Texas high school pick 'ems, part two (NEW PICKS)

Re: An SportsJournalists.com tradition: Texas high school two-step (pick 'ems, part one)

And Muleshoe donkey-stomped Kirbyville.

Borden County has some serious defense for a six-man team. Woodson hung 101 on Walnut Springs last week.

Last final was Strawn 58-29.

Working on tabulating the totals.

 

Re: An SportsJournalists.com tradition: Texas high school two-step (pick 'ems, part one)

Give it up for Angola, your champion at 5-0!

Runners-up: Me, Thirsty & Vacant, jps, Jesus_Muscatel, Smash Williams, and pressboxramblings, all at 4-1.

 

Re: An SportsJournalists.com tradition: Texas high school two-step (pick 'ems, part one)

I rule!

This next week will be harder, though.

 

Re: An SportsJournalists.com tradition: Texas high school two-step (pick 'ems, part one)

Viva la Shoe!

 

Re: An SportsJournalists.com tradition: Texas high school two-step (pick 'ems, part one)

Alright, instead of starting a new thread, I'll just extend this one.

Here are the state final matchups for the big boys and a few small-ball stragglers:

Class 5A Division I
Allen (14-1) vs. Fort Bend Hightower (13-0), 7 p.m. Saturday at Reliant Stadium: Each team is playing for its first championship. Allen has been building into a big-school powerhouse for years, and they are finally in the state finals after near misses in 2003 and 2006 (both thanks to Southlake Carroll). Allen's only loss was to Euless Trinity — a loss they avenged in the quarterfinals. As you can tell by their record, the Hightower Hurricanes lost several games to Ike, but they've been like their nickname through Region III. Their quarterback A.J. Highsmith is an extremely accurate passer and also has speed, but he's too short for major college ball.

Class 5A Division II
Wylie (13-2) vs. Katy (12-3), 2 p.m. Saturday at Reliant Stadium: Wylie hasn't been in a state final since it was a 2A school in 1977-78. The Pirates are one of three Collin County schools playing for a championship (a fourth, Prosper, won one last week). Katy is in its ninth state final and owns 5 state titles. The Tigers opened the year 0-2 against The Woodlands and North Shore and had to bounce back from a 27-21 loss to Cinco Ranch in the regular season finale. That was a wake-up call that was put to good use.

Class 4A Division I
Longview (13-2) vs. Lake Travis (15-0), 2 p.m. Saturday at Baylor University: This is the first time the 4A finals will both be held the same week because the UIL has expanded the Division I bracket from one per district to two per district. Longview got a stern test from upstart Denton Guyer this past weekend, but the Lobos — a longtime 5A fixture finally relegated to 4A — after after their first state trophy since 1937. Their only loss was to 5A finalist Allen in the season opener. Lake Travis (near Austin, but not to be confused with Austin Travis) was last year's state champion in the 4A Division II bracket, beating Highland Park in a thriller. They've won 30 straight games — but in Texas, that's only 15 months.

Class 4A Division II
Sulphur Springs (13-2) vs. Dayton (13-1), 2 p.m. Saturday at the Alamodome: Sulphur Springs quarterback Tyrik Rollison is a stud. He is one of the top recruits in the state of Texas, but the Wildcat defense is no slouch either. They were on ESPN in a game they won, 22-16, against Wichita Falls Rider earlier this year. Dayton came out of a bottom-heavy district with three first-year programs, but that didn't hurt the Broncos and A.J. Dugat. Dayton has won 12 in a row since a 42-21 loss to state semifinalist Friendswood on Sept. 5.

Class 3A Division II
Celina (12-3) vs. Carthage (13-2), 8 p.m. Friday at Texas Stadium: They're baaaaaack! Celina was left for dead after a 4-3 start (including losses to 3A D-II state champion Prosper and 2A finalist Daingerfield), but the Bobcats have won 8 in a row and average 50 points per game in the postseason. Carthage, meanwhile, has double Celina's enrollment and tons of East Texas speed. They won a 4A state title in 1991 and dropped to 3A in 2002. Their QB (Blackshire) can flat-out sling the pill. Carthage is the favorite, but are you willing to pick against a school in its fourth state final in a row, its eighth in 11 years, and its ninth out of 14? In a state as large as Texas, that's ridiculous. (For added interest, it's the last high school playoff game ever at Texas Stadium.)

Class 2A Division II
Cisco (14-1) vs. Daingerfield (14-1), 3 p.m. Saturday at Waco ISD Stadium: Cisco finally made it back to state after losing in last year's semifinals to Canadian (cue the references). The Loboes (yes, spelt differently from Longview's) were state runners-up in 2003 and 2006. They won a nailbiter last week against Pottsboro. Daingerfield, meanwhile, is a 3-time champ whose 1983 team is the stuff of Texas legend: 14 shutouts and only 8 points allowed all year (including one safety). They beat 3A finalist Celina on the road in Week 2.

Class 1A Division II
Stratford (13-1) vs. Cayuga (13-2), 3 p.m. Saturday at Abilene: A classic Panhandle vs. Piney Woods clash. Stratford won 1A state in 2000 and 2005 and lost one to Shiner in 2004. They’re back in 1A after a 2-year stint in 2A where they went 2 rounds deep. Cayuga scored 48 or more points in 6 of 10 regular-season games, and though the scoring has leveled off in the playoffs, the Wildcats smoked Ganado this weekend, 42-0.
_____

Voting ends at 8 p.m. Friday night.

 

Hightower -- sounds like they're playing at home. Good enough for me.

Katy -- name recognition

Longview -- I think Sod Reesing might have went to Lake Travis. Maybe it's Austin Travis. I don't give a shit. Longview it is.

Dayton -- just because.

Carthage -- just because.

Daingerfield -- they're gonna get some respect. I bet I'm the first one to EVER come up with that joke.

Stratford -- just because

 

Re: An SportsJournalists.com tradition: Texas high school two-step (pick 'ems, part one)

Allen - The play they will remember forever was holding Permian 2 inches short on a fourth down play, when the Panthers were driving for the game-winner in the regional round.

Katy

Austin Lake Travis

Sulphur Springs - SS hammered the No. 1 team in the state last week and Dayton needed a miracle to win in the semifinals. They scored 10 points in the final 90 seconds to win last week.

Celina - I don't like them, but they ended Liberty Hill's 38-game win streak last week.

Cisco - My girlfriend went to the junior college there, so I have to vote for them.

Stratford - The Elks are really, really good. Plus, I was able to write some really funny cutlines thanks to them two weeks ago.

 

5A finals sites are predetermined and played back-to-back at the same location for television purposes. The UIL rotates the site and will probably choose JerryWorld in aught-nine.

Hightower got lucky based on the site selection. Of the other finalists, the one that got the best travel break was Celina, but I think Carthage was cool with playing under the hole.

 

wylie fans are the poster children for asshole fans. that is all.

 

Just curious, how did La Marque do this year? My folks live right outside Dickinson and that's all they hear about over there, the greatness that is La Marque football.

 

I know they got bounced in the second or third round last year and then ran their coach out of town for failing to win a state title.

It doesn't look like they made it this year. Hell, they probably murdered their coach for missing the playoffs.