Cross as it has been for a while. For example, Holy Cross has lost 7 in a row to Regents and in the last 4 meetings combined they managed just 13 points. The Flyers are a long time TAPPS program that had three 10-win seasons in 4 years around the late 2000s. Things have been turning up for St. Joseph after a 1-9 season just 2 years ago in 2017. The Flyers have beaten teams they should and lost when punching up. I think they are fighting up hill here, particularly on the road. That said, a 1-point loss to Lutheran South and holding Second Baptist to just 30 points suggests they should be in this one. I think Holy Cross wins at home, but if the Flyers can score in the 30s I doubt the Knights can keep up. I'll take the Knights 22-19.

Austin Brentwood Christian @ Houston Second Baptist -- The Bears reached the 2018 playoffs in their first season in Division II, and just 4th season of 11-man football overall. Their prize was a 57-0 drubbing at the hands of eventual champion and undefeated TCCH. This year's prize for reaching the playoffs is not much better with 10-0 Second Baptist. A very competitive 8-2 season has led Brentwood back to the postseason, falling to Shiner St. Paul and Regents during the year. The Bears had their first bye week after playing 10 weeks in a row, and they'll need it for this road trip. The Eagles have posted at least 41 points in 8 of 10 wins this year. Just Victoria St. Joseph and Tomball Concordia held SBS under 41 with 30 and 38 respectively. Regents would probably be the only team in this half of the bracket I think can slow the Eagle attack. I just can't see Brentwood being the team to spring this shocker. Good season for the Bears who continue to improve, but Eagles dominate. Second Baptist wins 42-14.

Some years I've projected the other rounds, but I think we know what my leanings are so it feels silly. The Division II playoff preview always ends with a rundown of the playoff teams. For the 6th year in a row here we go...

A few bracket changes and team defections changes the participants a bit. Only 2 duplicate mascots this year, though the usual offender is in top form. There are 2 Knights taking their usual places in the bracket, but 4 Eagles invading the tournament. Probably more contenders in the Knights group than Eagles though.

Good luck to everyone on the road to state, 4 Eagles, 2 Knights, the defending champ Tigers, the Cardinals, the Cougars, the Lions, the Guard, the Pioneers, the Flyers, and the Bears are all in the mix. A special best of luck to the best mascot in the tournament, the Centurions. Then we always finish with wishing the best of luck to the Chargers!

Bonus Division I Picks

Dallas Bishop Dunne @ Fort Worth Nolan -- This one feels like it should be later than the 1st round, but that's what happens when you lose your district games. The defending champs head to Fort Worth with the defense formerly known as the Red Swarm. The Falcons had flashes of that state title form, holding All Saints and St. Pius to 2 and 8 each, but then district play hit with teams scoring 37, 37, 43, and 49, in the four outings. The bad outweighed the good with a 4-6 finish for Dunne in the regular season. The Vikings put together the only 10-0 season in Division I, and appear to be set for a good run. Seeing Dunne as the opener is probably not what they had in mind though. With some close losses, byes, and trips to Brownsville, the Vikings have not won a playoff game since 2015. Nolan has appeared to be a dominant team all year. Piling up points, impressive wins, great defense, have all been the norms in 2019. However, then 0-9 TCA had Nolan backing up into the ropes. The Vikings passing game vanished with a different QB in the game. The game against TCA will get the Vikings beat here. Their other 9 performances are probably all good for a victory. If Nolan gets to 28 they win easily. If Dunne can hold that score to 20 or so they just might pull the upset. I'll take Nolan at home though. Vikings win 32-14.

Dallas Bishop Lynch @ Fort Worth All Saints -- The Friars travel west as well, but see a less vaunted opponent in All Saints. The Saints are just 5-4 on the season, but have played close contests much of the season. Matching a good offensive game with a strong defensive stand has been the challenge for All Saints. The Friars have been equally mysterious. To open the season they limited TCCH to just 16 points in a 3 point defeat. Exciting and impressive wins over Ennis and Frisco Centennial put the Friars in the mix for high rankings. Then San Antonio Cornerstone scored 50, and Nolan blasted the Friars 37-6. Losses to John Paul II and Prestonwood where the Friars scored just 10 and 13 points leaves this writer wondering which offense shows up to this one. The good Lynch offense (41 against Ennis, 43 against Dunne) has a real shot at glory. The bad Lynch offense will be quickly dispatched in this tournament. This is a coin flip game to me. If Lynch gets to 28 they win, otherwise All Saints does. Big turnover wins it late for the Friars. Road upset for Lynch, 28-21.

Quick Hits: (Season: 90-20)

Plano John Paul II over San Antonio Central Catholic
Plano Prestonwood Christian over Tomball Concordia Lutheran
San Antonio Antonian over Argyle Liberty Christian
Midland Christian over Houston St. Pius X
Houston St. Thomas over Trinity Christian - Addison
Dallas Shelton over Flower Mound Coram Deo
Lubbock Trinity Christian over Colleyville Covenant Christian
Austin Texas School for the Deaf over Houston Lutheran North
Temple Central Texas Christian over The Woodland Legacy Prep
Dallas Covenant over Beaumont Legacy Christian

Week 11 Picks 2019

As the time changes we reach another season's end. Its been a much drier season though we do seem to be set for a cooler finish this week. Good luck and safe travels on the road to state.

This Week: (Season: 60-15)

Dallas Christian @ Tyler Grace Community -- The Chargers used a dominant 2nd half to put away McKinney Christian last week and return to the win column. DC is certainly favored heading into this finale, but the Cougars are no easy out. Grace is in the playoffs, but an upset win here could vault them up the standings. A loss would put the Cougars on the road to the District 1 champion, likely a heavily favored Grapevine Faith. The Cougars have rarely matched a good offensive outing and a good defensive outing in the same game. Wills Point and Canton victories feel a very long time ago at this point. The Cougars have held just 3 of 9 opponents under 20 points. The Chargers defense has been the dominant unit again this season, holding 7 of 9 opponents under 15 points. The Cougars will have to find a way to score to take this road win. If Grace can not reach 28, I can't see how they win. Chargers secure 2nd place with a 35-19 victory.

Trinity Christian - Cedar Hill @ Bullard Brook Hill -- The Guard have secured a playoff spot, but with one shocking upset could find themselves with the district crown. Most likely it will be a 3rd place finish for Brook Hill, but the Guard will stand a decent chance at a road upset in Round 1. This leaves a reasonable chance these two could meet twice in 3 weeks. The Tigers have not looked as good as 2018, but that is more a commentary on the dominance of the 2018 squad than a negative for the 2019 bunch. In three district wins the Tigers have won by a combined 124 points. DC managed to "limit" the Tigers to 40. Now the Brook Hill defense has shown to be a unit that can battle having held 5 opponents to a touchdown or less. Limiting DC to 21 is another good performance. However, only scoring 3 against DC while TCCH managed 40 to go with just 27 scored against Southwest Christian (likely TCCH Round 1 opponent) makes it hard to see Brook Hill scoring in this one. Guard defense keeps it close for a while, but a tidy home win for the Tigers is to be expected. TCCH wins 38-0.

Tyler T.K. Gorman @ McKinney Christian -- The Crusaders withdrew from Division II to start the year and will be in Division III for next season. TKG chose to maintain this date with McKinney Christian to close the season. The stakes are low here, but the Mustangs have shown improvement in 2019. With a decent chance that 4 of 5 teams will make the playoffs in MCA's district next alignment, the Mustangs could be pointing toward a playoff appearance next alignment. To that end, keeping the Crusaders from their 2nd win this year would be a start. The Mustangs struggled against the 4 playoff teams of District 2, but the Crusaders have just struggled in general. All 7 defeats have seen the Crusaders opposition score at least 40 points. The Mustangs scored just 12 points in 4 district games, but in their 4-0 start they were a high powered offense with outings of 49, 44, and 54 to open the season. The Mustangs should close the season with a good feeling. MCA wins 42-14.

Grapevine Faith Christian @ Fort Worth Christian -- At the start of the season, and even the start of district play this seemed to be destined for a 3-0 vs. 3-0 district title game. However, the Cardinals were bounced by Frisco Legacy in Week 9. The small size of the district slate though leaves an opprutunity still. Only UIL power Canadian has gotten the better of the the Lions this season while its been an up and down 5-4 season for FWC. The Cardinals really only dominated Prince of Peace and Valley Mills this season while Faith really put the screws to Southwest (a 3 point victory for FWC) and Legacy (a loss for FWC). Faith has played just 3 games since the loss to Canadian on September 28th. Particularly with the game in Grapevine, I just do not see FWC scoring anywhere close to enough to keep up with the Lions offense that has scored 35 in 7 of 8 games and scored 27 in the other game. However, I thought Faith was a clear favorite in this game last year and it bit me. Lions win at home 42-20.

Houston Second Baptist @ Houston Lutheran South -- With all the rightful hype of TCCH going for 3rd straight title, its easy to lose track of the Eagles that are the only 9-0 team in Division II. Second Baptist is the last school south of the I-20 corridor to win TAPPS 2nd largest division when they won then 4A in 1999. Nobody playing in this one was even born then. That's how long its been since the "North" was not on top in Division II. The Eagles have run off several district titles, but have been snake bit in the playoffs. The Pioneers have also suffered playoff disappointments for their best teams, including a regional game held over to Monday due to rain in 2014. Last year's matchup went to OT before Second Baptist prevailed. The Eagles have flown high all season long scoring at least 30 points in all 9 victories and posting 41 or more in 7 outings. The Pioneers may be the best opponent of the season, entering at 8-1. Both teams largely controlled district opposition with Victoria St. Joseph being the lone exception. The Flyers lost by only a point at Lutheran South and were the team to hold Second Baptist to 30. Notably Tomball Concordia provided the lone defeat for the Pioneers while the Eagles bested them 38-13 the next week. I do not think the Pioneers can slow the Eagles offense enough to win, but should put up some points to make it interesting. With the game at Second Baptist, I just can't pick the upset here. Eagles finish a 10-0 regular season with a 42-28 win.

Dallas Bishop Dunne @ Plano Prestonwood Christian -- Realignment telling us Dunne's enrollment is down a bit helps explain some of the Falcons struggles. Its a curious game this week for Dunne, Nolan, and Prestonwood, as they each know who they will play next week. Tomball Concordia is also locked in, but has the week off. The Lions have long been thought of as a dominant offense, but this year has been a slower paced group using their defense to win games. In their last 5 only Parish has posted more than 17 points, including good teams in John Paul, Lynch, and All Saints. That is not a recipe for success for the Falcons who have struggled offensively this year. Even last season's state title depended heavily on the defense. There have been signs of that defense that won the state title, such as holding All Saints to 2 and St. Pius to 8. However, it has not been consistent enough including allowing 43 to Lynch and 37 to John Paul (admittedly in 11OT). With game on Rugged Dr. at Bishop Dunne, I can't see the Falcons getting blown out. Expect a defensive battle, Lions win 17-14.

Lubbock Christian @ Lubbock Trinity Christian -- The Eagles are no stranger to district championships, including back-to-back 10 win seasons in 2016 and 2017. 2018 saw Lubbock Christian drop 2 district games to the eventual state champion and by a single point in 2OT. The Lions are newcomers to this space, playing just their 6th season of football. Trinity has been a long time state contender in the gym, but football is a new world. The Lions will host just their 2nd game in their new on campus stadium having found their offensive mojo since district play started. After a 1-4 start, Trinity has won 3 district games averaging over 41 points per game and allowing just 11 points per game. The 9-0 Eagles are going to be a stiff challenge though. The Lions may also relax a bit knowing they've secured a home game in Round 1. The district championship is a nice carrot to play for though. The Eagles appear to be the better team, but I can't see the Lions getting boatraced in this one. The Lions put up a fight, but not enough. Lubbock Christian wins 38-22.
 
Quick Hits: (Season: 82-18)

Dallas Parish Episcopal over San Antonio Cornerstone Christian
Midland Christian over Fort Worth All Saints
Bishop Lynch over Plano John Paul II
Houston St. Thomas over Houston St. Pius X
San Antonio Holy Cross over Brownsville St. Joseph
Victoria St. Joseph over Houston Cypress Christian
Willow Park Trinity Christian over Flower Mound Coram Deo
SPC 4A: Bellaire Episcopal over Houston Kinkaid
SPC 3A: Fort Worth Country Day over The Woodlands John Cooper
TAPPS DV: Houston Village School over Austin St. Dominic Savio

Week 10 Picks 2019

The playoff formats for this year rob us of some of the stretch drama, but there is still plenty to learn as we start the biggest month of high school football. Can anyone push TCCH off the top? Are Parish and Nolan clearly the best in Division I or will someone have a playoff turnaround? Just 2 of many questions to be answered in the last 6 weeks.

This Week: (Season: 52-15)

Dallas Christian @ McKinney Christian -- The Chargers fell for the 4th straight time in the showdown with TCCH. The DC offense has repeatedly struggled in these matchups yielding scores of 14, 0, 16, and 16. While the DC defense has done a decent job limiting the Tigers, not stopping them by any means but not getting run over like so many have. The DC offense will need to find top form in the next few weeks if there is to be a rematch and any chance of a reversal. The Mustangs have improved in their 2nd season in Division II, but it has turned tough sledding in recent weeks. A 4-0 start has given way to 4-4. They turned a 54 point showing by Tyler Grace in 2018 into just 33 this year. The Mustangs however, failed to score in the last two weeks against Brook Hill and TCCH. The Chargers need a good offensive showing to start to build toward the playoffs. DC wins 38-7.

Trinity Christian - Cedar Hill @ Tyler Grace Community -- The Tigers defense squashed DC at most every corner last week in securing their most important win of the season so far. DC did close to 20-16 after the 1st play of the 2nd half, but the Tigers swamped the Chargers from that point forward. In some ways the Tigers have looked a bit more vulnerable this season. In others, the Tigers have been more impressive. The blowouts of Melissa and Cornerstone most notably. The Cougars have not really looked great in their 5-3 season so far. Allowing too many points on too many occasions has been the biggest problem for the Cougars. Honestly, if Grace can only hold Brook Hill to 33 then I'm not sure how they slow down TCCH. Tigers win handily, 40-12.

Carrollton Prince of Peace @ Fort Worth Christian -- The Cardinals were blanked in the 2nd half against Frisco Legacy last week to fall to 1-1 in district play. FWC concludes its run of 3 district games against Eagles with what has become the most important given the loss to Legacy. A win will put the Cardinals in the playoffs with a chance to move into the top 2 with a win over Faith next week. A loss may put the Cardinals on the outside of the playoffs completely. The Eagles suffered a 20 point defeat against Southwest last week. The same squad that FWC beat 19-16 two weeks before. The Eagles have been making strides in the right direction, but still struggle to get over the hump in Division II. Last year's match went in the Cardinals favor 47-8. Though the Cardinals may be a little down from a season ago, I don't see a 39 point turnaround here. FWC wins 38-16.

Grapevine Faith Christian @ Fort Worth Southwest Christian -- The Lions figured to be a leading contender for District 1 and have not disappointed so far. At 6-1 with the only loss being to Canadian, a UIL power. The Faith offense has scored 35 or more in 5 of their 7 outings thus far. This will be a very difficult test for the Eagles. Southwest needs a win to avoid a 1st round clash with TCCH, certainly something everyone in District 1 will want to avoid. The Eagles dropped a tight game with Legacy two weeks ago, falling 38-34. Its not an encouraging sign for them that the same Legacy squad did not manage a point against Faith. If Faith reaches their usual 35 then I can't see Southwest closing the gap enough to turn a 48-7 decision from a year ago. Lions win 40-14.

Dallas Bishop Lynch @ Plano Prestonwood Christian -- 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.

Trinity Christian - Addison @ Argyle Liberty Christian -- 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.

Plano John Paul II @ Dallas Parish Episcopal -- The Cardinals are still in the middle of their best season in school history. Breaking the decade long district losing streak has to be a weight off the Cardinals. This is a stiff ask for John Paul though taking on the highly ranked Panthers. Parish has already notched notable victories over TCCH, Bishop Dunne, and Bishop Lynch on the season. Their lone loss is a bit of a head scratcher given the struggles All Saints had against teams Parish dominated. The Panthers can secure the district title and 1st round bye with a win this week before finishing the season against San Antonio Cornerstone. Only All Saints has held the Panthers under 30 points. John Paul shouldn't get totally destroyed, but on the road I'm not sure how they stop the Parish attack. The Cardinals will attempt to reverse a 49-28 decision from a year ago, and give them their own chance at a district title. Not enough this year for the Cardinals. Panthers win 42-20.

Fort Worth All Saints @ Fort Worth Nolan -- The Vikings are the lone private school undefeated in the DFW area and would virtually assure themselves of the top spot in District 1 with a win. The Saints scored the huge upset of Parish in their 3rd game but then suffered some injuries and struggled in losses to Dunne and Prestonwood. All Saints only bested winless TCA by 3 before seeming to regain form in a 45-7 blowout of Liberty. The Vikings are coming off a 28-13 win out on the Permian Basin that included a scoreless 2nd half. Nolan's defense has been the strong unit, only allowing 20 points once in 8 games. That game was still a 48 point Vikings win. If the Saints can manage 28 points they may can keep the Vikings offense off the field enough to spring the upset, but that is a tough ask for the team that scored just 2 against Bishop Dunne. With the game at home, I suspect Nolan gets to 9-0 leaving only a winless squad between them and an undefeated regular season. Vikings win 35-14.

Quick Hits: (Season: 72-18)

Bullard Brook Hill over Houston Pro-Vision Academy
Austin Brentwood Christian over Austin Hyde Park
Austin Regents over Austin St. Michael's
Houston Lutheran South over Houston Cypress Christian
San Antonio Central Catholic over Tomball Concordia Lutheran
Austin Texas School for the Deaf over Waco Reicher
Shiner St. Paul over Hallettsville Sacred Heart
Arlington Grace Prep over Tyler All Saints
Episcopal School of Dallas over Dallas St. Marks
Fort Worth Country Day over Fort Worth Trinity Valley

Week 9 Picks 2019

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: 48-12)

Dallas Christian @ Trinity Christian - Cedar Hill -- TCCH continues to be the dominant force in Division II this season. The Week 2 OT loss to Parish has done nothing to stop the thinking that this is a coronation tour for the Tigers. For the 2nd straight year DC enters this matchup at 7-0. Through 6 weeks DC really lacked a signature win, but beating Plano John Paul II looks better every week and last week's OT victory over San Antonio Cornerstone is probably DC's best win since a 2017 playoff win over Fort Worth Christian. That season ended in a TCCH defeat in the semis. The Tigers have maybe been slightly less impressive than a year ago. A chunk of that can be attributed to the quality opposition though. The 41 point destruction of Melissa and the 24-0 halftime lead over Cornerstone suggests that the Tigers have plenty in the tank though. The Chargers do not really have that blowout of a top flight opponent. DC will have to score to get the upset of the defending state champions. The team that buried Cornerstone's offense for 30 minutes might be able to keep the game in range, but its still going to need an offensive performance to pair with it. Maybe a little muddy conditions will slow the Tigers, but its going to difficult to reverse last year's 37-16 win TCCH took in Mesquite. I'm sure most readers understand the policy of the picks column. Chargers with a shocker 28-27.

McKinney Christian @ Bullard Brook Hill -- The Guard secured a big district win over Tyler Grace last week. Scoring the presumed upset for a 2nd straight year. Reaching 1-1 in district sets up the Guard to clinch a playoff spot with a win over McKinney Christian. The Mustangs will likely need a win to have a chance to reach the playoffs. A 4-0 start for the Mustangs showed promise, but will likely be a building block for next year. MCA lost their district opener at Tyler Grace 33-12 and Brook Hill turned around next week and bested the same Tyler Grace squad. It is difficult to see the Mustangs traveling into the Piney Woods and stealing this road win. Its been a season of improvement for the Mustangs, but the road likely ends here. The Guard will need a good outing, but a game like they played last week against Grace should be enough. Brook Hill wins 35-18.

Fort Worth Christian @ Frisco Legacy Christian -- The Cardinals travel up north to Frisco to match with the Eagles. Its been more a struggle this year in North Richland Hills as the FWC is just 4-3 after reaching the state semifinals last year. In fairness though, they were 4-3 at this point last year. Though they had not suffered the blowout defeats that have plagued them this year. Also, the Cardinals were coming off scoring 40 points against Southwest while this year they managed just 19. The Eagles have had an improved season entering at 6-2 improving on last season's 5-5 campaign. The change in bracketing putting 4 district 1 teams in the playoffs this year means the Eagles are in the playoffs with a win this week. Legacy bested one of their Eagle counterparts at Southwest Christian last week 38-34. The improved offense gives the Eagles a real chance to win this one especially at home. However, things like allowing 42 points to Colleyville Covenant does not inspire confidence. I would say if FWC scores in the 30s they will win, but I think Legacy topples them this time. Eagles win at home 28-21.

Austin Regents @ Austin Brentwood Christian -- The Bears have put together a 2nd straight nice season, entering this one at 7-1. Brentwood blew out St. Michael's in their district opener for the 2nd year in a row. The Bears have not had a victory over a program with the pedigree of Regents though. The Knights are the usual stalwart in District 3 having complied a 6-1 record already. The lone blemish was a home loss to FW All Saints who went on to beat Parish Episcopal this season. All Saints is one of only 2 opponents to reach double figures against the Regents defense. Brentwood should stand a good chance at being a bit closer with the game at home, but reversing last year's 34-7 defeat to a victory is a tall task. The lack of a wild card point spot in this year's playoffs makes this a big swing game as both teams will face must wins next week with a loss. However, the Bears will be happy not to have to face TCCH in Round 1 if they make the playoffs. Regents has enough to secure a road win, 26-14.

Fort Worth Nolan @ Midland Christian -- Last year I anticipated MCS reaching this one at 8-0 setting up a virtual district title game and they fell to Liberty at home. This year, the Mustangs are just 5-3 but pounded Liberty in Argyle. The Vikings have pretty quietly raced to 7-0 and will want to put themselves in prime position for that district title. No 1st round bye on offer this year, but many coaches prefer it that way. Nolan enters off a bye week and having just held Lynch and Liberty to 20 total points between them. To be totally honest, if this game were in Fort Worth I would take Nolan to keep the train rolling without too much difficulty. That the game is out west gives me pause. The metroplex teams are certainly less experienced with the longer travel a trip to Midland entails. Surprisingly a non-district schedule that includes Celina is likely the easier lead up to this one. MCS has faced a little more consistent challenge in the early season that should prepare them well for a stiff defense like the Vikings bring. I expect this to be close, but I don't see the Mustangs reversing last year's 42-13 defeat all the way. Vikings win 28-16.

Dallas Bishop Dunne @ Dallas Bishop Lynch -- Bishop Dunne and John Paul got to be the first teams in TAPPS to see the NCAA rule change beyond the 5th OT with the Falcons taking an 11OT loss at home. The Falcons head to Roffino Stadium to a see a Bishop Lynch team that has been in a bit of a transition. A 3-1 start with the only loss a tight 16-13 defeat against TCCH to open the season has given way to a 3 game losing streak with allowances of 50, 37, and 54 on defense. After scoring 35 points in the defeat against Cornerstone, Nolan and Parish routed the Friars with Lynch scoring just 20 points between the two games. The Falcons defense seemed to be ramping up to "Red Swarm" form before seeing Parish and John Paul score 37 each. John Paul's total is slightly inflated given the OT nature of the game, but still not the defensive power the 2018 champions held. All of Division I is really just a prelude to the playoffs since all 15 schools are in already. The Friars have a chance with the game at home, but I'm not sure they can post enough points against the Falcons. Dunne held Cornerstone to 26 in San Antonio a much better performance than Dunne managed. Falcons win on the road, 22-14.

Dallas Parish Episcopal @ Plano Prestonwood Christian -- The Lions have turned into a more run heavy squad with a greater emphasis placed on defense in this year's 6-1 start. Prestonwood has yet to be bested by a team from Texas, including 3 Division I wins in the last 3 weeks where they held the opposition to 0, 17, and 10 points. The bye week and a home game sets the Lions up well for a big district game this week. Parish flopped against All Saints in Week 4, but still has a 6-1 record into the district home stretch. The Panthers have been the high flying offense including boatracing Bishop Lynch last week 54-14. The game should hinge on the Panther offense against the Lion defense. Prestonwood should manage a reasonable 3 to 4 touchdowns as they have most weeks, but if Parish is scoring in the 30s they will have a tough time keeping up. I'll take the Lions to make it happen on defense this week, but the Panthers are not going to be an easy out. This seems like a matchup that might set up for a reversal in the playoffs. Lions get a 4th straight district win over Parish. Prestonwood squeaks by 24-21.

Quick Hits: (Season: 63-17)

Fort Worth Southwest Christian over Carrollton Prince of Peace
Austin St. Michael's over Austin Hyde Park
Houston Lutheran South over Houston Westbury Christian
Victoria St. Joseph over Sugar Land Fort Bend Christian
Fort Worth All Saints over Argyle Liberty Christian
San Antonio Antonian over Tomball Concordia Lutheran
Dallas Shelton School over Arlington Pantego Christian
Lubbock Christian over Fort Worth Temple Christian
Fort Worth Trinity Valley over Irving Cistercian
Katy St. John XXIII over Tyler T.K. Gorman

Week 8 Picks 2019

District races are heating up, particularly in Division I. We seem to have escaped the heat at last and we haven't needed the boats to account for the flood of last season. Good luck all and safe travels.

This Week: (Season: 43-10)

San Antonio Cornerstone Christian @ Dallas Christian -- T.K. Gorman's departure from District 2 opened up the schedules for both TCCH and DC, and the Warriors have moved in. Cornerstone slid into several open slots in the schedule across the major DFW districts. The Warriors have already bested both Bishop Dunne and Bishop Lynch this season, including scoring 50 in their visit to Roffino Stadium. The Chargers have started with their usual strong opening, notching their first district win last week over Brook Hill to reach 6-0. It was a slower offensive performance for the Chargers, posting just 21 points. DC will likely need a much stronger performance from the offensive side of the ball this week. The DC defense has led the charge again, allowing more than 7 points only twice in 6 games and just 43 points total. The Warriors will be the best of the opposition thus far, and it will just ramp up further next week in the road trip to Cedar Hill. This is definitely a tough game for the Chargers, but they do get it at home as the Warriors make their 1st ever visit to the narrow sidelines of Wheeler Field. Long time readers will now who is getting picked here. Chargers win 20-18.

Bullard Brook Hill @ Tyler Grace Community -- The Cougars scored a district opening win over McKinney Chrsitian, 33-12. While not a laugher by any stretch, Grace was never in great jeopardy of losing. With TKG's departure, the Cougars get a 4 game district slate that includes 3 home games. Grace's only road trip will be to DC in Week 11. If the Cougars can win here it figures to set up that final game to be a battle for 2nd place and home field in round 1 of the playoffs. Both teams enter with two losses on the season, with the Guard opening district last week in a 21-3 home loss against DC. The Guard can quickly reenter the fray with a road win to match last season's 31-28 upset of the Cougars. The offense for the Guard will need to regain its non-district form as it seems very unlikely they can win with the 3 they managed against DC. The Cougars offense has put up total of 46, 70, 42, and 49 this season while the defense has struggled against the better opposition. Center's posting of 63 points is particularly concerning since Grace scored 49 of their own. The Guard are going to be close, but I think are headed toward a winner take all with McKinney Christian for the final playoff spot in District 2. Cougars win at home 35-27.

Trinity Christian - Cedar Hill @ McKinney Christian -- The Mustangs are much improved from a season ago, but have dropped their last 2 outings after a 4-0 start. Last week's district opener was much more competitive for McKinney Christian despite having to travel to Tyler. Its a little odd, but the Mustangs might look past TCCH to next week's matchup with Brook Hill given the likely long odds they face in this one. The Tigers are the back-to-back champions of Division II and had one of the state's longest win streaks before falling to Parish Episcopal in OT earlier this season. TCCH racked up 49, 48, and 50 points in consecutive outings before rain limited them to just 24 against Cornerstone last week when the game was stopped at halftime. The Tigers would need a incredible series of bad luck to be challenged in this one. TCCH wins 51-6.

Dallas Parish Episcopal @ Dallas Bishop Lynch -- The Friars have been stung by two straight losses after posting 3 consecutive wins to level their record at 3-3. It was a tough opening for Lynch starting with TCCH, but they would have liked to perform better against Cornerstone and potential playoff opponent FW Nolan. The Friars have struggled to put together good games on both sides of the ball simultaneously. They held TCCH to just 16, but scored only 13 of their own. They posted 35 against Cornerstone, but allowed 50. Even in wins over Ennis and Frisco Centennial the defense struggled allowing 34 and 38 respectively. The Panthers scored the huge season opening win over TCCH on ESPN2 but then fell to FW All Saints just two weeks later. Blowout wins over Division II opponents are good, but they really cemented themselves in the upper tier of Division I by besting Bishop Dunne last week 37-14. The most points Dunne has allowed to a TAPPS opponent since St. Pius eliminated them in the 2017 playoffs. I think the Parish offense is the key to this one, if the Panthers can score 35 or more I can't see the Friars being able to outscore them. I think they will do that, Panthers win 42-28.

Plano John Paul II @ Dallas Bishop Dunne -- This the best Cardinals team in school history. Unfortunately for them that is more a statement about the past of the Cardinals program than the current team. John Paul II has made massive strides under Coach Teague especially consider the depths of 34 losses in a row. JP2 was beaten just 22-10 last week against Prestonwood and the offense has posted several impressive outings earlier in the season. The Falcons will be looking to recover from the district opening loss against Parish, but simply must improve on offense to be a real contender this season in Division I. Their defense can take them a long way (all the way to a title in 2018), but it does not appear they are quite as dominant as last year's team. The Cardinals will be limited by the Falcons defense for sure, given the 14 points scored against DC and the 10 managed against Prestonwood. If Dunne can reach 20 it should have a handy victory, but if the offense goes missing again it could be an upset. Dunne takes it at home, 28-18.

Carrollton Prince of Peace @ Grapevine Faith Christian -- One of the many Division II District 1 teams named Eagles travels to Grapevine to take on the Lions. The run heavy attack the Eagles feature has gained them a 4 game win streak, but they've yet to take on a Division II opponent this season. The depth issue has always been a major concern for POP, and I fear this year will be no different. This is a huge opprutunity to announce themselves as a contender for one of the home playoff games and avoid the trip to Cedar Hill. The Lions have been a strong contender for a number of seasons and are the last school not named Trinity Christian to win the Division II title. Only UIL stalwart Canadian has been able to fell the Tigers in 2019 and it might be easy for Faith to look ahead to the expected showdown with Fort Worth Christian for the district title. I think Prince of Peace has made progress this year, but not enough to really threaten the Lions. Faith wins 49-20.

Midland Christian @ Argyle Liberty Christian -- The longtime foes head to Argyle to renew the rivalry. The two have played at seemingly every stadium in Denton and Midland Counties. What is now the UNT soccer field hosted maybe the most famous meeting (Link, though we should note MCS won the rematch that year). The most famous message board game, known as "Showergate," was at Bronco Stadium in Denton. The Mustangs have posted home wins over LCS on campus at Awtry Field, at Grande Communications Stadium, and at least one more stadium in the Permian Basin. The Mustangs entered this matchup a year ago at 7-0, but this season has been a different challenge with MCS at just 4-3. However, the three losses have been by 16 total points. This week and next with Nolan will decide the Mustangs location in the playoff bracket and rather they will start at home or with a bus ride. TCA will likely be 5th in District 1, but the other 4 spots seem up for grabs right now, the winner here will have a big leg up. The Warriors have notched just 2 wins in 7 outings, and have really struggled on defense. Liberty has allowed 40 points in 5 games thus far. A big contribution to a 2-5 start. 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 outscoring MCS. if the Mustangs can turn the close games in their favor going down the stretch they will be a big challenge for anyone in November. Its a long trip, but if anyone knows how to travel it's the Mustangs. MCS wins 35-21.

Quick Hits: (Season: 54-16)

Fort Worth Southwest Christian over Frisco Legacy Christian
Austin Regents over Austin Hyde Park
Austin Brentwood Christian over Austin St. Michael's
San Antonio Holy Cross over San Antonio Christian
Houston Lutheran South over Victoria St. Joseph
Sugar Land Fort Bend Christian over Houston Cypress Christian
Fort Worth All Saints over Trinity Christian - Addison
Houston St. Pius X over Tomball Concordia Lutheran
Flower Mound Coram Deo over Fort Worth Temple Christian
Dallas Shelton over Arlington Grace Prep

Week 7 Picks 2019

District play is here for most, with a few non-district tilts mixed in. Definitely our biggest week thus far as the contenders begin to face each other.

This Week: (Season: 37-9)

Dallas Christian @ Bullard Brook Hill -- The Chargers enter the district slate with a 5-0 record and coming off a bye week. The Guard will enter this one at 4-1 coming off back to back shutouts by a combined margin of 99 points. The challenge for Brook Hill will be posting a lofty score against the DC defense that has allowed no more than 14 points in any game thus far. In common opponents both teams played Plano John Paul II, Brook Hill dropping a 42-10 decision and DC winning at home 25-14. This is not the biggest test on the Chargers remaining schedule, but it could certainly be a stumbling block. This upset could very quickly vault Brook Hill into the ranks of looking for a home playoff game and the game is in Bullard. The Chargers should take this road victory, but nothing comes easy in district road games. DC wins 35-21.

San Antonio Cornerstone Christian @ Trinity Christian - Cedar Hill -- The Warriors have run quite the gauntlet to reach 6-0, scoring wins over Dunne, Lynch, and MCS in consecutive weeks. The Tigers may be the toughest opposition among them, given their win over Lynch as well. This game probably deserves top billing this week, but I have a reputation to uphold with that spot. The Warriors also posted a blowout win over Fort Worth Christian earlier in the season. TCCH is of course the 2-time defending state champion only losing to Parish in OT during the last two seasons. The challenge in this game is the stark contrast of the two teams games against Bishop Lynch. The Tigers took a defensive 16-13 victory. The Warriors outran the Friars 50-35, and they both did it at Bishop Lynch. The Tigers haven't felt quite as dominant this season, but still appear to be the class of Division II. I'm not sure how to pick this one, so when in doubt pick the home team. This should be a close one, Tigers win 28-20.

McKinney Christian @ Tyler Grace Community -- As a new entrant to Division II, 2018 was a tough season for the Mustangs finishing just 2-7. This season started much improved at 4-0, including turning around 34 point loss to Valley View to a 32 point win. MCA posted over 40 points in each of their first three victories, before a hot 30-21 afternoon win over Colleyville Covenant. However, in the Mustangs last outing they were routed by Plano John Paul II 50-6. The Cougars make for an interesting district opener given the number of points allowed this season, including 63 to Center and 38 to Redwater. Last week the Cougars traveled to Houston to take a 1 point victory in a bog over Pro-Vision Academy. Both teams very much need this win to set up possible matches with DC for a home playoff game, without this win and given TK Gorman's withdrawal from District 2 there is no real path to the top 2. If the Mustangs offense can get in gear they should have a chance to reverse last year's 54-18 drubbing. McKinney Christian is clearly better this season and should continue to progress toward competing in Division II, but I don't think they're quite up to that level yet. Cougars win 42-21.

Trinity Christian - Addison @ Midland Christian -- The Mustangs are smarting a bit about being just 3-3 at this point, losing games by 7, 6, and 3. The next two weeks are presumably precursors to the expected showdowns with Nolan and All Saints that we anticipate will decide District 1. Longtime rival Liberty is certainly no pushover looming next week either. The Mustangs should be heavily favored in this one at home in Permian Basin. The have to be so favored given the Trojans have won just 3 games since the start of 2017, and enter this one at 0-6. TCA won its opener with Coach Singletary to start the 2018 season and have lost 16 straight since then. The Trojans slate in District 1 is not the group you want to try and find your footing against. TCA has held just 1 opponent out of 6 under 40 points, and though the offense did find some form with 30 points last week I can't see them having anywhere close to enough to travel west and steal a victory. Mustangs win 45-16.

Argyle Liberty Christian @ Fort Worth Nolan -- It was an unpleasant 0-4 start for the Warriors before rebounding to beat China Spring in a 58-56 shootout and then blow out Hyde Park 52-0 last week. The Liberty squad is probably better than 2-4 would suggest, but the Vikings will pose a significant challenge. Defense has been a significant problem for the Warriors, allowing over 40 points in 4 of 6 outings. Nolan has opened at 6-0 scoring over 35 points in 5 of the 6 contests. Only Celina was able to slow the Vikings over an entire game, though they still fell on the losing side to Nolan. Last week's 37-6 defeat of Bishop Lynch only cemented the Vikings status as a contender in Division I. Only 2 opponents have reached 20 against the Vikings, and one of those was still a 48 point win. Last season the Vikings traveled to Argyle and posted a 49-21 win. The Warriors quality play against Prestonwood suggests they should be very competitive this year, but I doubt they have enough to get over the hump this year. Vikings win at home 33-17.

Dallas Bishop Dunne @ Dallas Parish Episcopal -- The Panthers had been in a down cycle before posting 10 wins a season ago. They followed that up by opening this season with an OT win over TCCH. 2 weeks later the Panthers dropped a surprising decision to All Saints. The Falcons Red Swarm defense took them to the state title last year, allowing 20 points only once in 14 games. The Panthers were the only ones to reach 20, in a 31-20 semifinal loss. Earlier the Falcons posted a 16-7 home victory over the Panthers. This season has been a little choppier for Dunne having been blown out by Desoto and dropping a road contest to SA Cornerstone. However, the Red Swarm responded holding All Saints to 2 and St. Pius to 8. I doubt the Falcons will score a ton against a really good Panthers team, so I can't see this one not being close. If Parish can score 25+ on the Red Swarm (more than 40 and we'll take that name away from them), they should win particularly at home. I'm going to say the defense wins this for the Falcons. Dunne wins 25-18.

Lubbock Christian @ Flower Mound Coram Deo -- The Eagles earn this spot in the picks thanks to a 6-0 start so good that MaxPreps is giving them credit for the Tulia win twice. That win last week was the first close test for Lubbock Christian after posting at least 45 points in each of their first 5 wins. The Lions have put together a few strong seasons ending last season with 11 wins and a state semifinal appearance. This season has been more of a struggle following an 0-3 start. The Lions have rebounded with 2 wins in the last 3 weeks, but have allowed a bunch of points this season in some close losses. I suspect that Coram Deo will post some points, but will be able to slow the Eagles enough to win. Lubbock Christian wins a road test, 42-28.

Quick Hits: (Season: 47-13)

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
Houston Lutheran South over Sugar Land Fort Bend Christian
The Woodlands Christian over Houston Lutheran North
Austin Brentwood Christian over Shiner St. Paul
Dallas Covenant over Temple Central Texas Christian
Episcopal School of Dallas over Austin Saints

Week 6 Picks 2019

A little slower getting these out this week, but we press on toward district play.
 
This Week: (Season: 30-9)

San Antonio Holy Cross @ Austin Regents -- The Knights are destined to win this one, ok I had to make that joke. Regents has dominated this series in recent days having won 7 times in the last 4 seasons. The capital city residents posted a 38-14 win over Wimberly last week and are 4-1 on the season with two shutouts. Holy Cross opened at 2-0 including a win over long time rival Central Catholic. The Alamo city residents dropped 2 before dominating Austin St. Michael's last week. The Holy Cross defense hasn't been as strong as the Regents defense but has likely seen the better opposition. This should be a low scoring game, and probably a playoff preview. Regents wins at home, 28-14.

Argyle Liberty Christian @ Austin Hyde Park -- The Warriors had a miserable 0-4 start before posting a 58-56 win over China Spring last week. Its been quite a schedule that Liberty has faced and allowing 56 points to China Spring doesn't instill great confidence. That they had Prestonwood on the ropes a couple weeks ago does. The Warriors should not be an easy out when the playoffs roll around, but need to start finding ways to win. The Panthers are an excellent choice to find the win column again having started 0-4 and managing no more than 7 points in each of their last 3 losses. The visit to the Quarries should prove fruitful for the Warriors. Liberty dominates 42-7.

Dallas Bishop Lynch @ Fort Worth Nolan -- Last year I started this game preview with, "The Vikings were less talked about as a state title contender entering the year." This year we started very much the same way and Nolan is once again 5-0. The Friars are just 3-2 but with losses to TCCH and San Antonio Cornerstone there is certainly no reason to write them off. 35 points was not enough to get past Cornerstone last week while holding TCCH to 16 was not enough to get that win. Wins over Ennis and Frisco Centennial certainly cause optimism for the Friars fans. Nolan's wins over Celina and blowing out Kinkaid are cause for Vikings fans optimism. It will be interesting to match up Districts 1 and 2 in this one for some playoff comparisons. The Vikings defense should give them an upper hand at home, but it should be a tightly contested game. If Bishop Lynch can get to 30 points I think they win this, but I do not think they will get there. Vikings win 27-20.

Houston St. Pius X @ Dallas Bishop Dunne -- The Panthers could not find the scoring areas last week against Prestonwood, falling 12-0. The offense has usually been the calling card for the Panthers, but a 1-4 start has been the result of some struggling on offense. The Red Swarm defense awoke last week holding Fort Worth All Saints to just 2. After getting blown out by Desoto and dropping a tight one to San Antonio Cornerstone it put the Falcons back in the win column. Given the direct comparison with district rival Prestonwood this is a big game for Dunne. Its also an interesting pairing of two of the last schools in Division I still playing on grass. The Falcons have to be favored here, but will want to see some offensive surge to feel good moving into district play. Falcons win 28-7.

Midland Christian @ San Antonio Cornerstone Christian -- The Mustangs have a trip to San Antonio to take on the Warriors. Cornerstone has a notable schedule this year with seemingly every contender in Division I and II on the schedule, and are off to a 5-0 start including wins over both Dunne and Lynch. MCS blowout of FWC puts them firmly on the list of contenders, but this is stiff ask. No shame in losing to state contender Wall, but only scoring 14 makes you wonder how many they can manage against the Warriors. If MCS can get the offense in gear they could score enough to win, but I expect the Warriors to post at least 35 points. Cornerstone wins at home 38-20.

Dallas Parish Episcopal @ Fort Worth Christian -- The Panthers landed a huge victory over TCCH on national TV and then failed to consolidate that by losing to All Saints. All Saints lost to Bishop Dunne and also apparently is down a QB. Parish blew out TCA last week to get back in the win column. The Cardinals reached the state semifinals last year and are off to a decent 3-2 start this year. However, the two losses were big blowouts by San Antonio Cornerstone and Midland Christian. That certainly would seem to make it difficult for the Cardinals in the late stages of the playoffs. So far this year, FWC has struggled to score against the best defenses and it would seem this will be another of that class. The Panthers offense should find things a bit tougher than they did against TCA or Tyler Grace, but I doubt it will be enough for the Cardinals to stay in touch. Panthers win 35-10.

Fort Worth All Saints @ Plano Prestonwood Christian -- The Lions struggled to get by Argyle Liberty a couple weeks ago and scored just 12 at St. Pius last week. Now the defense responded in Houston with a shutout, but with St. Pius struggling to start the year it makes us wonder a bit about Prestonwood's chances at the top of District 2 and 1st round bye. The Saints scored a massive victory with the upset of Parish, and the win over Regents isn't bad either. The Saints offense though appears to have been bitten by the injury bug and failed to score against Bishop Dunne last week. This will probably be a close game, but I could also see the Lions offense having a breakout game. Probably winds up close at the end though. Lions win 21-14.

Quick Hits: (Season: 38-12)

Carrollton Prince of Peace over Texas School for the Deaf
Austin Brentwood Christian over Yorktown
Plano John Paul II over Trinity Christian - Addison
Houston Kinkaid over Tomball Concordia Lutheran
Houston St. Thomas over China Spring
Cameron Yoe over Katy St. John XXIII
Dallas Shelton over Frisco Legacy Christian
Fort Worth Country Day over Austin Saints
Fort Worth Lake Country Christian over Dallas 1st Baptist
Boerne Geneva over Shiner St. Paul

Week 5 Picks 2019

Last year, I was down 5 weather cancellations and this year just 1. I guess the weather is getting better this year, but not by much. Congratulations to all Division I and IV teams on securing their playoff spots this week.

This Week: (Season: 25-7)

Kemp @ Dallas Christian -- The Chargers used a strong defensive effort, including 2 defensive touchdowns to take a handy 42-13 victory over Trinity Christian - Addison and reach 4-0. Not every victory has been "clean" but its been a nice start for sure. Certainly many difficult tests await for the Chargers with TCCH and Grace ahead on the district schedule. The Yellowjackets scored their first points of the season last week in capturing a 29-24 victory over Commerce. Kemp reached the second round of the playoffs a season ago after taking a 40 point defeat against the Chargers. The Yellowjackets seem to be up against it this year, having lost 128-0 in the first 3 weeks. This seems to be a far cry from the 2017 team that reached the state semifinals. The Chargers have a clear edge on paper but strange things do happen. Chargers win 42-7.

Tyler Grace Community @ Center -- The Cougars responded from being blown out by Parish with a 42-17 win over Wills Point. Only a 21-17 lead at the half was cemented with a shutout 2nd half to guide the Cougars to victory. The Roughriders reached the playoffs last year, but have started the season just 1-3. It was a similar setup last year, and the Roughriders took a 61-42 victory over Grace in a visit to Tyler. Center has seen 30 or more points posted against them in each of their four games thus far which should setup well for the always potent Cougars offense. The Cougars defense has been improved this year, but allowing 38 to Redwater is still a concern. The Grace defense will need its best to win this week, and if they find it they could be set up well for district play. Roughriders slide by at home. Center wins 37-35.

Trinity Christian - Cedar Hill @ Houston St. Thomas -- The Tigers blowout of Melissa definitely turns some heads, but just further cements their place at the top of Division II. Parish's defeat of TCCH and subsequent loss might give a little hope to the 2nd tier though. Division I St. Thomas is off to a 2-2 start after beating Kinkaid and Stafford the last two weeks. The road trip gives me a little pause in assuming a Tigers victory, but I can't see the Eagles slowing down Sanders and company enough to win this one. If the Eagles can hold the Tigers under 21 they stand a great chance at springing the upset, but I don't see it happening. Tigers win 35-18.

Fort Worth Christian @ Midland Christian -- A 2-2 start for the Mustangs is a bit misleading with the losses to 6A El Paso Americas, having one of its best years ever, and state title contender Wall. They backed that with a blowout of Monahans last week that appears to put them back on track. The Cardinals enter at 3-1 having dropped a visit from San Antonio Cornerstone. Its hard to know if Country Day, Valley View, and Maypearl are better wins than El Paso Chapin and Monahans. This should be a good measuring game for Division I and II, and then matching the results with San Antonio Cornerstone's difficult schedule will further the lines of comparison. The road trip looks to be the challenge here, but 2nd only to the Mustang defense. If MCS held Wall to 20 they should keep the Cardinals offense at bay. Mustangs win 28-14.

Grapevine Faith Christian vs. Canadian @ Vernon -- The Lions find themselves with an interesting non-district neutral site Saturday game. The Wildcats are a strong UIL 3A side with multiple state titles in the last decade, reaching the state final last year. The Wildcats only other loss in 2018 was to the Lions and Faith is the only loss in the regular season since Week 3 of 2016. Canadian is off to a 4-0 allowing just 36 points total across the four games and entering this one off back-to-back shutouts. The Lions have also started the season 4-0 with a strong defense and an offense that is beginning to catch fire with a 49 point output last week. This is a long ride from Grapevine to the barren lands of West Texas, but they overcame it last year. This should be a good game with great measurement for TAPPS football. Last year Faith answered the bell and the offense posted 41. If they do it again Lions win. I'll take Faith 40-30.

Austin Regents @ Wimberly -- The Knights are off to their usual strong start at 3-1 and enter off a shutout of the Central Catholic Buttons last week. The Texans are off to a big 4-0 start including 40+ points in 3 of their wins. The Knights defense should slow the Texan attack, but it will take a good performance to get their 4th win. Regents should be in position to win this one if the game stays relatively low scoring, but a track meet could be trouble. Last year, the Knights posted a 48-13 victory and while Wimberly has improved I think the result holds. Regents wins 38-21.

Dallas Bishop Dunne @ Fort Worth All Saints -- The Saints appear to have reversed last year's trend with a 3-0 start, culminating in last week's upset of Parish Episcopal. After allowing 47 points to Boerne Geneva, I just couldn't have seen taking down Parish coming. Now that they have that win it vaults them among the contenders in Division I. The Falcons fell to San Antonio Cornerstone last week 26-23. A big turnaround for the Warriors from last year's 48-0 loss. The Falcons may be a tad down from last year's state champion, but no reason to think they are not a strong squad. I would expect the Red Swarm defense to rebound this week, but its not clear that will be enough. Saints score another surprise (or is it a surprise if I pick them). All Saints wins 21-14.

Quick Hits: (Season: 29-10)

Carrollton Prince of Peace over Lubbock Trinity Christian
Frisco Legacy Christian over Colleyville Covenant Christian
Bullard Brook Hill over Flower Mound Coram Deo
Fort Worth Country Day over Fort Worth Southwest Christian
Plano Prestonwood Christian over Houston St. Pius X
Plano John Paul II over McKinney Christian
Dallas Parish Episcopal over Trinity Christian - Addison
Argyle Liberty Christian over China Spring
San Antonio Holy Cross over Austin St. Michael's
Houston Christian over Houston Westbury Christian
Shiner St. Paul over Weimar

Week 4 Picks 2019

As I look at last year's picks, I find that last year we were in the middle of the rainy period where we seemingly had delays every Friday. Hopefully we don't return to that as things are starting to pick up with some key matchups this week. District play is just ahead.

This Week: (Season: 18-6)

Dallas Christian @ Trinity Christian - Addison -- The Chargers and Trojans rematch the 1987 state championship game, a 19-14 DC win. DC enters having bested Plano John Paul 25-14 a week ago. It was another week in which the Chargers offense was just a little slow. That's not to say they've looked bad, at times they've been awesome but punching it in the endzone has been a bit challenging at times. The defense continues to be extremely strong, having allowed just 14 points from scrimmage in 3 games. The Trojans are off to an 0-3 start and have managed just 3 wins total since 2017. Losses to ESD, China Spring, and Prestonwood does little to inspire confidence in a possible resurgence. Now that is certainly not a group of opponents that would be considered weak but you'd like to hold someone under 34 points in your first 3 outings. The Trojans offense will have to manage more than 14 or 7 from the last 2 weeks to find the win column here. I'm not certain the Chargers need more than the 25 they managed against JP2, but it would probably be best to make sure. DC claimed a 20-10 shortened victory last year, and this will be a notable road test. Chargers win 28-14.

Melissa @ Trinity Christian - Cedar Hill -- The Tigers posted another strong victory a week ago, blowing out Spring Legacy 49-14 to start a new win streak at 1. The Cardinals have started 2-1 including a blowout of Liberty Christian in Week 1. Melissa should offer a decent resistance to the Tigers. Its a surprisingly long trip between the two schools with at least an hour drive awaiting the Cardinals and likely more on a Friday evening. Its no West Texas travel but a decent haul none the less. The Cardinals have scored 47, 41, and 36 in their 3 outings and that is what they'll need to best TCCH. Last season the Tigers squeaked out a 26-19 victory in Melissa. The Tigers offense is just too much for the Cardinals I think, but no layup for TCCH in this one. TCCH wins at home 35-25.

Wills Point @ Tyler Grace Community -- For the 2nd straight year, the Cougars explosive offense vanished quickly against Division I stalwart Parish Episcopal as they were routed 49-0. Returning the 70 point form of Week 2 is what the Cougars will be looking to do. The Tigers are off to a 1-2 start after last year's 5 win campaign that culminated in a 1st round loss. Only allowing 31 points in the last two weeks sets up well for the Tigers, that they only scored 21 in the two game combined could be a big problem. Is the Grace offense the one that scored 70+ in consecutive years against Redwater or the one that has trouble scoring against top opposition. Not sure we should take anything from the loss to Parish and last years 42-34 win for the Cougars seems like a decent starting point. Cougars offense gets going at home. Grace wins 38-28.

Redwater @ Tyler T.K. Gorman -- The Crusaders host Redwater after winning 49-8 on the road last year. The Dragons option attack put up plenty of yards and points in another Week 2 against Grace posting 38 but still losing by 4 touchdowns. The Crusaders lost big to Tenaha last week and have hit hard times, dropping out of District 2. Look for their to be lots of points posted in this one, but TKG is going to need some real improvement or there may be a big reversal of last season. The Crusaders and Dragons both are suspect defensively and I don't think the Crusaders offense is going to be able to keep pace with the option. I'll take the Dragons to squeak by 42-14.

Plano Prestonwood Christian @ Argyle Liberty Christian -- A notable cross district clash that should give us some indicators of who will have playoff success. After a shortened shutout of Brock last year the Warriors could not duplicate the feet, falling 28-21 to reach 0-3. After several years of an incredible defense, the Liberty squad is not off to a great start. However, Melissa, Celina, and Brock is difficult trio to start with. The Lions offense is always a force and will look to duplicate the 49 points posted last year at home. The Warriors held them to just 14 two seasons ago but scored 0 of their own and were largely routed 49-20 last season. If Liberty can reach 30 they should have a chance to win since they will be keeping the Lion attack off the field, but they probably need all of those points to win. I just can't Liberty scoring enough to win this one. Lions win 42-14.

Midland Christian @ Monahans -- Its been a rocky start for the Mustangs at just 1-2 and Monahans is always a staunch opposition. The Loboes won 5 games last season and reached the playoffs, but were bested 28-7 by MCS last season. These two had 5 wins between them entering last year's Week 4 contest. This year, they share just 1 win combined. It was a tight 20-14 defeat against state contender Wall last week leaving plenty of unknowns for district play. The distances between teams in District 1 makes predicting based on non-district games quite challenging. I think the Mustangs will get back in the win column, but they'll have to work for it. MCS wins 28-21.

Boerne Geneva @ Falls City -- The Eagles get back in this week's picks this week much like last year because the opponent is the Beavers. The Beavers reached round 5 of the playoffs last year in a 14-1 campaign. Geneva fell 15-14 in a tightly contested state final against Willow Park Trinity. The Eagles have to feel like this year is another great chance to reach the top given Trinity's struggles early on. Its just a 1-2 start for the Eagles but losses to the larger Houston 2nd Baptist and FW All Saints are no shame by any means. Its going to take the Eagles best to win out over the Beavers and avoid 1-3. The state contending Beavers are just too much for Geneva in my opinion. Falls City won last year's meeting 36-15. I don't see enough to reverse this outcome on the road. Beavers win 42-21.

Van Vleck @ Houston Second Baptist -- The Leopards took down the Eagles last year with a dominant offense, winning 48-14. Second Baptist is always a contender in the southern portion of Division II, and is the last school south of the I-20 corridor to win the title in TAPPS 2nd largest classification. The Leopards won 11 games in reaching round 3 of last year's playoffs and are off to another strong start with 40+ points posted in each outing so far. If the Eagles turn the tables here it will be huge sign to the division that this could be the year Second Baptist reaches the finals. Though the home game will help, I can't see the Eagles having enough to take this one. Van Vleck spots their way to a 40-20 win.

Quick Hits: (Season: 22-8)

McKinney Christian over Colleyville Covenant
Grapevine Faith Christian over Dallas Lincoln
Fort Worth Christian over Maypearl
Dallas Parish Episcopal over Fort Worth All Saints
Dallas Bishop Dunne over San Antonio Cornerstone Christian
Fort Worth Nolan over Fort Worth Eastern Hills
Bishop Lynch over Fort Worth O.D. Wyatt
Austin Regents over San Antonio Central Catholic
The Woodlands Christian over Fort Worth Lake Country Christian
Bellaire Episcopal over Episcopal School of Dallas