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
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