Week 10 Picks 2024

Find a game this week to decide a district title. We'll have much of the playoff brackets in decent shape after this week. Stay tuned to this space for match-ups and times.

This Week: (Season: 46-16)

McKinney Christian @ Dallas Christian -- The Chargers withstood a tough road test at Dallas Covenant last week. DC's defense had its first game saving moments of the year, holding a good Knights offense to just 13 points and only 6 points after the 1st series. They welcome McKinney Christian in this week for homecoming at Wheeler Field. The Mustangs are struggling again this year at just 1-6 on the season. They are coming off a 40 point loss to Tyler All Saints. They're seeing the scoreboard rolled over on them constantly with an average of 50 points allowed per game. MCA has not had a winning season since 2017, a team that reached the state final. The Chargers are rarely the team you want to see when you need a win, but particularly aren't the team to see when you can't buy a stop. Chargers win 56-0.

Dallas Covenant @ Tyler T.K. Gorman -- With the focus of state just not on DC's district I've let the focus go elsewhere in a change from previous years in this column. However, the Knights strong play a week ago that pushed DC to the late stages, earns them a spot in the picks this week. Covenant's 5-3 mark includes losses to Dallas First Baptist (among the favorites in Division IV), DC (among the favorites in Division III), and Colleyville Covenant. While the other Covenant is not a favorite they tested Lubbock Christian all the way to the final horn last week. The fact that the Knights held an offense that scored 45 against Lubbock Christian to just 13 points means the Knights are going to be game for the fight come November. The Crusaders are looking for a 3rd win in a season for the first time since 2018. Two non-district wins and a bushel of points scored in the losses pointed to better things ahead for TKG. However, the district slate has not been kind at 0-3. They've been shutout by two different Chargers and lost in 3OT to Tyler All Saints. Covenant seems to play better at home so the trip to Tyler must be overcome, but I can't see the Crusaders scoring enough to make this one interesting at the end. Knights win 33-12.

Arlington Pantego Christian @ Lubbock Christian -- The Eagles are still a member of the "Big 3" in Division III. DC, Lubbock Christian, and Holy Cross, appear to be the main choices for district titles and 3 of the 4 semifinalists. Though Colleyville Covenant nearly pushed them out of that trio last week. The Eagles defense was shockingly porous in allowing 45 points. Lubbock Christian is still 7-1 on the season and having found a way to win figures to be there at the end. They're averaging over 40 points per game on the year so keeping up on the scoreboard is the Panthers best chance. Pantego's 6-0 start to the season did have them tabbed for the next tier of contenders. The loss last time out to Lake Country certainly hurt those chances of breaking into the top 3. The Panthers have not scored with the same regularity as the Eagles, but can maybe find a way to slow the Eagle attack like they did Shelton in what was a small upset at the time. With the long road to Lubbock in front of them, I can't expect the Panthers to punch back with the same gusto that Colleyville Covenant did. Eagles win 42-28.

Fort Worth Christian @ Fort Worth All Saints -- Division II appeared to be wide open at the start of the year as Liberty departed for Division I. The Saints filled that void immediately with a win over Parish Episcopal and then backed it up by defeating Prestonwood too. At 8-0 and averaging 40 points per game against a difficult schedule, its hard to see anyone else as the current favorite in Division II. The long road trip to Midland last week was probably the biggest hurdle between them and an undefeated season. The Cardinals though will certainly take their shot. A 6-2 campaign has relied on the FWC defense that has held all but two opponents under 20 points. The two are the two losses. They held Midland Christian to just 21, but were blown out by Second Baptist. If the Cardinals can find the endzone, they can help that defense to bridge the gap to the favored Saints. I just don't see the Cardinals scoring enough. Notably Lubbock Trinity is an obvious common opponent to look at and All Saints scored 43 while FWC managed just 17. It was a win for the Cardinals, but they need a lot more than 17 to win this one. Saints win, 35-12.

Houston Lutheran South @ The Woodlands Christian -- Division II's best intrigue is in District 4. The Warriors escaped attention for much of the year. They piled up non-district wins over good UIL squads but the lack of common opponents made those results a bit of a mystery. We (the committee of one) should have taken more notice of TWCA earlier on. Particularly, losing a very tight 4 point game to top UIL team East Bernard. That was the Warriors lone loss on the season before taking on Second Baptist in Week 8. SBS has been the clear favorite in District 4, but the Warriors tested them all the way to the end falling by just 7 to the heavily favored Eagles. Next week's game with Fort Bend seems likely to decide 2nd place and who hosts a Round 1 playoff game, but they have to get past LSA first. The Pioneers appeared to be the best threat to Second Baptist after defeating UIL regular Anahuac in non-district. On the field though LSA managed just 3 points in a 28-3 loss to Second Baptist. The defense though showed promise. They failed to get into the 2nd place mix by dropping a 7-point decision to Fort Bend Christian last week. They're an up and down squad. Allow 62 to St. John's, but keep Second Baptist to just 14 in the first half. Score 54 against Anahuac, but just 24 at Fort Bend. I'm not sure what to think, but TWCA has the better overall results this year and is at home. Warriors win, 38-20.

Sugar Land Fort Bend Christian @ Houston Second Baptist -- The battle of Eagles has decided the Houston area district multiple times in the last decade. Trading district and playoff wins happened in back-to-back years in 2021 and 2022. Second Baptist used their 2021 district loss as a launch point to the State Final, Fort Bend Christian used their 2022 district title loss as a springboard to the State Title. Each avenging the district title in the playoffs. In the MaxPreps era, the 2021 district title and the 2022 semifinal are 2 of the 3 wins FBCA has managed over SBS. Second Baptist leads the series 18 to 3. A season ago, it was a Second Baptist shutout that won the district for the Eagles. This year the offense has led the charge to a 7-1 season. The win over St. John's and the domination of FWC are better than any of Fort Bend's 4 wins. I do not see Fort Bend Christian limiting Second Baptist enough to win this one, and definitely not on the road. Second Baptist claims the district crown, 35-21.

Quick Hits: (Season: 72-18)

Dallas Shelton over Tyler All Saints
Tyler Grace Community over Arlington Grace Prep
Midland Christian over Grapevine Faith Christian
Plano Prestonwood Christian over Addison Trinity Christian
San Antonio Antonian over Tomball Concordia Lutheran
Brownsville St. Joseph over San Antonio Christian
Lubbock Trinity Christian over Fort Worth Southwest Christian
Argyle Liberty Christian over Dallas Bishop Lynch
Dallas St. Mark's over Episcopal School of Dallas
Houston Kinkaid over Houston St. John's

Week 9 Results

The games in the top section mostly delivered this week. That set up a tough week for the picks. Glad to see some tight games across TAPPS this week. Some favorites have emerged, but also some challengers have shown they won't be an easy out come November.

This Week:

Dallas Christian over Dallas Covenant (24-13) -- Correct
--The Knights were in the fight tonight, but couldn't quite maintain the offensive consistency to best the Chargers. Dc should clearly

Dallas Parish Episcopal over Plano Prestonwood Christian (49-52) -- Wrong
--Incredible back and forth line score in this one. The Lions offense clearly matches the other contenders now. This probably keeps Prestonwood on the other side of the bracket from Liberty. Panthers likely lose out on a 1st round bye and would have to play Liberty in the semis.

Fort Worth All Saints over Midland Christian (49-28) -- Correct
--The Mustangs seem to have gotten their offense going a bit as the season progresses. The trouble tonight was playing the Saints. All Saints will be hard to push out of the Division II playoffs.

Tyler Grace Community over Austin Hyde Park (28-46) -- Wrong
--The Cougars had back-to-back home games with teams visiting from Austin, but got 0 wins out of them. A Saturday afternoon visit to Grace Prep is no picnic, but a 4-2 finish should be within reach. That could set up a curious set of tiebreakers for 2nd place and a home playoff game.

Lubbock Trinity Christian over Grapevine Faith Christian (28-35) -- Wrong
--Faith scores its 2nd win of the season, finally winning a 7 point game. Trinity will likely have to win in Midland to make the playoffs.

Houston Lutheran South over Sugar Land Fort Bend Christian (24-31) -- Wrong
--A big win for the Eagles as they get to 3-0 in district play. The battle of Eagles next week with Second Baptist likely decides the district crown.

Brownsville St. Joseph over Victoria St. Joseph (50-7) -- Correct
--Bloodhounds dominate this one to move to 1-0 in district play. They stand to have a home game in Round 1 (big if you're located in Brownsville) and avoid Second Baptist until the semifinals.

Week 9: 3-4
Season: 46-16

Quick Hits:

Tyler All Saints over McKinney Christian (47-7) -- Correct
Dallas Shelton over Tyler T.K. Gorman (42-0) -- Correct
Lubbock Christian over Colleyville Covenant Christian (52-45) -- Correct
Fort Worth Lake Country Christian over Willow Park Trinity Christian (20-14) -- Correct
Fort Worth Christian over Fort Worth Southwest Christian (27-13) -- Correct
San Antonio Christian over San Antonio St. Anthony (42-0) -- Correct
San Antonio Antonian over Houston St. Pius X (70-42) -- Correct
Dallas Bishop Lynch over Addison Trinity Christian (66-33) -- Correct
Arlington Oakridge over Fort Worth Country Day (8-26) -- Wrong
Fort Worth Trinity Valley over Irving Cistercian (40-7) -- Correct

Week 9: 9-1
Season: 72-18

Week 9 Picks 2024

The district results are becoming clearer and we should be able to project the playoff fields pretty closely once we're at 2 weeks to go. Maybe the weather will cool down when the playoffs get here. Good luck and safe travels to your team on its road to State!

This Week: (Season: 43-12)

Dallas Christian @ Dallas Covenant -- The Chargers travel to Valley View Lane for a another clash that seems likely to decide the district title. The Knights have faced DC just 3 times, all in the last 2 years. The margin is 160-27. The Chargers are 5-2 on the season having dominated the two district games thus far. It has been a little tougher for DC this season, particularly on defense. The Knights 35 points per game on the season suggests they may can score a little bit more than in previous clashes. Covenant has a matching 5-2 record, having been blown out by Dallas First Baptist and dropping a close road game to Colleyville Covenant. Finding the scoreboard and matching the Chargers blow for blow will be a requirement in this one. While the DC defense looks a bit more receptive than the past, scoring just 7 against Colleyville Covenant seems to indicate they won't find the endzone enough. However, the Knights defense has tossed 4 shutouts on the season so this shouldn't be a complete laugher. Chargers win handily but not easily, 40-15.

Dallas Parish Episcopal @ Plano Prestonwood Christian -- The final of the 3 district showdowns has become the fight for 2nd place as Liberty took down both sides of this one in back-to-back weeks. Both teams took out Frisco Legacy on the district slate so far. Both teams struggled getting going early in those meetings. Parish ran away in the 2nd half, putting up 56 points. Prestonwood though only notched a 7 point margin of victory. The Lions offense hasn't posted quite as many points as the past but is still a formidable unit. The Panthers share matching losses to All Saints and Liberty with Prestonwood and its a testament to their past success that 50 points per game means their offense is slowing down. Interestingly, these are 2 of the few teams in the state yet to have a bye week so both have played 8 games already. This has to be a close game and at Prestonwood makes me think that way, but also the Panthers are 12-4 all time against the Lions. 8-in-a-row is too much for me to go against. Panthers win a thriller on the road, 35-31.

Fort Worth All Saints @ Midland Christian -- The Saints non-district upset of Parish and then consolidating that with a win over Prestonwood put them at the top of the Division II list, knowing Liberty is in Division I now. Now up to 7-0 it seems this could the best shot at an undefeated campaign in TAPPS 11-man this season (though Holy Cross will have a word there too). The All Saints defense has allowed just 13 points in the last 3 weeks. This poses a real problem for the Mustangs that have struggled to score all season. They've scored in the 30s just twice in 7 games. They did manage to win two game with just 20 and 21 points each. So it can be done. The long trip to Midland will be an obstacle for the Saints, but the firepower looks to be too much for the Mustangs. MCS should keep this interesting, but I just don't see enough points out there. Saints win, 28-12.

Austin Hyde Park @ Tyler Grace Community -- The Cougars are having a 3rd straight district contending season, but once again seem to be a step behind the top teams in the district and division. With a chance to jump on top of the district last week, Regents came to Tyler and shutout the Cougars, 42-0. The path to 2nd place and a home playoff game is still very much open though. Grace should be favored in their final 2, so a win here would seem to secure that spot. The Panthers are 4-3 on the season notably with a district loss to Brook Hill and with Regents still to play in Week 11. The Hyde Park offense does not look to matchup well here. The Cougars having held New Boston and Pittsburg in check while the Panthers held under 40 against Bishop Dunne last week. This shouldn't be a boatrace, but the Cougars should win comfortably. Tyler Grace inches closer to that 2-seed with a 33-15 win.

Grapevine Faith Christian @ Lubbock Trinity Christian -- Our quest to find the 2nd place finishers in each district continues as the Trinity Lions having reached back-to-back semifinals in Division III are struggling to get things on track in district play in Division II. They played FWC to a standstill but never found the endzone losing 17-0. The were dominated by All Saints. So they need a win here to stay alive for 2nd palce. TCS has not been as strong on offense this season averaging less than 20 points.per game. The Faith Lions though have had it worse, starting just 1-6 this season. Faith Christian has only taken 6 losses in a season twice in the last decade. They've lost more than 6 just once in the MaxPreps era. They're a bit snake bit this season with 5 of the 6 losses coming by 7 points or less. Trinity appears to be the stronger squad but neither offense has been confidence inducing this season. The war of Lions seems to be bit defensive. Trinity puts another tight loss on the Faith, winning 21-18.

Houston Lutheran South @ Sugar Land Fort Bend Christian -- The Eagles may have finally recovered from their success of 2022. They could only manage a 6-6 mark in 2023 after winning the Division II title the year before. This season they've notched a 2-0 district mark over Beaumont Kelly and Cypress Christian. That leaves the likely top 3 of LSA, Second Baptist, and the upstart Woodland Christian between them and a 1st place finish or maybe a 4th place finish. The Fort Bend offense just hasn't produced like it did on the way to the state title. The Pioneers seemingly never recovered from a 2014 playoff loss to DC in a weather delayed Monday finish. (Sorry for making this about DC) Last weeks 44-6 drubbing of Kelly says that the Pioneer offense is well head of the Eagles defense. This will be a tough road test though, and LSA can not look past the Eagles to a likely 2nd place decider with The Woodlands Christian next week. The Pioneers offense is too much though. Lutheran South wins, 39-21.

Brownsville St. Joseph @ Victoria St. Joseph -- The Flyers welcome another district foe on a long road trip, but this is the rare visitor from South of Victoria. The path to 7 wins for the Flyers is wide open which would be the best mark for them since 2009. At 5-2 the Flyers have shown a bit of spark, but a blowout loss to Fort Worth Christian suggests there is a bit of work to do to reach the upper group in Division II. The Bloodhounds are a favorite of this space, because being the Bloodhounds is a lot cooler than being the Eagles. At 6-1 the visitors from the Valley are off to a great start, but with this being the district opener its hard to know what to expect. They are averaging over 40 points per game but the lack of common opponents makes it hard to project onto the district slate. A season ago the Hounds took out the Flyers 43-21 in Brownsville. This should be more of the same, but the Flyers are no pushover. Bloodhounds score a big road win, 29-14.

Quick Hits: (Season: 63-17)

Tyler All Saints over McKinney Christian
Dallas Shelton over Tyler T.K. Gorman
Lubbock Christian over Colleyville Covenant Christian
Fort Worth Lake Country Christian over Willow Park Trinity Christian
Fort Worth Christian over Fort Worth Southwest Christian
San Antonio Christian over San Antonio St. Anthony
San Antonio Antonian over Houston St. Pius X
Dallas Bishop Lynch over Addison Trinity Christian
Arlington Oakridge over Fort Worth Country Day
Fort Worth Trinity Valley over Irving Cistercian

Week 8 Results 2024

This Week:

Dallas Christian over Dallas Shelton (63-7) -- Correct
--DC dominates from the opening kickoff and seems a lock for the district title and 1st round bye. Covenant next week will certainly take a shot at it though.

Argyle Liberty Christian over Dallas Parish Episcopal (35-27) -- Correct
--Liberty holds off the charging Panthers. Warriors are now the clear favorites in Division I, but it won't be an easy playoff run with both Parish and Prestonwood in the way.

San Antonio Holy Cross over Dallas First Baptist (34-14) -- Correct
--Knights continue their impressive march back to the Division III title game. Saints still the likely favorite in Division IV.

Fort Worth All Saints over Lubbock Trinity Christian (43-6) -- Correct
--Saints dominate in their first of 3 district tests. With wins over Parish and Prestonwood they have to be the favorite in Division II. Though a trip to Midland is no guarantee.

Fort Worth Christian over Midland Christian (19-21) -- Wrong
--Mustangs with a big road win that may position them for the Round 1 home game. Still with a shot at the district title too as All Saints visits the Permian Basin next week.

Houston Kinkaid over Bellaire Episcopal (16-14) -- Correct
--Really thought these two would score more than this. Huge win for the Falcons who are likely safe in the SPC 4A title game.

Hallettsville Sacred Heart over Shiner St. Paul (28-6) -- Correct
--Cardinals having a tough time on offense in 2024. Indians will be a difficult out in the Division IV playoffs.

Week 8: 6-1
Season: 43-12

Quick Hits:

Dallas Covenant over McKinney Christian (54-13) -- Correct
Tyler T.K. Gorman over Tyler All Saints (14-16 5OT) -- Wrong
Fort Worth Southwest Christian over Grapevine Faith Christian (21-14) -- Correct
Bullard Brook Hill over Arlington Grace Prep (36-10) -- Correct
Austin Regents over Austin Brentwood (42-14) -- Correct
Sugar Land Fort Bend Christian over Houston Cypress Christian (34-7) -- Correct
Plano Prestonwood Christian over Frisco Legacy Christian (35-28) -- Correct
Dallas Bishop Lynch over Fort Worth Nolan (42-17) -- Correct
Boerne Geneva over Austin Hill Country Christian (35-21) -- Correct
Fort Worth Trinity Valley over Addison Greenhill (26-38) -- Wrong

Week 8: 8-2
Season: 63-17

Week 8 Picks 2024

Another week is upon us as district play ramps up across the state. The high percentage of playoff qualifiers in TAPPS can make some of the games less dramatic than they might seem, but anytime you take the field on game night in Texas its a special occasion. We even mix in one intriguing non-district clash across Divisions III and IV. Remember only half win each week, so treasure it when you're on the winning half. Good luck and safe travels as we finally get a little cooler night for everyone.

This Week: (Season: 37-11)

Dallas Shelton @ Dallas Christian -- A battle of Chargers heads to Mesquite to renew a match-up that hasn't happened on the field since 2015. DC has won all six meetings by at least 38 points. This year is interesting as Shelton actually enters with the better record. The Chargers from Preston Road are scoring over 45 points per game and find a DC defense that has struggled this season. The Mesquite based Chargers have definitely played the more challenging schedule thus far, but haven't done as well as recent DC teams against the challenging non-district. District play started for both last week with blowout wins. DC shutout TKG, 63-0. Shelton rolled up 61 on McKinney Christian in a 40 point win. Historically, DC is better. They're the 3-time defending state champions. However, Shelton is playing the best it has since the 2017 team that won 9 games. Shelton should score in this one, but not probably not enough to get close to knocking off the champions of Division III. DC wins 46-21.

Dallas Parish Episcopal @ Argyle Liberty Christian -- The much awaited showdown of champions. The Panthers have won the last 5 titles in Division I while the Warriors dominated Division II in 2023. Could this just be Round 1 of 2 with the 2nd one to decide the title? Prestonwood certainly has something to say about that as Liberty survived the trip to Plano with just a 3-point win. The Panthers have struggled by their high standards at 5-2. Notably, Parish is allowing more points than recent years. Though a 56-0 drubbing of TCA last week will certainly help those numbers. Liberty across the line will not help those numbers. The Warriors have scored 7 TDs in 4 of their 6 games so far. This feels like it might be the changing of the guard in Division I and with the game in Argyle, I have to pick Liberty. The Panthers will not be an easy out though and a rematch in December might loom on the horizon. Warriors win 42-30.

San Antonio Holy Cross vs. Dallas First Baptist @ Robinson -- Among the district clashes is a curious non-district neutral site game. The Saints have not lost since the 2022 playoffs, running off 20 wins in a row. The FBA defense has limited opponents to just 89 points through 7 games. Only Tyler Grace held them under 48 points. The Holy Cross defense has been a strong force for more than a decade, but they've lacked the offense to match the title contenders. This year though the Knights are averaging 47 points per game in a 7-0 start. Interestingly both teams have not had their bye week yet, so this is 8 games in 8 weeks for both. The winner is clearly the favorite in their division, and if its a close one they may both be. I think both teams are the best offenses each other have faced and this one should see a bunch of points. I'll pick the home team...wait there isn't one. Knights win a shootout with just a bit more depth, 44-40.

Lubbock Trinity Christian @ Fort Worth All Saints -- The Saints opened the season with notable wins over Prestonwood and Parish and have not slowed down since. Its 101-7 in their last two outings. This may be the year for that 1st TAPPS football title for All Saints. With no clear 2nd contender, its hard to see who will knock them off. The Lions start a run of 3 interesting opponents for All Saints, and if they win them all and claim the district crown it will feel like no one can push them off the top step. The Lions have struggled a bit this year at 3-3, in their first year in Division II. The defense though could keep this one interesting. They held FWC to just 17 last week but could not dent the scoreboard themselves. This strikes me as similar, the Lions just do not have the firepower to run down the Saints particularly in Fort Worth. Saints win 28-6.

Midland Christian @ Fort Worth Christian -- The Cardinals host the Mustangs in a game that feels like it is for 2nd place in District 1 and the other host spot behind All Saints. They won't be home free as Lubbock Trinity will have something to say about it later on. The Cardinals were racking up 40 points a week until Trinity held them to just 17, but only Second Baptist has reached double figures against the FWC defense. That is not great news for the Mustangs who have only cracked 25 points once in six games this season. Its not that MCS can't score, but its going to be tough sledding. Their game against Lubbock Trinity in Week 11 could be quite the rock fight. The Mustangs know how to do these long trips, but I can't see them scoring enough to get the road upset. Cardinals win, 28-14.

Bellaire Episcopal @ Houston Kinkaid -- The winner of this is almost certain to make the SPC 4A title game. The Falcons have only been bested by UIL power Gunter and have won 6 straight since that opening loss. They dominated ESD last week after being tested a bit by St. Marks. A season ago, Kinkaid lost twice in 3 weeks to Episcopal to finish runner-up. The Knights avenged last season's lone loss with a win over St. John's last week. This should be a tight battle. Both teams know each other well and could likely meet again for the title. Both offenses should be able to score. Close games mean home team picks, and the rematch may go the other way. Falcons win a classic this week though, 42-40. 

Shiner St. Paul @ Hallettsville Sacred Heart -- Every season this is a big one in Division IV. Two of the smallest 11-man TAPPS schools are just 14 miles apart. They've met 64 times since 1971. This year though, both teams enter with matching 3-3 records and are scuffling just a bit. We never count out the Cardinals though who once went 2-8 in the regular season and won the state title anyway. The Indians have had trouble on offense this year, scoring just 7 in the district opener last week. St. Paul found 42 points for the 2nd time this season in their district opening win. A season ago Sacred Heart took a 31-14 win away from Shiner and they appear to be the favored team here. So with the game game at Sacred Heart will lean that way. Indians win a low scoring affair, 25-13.

Quick Hits: (Season: 55-15)

Dallas Covenant over McKinney Christian
Tyler T.K. Gorman over Tyler All Saints
Fort Worth Southwest Christian over Grapevine Faith Christian
Bullard Brook Hill over Arlington Grace Prep
Austin Regents over Austin Brentwood
Sugar Land Fort Bend Christian over Houston Cypress Christian
Plano Prestonwood Christian over Frisco Legacy Christian
Dallas Bishop Lynch over Fort Worth Nolan
Boerne Geneva over Austin Hill Country Christian
Fort Worth Trinity Valley over Addison Greenhill

Week 7 Results 2024

This Week:

Dallas Christian over Tyler T.K. Gorman (63-0) -- Correct
--Crusaders were no match for the Chargers. DC will be hard to push out of the 1st round bye and the district title.

Dallas Shelton over McKinney Christian (61-21) -- Correct
--The Chargers offense keeps churning out the points. Can they produce again next week at Dallas Christian?

Argyle Liberty Christian over Plano Prestonwood Christian (30-27) -- Correct
--Warriors stay at the top with a thriller in Plano-Carrollton. Should be a really fun playoff in Division I.

Austin Regents over Tyler Grace Community (42-0) -- Correct
--I thought the Cougars would be closer in this one, but it looks like Regents might be All Saints biggest threat in the North districts.

Austin Hyde Park over Bullard Brook Hill (34-35) -- Wrong
--Guard with a big road win to keep in the district race.

Lubbock Trinity Christian over Fort Worth Christian (0-17) -- Wrong
--Lions defense had most of the answers, but the Cardinals defense had all the answers in a defensive struggle.

Bellaire Episcopal over Houston St. Johns (48-45) -- Correct
--Perhaps a preview of the SPC 4A title game and it delivered with an OT thriller.

Week 7: 5-2
Season: 37-11

Quick Hits:

Dallas Covenant over Tyler All Saints (43-0) -- Correct
Lubbock Christian over Fort Worth Lake Country Christian (56-20) -- Correct
Dallas Parish Episcopal over Addison Trinity Christian (56-0) -- Correct
Frisco Legacy Christian over Dallas Bishop Lynch (24-28) -- Wrong
Fort Worth All Saints over Grapevine Faith Christian (51-7) -- Correct
Midland Christian over Fort Worth Southwest Christian (35-8) -- Correct
Houston Second Baptist over Houston Lutheran South (42-10) -- Correct
Dallas St. Marks over The Woodlands John Cooper (25-14) -- Correct
Houston Kinkaid over Episcopal School of Dallas (42-7) -- Correct
Shiner St. Paul over Conroe Covenant Christian (42-7) -- Correct

Week 7: 9-1
Season: 55-15

Week 7 Picks 2024

Find some wins out there if you're looking. We should know who the contenders are after this week with several showdowns coming early in the district slates. With a few Fall Break holidays on the books we get more Thursday games than I can remember.  Should be a fun week, but make sure you're ready to go early. Good Luck!

This Week: (Season: 32-9)

Dallas Christian @ Tyler T.K. Gorman -- The Chargers travel east to rekindle a long time rivalry. DC and TKG have met on the football field dating back to before TAPPS formed. The Crusaders have hit hard times since the two last met on the field in 2018. TKG has not won more than 2 games in the 4 seasons since. The Crusaders already have 2 wins on the season and have been scoring a bit more than recent seasons. These two have played some great games. A 7-0 game in 2006 started the MaxPreps era and a 12-0 run since then. In the streak, the Chargers needed OT to beat the Crusaders in 2014 before a playoff rematch that year was a 7-point margin. The playoff game included a 98-yard punt. The DC defense has not been the dominant force of the past this season, holding just 1 team under 20 points in the first 5 games. The offense should score plenty here though. The grass of the valley on Loop 323 should be quite high for a DC team that doesn't play many on grass. Should be a fun game, and while the Crusaders have improved it should be a tidy win for the Chargers. DC wins 40-14.

McKinney Christian @ Dallas Shelton -- The search for a team to beat DC in district play finds another Chargers. The nature of Shelton's school mission can make athletics competitiveness a difficult task. However, some years they get the right mix returning and new and can be a tough out. The Chargers won 9 games in 2017 and are off to their best start since at 4-1. Shelton has scored 40 points or more in their 4 wins and 55+ in 3 of them. Only Pantego held the Chargers to less than 6 touchdowns. The Mustangs have struggled mightily since playing in the 2017 state final. This season is another slow start for MCA at just 1-3. The Mustangs defense has allowed over 45 points per game so far in 2024, and the Shelton offense seems primed to take advantage of that. Chargers win this one, 49-19.

Argyle Liberty Christian @ Plano Prestonwood Christian -- The first of the showdown games in Division I lands at the Plano-Carrollton border. The Lions 5-1 mark to start the season saw only FW All Saints blemish the loss column. The 5 wins include notable blowouts of DC and ESD in the non-district. The 2-0 district mark left a couple of questions last week as Bishop Lynch scored 33 but the PCA offense was up to the road test. The Warriors have only lost in the last 2 season to UIL stalwart Texas High. The 4-1 start to the season has Liberty averaging over 50 points per game. Whoever can find those stops wins this game. I'm just not sure either squad will find very many. The Warriors are just 3-14 all time against the Lions, but won last year's match, 48-19. The Lions offense should be improved, but I don't think enough to take down the Division II champs. I'll say Liberty gets the leg up in the district race with a strong offensive performance. Warriors win, 44-35.

Austin Regents @ Tyler Grace Community -- The Cougars have been building the last couple of seasons with 8 and 9 wins. With Liberty moving to Division I, its the perfect time for Tyler Grace to try to fill the void. They will vault up any Division II power rankings with a home win over Regents. After reaching 4 straight state finals, a run ending in 2020, the Knights are still a prime contender in Division II. This season, Regents is 5-1 and scoring their own bushel of points. Only SPC contender Kinkaid toppled Regents thus far. The Knights have held teams in check on defense as well with just one team eclipsing 21 points so far in 2024. The disparate opponents makes this a tough call. The Cougars offense seems to be up against it here with the Knights, but particularly at home I wouldn't think Grace would get run over. If the game was in Austin, I'd say no chance for the Cougars. However, in Tyler I think the Knights just barely survive. Regents wins a thriller, 22-20.

Bullard Brook Hill @ Austin Hyde Park -- The Guard are off to a disappointing start to the district slate. Regents and Grace are certainly two of the contenders, but an 0-2 hole never feels good. A loss here would put the Guard in real danger of missing the playoffs. Brook Hill just isn't scoring enough this season, averaging just 26 points per game. However, with 49 coming in 1 game its really a little more dire than that. A first ever visit to The Quarries is not a great place to look for district win #1. The Panthers 3-2 start to the season saw a district opening win at Grace Prep last week. An always tricky trip on a Saturday afternoon. I think the Guard have played the better schedule, but its close. If Brook Hill can score in the 20s they should win this one. However, I just can't have confidence in the Guard offense. Panthers win a slug fest at home, 16-14.

Fort Worth Christian @ Lubbock Trinity Christian -- The Cardinals make the trip west to start district play. Usually its been a trip to Midland for FWC, but this time its the Lions of Trinity to oppose them on the South Plains. With All Saints likely occupying the top spot in District 1, this seems to be an elimination game for that 2nd place finish and a 1st round host. The Cardinals 4-1 start was only interrupted by Second Baptist in a long road trip. They did win their last game on a long trip to Victoria. So many miles racked up by the FWC busses between Houston, Victoria, and now Lubbock. The Lions coming off back-to-back semifinal appearances in Division III face new challenges in this Division II district. These games are so hard to pick given the geography of Trinity's opponents. How does Denver City and Floydada stack up against Lake Country and Second Baptist? I'm not totally sure. I think the Cardinals are the better squad, but also they're wins aren't over a murderers row by any means. So when in doubt, pick the home team. Lions win 35-28.

Houston St. Johns @ Bellaire Episcopal -- The SPC Houston showdown seems to likely determine one slot in the SPC 4A title game. A 2-0 start puts you close to the finish line given you just need a top 2 finish and not the top spot. The Knights have been up and down at 3-2 so far. The schedule they've played has been quite tough though. The Mavericks are the more impressive 5-1 and with a similar schedule. With a 40 point per game average, St. John's stands to find the endzone in this one. This seems like a high-scoring shootout, and I think that favors the Mavericks. Only Second Baptist could slow the Mavericks attack and even then it was 4 TDs. The Knights have to keep pace, and I think they can but I also think they won't. Knights win with offense, 42-28.

Quick Hits: (Season: 46-14)

Dallas Covenant over Tyler All Saints
Lubbock Christian over Fort Worth Lake Country Christian
Dallas Parish Episcopal over Addison Trinity Christian
Frisco Legacy Christian over Dallas Bishop Lynch
Fort Worth All Saints over Grapevine Faith Christian
Midland Christian over Fort Worth Southwest Christian
Houston Second Baptist over Houston Lutheran South
Dallas St. Marks over The Woodlands John Cooper
Houston Kinkaid over Episcopal School of Dallas
Shiner St. Paul over Conroe Covenant Christian

Week 6 Results 2024

This Week:

Tyler Grace Community over Bullard Brook Hill (28-21) -- Correct
--Cougars put themselves in the drivers seat for a Round 1 host spot. They get a shot at the district title hosting Regents next week.

Bellaire Episcopal over Episcopal School of Dallas (25-20) -- Correct
--Knights score a needed win to be in position for a title game spot. Eagles will need some help to navigate past the rest of the Houston quartet to reach the SPC 4A title game.

Argyle Liberty over Canyon West Plains (56-7) -- Correct
--Ok, the Warriors are just that good. Liberty hosts Prestonwood next week and visits Parish Episcopal the next.

Dallas Covenant School over Colleyville Covenant Christian (7-13) -- Wrong
--Knights dropping this one does not bode well for the district slate that includes Dallas Christian. Cougars with a nice win to set themselves on a path that could include a home playoff game.

Lubbock Trinity Christian over Merkel (34-0) -- Correct
--Lions shutout the Badgers as a final tune up for the district campaign that includes a visit to Fort Worth All Saints.

Bruni over Corpus Christi John Paul II (20-13) -- Correct
--Centurions miss out on one of their best chances for a win this season. Brutal matchup with Holy Cross next week for JP2.

Week 6: 5-1
Season: 32-9

Quick Hits:

San Antonio Holy Cross over Boerne Geneva (61-7) -- Correct
Lubbock Christian over Brownfield (54-0) -- Correct
New Braunfels Christian over Austin Hill Country Christian (34-31) -- Correct
Frisco Legacy Christian over Addison Trinity Christian (42-28) -- Correct
Plano Prestonwood Christian over Dallas Bishop Lynch (48-33) -- Correct
Grapevine Faith Christian over Fort Worth Lake Country Christian (21-28) -- Correct
Arlington Pantego Christian over Flower Mound Coram Deo (61-33) -- Correct
Houston Kinkaid over Dallas St. Mark's (34-23) -- Correct
Tomball Concordia Lutheran over Houston St. Pius X (49-6) -- Correct
Austin Hyde Park over Arlington Grace Prep (36-10) -- Correct

Week 6: 10-0
Season: 46-14

Week 6 Picks 2024

Ah yes, the week of a thousand byes. As teams freshen up for district play, sometimes it can be pretty challenging to find enough good games. We'll take a shot at it and know that deciding games are not too far away on the horizon. Just a tight 6-pack this week with DC and many others on a bye.This week also features a first, with 2 Badgers but only 1 Eagles.

This Week: (Season: 27-8)

Bullard Brook Hill @ Tyler Grace Community -- I think of these two as long time rivals but really the Cougars football program is relatively new. They've played 14 times since 2007 with Grace winning 10 of the meetings. The Guard won 3 of 4 between 2018 and 2021, with Grace taking the last two which were non-district matchups. The Cougars are off to a 4-1 start with just a close loss to Division IV favorite Dallas First Baptist. They outscored their problems last week in the district opener against Brentwood with a 42-35 win. Regents looms next week as the Cougars need to get the defense heading in the right direction. A 2-0 district start would put them well on the path to a home playoff game. The Guard are 2-2 with mostly an inconsistent offense to blame. They scored just 9 points at Legacy in Week 2 and needed more than 20 last week against Regents. Their 0-1 district start makes this a critical game. This space likes home teams and the Cougars look good to outscore their problem again this week. Tyler Grace wins 40-30.

Bellaire Episcopal @ Episcopal School of Dallas -- The SPC showdown visits the metroplex as the Knights travel north. These two would figure to be in the running in SPC 4A, but have just 3 wins between them at this point. The Eagles have played a very difficult schedule including a trip to Ireland and visit to The Star to take on Fort Worth All Saints. So a 1-4 record at this point can be a little bit excused. The Knight have faced their own gauntlet with Parish Episcopal and West Orange Stark doling out a pair of losses to Episcopal. ESD lost their last 2 despite scoring 33 and 39 points. The offense will be very competitive in this one, the Knights have the ability to match. Expect a tight one, but I don't the Eagles have enough punch to get past Bellaire Episcopal. With just 2 spots in the title game available the loser of this one has a lot work to do to reach their goals. Knights win 42-38.

Argyle Liberty @ Canyon West Plains -- The Warriors enter their non-district finale at 3-1 and having demolished TCA in the district opener last week. They travel way to the West, or is it way to the North? for this one. The Wolves of West Plains are 2-2 coming off a close loss to a very good Bushland team. This is not a easy task for the Warriors, but I think they will be too much on offense for newcomers in their 3rd year of varsity football. The Wolves will probably land a few blows on the scoreboard though. Liberty pulls away late, 36-20

Dallas Covenant School @ Colleyville Covenant Christian -- The Covenants look for the promise of a win to close their non-district campaigns. The Knights are 3-1, having shutout the opposition in the three wins. In the middle, they allowed 62 to a very good Dallas First Baptist squad. So it looks like the Knights may be right in the middle of TAPPS squads this year. The Cougars are 2-3 having also been dominated by FBA, but coming off the high of a road win over Southwest Christian. After a 60-point loss to Fort Worth Christian to open the season, I pretty quickly wrote off the Tarrant County Covenant squad. However, there are signs of life. If they can find the endzone three times, I think they'll be right in the mix. It also wouldn't shock me to see the Dallas County Covenant squad puts the clamps on the Cougars. Knights win a tidy one, 26-7

Lubbock Trinity Christian @ Merkel -- The Lions quest to get to the state final avoids DC this year by being in Division II, but finds many more obstacles in Division II. At 2-2 its an up and down start thus far. Trinity was dominated by Jim Ned, but was in the game to end against UIL power Stratford. The Lions offense looks a step behind 2023's so far this season. The Badgers (now there's a mascot) enter at 0-5 with three 40+ point losses in their last three outings. That puts Merkel having lost 8 of their last 9. I do not see the Badgers getting enough stops to take down the Lions this week. But road games are tough to win. Also, if the Lions can't get this one it'll be very tough to push into the upper echelon of the Division II contenders. Lions get a nice bounce back, 33-20.

Corpus Christi John Paul II @ Bruni -- The Centurions and the Badgers get themselves into the top section by playing each other. Yes, I really found two Badgers for the picks this week. Unfortunately for the two squads they are a combined 1-8 on the season so far. John Paul has just 32 points through four weeks as part of an 0-4 start. The forgiving playoff qualifying in Division III though provides a definite path for the Centurions if they can start improving. The Badgers posted their lone win over Kaufer and that was the only game they scored in so far. This might be a bit of an offensive slog. One team will pounce on the others mistakes. Guessing which one gets the bounce feels quite challenging, but at least they aren't the Eagles. Home teams is always a good fall back. Badgers win 14-12.

Quick Hits: (Season: 36-14)

San Antonio Holy Cross over Boerne Geneva
Lubbock Christian over Brownfield
New Braunfels Christian over Austin Hill Country Christian
Frisco Legacy Christian over Addison Trinity Christian
Plano Prestonwood Christian over Dallas Bishop Lynch
Grapevine Faith Christian over Fort Worth Lake Country Christian
Austin Hyde Park over Arlington Grace Prep
Arlington Pantego Christian over Flower Mound Coram Deo
Houston Kinkaid over Dallas St. Mark's
Tomball Concordia Lutheran over Houston St. Pius X