Week 5 Picks 2025

District play gets going for a few across the state and it looks to be a perfect weather Friday. Should be a fun week on the field. Good luck and safe travels!

This Week: (Season: 16-10)

Dallas Christian @ Pittsburg -- The Chargers played two home games in two weeks where a home school based squad was very competitive for 2 quarters. Then, DC scored repeatedly and beat both teams by big margins. Finding the right mix at quarterback is the task for the Chargers heading toward the district slate. When you graduate a 4 year starter and won 4 straight titles that is to be expected. There has been lots of good so far so the offensive threat is very much there for DC. The Pirates pose an interesting challenge having already won 3 games this season which equals 2023 and 2024 combined. The 1-9 campaign last year for Pittsburg included losing to DC 50-30. This year the Chargers must travel to East Texas and the Pirates have found the scoring touch. The mix of opponents makes this a bit of an unknown. Pittsburg appears to be much better than last year and has this one at home. DC is a smidge weaker just by losing a 4-year starter at QB. This will be a stern test. Chargers must avoid turnovers and penalties which they've not been at their best in those categories so far in 2025. DC survives, 39-37.

New Braunfels Christian @ San Antonio Holy Cross -- The Knights had lost 2 of their last 26 coming into the 2025 season and then lost their opening two games. Two nice wins over the larger San Antonio Central Catholic and Weimar has things back on track. The interesting task here is figuring out exactly where things slot given the disconnected nature the Division III district schedules among contenders. The Wildcats enter this one 4-0 for a 2nd straight year, but its hard to tell if it might be just wins over lesser competition. We will know very quickly how both squads stack up after this one. Last year, NBCA did finish the regular season 9-1 with Holy Cross providing the only loss. The home playoff loss to Tyler All Saints though showed how far the Wildcats had to go to reach the top of the division. The Knights shutout the Wildcats last year, 48-0. This year should be closer but I don't think New Braufels Christian has closed the gap completely. Knights win, 35-14.

Lubbock Christian @ New Deal -- A season ago the three main contenders in Division III were Dallas Christian, San Antonio Holy Cross, and these Eagles. That is very much the case in 2025 as well. I do not think anyone has shown the form to keep those three from the district titles. The Eagles are off to a 3-1 again. They reversed the script on Stamford but Wellington rocketed past them last week. Not looking too far down the road will be the challenge for the Eagles this year. All signs point to the semifinals for the three district champions, but it will not be a give. The Lions of New Deal finished 4-6 a year ago and were dominated by the Eagles, 46-7. Both squads dominated Sundown this season and its a home game for New Deal. Shapes up to be closer game than 2024, but the Eagles appear to be better on paper. Eagles win 42-21.

Bullard Brook Hill @ Austin Regents -- District play opens in Division II District 2 with a benchmark game for the Guard. The two schools met for the Division III crown in 2011 with the Guard claiming their lone state title. Since then Brook Hill has just not reached that type of contending status. The Guard offense is averaging over 30 points per game and that has been the issue in these benchmark games for them. If they can maintain that form maybe there is a path to a high seed for Brook Hill. The Knights are always tough and even tougher in the Travis County woods at their home field. A season ago Regents won the trip to Bullard, 42-20. Its not such a margin that it can't be done, but I don't see that the Guard have made up the gap. The Knights offense will score too much to be caught. Regents wins, 48-28.

Fort Worth Southwest Christian @ Colleyville Covenant Christian -- The Eagles 3-0 start certainly gives a little notice to the rest of Division II. I'm not sure they'll catch All Saints at the top but it is definitely an improved squad. The halftime lead over DC that was washed away by weather sorta makes the win total 3+. They'll try to get another reversal of 2024 with a trip to Colleyville. The Cougars took out the Eagles 21-14 last year. That Covenant squad nearly upset Lubbock Christian at home and is very good on their home 100. The Cougars could be that 4th semifinal team in Division III again after reaching that round last year. They've struggled defensively though allowing at least 34 points in all 4 games of a 1-3 start. The Eagles offense looks to be the stroner squad and should rack up points and a victory this week. Eagles win, 42-14.

Houston St. John's @ Houston Lutheran South -- Entering the season Second Baptist would be the favorites for another district title in District 4. The slow start for SBS though seems to have the door open for a revival of the Pioneers. Lutheran South has seen some down seasons since losing one of the strangest playoff games in TAPPS history to Dallas Christian in 2014. At 3-1, the Pioneers are a game worse than 2024 but are playing much better defense. The Mavericks lost last week to Second Baptist to fall to 2-2 and having lost big to St. Thomas appear to be scuffling a bit. St. Johns rolled off 62 points last year at home on the Pioneers. The improved LSA defense is the deciding factor in this one. If the Mavericks can roll up another 40 points the Pioneers won't be able to catch up, but I think Lutheran South can stop that from happening. Pioneers win, 30-23.

Houston Kinkaid @ Houston Second Baptist -- The Eagles made it back to the state final last season, but fell to Fort Worth All Saints to finish runner-up again. The 0-3 start though has to be a bit of a wake up call. Its hard to start back at the bottom each year and climb the mountain again. A season ago the Eagles were 4-0 and fell to Kinkaid 21-7. The erosion on defense for Second Baptist has to be the concern. The Falcons have played a tough schedule so far, starting 2-2. They've already exceeded last year's losses. Kinkaid as the defending champions remains the favorites in SPC 4A and I'm not sure anything has changed that. Can one of the last great grass fields provide the edge for the Eagles? I can see this one either way, but I think the Eagles offense just won't score enough. Falcons win another low scoring affair, 22-12.

Quick Hits: (Season: 23-15)

Argyle Liberty Christian over Addison Trinity Christian
Dallas Parish Episcopal over Frisco Legacy Christian
Fort Worth Christian over Victoria St. Joseph
Stratford over Lubbock Trinity Christian
Wolfforth Frenship over Midland Christian
Austin Brentwood Christian over Tyler Grace Community 
Fort Worth All Saints over Vancouver (WA) Evergreen (The Plainsmen! Much better than Eagles)
Arlington Grace Prep over Dallas Bishop Dunne
Houston Cypress Christian over Tyler T.K. Gorman
Tyler All Saints over Willow Park Trinity Christian
New Boston over Fort Worth Lake Country Christian
Arlington Oakridge over Houston Christian