The challenges of 2020 may never end, but we will play football in TAPPS this week. I'm sure we'll have our fits of stops and starts, but we will press on as best we can. I'll use the slash in the weekly thread titles since plenty of non-TAPPS schools started play 4 weeks ago. It will be a confusing year, but at least the picks did not get stuck on 0-0 for the season. It may be a challenge to make sure that I get games included here that actually happen, so please let me know if you see me picking a game that isn't happening. If you're new to this space, please know that the biases of the author are on display and while objectivity is a goal in these write-ups it is not the factor that influences the selections. These influences also effect which games are featured here. There are some other biases. The committee of one does not like mascots that are Eagles or some other common animals and will favor unique team names.
Now without further ado, we've had plenty of that, on to the picks.
This Week: (Season: 0-0)
Argyle Liberty Christian @ Dallas Christian -- A new season starts for the Chargers after falling in Round 2 for the 2nd year in a row. This time Grapevine Faith did in DC. The Warriors have not visited Mesquite for a varsity football game since 2004. There was a state final victory for the Warriors in 2007 and a playoff victory on a final play kick return in 2009. So in recent past there isn't much to be found between these two. Last season the Warriors struggled to just a 3-8 record though against a difficult schedule and lost by just 5 in a road playoff game. So probably a little better than that record would suggest. Of course with it being September 25th and each team's first game its hard to know what we'll see. The Chargers have rarely lost the opener. Dropping consecutive years to Bishop Dunne for the only opening losses since 2003. The Warriors won the last 3 against Chargers but its also been a decade since they met on the field. I think we can anticipate where the author is leaning, but I expect a close finish. Chargers win 28-21.
Frisco Legacy Christian @ Tyler Grace Community -- The Cougars were right with Dallas Christian at the top of District 2 for a number of years. Besting DC on the way to a semifinal appearance in 2010. Since then its been a struggle to get back over the hump and have averaged only 5 wins a year for the last 3 seasons. With TCCH departing the organization it may open a door for the Cougars to get back into a home playoff position. The offense has typically been the banner unit for the Cougars and when they've struggled on that side its been a string of losses. The Eagles came into Division II in 2014 and held leads over every district opponent at some point in each game and went on to win just 1 of the 7 games. They were snake bit that season. Since then its been mostly a struggle for the Eagles in district play. However, last season saw Legacy post an 8-3 campaign that included a 23 point win over Fort Worth Christian and finishing in position to host a playoff game. They did not capitalize on that finish, losing to Brook Hill in round 1. The Cougars have been fast starters, like in last season's opening win over Canton and I think they will be again. Legacy has also won a bunch of early season games in the past few years, but who knows what to expect this year. I'll take Grace at home, 38-26.
Dallas Bishop Dunne @ Grapevine Faith Christian -- The Falcons had big plans for last season and then lost a 12OT game to John Paul II and never recovered, ending the year on a 5 game losing streak. JP2 took that win and made a run to the title game. Bishop Dunne finds themselves in Division II for the first time since TAPPS changed the division names for football. The Lions fell to TCCH in the semifinals and will be thinking this could be a chance for a big run after losing only the mentioned semi and to UIL power Canadian last season. Faith has plenty of players back from that team and figures to be a top choice to win District 1 and they are the last team not named the Tigers to win Division II. The unknowns in District 2 are only stretched by 2020 and the group of DC, Dunne, Grace, and Brook Hill leaves a lot of candidates for the top couple spots. The Falcons should respond to a disappointing season with a good showing in the opener, but I think home team's probably hold too much advantage to start this odd season. Lions win 40-28.
Fort Worth Christian @ Bullard Brook Hill -- The Guard had to be thinking they were going to see FWC in the playoffs last year since they figured to be at best 3rd in District 2 behind DC and TCCH. Instead, FWC fell to 3rd after being pushed around by Frisco Legacy. The Cardinals finished just 5-6 and never really punched above their weight. They beat the teams they should and were mostly controlled by teams that were better than them. The Guard will need to be the team that won 8 games and a road playoff game last season. When they got in a big game against DC or TCCH they managed just 10 point in 3 games. Finding that scoring touch would lead to a big early season victory. The Cardinals will quickly see how they fit in Division II this year by opening with Brook Hill and Dallas Christian. I think these defenses will be ahead early in this curious season. Cardinals win on the road, 14-10.
Detroit @ McKinney Christian -- Division II District 2's other team is the Mustangs. Its been an uphill battle for McKinney Christian in Division II after reaching the Division II title game in 2017. Last season's 5-5 record saw the Mustangs shut out in 3 straight games in district play but they did score a handful of dominating victories. The Mustangs should score point against lesser opposition, but they will have to overcome the experience factor in this one as their opponent has already played four times on the season. The good news for MCA is the Eagles are 0-4. With a city name of Detroit to go with a mascot of Eagles is disgraceful. Eagles go to 0-5. Mustangs win 38-14.
Austin Regents @ Austin St. Michael's -- Nothing like starting a season with district play I always say. Actually, I never say that. The Knights continued a steak of 4 straight state final appearances last year. They will not have to see TCCH in the final if they can make it 5. The regular season win streak was broken up last year, but the Knights still posted 11 wins. The Crusaders have moved between Division I and II a couple of times and have been the odd one to have their record get worse in Division II. St. Michael's has won just 10 games in the last 4 seasons including 4 defeats by Regents. The Crusaders have scored just 7 in the last 3 meetings with the Knights. I think road games will be tricky this year, as who knows what locker rooms and other restrictions might look like but its not enough to get the Crusaders over this hump. A 1-0 district play start for Regents, winning 40-10.
Wall @ Midland Christian -- Deep into West Texas we go for the final paragraph of the week as the Mustangs host Wall. MCS will be looking to avenge a 20-14 loss to the Hawks from last season. The only non-district tuneup for the Mustangs presents a unique challenge as not only did Wall run a 10-0 regular season last year, but they've already played 4 games this season. The Hawks are at 3-1 and seem to be on their way to another competitive playoff run. I'm not sure how this one breaks. When MCS has the offense moving they win. They were held to 14 or less in 4 of their 5 losses a season ago. The Mustangs really never get blown out though and they do get a home game here. I think they fall at the end. Hawks win 29-26.
Quick Hits: (Season: 0-0)
Dallas Parish Episcopal over Dallas Bishop Lynch (note this is a non-district game)
Azle over Fort Worth All Saints
Lovejoy over Plano John Paul II
Tomball Concordia Lutheran over Sugar Land Fort Bend Christian
Fort Worth Southwest Christian over Carrollton Prince of Peace
Arlington Grace Prep over Flower Mound Coram Deo
Boerne Geneva over San Antonio Central Catholic
Arlington Pantego Christian over Nocona
Lubbock Christian over Fort Worth Temple Christian
Shiner St. Paul over Tomball Rosehill Christian
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