The calendar turns to November and the final week of the regular season is upon us. Still a few swing games to decide the final seeds and places in the playoffs. It hasn't been the most interesting regular season to be honest, with many favorites still favorites, and no big surprises. Though we could get a 5-way tie in Division I District 1 thanks to the Nolan forfeits. It should set up for a great postseason with the top seeds all playing well into December. Good luck, safe travels, and we'll see you next week in the playoffs.
This Week: (Season: 56-20)
Bullard Brook Hill @ Dallas Christian -- The Division II District 2 title will be settled at Wheeler Field this week. Both teams have dominated the rest of the district this season. The Chargers winning their 2 district contests 118-7 and the Guard winning theirs 100-42. The winner gets the top spot and the loser the 2nd seed. Both will host area round games next week. The Guard travel west with a 6-2 record having played excellent defense throughout the year. UIL playoff team, Brownsboro posted 43 in a victory over Brook Hill and McKinney Christian scored 35 in a district victory for the Guard. In the other 6 games, the Guard held everyone under 30 points. The Chargers only allowed 30+ in a road defeat against TCA-Addison. Throw in some Fall temperatures and we have the makings of a defensive struggle. COVID cancelled last seasons game between these two, and the Chargers have won 7 of the 8 all time meetings. Both 2018 and 2019 saw just 21 points for DC, but the Guard manged just 10 points combined in the two years. Both teams defeated FWC earlier in the year. The Chargers by 10 and the Guard by 2. DC looks to be better and the game is in Mesquite, but this should be much closer than any district games lately for both teams. Chargers win 29-20.
Dallas Bishop Dunne @ Tyler Grace Community -- The Cougars and Falcons have struggled through the majority of the season. The two squads have just a 5-12 record combined. However, with 4 playoff spots available in District 2, the winner will finish 4th and travel to Fort Worth Southwest Christian in the area round. The Cougars started with just 14 points in their first 3 games before posting a win over Tenaha that seemed like it might right the ship. That has turned out to be the only win for the Cougars this season. The Falcons sat out for two weeks due to a COVID outbreak and have lost back-to-back games since then to fall to 4-4. Honestly neither squad should be a tough out for Southwest, but a win could be something to build on to create some stability going into 2022. The Cougars were much closer to beating McKinney Christian than the Falcons and the game is in Tyler. Grace wins 40-20.
Fort Worth Christian @ Grapevine Faith Christian -- Its been a good bounce back season for the Lions after winning just 5 games in the COVID altered 2020 season. At 7-1, the only blemish is a road loss to Southwest. In their 7 wins they've allowed 14 points at the most with 3 shutouts. The district wins have been by a combined 111-20. This game will decide the 2nd seed from District 1 despite the Cardinals disappointing campaign to this point. At just 2-7, its an interesting quirk that a win here would get them to 2nd place and hosting an area round game. The Cardinals district victories came by a combined 134-28. The 7 non-district losses all came against playoff teams, or to a TCA team that would be in the playoffs if they were in a district this year. There has been plenty of close calls too. A 10 point loss at DC, 2 point loss to Brook Hill, and just 13 to TCA, among the tough losses for FWC this year. A Brook Hill rematch could be next week with a loss by FWC. This is also a rivalry of proximity with just 11 miles separating the two. Expect a good game here, but I'll stick with the home team. Lions win 30-28.
Midland Christian @ Dallas Bishop Lynch -- The Mustangs have been winning their way up the district list, reaching 4-2 in the standings to set up this battle of the forfeit benefactors. The 6 playoff teams are known, but the forfeits set up a possible 5-way tie for 2nd at 4-3. A win by MCS would possibly get them above the fray at 5-2 and at least get them a home game in the area round. However, 5th and 6th get to play District 2 teams in the first two rounds and might find an easier path to the semifinals. The interest here is that district race. The Friars have just 3 on-field wins in their 4-5 record, but have scored quite a few points this season. 41 over FWC and 31 at All Saints point to some ability to score and they do get this one at home. Its a weird one because the bracket removes some intrigue with teams trying to move up in the standings. Mustangs are never phased by a road trip. MCS wins 35-24.
Plano Prestonwood Christian @ Fort Worth Nolan -- Without the Nolan forfeits, this would be a game for 2nd place in District 1. It still is somewhat, as the Lions would be 2nd with a win. A Vikings win though could yield the 5-way tie, but would almost likely create a 3-way tie for 3rd. The Lions are 6-3 on the season with a notable non-district win over Coppell, but are coming off a loss to Midland Christian. They weren't particularly close in their 1st shot at Parish, losing 35-9. The Vikings were dominated by the Parish offense, falling 63-35. Neither team has the offense to blow the other out it looks like. It should be a close one and holding Parish to 35 points a great chance for the Lions. I think Prestonwood gets the 2nd spot with a road win thanks to its defense. Lions win 21-17.
Houston Second Baptist @ Sugar Land Fort Bend Christian -- A battle of Eagles will settle District 4 in Division II. Fort Bend Christian has surged back with 4 district wins after dropping 3 non-district games in a row during September. They've allowed just 28 points during the district win streak. That strong defense is always needed against the potent Second Baptist offense. After losing the opener to Kinkaid, Second Baptist has won 8 in a row. The only cause for concern was a struggle against The Woodlands Christian, winning by just 11. For comparison Fort Bend won by 39 against the same squad. Even with that performance, Second Baptist allowed just 36 in 4 district wins. Always nice when the schedules work out for a Week 11 showdown with everything at stake. Avoiding Regents until the semifinals is a big prize for the winner. With Fort Bend Christian at home and coached by a DC alum, that has to be the lean of the author. Fort Bend Christian wins 35-28.
Arlington Pantego Christian @ Arlington Grace Prep -- The Panthers and Lions meet in an intra-city battle with a 17-0 record between them. The district title is on the line with just 5 miles of Bowen Rd. between the two schools. The Panthers allowed 8 points to Reicher last week, which was the most scored against them in 6 district wins. Muenster Sacred Heart scored 18 in the opener, but Pantego has absolutely crushed Division III competition this year. They've activated the mercy rule in 7 of their 9 wins. The Lions will be a formidable opponent though, with just 27 points allowed in district play and just 60 points against for the season. Its a long way from the Mike Barber days, but the Lions are definitely back this year, and at a perfect time with how wide open Division III is. I think both defenses are far and away the best the other will have seen and that should give us a good, low-scoring, struggle. Last year Pantego won 28-24 at home. This year its at Grace Prep. Lions win 16-14.
Corpus Christi John Paul II @ Brownsville St. Joseph -- After a matchup of schools separated by 5 miles, we go the other way. At 155 miles this is the closest opponent in the district for the Bloodhounds. St. Joseph hosts a de facto playoff game as they enter tied for the 4th and final playoff spot from District 3. The visiting Centurions are the team tied for that playoff spot. The winner is in and the loser is out. John Paul started the district season with two wins but dropped three in a row before dominating Hyde Park. The Bloodhounds have the best victory on the year with a win over Brentwood. They should be the better team here and with the game in the deep reaches of South Texas, we'll go that way. Bloodhounds win the best mascot game of the year, 35-30.
SPC Championships @ Dallas Jesuit's Postell Stadium
4A: Episcopal School of Dallas vs. Houston Kinkaid -- The Eagles are having one of their best seasons in school history. At 10-0 they've matched the program record for wins, at least since 2004. Given the nature of the SPC schedule winning more than 10 is almost impossible. After playing just 3 games last year, ESD has averaged 43 points per game and beaten all comers. The only private school to beat Addison Trinity Christian is ESD. The Falcons went undefeated in the modified 2020 season, but there was no SPC championship to win. A win over Second Baptist opened the season, and its a great 7-2 mark so far. ESD took the regular season meeting, so I think the Eagles are favorites to complete the perfect season. ESD wins 38-25.
3A: The Woodlands John Cooper School vs. Irving Cistercian Preparatory School -- The Dragons dominated the district, or league in this case, standings from start to finish. After early losses to Houston St. John's and Lutheran South, its been 7 straight wins for John Cooper. In a 6-0 league season, the Dragons posted 40 in every counter game. The Hawks took a winding road to the title game, getting the right set of results to take the 2nd spot on a tiebreaker. Cistercian was one of the only schools to play 0 games in 2020, and the return to the field has been well earned by the Hawks. After getting shutout by Trinity Valley they looked to be on the outside, but two losses by TVS after that game put the Hawks back in the title game. After a 47-21 game in the regular season, the Dragons are big favorites here. Maybe there's an upset brewing, but I can't pick it. John Cooper wins the title, 49-30.
Quick Hits: (Season: 79-21)
Fort Worth Southwest Christian over Flower Mound Coram Deo
Houston Lutheran South over The Woodlands Christian
Austin Regents over Austin Brentwood Christian
Argyle Liberty Christian over Plano John Paul II
Dallas Parish Episcopal over Fort Worth All Saints
San Antonio Central Catholic over San Antonio Antonian
Houston St. Pius X over Beaumont Kelly
Houston St. Thomas over Tomball Concordia Lutheran
Lubbock Christian over Fort Worth Lake Country
Addison Trinity Christian over Shreveport Evangel Christian
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