Another playoff week is upon us. Some fun neutral sites to play at this week, and few regular season rematches that teams will be trying to reverse. Its a favorite laden bracket with Parish, Regents, and Shiner St. Paul still featuring as defending champs. The wide open Division III saw its title holder defeated, further cementing its status as the mystery division. Just 16 teams will be left in 11-man after this week. Good luck and safe travels on the road to Midway.
This Week: (Season: 72-24)
Fort Worth Christian vs. Dallas Christian @ Desoto -- Our only Division II game this week without an Eagles. The Chargers and Cardinals fates are always intertwined, dating back to rivalry contests from before TAPPS creation. The two schools share a similar history with founding just a year apart and with the same Faith tradition it ties the alumni together in college and beyond. This will be the 19th game between them since 2005, making it the most played matchup for both schools in the MaxPreps era. Its been a series mostly controlled by the Chargers with a 14-4 advantage since 2005. However, the Cardinals have won some of the biggest games. The 2015 state championship being the biggest. FWC also dominated the 2018 playoff game, winning 27-10, making 2 playoff wins in a row for the Cardinals in the series. This reversed a 4 game playoff win streak over the Cardinals that dated to 2007. There've been blowouts and tight games in the mix. One where FWC had a 20-0 lead before DC had an offensive play, but DC won 28-20. A game where the punter was called down on a low snap, leading to the go ahead field goal. This year's meeting on October 1 was a mix of the two. The Chargers built a lead, but FWC climbed back in before falling 35-25. The Cardinals started the season 0-5 after that loss to the Chargers, but have won 4 of 6 since. Finding ways to score is how FWC can win this one. Special teams and defensive touchdowns are the path to victory. DC's penalty problems can be another path for the Cardinals. The biases of the author are well known, but this should be a tight game. I think if DC gets to 30 they win handily, but if the Chargers offense sputters, the Cardinals can definitely get to 28 and win. Chargers survive a close one, 31-29.
Fort Worth Southwest Christian vs. Grapevine Faith Christian @ Fort Worth Castleberry -- The Eagles suffered a long walk through the wilderness, never winning more than 6 games in a season between 2005 and 2019. Last year, they just won 7 but in the COVID season that was a semifinal appearance. After sharing the district title last season, the Eagles won it outright this year. At 9-2, the only losses are to very strong ESD and TCA squads, and they won every district game by 18 or more points. That closest win though was over these Lions. Faith won the 2016 state championship, but last week was just the 3rd playoff win since then. Last year the Lions were just 5-4 in the shortened season, being ousted in the regional round. The Lions were favorites heading into district play after a dominant 5-0 start that saw just 13 points allowed and 3 shutouts. The Eagles pushed them off that top step and then a shocking 50 point defensive outing in losing to FWC saw the Lions have to go on the road in round 1. A 2nd half shutout pushed Faith past Brook Hill and into the Regional. It was 34-16 in early October when they met and low scoring should suit both teams well. Eagles won the first one so we'll go that way, but a close defensive struggle is on order. Southwest wins 16-13.
Austin Regents vs. Houston Second Baptist @ Brenham -- The Knights are searching for their 6th straight state final appearance. No one south of the I-20 corridor has been able to take down Regents since Hyde Park in 2015. This season has been no different, with 10 wins by at least 24 points. Only 2 opponents scored more than 8 against the Knights this year and no one scored more than 21. Regents has also scored 35 or more in every outing this season. The Eagles dropped their first district game since 2015 this year and thus meet Regents in the regional round rather than the semifinals. Its been 3 straight semifinal defeats for Second Baptist against Regents and 5 losses in 5 years including regular season games in 2016 and 2017. In those 5 games, the most point scored by the Eagles is 14. That was last year, but 14 will not get past the Knights. I don't see any major changes in expectations so last year's 38-14 win for Regents seems like a good starting point, but maybe a tad closer than last year. Knights win 35-18.
Austin St. Michael's vs. Sugar Land Fort Bend Christian @ Giddings -- The Eagles pushed Second Baptist off the District 4 throne in Week 11, and put up 59 points in a dominant playoff victory over Brentwood Christian. They've won 6 in a row since the calendar flipped to October and erase the taste of a 3 game losing streak. The Crusaders won just 11 games total between 2015 and 2019, but the resurgence started last year with a 7 win season and a playoff victory. It was a 42-6 loss to Regents last year that sparked a 6 game win streak, and a 15-3 run since. They were the 2nd best team in District 3 all year, earning that 2nd seed and home playoff game. It should be a close game. Both squads blew out Brentwood and share no other common opponents. Both offenses should be among the best the other teams have seen. I think we'll see a bunch of point in this one. Eagles win a shootout, 42-35.
Dallas Parish Episcopal vs. Plano Prestonwood Christian @ The Star -- The Panthers are the back to back defending champions and nothing in 2021 has changed their favorite status. Just a 2 point loss to Austin LBJ separates Parish from a undefeated season. Their 9 wins include a 35-9 margin over Prestonwood. Only Midland Christian kept it closer than that in the District 1 slate. The Panthers have been dominant from start to finish and the 1st round bye was the reward. The Lions lost 3 times in the district slate and haven't been able to get the stops to win in the big district grudge matches. That is a tough problem to try and overcome against Parish. Panthers remain the favorites, but the Lions keeps it closer than last time. Parish Episcopal wins, 37-22.
Midland Christian vs. Fort Worth Nolan @ Abilene Wylie -- The Mustangs reached the semifinals a season ago, but drew two District 2 opponents en route. Its unfortunate that TAPPS bracketed it this way, where the top District 1 teams meet in Round 2 while the lower finishers get to play the cross district opposition. In a game that was ultimately forfeited, Nolan went to the Permian Basin and won 48-28. Turning around that defensive performance will be the task for MCS. The Vikings overcame the forfeits and coaching turmoil to finish in 3rd position in District 1 and figured to be the fiercest opposition for Parish en route to 3 in a row. Nolan won the district title last year and will have to be sure not to look beyond the Mustangs to a possible rematch with the Panthers. Last time MCS played at Wylie it was a 70-7 drubbing of Dallas Christian where the Mustangs lost the special teams but still won the game by 63. Maybe some good feelings, but it was 8 years ago and really just Coach McClendon still left from that one. The Vikings look to be too good here, but the Mustangs are never eliminated easily. Nolan wins a tight one, 33-30.
Quick Hits: (Season: 98-22)
Fort Worth All Saints over San Antonio Central Catholic
Houston St. Thomas over Dallas Bishop Lynch
Lubbock Christian over Arlington Pantego Christian
Arlington Grace Prep over Lubbock Trinity Christian
Houston Cypress Christian over San Antonio Holy Cross
League City Bay Area Christian over The Woodlands Legacy Prep
Muenster Sacred Heart over Waco Reicher
Weatherford Christian over Dallas First Baptist
Shiner St. Paul over Bryan Brazos Christian
Hallettsville Sacred Heart over Houston Lutheran North
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