Week 6 Results 2023

This Week:

Dallas Christian over Fort Worth Christian (58-16) -- Correct
--Not the game I though it would be. Score got away from the Cardinals late 2nd quarter and then the 2nd half is not really indicative of anything. Chargers favored in DIII and a tall mountain for FWC looms with MCS, Liberty, and All Saints.

Bellaire Episcopal over Episcopal School of Dallas (42-9) -- Correct
--The Knights probably unbeatable at this point in SPC 4A, but the string of Houston area rivals that await will bot make it easy.

Houston St. John's over Dallas St. Mark's (49-7) -- Correct
--Lions with a steep hill ahead after this home loss. Mavericks will certainly test Bellaire Episcopal, but the Knights probably still favored right now.

The Woodlands John Cooper over Irving Cistercian (42-31) -- Correct
--Better game for the Hawks, but 0-6 is a tough pill to swallow. Dragons will be in the mix in SPC 3A at the end.

Lubbock Trinity Christian over Denver City (14-0 and Weather) -- Zonk
--We won't count this one since they only played 14 minutes, but seems like the Lions will be primary contender to take on DC for a spot in Waco.

Lubbock Christian over Muenster Sacred Heart (48-0) -- Correct
--Eagles top of the mountain in Division IV and with no Weatherford Christian to knock them off this year could this be the undefeated season on the South Plains.

Brownsville St. Joseph over San Antonio Christian (20-21) -- Wrong
--Huge win for the Lions and a real blow the Bloodhounds hopes of hosting in Round 1. A big deal when you're located as far South as Brownsville. This upsets the apple cart a bit in Division III District 3.

Argyle Liberty Christian over Frisco Legacy Christian (52-0) -- Correct
--The Warriors will be tough to oust in Division II, not sure anyone can get close. Better season for the Eagles and they'll be better days ahead in district play.

Week 6: 6-1
Season: 34-9

Quick Hits:

Colleyville Covenant Christian over McKinney Christian (34-10) -- Correct
Fort Worth Lake Country Christian over Corpus Christi West Oso (17-14) -- Correct
Milano over Boerne Geneva (28-49) -- Wrong
Dallas Bishop Lynch over Midland Christian (27-32) -- Wrong
Addison Trinity Christian over Fort Worth Southwest Christian (14-17) -- Wrong
Austin Hyde Park over San Antonio St. Anthony's (66-0) -- Correct
Austin St. Michael's over San Antonio TMI (14-7) -- Correct
Hallettsville Sacred Heart over League City Bay Area Christian (35-13) -- Correct
Fort Worth Trinity Valley over Arlington Oakridge (63-14) -- Correct
Houston St. Thomas over Houston Kinkaid (28-13) -- Correct

Week 6: 7-3
Season: 44-16

Week 6 Picks 2023

Looking back at last year's notes, I see this was bracket release week a season ago. I pondered then as now why 8 team brackets can't be considered in a 10-team division. Its still a reasonable question in a 17-team division. Once again, they did not ask me. Anyway, the playoffs will be here soon enough as non-district play winds down but still some fun ones in Week 6.

This Week: (Season: 28-8)

Fort Worth Christian @ Dallas Christian -- We never want to marginalize any private school football game, but really everyone else is playing 2nd fiddle this week. The anchor cities of the metroplex are rivals in everything, and TAPPS football is no different. Based on LSCSN's work last year, this is the 63rd meeting for the two schools that were founded just a year apart. In 2022, the Cardinals took out the favored Chargers 35-24. FWC built and early lead and DC never really got back close. That brings the all-time series to 41-21 in the Chargers favor, but last year is going to more predictive than a game from 1970. Though I'm sure the 1970 game was a good one. Both squads were undefeated entering this one a year ago while both have taken a loss in 2023. With both teams at 4-1, this sets up as a classic. In 2021 the Cardinals had no answer for the Chargers offense, allowing 98 points in a pair of games. The Cardinals are off to a good start, but have allowed a bunch of points. Faith scored 53 last week in an incredible game that saw FWC score twice in the final two minutes to get a 2 point win. That means the DC defense will have its work cut out for it, and allowing 14 in the first half to a struggling Nolan squad means the Cardinals should put up a few points this week too. The Chargers definitely have the better loss. Losing to a Louisiana State Champion looks a bit better than a Division III outsider in Lake Country Christian. That LCCS loss seems to be the outlier for FWC, so we'll throw it out. I expect a shootout and a tight one. The committee always likes home teams, and at least one particular school. Chargers win 42-35.

Episcopal School of Dallas @ Bellaire Episcopal -- The SPC 4A opener for both squads is another long standing city rivalry, Houston and Dallas. In 2022, this appeared to be a SPC title game preview. The Eagles looked to be on their way to a big season in 2022 when they upset the favored Knights 39-35 in Week 6 of last year. Then ESD lost its 2 follow-ups to St. John's and Kinkaid by just 17 combined points and wound up outside the top 2 and not even in the title game. The Knights took out that pair after the loss to ESD and made the title game. They lost the rematch with Kinkaid though. So it went from co-favorites for the title to neither claiming the crown. The Eagles had lost 6 in a row to the Knights before winning the last two in 2021 and 2022. 2023 has ESD at 3-1, only losing to a very strong Argyle Liberty squad. Bellaire Episcopal is 5-0 including the signature win over TAPPS Division I Champion Parish Episcopal. Parish the only squad so far to hold the Knights under 40 points. The Knights are really good and this is a big test for a very good ESD squad. I don't think their offense can put up enough points though, especially on the road. Knights win 42-28.

Houston St. John's @ Dallas St. Mark's -- With just 5 teams in SPC 4A we'll cover every opening counter game on the slate. The Mavericks must travel north for the first time this season after winning 3 straight over TAPPS Division II District 4 squads, including the teams we think are competing for the district crown. Only St. Thomas has blemished St. John's this year in a 63-49 shootout in Week 1. The Mavericks appear to be a well rounded team, limiting their last 3 opponents to just 14 points per game and averaging 42 points per game on the year. The Lions are 3-2 entering this one for the 2nd year in a row. They've taken a different path this year though. Reversing losses to Cistercian and John Cooper into wins but turning a win over Frisco Legacy into a loss. St. Mark's was boat raced by St. John's in 2022, 49-14. This put them on the path to losing all 4 SPC counters by at least 35 points. The Lions look to be improved over last season, particularly on defense. This should keep it much closer than last season. The Mavericks should still win, but on the road its definitely a trap. St. John's survives 28-25.

Irving Cistercian @ The Woodlands John Cooper -- The Dragons won the last two SPC 3A titles, including a win over Cistercian in 2021. 2022 was a 9-1 season that included winning their final 9 outings and the title. After an 0-3 start to 2023, Cooper may have turned the corner. Greenhill and Oakridge don't appear to be the top of SPC 3A, but you have to put the wins on the board. Its been a struggle to score for the Dragons much of the year, but a home game should help here. What will also help is the Hawks are very much wandering in the wilderness this season. After missing the title game narrowly in 2022, Cistercian is 0-5 this season and averaging just 8 points per game. Things looked a little better last week in a 1-point loss to Grace Prep, but the Dragons aren't where you want to look for a win. This would make 4 in a row for John Cooper over Cistercian. Dragons win 38-12.

Lubbock Trinity Christian @ Denver City -- The Lions reached the semifinals in 2022 after a championship game appearance in 2021. At 3-1, and only losing to UIL Albany by a single point Trinity looks to be the class of Division III District 1, but Lake Country's win over FWC does make it an interesting meeting for Week 8. They travel an hour to near the New Mexico border to meet the Mustangs. Denver City reached the playoff a season ago, losing in Round 1. Last year, Trinity won a home game 35-7. At just 2-3, the Mustangs are off to a rocky start but will not be an easy out at home. The defense though should not be able to contain the Trinity attack. Hard to see a 28 point turnaround over 2022 though. Lions win 39-14.

Lubbock Christian @ Muenster Sacred Heart -- Only District 1 has started district play in Division IV so far. The defending champion Eagles look to be on their way back to Waco so far, opening district play with a 96-0 win over Waco Reicher. This will be a much tougher test for the 4-0 Eagles. The Tigers 3-0 start hit a speed bump last week, losing to Colleyville Covenant 38-7. Sacred Heart has only scored 20 in one game so far this year and getting the offense going will be critical to their chances this week. Last season's trip to Lubbock was a 34-28 loss for Sacred Heart as the Eagles finished 12-1. As an aside, Lubbock Christian's only loss of 2022? To Weatherford Christian, who actually dropped to 6-man this season quite the transition. The Eagles should be clearly better, but its a long road to Texoma and the Tigers won't be an easy out but they can't score enough in this one. Lubbock Christian wins 35-16.

Brownsville St. Joseph @ San Antonio Christian -- I've said before and I'll say it again, "The Bloodhounds get themselves in the picks pretty often, because...they're the Bloodhounds." While the Lions are bit common, being the 3rd one this week, at least they aren't the Eagles. The 'Hounds have been slowing ascending the rankings since a 3-7 mark in 2019. At 3-1 and averaging 45 points per game its their best chance at a deep run since dropping to Division II. The Lions have been struggling in recent seasons having not had a winning season since 2013. A better non-district run points toward better things ahead and probably competing for the last playoff spot in District 3. Its unfortunate they have to start district play with Regents and St. Joseph as that probably puts them battling back from 0-2. The Bloodhounds offense is too much even with the long trip up to San Antonio. St. Joseph wins 49-20.

Argyle Liberty Christian @ Frisco Legacy Christian -- A pair of unbeaten squads earn their place in the top section this week. The home-standing Eagles are the surprise so far at 5-0. The defense has lead the charge allowing just 27 points in 5 games. They allowed 47 to just Cistercian in 2022, let alone in a 5-game span. The district showdowns with Grapevine Faith and Tyler Grace loom large in the coming weeks. The Warriors are 4-0 and may be running away with Division II so far. They've allowed just 29 points in 4 games and played a much stronger list of opponents. Shutting out ESD means the Eagles have a tall task ahead to reach the endzone. Its been a great start for Legacy, but they just won't have the firepower to get past Liberty. Warriors win 34-2.

Quick Hits: (Season: 37-13)

Colleyville Covenant Christian over McKinney Christian
Fort Worth Lake Country Christian over Corpus Christi West Oso
Milano over Boerne Geneva
Dallas Bishop Lynch over Midland Christian
Addison Trinity Christian over Fort Worth Southwest Christian
Austin Hyde Park over San Antonio St. Anthony's
Austin St. Michael's over San Antonio TMI
Hallettsville Sacred Heart over League City Bay Area Christian
Fort Worth Trinity Valley over Arlington Oakridge
Houston St. Thomas over Houston Kinkaid

Week 5 Results 2023

This Week:

Dallas Christian over Fort Worth Nolan (59-21) -- Correct
--Chargers scored early and often in this rout. The Viking offense did put up some points early on, so maybe some success to build on for district play.

Bullard Brook Hill over Atlanta (28-18) -- Correct
--A quality win for the Guard. They do get DC at home in district play, but probably need more points to get that upset.

Fort Worth Christian over Grapevine Faith Christian (55-52) -- Correct
--A classic in North Richland Hills that includes 3 lead changes in the final 2 minutes. Cardinals go to DC next week.

Anna over Fort Worth All Saints (38-20) -- Correct
--A very game performance by the Saints against the UIL power Coyotes. Looking ahead to a big showdown with

Houston Kinkaid over Houston Second Baptist (21-7) -- Correct
--The Eagles will need the offense and defense to pair up in district play and the post-season, but they'll be a threat for sure. Falcons remain the defending champs in SPC 4A and Bellaire Episcopal looms for that title.

Argyle Liberty Christian over Dallas Bishop Lynch (56-7) -- Correct
--The Warriors continued domination makes us wonder about what the Liberty-Parish game would look like, but we won't see it since they are in different divisions. On the other side, the Friars will have better days than this.

China Spring over Dallas Parish Episcopal (23-38) -- Wrong
--A big win for the Panthers as they avenge their lone defeat from 2022. While maybe not as heavy a favorite as last year, Parish still very much the top dog in Division I.

Episcopal School of Dallas over Fort Worth Lake Country Christian (56-10) -- Correct
--Another dominant win for ESD as they look to ascend to the top of SPC 4A. Lake Country probably a little better than this big margin, but unable to back up the big win over FWC.

Week 5: 7-1
Season: 28-8

Quick Hits: 

Dallas Covenant over Willow Park Trinity Christian (42-6) -- Correct
Arlington Grace Prep over Irving Cistercian (21-20) -- Correct
Plano Prestonwood Christian over San Antonio Cornerstone Christian (47-22) -- Correct
Midland Christian over Del Rio (37-24) -- Correct
Frisco Legacy Christian over Katy St. John XXIII (42-0) -- Correct
Tyler Grace Community over Longview Spring Hill (59-33) -- Correct
Houston St. Pius X over Dallas Bishop Dunne (36-14) -- Correct
Houston St. John's over Houston Lutheran South (58-21) -- Correct
Hallettsville Sacred Heart over Houston Northland Christian (23-0) -- Correct
Shiner St. Paul over Boerne Geneva (49-43) -- Correct

Week 5: 10-0
Season: 37-13

Week 5 Picks 2023

District play starts for a few, but lots of good non-district clashes this week. Many meetings of teams in different divisions to try and triangulate those favorites for November. Might even get some playoff brackets next week to set up the road to state. Good luck and safe travels!

This Week: (Season: 21-7)

Dallas Christian @ Fort Worth Nolan -- The Chargers travel West to complete the Catholic swing of the schedule. This will be the first visit for DC to Doskocil Stadium since 2004, a 32-7 loss for the Chargers. Probably effecting this week's game more is the 28-19 DC win from 2022. This year, DC is off to a 3-1 start after holding off an improved Bishop Lynch squad last week. The Vikings have started terribly at 0-4 with an average margin of defeat over 30. A season ago Nolan won just 4 games, but 2 were playoff games in a semifinal run. The Vikings probably aren't as bad as the record indicates, but this seems to be a tall mountain for them. It is a home game at least for Nolan, but I don't see how they score enough to win. Chargers win 35-16.

Atlanta @ Bullard Brook Hill -- The Guard are off to a 2-2 beginning to the campaign with a big loss to Grapevine Faith to open the season and a narrow defeat at Tyler Grace. The Rabbits are also 2-2 after reaching the playoffs a season ago. Atlanta won a home game over Brook Hill last year, 35-28. The Guard have to figure out how to get stops consistently against the top opposition. Allowing 40+ when Faith or DC come around has to end somewhere or the Guard will always be on the outside of the title race. With a home game this year, turning around 7 points seems very doable for Brook Hill. Heading to a district showdowns with DC and Covenant it better be. If the Rabbits get to 30 they win, but I'll say they don't. Guard win 33-20.

Grapevine Faith Christian @ Fort Worth Christian -- This will be 15th meeting between the Cardinals and Lions in the last 14 seasons. In that time the tally is 9 to 5 in favor of FWC. The Lions started 2023 with 105 points in 2 weeks and were riding high at 2-0. Since then 93-3 in against has Faith at 2-2. Looking back at my notes, it appears it was much the same heading into this clash last year. The Cardinals hot streak lasted an additional week but crashed down against Lake Country last time out. Both teams seem to be looking up at Liberty and All Saints in Division II. Getting back to the defense that allowed just 13 points each of the first two weeks will be critical for the Cardinals. The defense that saw Lake Country post 45 last week will surely lead to a Lion triumph this week. Its a tough pick in this one, but I think we can probably cross the loser off the list of Division II title contenders. Always lean home teams in this space, so Cardinals get back on track after last weeks defeat. FWC wins a tight one 30-28.

Anna @ Fort Worth All Saints -- The Saints 4-0 start will be put to the test as rising UIL power Anna comes to Tarrant County. The Coyotes are 2-1 after dropping a 4OT decision to Celina last week. Only China Spring, who we'll see in the picks later, took out Anna in 2022 after a 13-0 start. This sets up to be  a clash of offenses, each team scoring at least 34 points in every game this season. The Coyotes should be the best defense the Saints have seen thus far. If the Saints can continue their offensive ways against the Coyotes they're the pick. Certainly a big enough name to keep the Saints from looking ahead to the expected district title match with Argyle Liberty. I think both offenses go nuts in this one, but Anna's depth advantage proves too much in the end. Coyotes win, 56-44.

Houston Kinkaid @ Houston Second Baptist -- The Falcons appeared to be 4th best in SPC 4A going into the final 3 weeks of the season in 2022. Then they took out ESD and St. John's in tight upsets and turned the tables on Bellaire Episcopal in the title game. 2023 has Kinkaid off to a 3-1 start that includes outings of 62 and 54 already this season. The Eagles 8-5 season a year ago ended in the semifinals. Seemingly the Second Baptist-Fort Bend Christian rivalry is one where you don't want to win the district title. The district champion has lost the semifinal rematch in each of the last two years. The path to that semifinal included a 1-3 start and they've repeated that this year. The bad news for the Eagles is they lost to the Falcons in Week 5 last year, 44-31. All signs point to Kinkaid as the better squad, but something feels odd about the Eagles play so far. A tick up into district play seems likely, and maybe this is the start. Probably not enough, but should be closer than it is on paper. Falcons win 27-21.

Argyle Liberty Christian @ Dallas Bishop Lynch -- The Friars have showed considerable improvements in 2023, but it hasn't translated to wins at just 1-3. Last week an early lead at DC evaporated in a 41-28 loss. Going from scoring just 3 against Celina to scoring 41 certainly shows progress for Lynch. The Warriors were 2-9 just 2 seasons ago, but are now near the top of the heap at 3-0. Liberty has allowed just 3 points in the last two outings, and a shutout of ESD puts everyone on notice. FWC and Midland loom as the district title showdowns in a couple of weeks, and they should get there. With the game at Roffino Stadium, the Friars should stay connected but I don't think they're quite to the level of the Liberty offense. At 135-22 total score on the season and given that ESD projects as better than Bishop Lynch, the line has to go toward the Warriors. Liberty wins on the road, 42-12.

Dallas Parish Episcopal @ China Spring -- The Panthers went into the 2022 meeting with China Spring at 3-1 having just lost a classic game with South Oak Cliff. The undefeated season was gone, but it was clear Parish was a massive favorite in Division I at that point. This year its much more rocky on Midway Rd. A 1-3 start is nothing to sneeze at with the schedule they've played, but it also seems the gap to the rest of TAPPS may not be as wide. The Cougars took a 24-16 loss on the blue field in 2022. It would be the only loss China Spring suffered on the way to a 2nd straight UIL state title. This season the Cougars already dropped a game to Melissa but showed similar results as last year in the non-district. China Spring should be the better squad and with the game at Cougar Stadium it should be there day. Parish will likely get on track this season, but will have to wait for a week off and TAPPS opposition to get back in the win column. Cougars win 35-21.

Fort Worth Lake Country Christian vs. Episcopal School of Dallas @ The Star -- Loser of this one has to stop being the Eagles...ok I guess not. Lake Country's upset of FWC last week earns them a slot in the picks for Week 5. A notable opponent in SPC contender ESD doesn't hurt either. ESD shut out Grapevine Faith in their last time out. This was after the were shut out themselves by Liberty in Week 2. A week ago, I would have picked a big margin for ESD seeing no real path for Lake Country to win this one. However, LCCS 45 points against FWC indicates they are something to be dealt with offensively. Probably not enough firepower for Lake Country to take down ESD, but I thought that last week too. If LCCS can score a 2nd straight surprise they become a possibly contender in Division III. I assume Lubbock Trinity will eye this game closely. ESD gets the win, but we're watching closely, 36-16.

Quick Hits: (Season: 27-13)

Dallas Covenant over Willow Park Trinity Christian
Arlington Grace Prep over Irving Cistercian
Plano Prestonwood Christian over San Antonio Cornerstone Christian
Midland Christian over Del Rio
Frisco Legacy Christian over Katy St. John XXIII
Tyler Grace Community over Longview Spring Hill
Houston St. Pius X over Dallas Bishop Dunne
Houston St. John's over Houston Lutheran South
Hallettsville Sacred Heart over Houston Northland Christian
Shiner St. Paul over Boerne Geneva

Week 4 Results 2023

This Week:

Dallas Christian over Dallas Bishop Lynch (41-28) -- Correct
--Chargers defense looked a little shaky, but the offense responded and a little special teams as well. Friars are improved over a year ago, not sure they can challenge Parish but should be much more competitive.

Bullard Brook Hill over White Oak (55-20) -- Correct
--Guard continue to play well in their less notable games. When can they put together an evening where they take down TAPPS state contender?

Argyle Liberty Christian over Grapevine Faith Christian (56-3) -- Correct
--Oh dear, Warriors straight to the top of the list in Division II. Feels like District 2 might get wiped out by District 1 in round 1 for a 2nd year in a row.

Fort Bend Christian over Addison Trinity Christian (24-28) -- Wrong
--Eagles just can't find the win column this year. Still feels like they'll be a factor in November but its a troublesome start for the defending champs. Trojans join the crowd looking for a way to beat Parish.

Dallas South Oak Cliff over Dallas Parish Episcopal (49-14) -- Correct
--The Panthers aren't quite as good as 2022. That doesn't keep them from being the favorite in Division I, but it might be a bit closer than it was a year ago.

Fort Worth All Saints over Plano Prestonwood Christian (34-27) -- Correct
--Lions scuffling a bit in the early going of 2023, will be a difficult district schedule ahead. The Saints have a tough task with Liberty but it should be a good game.

Midland Christian over San Antonio Cornerstone (27-41) -- Wrong
--Mustangs fell behind and couldn't recover. Warriors were happy not see Carthage again this week.

Week 4: 5-2
Season: 21-7

Quick Hits:

Lubbock Trinity Christian over New Deal (33-7) -- Correct
Dallas Covenant over Dallas First Baptist (17-43) -- Wrong
Tyler Grace Community over Lone Oak (49-14) -- Correct
Fort Worth Southwest Christian over Plano John Paul II (21-14) -- Correct
Frisco Legacy Christian over Dallas St. Marks (28-14) -- Correct
Austin Regents over Houston St. Thomas (41-51) -- Wrong
Brownsville St. Joseph over Victoria St. Joseph (43-21) -- Correct
Houston St. John's over Houston Second Baptist (28-7) -- Correct
Fort Worth Trinity Valley over Irving Cistercian (42-0) -- Correct
Shiner St. Paul over The Woodlands Legacy Prep Christian (26-34) -- Wrong

Week 4: 7-3
Season: 27-13

Week 4 Picks 2023

Finally some cooler weather has reached the Lone Star State and that should get us some great games this week. Defense was winning the day last week, will offense surge back in Week 4. District play draws near for most but is here in a couple of places. Rain is good but hoping for some dry weather on the road to state this week at least around 7pm on Friday night.

This Week: (Season: 16-5)

Dallas Bishop Lynch @ Dallas Christian -- The Friars make the long trek down Oates Drive into Mesquite for the long time rivals to renew their battle. The Chargers are 2-1 on the season having squashed the Tolar Rattlers offense in a 37-6 win. The Friars secured their first victory of the season 76-0 aver Cedar Hill Newman International. The 1-2 start did include a wild one with UIL power Celina where the Friars went blow for blow in the 1st half but ultimately fell 77-41. A season ago, the Chargers won this one 34-14 at Roffino Stadium. The Friars won just 2 last year, but 1 win did come in the post-season. I think the Friars are ascending, but seems like the DC offense is going to be too much again. In just the 3rd meeting of the last 20 years between the two schools its probably not a blowout, but finding a way to slow the DC offense seems like a tall task after allowing 113 points in their 2 losses. Chargers win 35-21.

Bullard Brook Hill @ White Oak -- The Guard travel an hour to the other side of I-20 to take on the Roughnecks. A season ago Brook Hill scored early and often in a 55-29 home victory. The Roughnecks have started 0-3 and now are on an 8-game losing streak. Its been a defensive struggle for White Oak being outscored 177-46 so far this season. The Guard lost for a 2nd year in a row to Tyler Grace, falling in Week 3 23-19. Brook Hill has had difficulty scoring points when a big game comes along. This has led to big losses in the notable contests. This isn't really one of those weeks though. The Guard should be able to even their record at 2-2 this week. Brook Hill wins 42-12.

Argyle Liberty Christian @ Grapevine Faith Christian -- The Lions host Division II contender Liberty after being shutout in a weather interrupted game against ESD last week. The Warriors had a week off having moved their neutral site game with Lubbock Trinity to the end of the season. The Warriors shut out the same ESD squad that Faith played in their last outing. Faith lost to ESD 37-0. Liberty beat ESD 31-0. Can Faith turn the tables in a just a week? Its not historically a bad match-up for the Lions, but it was a 50-13 drubbing in Argyle last year. Ultimately the best teams in Division II are in District 1 and that should prove out again this week. Warriors win on the road, 35-12.

Fort Bend Christian @ Addison Trinity Christian -- Strange turns bring this match-up back as a meeting of 0-3 teams. The Trojans were 0-3 heading into this one last season and once again are struggling to score points. Just 23 points in 3 games so far for TCA. Defending UIL Champion Gunter last week was a bit more than the Trojans could handle. The Eagles were the Division II state champions last year, and a win over TCA turned things in the right direction during 2022. While it was just a 1-2 start last year, the 2 losses were by 10 points total. 2023 has seen the Eagles outscored by 76 points in 3 weeks. This is also the 4th straight road game to start the season for Fort Bend. I think both teams might figure out their offenses against each other. I think a high scoring one this week though last year was just 17-8 with Fort Bend winning even though I predicted high scoring. I'll stick with a similar thought to last year, Eagles win a close one 44-40.

Dallas Parish Episcopal @ Dallas South Oak Cliff -- The Panthers non-district slate finds another huge challenge in back-to-back champion Golden Bears. These two played a classic last year with SOC winning 31-28 on the blue field in the closing moments. Last season Parish was looking for that elusive undefeated season. The Panthers started 3-0 in 2022 but just 1-2 against the same opponents in 2023. They did get back in the win column over Austin LBJ last week. The Parish offense will stand up against just about anyone in the state public or private. The defense though has struggled this year. Will the Golden Bears be as good as Aledo that put up 50 on the Panthers? There's a definite chance. After turning the tables on Lancaster from a year ago SOC was dominated by Desoto last week. Expect a really good game for a 2nd year in a row. Home teams are favored in this space, especially when re-matching a road win from a year ago. Golden Bears win 35-31.

Fort Worth All Saints @ Plano Prestonwood Christian -- The Lions were being dominated by Little Elm when the rain and lightning halted their Week 3 game, so we'll say they're just 1-1 on the season. The Saints have a 3-0 start, outscoring opposition by 96 points so far in 2023. The Lions won a tight road game a season ago, 24-21. The Saints though turned a Nolan defeat into a blowout win and a 3-point margin into a 22-point margin over TCA between seasons. All Saints seems to be heading up the charts, and the District 1 battle royale will be quite the October surprise in Division II. Saints are the better team so far in 2023. All Saints wins on the road, 42-28.

Midland Christian @ San Antonio Cornerstone -- The Mustangs long trip to Prosper to take on UIL State Ranked Texarkana Pleasant Grove ended in a 45-26 loss. MCS did get a 3rd quarter lead before the Hawks scooted by in the 4th. So its an 0-2 beginning in the Tall City and the road trips continue for the West Texas road warriors to take on the Warriors. Cornerstone is at least 0-3 on the year though MaxPreps has 0-4 including a loss to "Varsity Opponent." Gunter and Carthage is a pretty terrible schedule to try and find wins against though. They get China Spring later too, a difficult campaign. The Warriors need to find a win over the visiting Mustangs. The 3 quarters against Pleasant Grove is too much to ignore for this writer. Mustangs win 28-23.

Quick Hits: (Season: 20-10)

Lubbock Trinity Christian over New Deal
Dallas Covenant over Dallas First Baptist
Tyler Grace Community over Lone Oak
Fort Worth Southwest Christian over Plano John Paul II
Frisco Legacy Christian over Dallas St. Marks
Austin Regents over Houston St. Thomas
Brownsville St. Joseph over Victoria St. Joseph
Houston St. John's over Houston Second Baptist
Fort Worth Trinity Valley over Irving Cistercian
Shiner St. Paul over The Woodlands Legacy Prep Christian

Week 3 Results 2023

Well of course when if finally rains its on a Friday night interrupting football. I'm just going to count all the weather shortened games to be consistent. Non-district is always a fun time of year for rainouts, since one team will declare victory and the other no-contest and it really doesn't matter which way you count it. A few blowouts this week, some expected and some surprising. Lots of fun this season still to go.

This Week:

Dallas Christian over Tolar (37-6) -- Correct
--Chargers defense controls the Rattlers and restores DC to the win column. A nice win to head into the Eastplex showdown with Bishop Lynch.

Tyler Grace Community over Bullard Brook Hill (23-19) -- Correct
--Cougars get a nice road win. Seemingly a showdown with Faith for the district crown.

Fort Worth Christian over Arlington Grace Prep (42-34) -- Correct
--FWC offense very strong, but maybe a crack in the defense to be exploited by the big opponents to come. Grace Prep will have its district title shot come down to a matchup with Lubbock Trinity.

Grapevine Faith Christian over Episcopal School of Dallas (0-37) -- Wrong
--This may have been shortened by weather, but the Eagles dominate all the way.

Bellaire Episcopal over Houston Second Baptist (42-0) -- Correct
--Knights are really good. Defeat Parish and blowout SBS? Really good.

Houston St. John's over Fort Bend Christian (35-15) -- Correct
--The struggles for the Eagles continue. Mavericks will be looking to a possible pair of games with Episcopal.

Brownsville Veterans Memorial over Brownsville St. Joseph (21-7) -- Correct
--Go far enough South and you can avoid the weather...Got the result right, but it wasn't the predicted shootout. Bloodhounds should have a good chance at 2nd in District 3 of Division II.

Week 3: 6-1
Season: 16-5

Quick Hits: (Season: 12-8)

Dallas Parish Episcopal over Austin LBJ (26-12) -- Correct (Weather Shortened)
Gunter over Addison Trinity Christian (38-0) -- Correct (Weather Shortened)
Plano Prestonwood Christian over Little Elm (14-28) -- Wrong (Weather Shortened)
Frisco Legacy Christian over Irving Cistercian (38-0) -- Correct
Texarkana Pleasant Grove over Midland Christian (45-26) -- Correct
Houston Cypress Christian over Houston Lutheran South (35-12) -- Correct
The Woodlands Christian over Houston St. Pius X (19-35) -- Wrong
Muenster Sacred Heart over Plano John Paul II (27-21) -- Correct
Houston Northland Christian over Willow Park Trinity Christian (32-0) -- Correct
Dallas St. Marks over The Woodlands John Cooper (15-8) -- Correct (Weather Shortened)

Week 3: 8-2
Season: 20-10

Week 3 Picks 2023

The TAPPS defending champions struggle on the field in the early goings of 2023. Parish is 0-2, Fort Bend Christian is 0-2, Dallas Christian lost last week to fall to 1-1, and Lubbock Christian...well they're 2-0 after a victory over the Skyrockets. Many more non-district showdowns and Eagles on the docket for Week 3. Good luck, safe travels, and good air conditioning to all.

This Week: (Season: 10-4)

Dallas Christian @ Tolar -- The Chargers travel West to continue our search for great mascots. The Rattlers from Hood County are a strong UIL 2A program that reached the 4th round of the playoffs a season ago and allowed less than 10 points a game in those playoffs. DC traveled East last week suffering a 17-14 defeat to Louisiana State Champion Ouachita Christian. In the 4 games that these two have played this season they've allowed just 40 points combined. So don't come to this one expecting an offensive shootout. The Chargers last lost 2 games in the same season in 2019 (TCCH and Faith) and last lost 2 regular season games in the same year in 2017 (All Saints and TCCH). Really hard to square these two since there isn't really any common opponents through the years. Tolar played Flower Mound Coram Deo last year, but it was a blowout much like their last meeting with DC. Low scoring is what I feel certain about, and we can probably guess who I'm picking. Chargers survive 19-18.

Tyler Grace Community @ Bullard Brook Hill -- The largest Smith County private schools meet for the 15th time. Last year the Guard staked a 13-0 lead in the 1st quarter before the host Cougars surged back to win 31-20. Tyler Grace would share the district title but wound up traveling in Round 1 anyway due to a 3-way tie. All of those tri-champions were wiped out by District 1 in the 1st round. However, 8 wins was the Cougars most since 2016 and another 2-0 start promises good things ahead. The Guard are 1-1 after allowing 42 points to Grapevine Faith in Week 1, but bounced back for a dominant win in Week 2. Finding a way to score enough to turn the tables is the challenge for Brook Hill. They've simply haven't been able to keep up against the top competition, getting blown out quite a few times even while scoring 20 points themselves. This space likes home teams, but I think Grace is better this year. Cougars outscore the Guard, 44-30.

Fort Worth Christian @ Arlington Grace Prep -- The Cardinals 2-0 start is good news in North Richland Hills, but they were 5-0 last season after topping Dallas Christian and then lost 3 of 4 district games. They rebounded for two playoff wins before the offense betrayed them against All Saints. A warm Saturday morning contest in Arlington sets up an interesting challenge in Week 3. The Lions have started 0-2 scoring just 21 points combined in 2 games. They score 53 against the same two opponents a year ago. Other than a little Saturday afternoon chaos and FWC looking ahead to consecutive games against rivals Faith, DC, MCS, and Liberty its hard to see Grace Prep catching the Cardinals in this one. FWC runs away with it, 42-14.

Grapevine Faith Christian @ Episcopal School of Dallas -- Our first Eagles of the week sees SPC contender ESD hosting the Lions. ESD started last year 6-0 before dropping their two biggest SPC counters and winding up outside of the championship game. That start included a 23-7 win over Faith. The offense though looks a bit behind the 2022 squad, scoring just 28 points against the same two schools that they scored 78 against last season. The Lions may be a tad ahead of the 2022 team, scoring 105 points in two blowout wins. The trip to Midway Rd. can be a slow one, but I'll be surprised if that slows the Lions attack. Faith Christian wins 37-20.

Bellaire Episcopal @ Houston Second Baptist -- Another Eagles hosting a cross-conference contender, but this one in the Houston area. Just 7 miles of Woodway Dr. and I-610 separate these two, but meet for just the 2nd time in the MaxPreps era. The Knights posted very notable road upset of TAPPS DI Champion Parish Episcopal last week, 27-20. They also defeated the Eagles 35-14 in 2022. Second Baptist got off to a big start with 41-0 thwacking of St. Pius X, but lost a road trip to Prestonwood 21-17. Not a bad loss by any means, but when the opponent was down the road beating the TAPPS favorites it doesn't induce a lot of confidence. Both defenses should be competitive and it shouldn't be a blowout, but the committee of one can't go against a team that just beat the consensus favorites in all of TAPPS. Knights win 30-16.

Fort Bend Christian @ Houston St. John's -- Our third consecutive Eagles is the defending TAPPS DII Champion. Fort Bend went from a 7-game win streak and State Title to an 0-2 start. They did lose two of their first three games last season though before getting things rolling. One of those losses was a 6-point decision against the Mavericks. Fort Bend is 0-4 all time against St. John's. The Mavericks tend to play close high scoring games with both teams scoring over 20 in 6 of their 10 contests in 2022 and the same happening in both games this season in their 1-1 start. This is a tough one to get on track if you're the Eagles, but at least the trip is just 16 miles up I-69. Home team has to be the choice given the track records. Mavericks win a close one, 44-40.

Brownsville St. Joseph @ Brownsville Veterans Memorial -- Houston wasn't far enough South for us, so we go 350 miles further South to find two schools separated by just 7 miles and somewhere that doesn't name all their teams the Eagles. The Bloodhounds have scored 131 points in two victories to open the campaign and are looking to build off last season's district runner-up and 8-3 finish. One of those losses was to the Chargers, 40-20. Veterans Memorial is just 0-1 on the season losing to San Benito (Greyhounds) in Week 1. A 3rd round playoff appearance last year says the Chargers are a good squad and despite the short trip we still like home teams in this space. Can never really go wrong picking the Chargers either. Veterans Memorial wins a high scoring one, 44-35.

Quick Hits: (Season: 12-8)

Dallas Parish Episcopal over Austin LBJ
Gunter over Addison Trinity Christian
Plano Prestonwood Christian over Little Elm
Frisco Legacy Christian over Irving Cistercian
Texarkana Pleasant Grove over Midland Christian
Houston Cypress Christian over Houston Lutheran South
The Woodlands Christian over Houston St. Pius X
Muenster Sacred Heart over Plano John Paul II
Houston Northland Christian over Willow Park Trinity Christian
Dallas St. Marks over The Woodlands John Cooper

Week 2 Results 2023

Picks had a challenging Week 2 as the defenses across the state rose up and squashed some early plans. 

This Week: (Week 1: 7-0)

Dallas Christian over Ouachita Christian (LA) (14-17) -- Wrong
--Great game in Shreveport this evening as both defenses carried the day. Eagles came up with one more big play than the Chargers and a missed field goal late held the lead for the Eagles.

Midland Christian over Austin Regents (23-42) -- Wrong
--Knights were ready for the road trip and score a big early season win. Mustangs with a tough district slate ahead, but will probably still factor into the November battles.

Fort Worth Christian over Dallas Bishop Dunne (47-13) -- Correct
--Clear victory for the Cardinals as they head toward that big stretch of Faith, DC, Liberty, and Midland Christian.

Argyle Liberty Christian over Episcopal School of Dallas (31-0) -- Correct
--Warriors defense may lead them to a title and appear very ready for back-to-back district games against FWC and MCS.

Dallas Parish Episcopal over Bellaire Episcopal (20-27) -- Wrong
--Panthers are the best 0-2 team in TAPPS most likely. Interesting that both teams won on the other's home field in the biennium. Knights should be strong contenders in SPC 4A.

Plano Prestonwood Christian over Houston Second Baptist (21-17) -- Correct
--The Lions sneak out a win. Defenses seem to be winning the day across TAPPS right now.

Wellington over Lubbock Christian (16-17) -- Wrong
--Eagles secure a big road win and should have a great shot at repeating based on their 2-0 start.

Week 2: 3-4
Season: 10-4

Quick Hits:

The Woodlands John Cooper over Houston Cypress Christian (10-24) -- Wrong
Bullard Brook Hill over Dallas Life Oak Cliff (61-12) -- Correct
Dallas Covenant over Colleyville Covenant Christian (23-20) -- Wrong
Fort Worth Lake Country Christian over Plano John Paul II (14-17) -- Wrong
Fort Worth Southwest Christian over Arlington Grace Prep (31-7) -- Correct
Fort Worth All Saints over Addison Trinity Christian (35-13) -- Correct
Arlington Oakridge over Frisco Legacy Christian (6-55) -- Wrong
Tyler Grace Community over Wills Point (62-7) -- Correct
Lubbock Trinity Christian over Clarendon (56-0) -- Correct
Dallas St. Marks over Irving Cistercian (36-3) -- Correct

Week 2: 6-4
Season: 12-8