2007 Top Twelve Playoff Games

Our Txprepsfootball.com
2007 Top Twelve Playoff Games
has been released, and we start out with games from classes 2A, 4A and 5A. We'll be releasing three games per day through New Year's.

Lone Star State Signal-Callers Sprouting Up

Good article from ESPN today on the success of quarterbacks from the Lone Star State.

With the spread offense being the weapon of choice among Texas high schools, this looks like it will be a continuing trend.

Top Ranked Texas QBs
(Per Rivals)
Andrew Luck, Stratford Stanford
Tommy Dorman, Birdville Texas A&M
Seth Doege, Frenship Texas Tech
Robert Griffin, Copperas Cove Baylor
Darron Thomas, Aldine Oregon
Taylor Cook, Altair Rice Miami
Jerome Tiller, SA Lee Iowa State

Txprepsfootball.com All Texas Team Released

Our Txprepsfootball.com All Texas Team offense is littered with record breakers, including a pass catching duo from Class 4A Division II State Champion Lake Travis, and a quartet of running backs who either broke state records or moved into prominent positons on the all-time rushing lists.

On the defensive side, safeties Aaron Williams of Round Rock McNeil and Blake Gideon of Leander continue the Central Texas theme as they lead a defense capable of stopping any offense assembled.

Weslaco's Mishak Rivas is our offensive player of the year, and it is an honor well deserved. The AP left Rivas off the top two class 5A all-state teams, and there was some talk of him facing inferior competition in the Valley, but make no mistake, Rivas would excel no matter where he played. No less an authority than San Antonio Madison head coach Jim Streety said "Rivas gave us a tougher time than any back we faced all year", after he totaled 356 all-purpose yards and scored three touchdowns against the Mavericks in the playoffs; and don't forget that Madison's district included the Marcus Wright (who also made our team) led San Antonio Reagan Rattlers.

Round Rock McNeil's Aaron Williams, our defensive player of the year, is the type of player that you could put just about anywhere on the field and get excellent results. He had a mind-boggling 27 tackles in a game against Round Rock and also excelled on offense and special teams.

The team consists of the following:
6 Class 1A Players
5 Class 2A Players
7 Class 3A Players
7 Class 4A Players
12 Class 5A Players
24 seniors, 6 juniors and 1 sophomore

Celina's 8th Title Breaks Record

With their 21-14 win over China Spring, the Celina Bobcats broke a tie with Southlake Carroll, Brownwood, and Plano, and now is the sole owner for the most state championships won by a high school football program in the state of Texas.

Celina's Previous State Championships
Year Opponent Score
2007 China Spring, 21-14
2005 Omaha Prewitt, 28-12
2001 Garrison, 41-35
2000 Mart, 21-17
1999 Elysian Fields, 38-7
1998 Elysian Fields, 21-0
1995 Alto, 32-28
1974 Big Sandy 0-0*
*Co-Champions

This just in ..... these Tigers are good

They began the season ranked as the #2 class 5A team in the state by the Associated Press and #6 in the nation by PrepNation. They ended the season #1 in the state and #3 in the nation. Much was expected from the 2007 Katy Tigers, and they delivered the goods by awaking from a first half slumber to close the door on the Pflugerville Panthers, 28-7.

The 07' Katy Tigers made a strong case for being the best class 5A team this decade, and the numbers bear that out; they outscored their opponents 701-132, while averaging 43.81 points on offense and holding the opposition to 8.25 points per game.

No doubt Southlake Carroll could make a case that their recent state championship teams are as good or better than this year's Katy version, but I don't recall a Dragon team as well rounded as this year's Tiger team. Offense, defense, special teams; they had it all.

Congratulations to what is probably the best Katy team in their proud history.

HP Receiver Looks Big-Time to Me

While attending the Highland Park/Everman game at Mesquite's Memorial Stadium last week, I spent part of the time chasing my beloved UT cap around the field due to intermittent wind gusts of 30-40 mph, and salivating over the other media members winter attire (yes I was poorly prepared).

When I did find time to take in the game, one player clearly stood out to me. Highland Park wide receiver Seth Gardner looks to be one of the best at his position I have seen this season, and why the state's best football minds have not beat a path to his front door is puzzling to me.

Gardner stands 6'4, weighs 185, and runs a reported 4.4 forty. Forty times can be a deceptive tool in football, but I found out all I need to know about Gardner's speed when he caught a short pass and turned it into a 66-yard score. The Everman defender nipping at his heels was made to look as if his football shoes were instead two twenty-pound weights.

Gardner is without a doubt an excellent athlete, as he has signed a baseball scholarship with Arkansas. Maybe he prefers sacrifice bunts to sacrificing his body, as he seems to indicate in this article, but Scots' coach Randy Allen also seems to wonder why Gardner hasn't received more interest in football.

College coaches; if your looking for one of the state's top wide receivers next year, it shouldn't be hard to find him. He'll be roaming the outfield for the Arkansas Razorbacks.

Gardner's Season Stats: 69 catches for 1,431 yards and 21 touchdowns

Just When You Thought.........

Just when you thought the playoffs couldn't get anymore exciting after last week's heart-stopping games, this week brings a Euless Trinity/Plano classic that goes to two overtimes before the Trojans prevail 30-27, while cinderella story Pflugerville gets it done again with a 20-14 overtime win against Abilene.

In class 2A Farmersville captures a state title with an exciting 27-24 victory over Tatum, and Rosenberg Lamar Consolidated phenom RB Jacquizz Rodgers goes out in style as he finishes his career with all three of the Mustangs touchdowns, including a game-clinching 87 yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter as Consolidated wins a title with a 20-14 win over Copperas Cove.

Could Texas Prepsters top Florida's Greatest?

In conjunction with the Florida state championship games this weekend at the Citrus Bowl, the FHSAA is celebrating 100 years of Florida football, and according to one article, the Sunshine State seems to believe that no other state can match the greatness that is Florida High School Football.

The FHSAA has unveiled their ‘100 Greatest Players of First 100 Years’ list, and a 33-member All-Century
football team.

While I haven't had time to completely examine the list, here is their summary of Florida's greatest running backs:

Florida's Greatest Running Backs

Rick Casares, Jefferson (Tampa), 1950. Named 1 of only 5 players in history recruiting analysts believe could have gone directly from high school to the pros because of their physical abilities. A 2nd-team All-American in 1953 as a junior at Florida before being drafted into the military. Began 11-year NFL career after drafted in 2nd-round draft pick by the Chicago Bears in 1954, beginning an 11-year NFL career. Was Bears’ all-time leading rusher until Walter Payton broke his records in the 1980s.

Tucker Frederickson, South Broward (Hollywood), 1960. One of the best RBs in the state for his time. Led Bulldogs to a 10-1 record in 1960. Became an All-American at Auburn and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. His pro career, which included being the first overall pick in the 1964 draft by the New York Giants, was cut short due to injury.

Willie Galimore, Excelsior (St. Augustine), 1952. “He was perhaps the greatest running back I ever saw or coached against” said Earl Kitchings, former head coach of Matthew Gilbert and Raines high schools. Considered by some experts to be the best Florida high school RB prior to Emmitt Smith. Remains leading rusher in FAMU history. Killed in an automobile accident in 1964.

Emmitt Smith, Escambia (Pensacola), 1986. Still holds state rushing record with 8,804 career yards on 1,127 carries and 106 TDs. Led Escambia to state titles in sophomore and junior years (2,934 rushing yards, 32 TDs on 353 carries in 14 games), and 10-1 season as a senior in the days when only district champ made playoffs. Set a career rushing record (later broken) at the University of Florida. Played 15 NFL seasons, setting numerous records, including career marks for rushing yards (18,355) and carries (4,409) that still stand. Played in 3 Super Bowls and 8 Pro Bowls. Was the 1993 NFL MVP.

Without question these are all great backs (Cowboy fans know the greatness of Smith first hand), but give me Sugar Land's Ken Hall, Hooks' Billy Sims, John Tyler's Earl Campbell, and Palestine's Adrian Peterson over any other state's running back foursome, and that list doesn't even include current Charger great, LaDainian Tomlinson from Waco University or Hall of Famer Eric Dickerson of Sealy.

San Antonio Madison Comeback Highlights

For those that may have missed the highlights of San Antonio Madison's amazing 38-35 overtime comeback win against Smithson Valley, here they are. Video

Duplicating Dez?

Former all-state Lufkin Panther WR Dez Bryant has 34 receptions, and set the single game freshman receiving record (155 yds.) for the Oklahoma State Cowboys this season.

Bryant was an unknown quantity his sophomore year in high school though; that is until the playoffs arrived. Bryant burst on the scene during the playoffs his sophomore season, snagging several touchdown catches in high-flying style.

Now, sophomore San Antonio Madison wide receiver Nate Askew is attempting to "pull a Bryant". In the Mavericks 38-35 comeback overtime win against Smithson Vally, Askew came from nowhere to catch seven passes for 169 yards and four touchdowns, and they were all big.

With all-state running back Devin Thomas out of action, Madison was looking for someone to step up, and Askew did so in a big way.

All this coming after having only nine receptions for 123 yards to this point in the season.

The Emotion Bucket is Empty!

What a weekend for Texas High School football!

If you're a THSFF (Texas High School Football Fanatic) and took in several games, or just yelled your lungs out at your favorite team's game, then your emotion bucket has to be running on empty.

Start off in 5A with the San Antonio Madison/Smithson Valley thriller, where the Mavericks rallied from a large deficit and tied the game at 35 with 49 seconds left, then won 38-35 in overtime.

Skip to class 4A, where Lake Travis QB Garrett Gilbert threw seven TD passes and ran for another in a 57-43 shootout win over Beeville. Throw in the Everman/Wichita Falls Rider classic, in which Everman rallied to 21-19 victory, and top it off with Rosenburg Lamar Consolidated's 33-27 three overtime win over undefeated New Braunfels in which Mustang RB Jacquizz Rodgers broke the state record for career touchdowns.

In class 3A, China Spring got revenge over previously undefeated Waco La Vega when QB Dustin Eskew dove in for a late score (pictured) for a 31-28 win, and Gilmer scored with seconds remaining in a 28-21 victory over Abilene Wylie.

On to class 2A, where Canadian stopped Idalou at the one-inch line with under a minute remaining after Idalou eskewed a game-tying field goal to win 21-18 and Altair Rice Consolidated won their third consecutive one point game by holding on to defeat undefeated Refugio 7-6 after a late field miss by the Bobcats.

And finally, in class 1A, Windthorst, who came into the playoffs with a losing record, gave undefeated Munday all it could handle in another playoff rematch (Munday won by a wide margin in district play) before losing 17-16, and undefeated Bemond had to rally from an early deficit to win 21-18 over Harper.

Can it get any better in the fifth round of the playoffs? Hmmmmmm......

Fallen Teammate Inspires Altair Rice

Call it fate, call it luck, call it destiny, but the Altair Rice Consolidated Raiders will probably tell you it is the inspiration of a fallen teammate.

The Raiders have dedicated the season to Raul Esquivel, who was selected as a team captain before he was killed in an auto accident during preseason workouts.

Esquivel was surely smiling down on the Raiders as they ventured into unchartered waters by reaching the Class 2A, Division II semifinals for the first time in school history by defying long odds.

Altair Rice has won three consecutive playoff games by one point, and they beat previously undefeated Refugio 7-6 Friday night by one point when the Bobcats missed an extra point after scoring a touchdown, then withstood a missed 39 yard field goal with nine seconds left.

Yes, a fallen teammate is surely smiling down.

Consolidated's Rodgers on the Verge of a Record

When Lamar Consolidated takes the field against undefeated New Braunfels in the Class 4A Division I state semifinals at 7 p.m. in San Marcos tonight, Jacquizz Rodgers will need one touchdown to pass former Cuero running back Robert Strait and become the state's all-time leader with 129.

With 7,850 yards he currently ranks seventh on the all-time Texas High School football rushing list, having passed the legendary Billy Sims of Hooks and Bradley Stephens of McAllen Memorial, with the potential to move higher.

Expect Rodgers to get his touchdown tonight, but the Mustangs will have their work cut out for them against the undefeated Unicorns.

Big Game in Huntsville Tonight

The Alto Yellowjackets will bring the state's longest winning streak (26 games)into tonight's game against the Granger Lions, in what should be one of the state's top class 1A games this year, as well as what may be the last obstacle to another undefeated state championship season for Alto.

While Alto relies heavily on its quickness and speed, Granger features a big, strong team that will have the size advantage. If you're in the vicinity of the campus of Sam Houston State, located in Huntsville, don't miss this one!

Abilene, Hebron Looks Like a Shootout

Abilene knocked off the 300-lb. gorilla last week, now what? Expect the air to filled with footballs beginning at 1 o'clock Saturday inside Texas Stadium, as Lewisville Hebron QB Tanner Marsh has thrown for more yards than Carroll QB Riley Dodge (3,557), and that looks to be the Hawks best hope for a victory.

Abilene is the more balanced team offensively with a running back that has over 600 yards more than any Hebron ballcarrier (Keithy Flye, 1,560 yds.).

Look for this one to be high scoring, with both teams likely to score more than 30 points. We'll take Abilene in a tight one, 38-31.

Video of Abilene LB Chris Williams discussing game.

Gilmer, Roosevelt Game Marred in the End

Class 3A Dallas Roosevelt of the Dallas Independent School District had a tremendous season, led by one of the best, if not the best, dual threat quarterbacks in the state in Vincent McNeil Jr., who has Oklahoma, Texas, and Texas Tech on his recruiting list.

Roosevelt battled undefeated Gilmer to the end last week before losing 42-36. However, the game was marred by a game-ending incident in which Roosevelt swarmed the Gilmer sideline.

What follows is unedited footage from the end of Saturday's Class 3A Division I Region II playoff game between Dallas Roosevelt and Gilmer High School. A Roosevelt player can be seen throwing a punch at a Gilmer coach.

Video

Video Highlights Abilene vs. Southlake Carroll

Video Highlights Abilene vs. Southlake Carroll


Find more videos like this on Chevrolet's PrepTicket

4A Team on Fire

They started their season 1-3, and lost to a class 3A team. Doesn't sound like a class 4A team going anywhere fast does it?

Skip forward to the third round of the playoffs however, and this looks like a team that would win the "team I would least like to play right now" award.

They've won nine consecutive games, outscoring their opponents 379-37 during that time, and rolled over three playoff teams that had a combined 26-6 record before playing them by a combined 134-17 margin.

Who is this current juggernaut? They are the Dayton Broncos of district 22-4A, who look like they are dead set on galloping to a state title.

Class 4A Dayton Bronco Schedule
08/31/2007 @ West Orange-Stark (21-3A) lost: 14-22
09/07/2007 @ Nacogdoches (12-4A) won: 22-6
09/14/2007 Friendswood (23-4A) lost: 28-31
09/28/2007 @ Lumberton (22-4A) lost: 7-8
10/05/2007 Beaumont Ozen (22-4A) won: 33-0
10/12/2007 Vidor (22-4A) won: 40-0
10/19/2007 @ Little Cypress-Mauriceville (22-4A) won: 49-13
10/26/2007 Beaumont Central (22-4A) won: 20-0
11/02/2007 @ Nederland (22-4A) won: 63-0
11/09/2007 Port Neches-Groves (22-4A) won: 40-7
Playoffs
11/16/2007 Crosby (21-4A) won: 49-7
11/23/2007 Texas City (23-4A) won: 42-10
11/30/2007 Livingston (18-4A) won: 43-0

Kudos to a Champion

With Southlake Carroll's 22-21 loss to Abilene, it is assured their will no repeat state champions in class 5A.

In watching the Dragon's since their move to class 5A it has been apparent that they have great community support, excellent coaching staffs, and talented, hard-working players. They've also been fortunate in that they have had relatively few key injuries since moving to 5A in 2002.

The injury bug finally ventured into Southlake this year however, as several players missed time during the course of the season, and starting QB Riley Dodge went down early in the 2nd quarter with a separated shoulder against Abilene in the Dragon's 22-21 loss.

The Dragons will not use this as excuse for today's loss, and Abilene is certainly deserving of their due, but any team that loses their starting QB is bound to feel a little sputter in the engine.

This is the first time Carroll has not reached the class 5A finals since entering the division, and their two losses in 5A are by a scant two points (one point to Katy and one point to Abilene).

Injury is least of Dodge's pains

Photo by: Star-Telegram/Sharon M. Steinman

Two More Makes Four

We might as well add two more running backs to the list of players that will likely end their high school careers in the all-time top twenty rushers.

San Antonio Reagan running back Marcus Wright, who has a career total of 6,677 yards, is only 112 yards from breaking into the top twenty (about one quarter's worth of rushing yardage for him), while Weslaco running back Mishak Rivas is 190 yards from cracking the top twenty with 6,599 for his career.

Both of these outstanding backs have made two hundred plus rushing games common place this season and each should be expected to end their careers among the state's elite ball carriers. Depending on how long each team remains in the playoffs, both players could potentially reach the top fifteen or higher.

RB Rodgers Moves up on Rushing List

We mentioned in an earlier post that Giddings quarterback Brock Fitzhenry has moved into 13th place on the Texas high school all-time rushing list. After last week, Rosenberg Lamar Consolidated running back Jacquizz Rodgers has now surpassed Shaud Williams of Andrews to move into 9th place on the all-time list with just over 7,700 yards according to the Houston Chronicle.

Next week he should pass the legendary Billy Sims of Hooks and Bradley Stephens of McAllen Memorial to move into 7th place. Should Rodgers, who is verbally committed to Oregon State, and his Mustang teammates continue to advance in the playoffs, there is a good chance the diminutive running back could wind up in 5th place on the list behind Cuero's Robert Strait.

For those not familiar with Rodgers, check out this video from the Mustang's earlier playoff victory against Dickinson.

Fitzhenry Finishes in Top Twenty

Before the start of the season we noted that class 3A Gidding's quarterback Brock Fitzhenry had a good shot to move into the top five of the Texas high school football all-time rushing list with a little luck and barring injury.

Although events conspired against him, he did move into the top twenty. Fitzhenry sat out last night's 28-19 loss to West Orange-Stark with an ankle injry and ended the season with 1,793 yards, about 1,000 short of last years' total.

That was good enough to move him into thirteenth on the all-time list with 7,271 career rushing yards, just behind Jacoby Jones of Bangs.

Classes 5A, 4A, Left Defenseless

When Southlake Carroll went DII this year, it assured there would be a new class 5A DI champion. After last night's action it is assured there will be new champions crowned in both divisions of classes 4 and 5A.

Carroll took care of defending 5A DII champion Cedar Hill, 38-17, while defending 4A champions Alamo Heights and La Marque went down to New Braunfels (35-3) and Lumberton (24-21) respectively.

Wichita Falls Rider Does it Again

Just like they did last year, Wichita Falls Rider lost to Stephenville during the regular season, then knocked them out of the playoffs. This time they won a wild one at Justin Northwest High School Friday night.

Rider led 16-0 at halftime, holding Stephenville to 95 yards of total offense, but the Yellow Jackets turned the tables in the second half, piling up 340 yards of total offense and having a chance to pull out the victory late in the game before Rider came through with three consecutive sacks to end Stephenville's last drive.

Weather Could Play a Role This Weekend

A strong cold front swept through the state just in time for this weekend's football, and it could play a role in many of the high school football playoff games this weekend. Snow fell in the Panhandle and much of West Texas on Thursday and is continuing to fall on Friday, and while the weather looks OK in other parts of the state (other than the cold temperatures) on Friday, Saturday looks to be another weather mess, as rain will return. There's an 80% chance fo rain in the Houston area Saturday, while the DFW metroplex is also expecting an 80% chance of cold rain.

This could tilt the scales to the teams who tend to rely more on the ground game, while hampering those that run the "en vogue" spread offense.

Wherever you are, bring plenty of warm weather gear and a few extra blankets. We'll be on hand for Wichita Falls Rider vs. Stephenville at Justin NW High School tonight and Lewisville Hebron vs. DeSoto at Birdville High School tomorrow. Stay warm!

Can the Class 5A Division II Champs Repeat?

The class 5A Division I defending champions will not repeat; by default. Southlake Carroll is back in DII after moving up to DI last year and won't be defending their DI title. Cedar Hill on the other hand, is back to defend their DII title, but will have to go through the Dragons to do it.

This situation is identical to last year when both of the previous year's 5A defending champions met in the second round (Carroll and Euless Trinity). If the Carroll/Cedar Hill contest is anywhere near as good as that game, it will be worth the wait.

The Dragons looked sluggish in an opening round 35-24 win over Flower Mound, but I wouldn't read too much into it. Carroll was missing two big cogs in their offense, WR Blake Cantu (held out as a precaution with a shoulder injury), who will be back against Cedar Hill, and RB Tre' Newton, who has a "60-40" chance of playing this week according to head coach Hal Wasson. The Dragons have traveled this road for five consecutive seasons and know what it takes to bring home a title.

Big Upsets
The first week of the playoffs saw 5A Allen, 4A Waco, and 2A teams Mart and Teague lose in upsets, but just as big to me was 3A Crocketts' 24-19 win over Madisonville. The Mustangs had handed Crockett an earlier 30-17 loss during the regular season and appeared primed for a long playoff run behing Jr. running back Chris Whaley. The Bulldogs held Whaley in check however, as he "only" had 174 yards on 37 carries, but never found the endzone.

The 6-foot-3, 223-pound Whaley, who will be one of the top recruits from the 2009 class, is open to any and all suitors at this point, but he continues to list Texas as the early frontrunner.

Carroll-Cedar Hill Kickoff at 6 PM

We had the The Southlake Carroll-Cedar Hill game listed at 6 p.m. Friday originally, then changed it when the AP listed it at 7 p.m. We should have left it alone; kickoff is at 6 p.m. according to the Dallas Norning News. Article

A 5A Breakfast Meeting Shocker

Saturday morning breakfast games apparently agree with the Rowlett Eagles. In a 10 a.m. game at Texas Stadium, Rowlett shocked AP #3 Allen, 37-32. Biggest 5A upset so far, and ranks along side #1 Mart and #9 Teague losing in class 2A, and 4A #3 Waco losing in four overtimes to Ennis last night as the biggest upsets to date.

New High School Sports Website Launch

Penny Entertainment has launched a new high school sports site which will be streaming some playoff games. Check it out to see if your high school is included.
pennyentertainment.com

The Run of Directional Champions

Heard a story on the radio this morning about college teams that have a directional name in their title. The point of the talk being that they were usually teams that were not NCAA powerhouses, i.e, South Florida, Central Michigan, etc.

I began to wonder if that rule applied to Texas High School football, and the answer is yes and no. It took 57 years for the first "directional" team to win a state championship (East Bernard, 27-10 over Seagraves in class 1A in 1977).

From 1977 to 2001 there were eight more titles won by directional teams, but none from 1996-2001. Since 2002 however, at least one directional team has won a title each year. Of course a team named Southlake Carroll has skewed that the number quite a bit.

In addition, there has only been one state championship that involved two directional teams; Eastland vs. East Bernard in 1982, while there have only been three seasons in which two directional teams won titles in the same year; 1982, 2003 and 2006.

As a side note, a team with a double-directional name, of which there are only a handful, has never won a state title.

Directional State Champions
1982
5A - Beaumont West Brook 21, Hurst Bell 10
2A - Eastland 28, East Bernard 6
1986
4A - West Orange-Stark 21, McKinney 9
1987
4A - West Orange-Stark 17, Rockwall 7
1988
3A - Southlake Carroll 42, Navasota 8
1992
3A - Southlake Carroll 48, Coldspring 0
1993
3A - Southlake Carroll 14, Cuero 6
1996
5A Division II - Westlake (Austin) 55, Abilene Cooper 15
2002
5A Division II - Southlake Carroll 45, Smithson Valley 14
2003
5A Division I - Galena Pk North Shore 23, Conroe The Woodlands 7
4A Division I - North Crowley 20, Bay City 6
2004
5A Division II - Southlake Carroll 27, Smithson Valley 24
2005
5A Division II - Southlake Carroll 34, Katy 20
2006
5A Division I - Southlake Carroll 43, Austin Westlake 29
6-Man Div. II - Vernon Northside 60, Jayton 41

Double-Directional Teams
Fort Worth Southwest
Justin Northwest
San Antonio East Central
San Antonio Southwest
South San Antonio West Campus (may close after this year)

What a Night in Class 2A

The opening night in the opening round of the playoffs in class 2A and two of the state's top ten teams are gone. Hamilton knocked off #1 Mart 43-21, and McGregor took down #9 Teague 49-35, whose only loss was to Mart. If this is any indication of things to come, it will be a wild playoff hunt in class 2A.

Playoffs Berths Still on the Line

Playoff berths are still on the line this weekend. Here are some links from various publications across the state on playoff scenarios.
Playoff Scenarios: Houston Chronicle
Seats still available on playoff bus: Waco Tribune
Football Playoff Scenarios: Dallas Morning News
Piecing together the playoff puzzle: San Antonio Express-News
Txprepsfootball.com Class 5A Playoff Scenarios
Reminder: Plano East and Allen play at 7:30 p.m. tonight on Fox Sports Southwest, while Euless Trinity and LD Bell will be shown locally in the DFW area tonight at 7 p.m.

UIL Rules in Favor of Dickinson

Dickinson continues their pursuit of their first playoff berth since 2002 tonight against state ranked La Marque, but the Gators, who are 7-1 on the season have already won one battle before they step on the field.

The UIL, in a unanimous decision (7-0), ruled that the infractions were not severe enough to warrant the forfeiture of Dickinson's seven wins. Article

Kansas HS Team Scores 72 in First Quarter

Smith Center, Kansas reeled off 72 points in the first quarter against Plainville in their class 2-1A playoff opener Tuesday night. According to the National Federation of State High School Associations, the 72 first-quarter points is a national high school record, breaking the mark of 66 set by Prescott (Ariz.) High School in 1925. The Redmen are currently on a 50-game winning streak, and this year they've outscored their nine opponents by an average margin of 71-0 and a total score of 640-0. They have yet to punt.
Video

Unbeeeelievable Play

In a play reminiscent of the Cal vs. Stanford play from the 80's, Division III Trinity (TX) lateraled their way to a game ending touchdown on Saturday.

The Quick Slant: Week Seven

A strong cold front has made it's way through most of the state and playoff football can't be far behind. There's still plenty to be decided before seasons' end though as the list of undefeated teams continues to shrink and district titles and playoff berths are at stake.

Week eight will more than make up for what seemed to be a light schedule of big games in week seven as there are "battles of the undefeateds" throughout the state.

Start off with Odessa Permian vs. Abilene and Arlington Martin vs. Arlington Bowie in class 5A. Throw in New Braunfels vs. Cibolo Steele in class 4A and top ranked Giddings vs. undefeated Caldwell in class 3A. Finally, sprinkle in East Chambers vs. Buna and Stockdale vs. Universal City Randolph in class 2A and you have the makings of a pretty good weekend of Texas high school football. Where would you rather be I ask than right here in the great state of Texas?

And remember, these are just the games between the undefeated teams. There are many other great games on tap in addition to those.

We mentioned last week that the Keller vs. Richland game would go a long way in determining whether Southlake Carroll went DI or DII. Keller staged a miraculous comeback, scoring 20 points in the 4th quarter to win 27-24 and although that outcome doesn't guarantee anything yet, it looks as if the odds favor Carroll going DII.

Donna RB Out for Season

Running back Robert Guzman of the Donna Redskins, who are 3-0 in district 30-5A (5-2 on the season), is out for the year with a broken C5 vertebra. Guzman is one of the top backs in the Rio Grande Valley, as he has rushed for 1,251 yards and was averaging 7.1 yards per carry. He wrote an open letter to the public which was published in the McAllen Monitor.

Projecting the Class 5A Playoffs

We are now in the season's second half and it's time to take a look ahead at potential playoff scenarios. Too early you say? Plenty of football left? You're right, but let's take a look ahead anyway shall we?

As opposed to last season when DI was loaded, it looks as if there will be a nice balance between DI and DII this year.

If the current form holds true across the state, this will be the division of some of the state's top teams.
DI
Arlington Bowie
Arlington Martin
Austin Westlake
Converse Judson
Euless Trinity
Galena Park Northshore
Klein
Odessa Permian
Plano
Plano East
Spring Westfield
Note: Teams listed above are virtual DI locks
DII
Abilene
Allen
Katy
Klein Oak
Leander
Longview
Lufkin
Pflugerville
San Antonio Madison
Smithson Valley
Southlake Carroll

That's great balance between the two divisions. I'm not a fan of the post season separation of classifications, but if I was dividing teams I could hardly sit down and draw it up any better.

This division of teams could lead to some of the following match ups:
DI
1st Round
Arlington Martin vs. Euless Trinity
Austin Westlake vs. Converse Judson
4th Round
Arlington Bowie vs. Odessa Permian
State Title
Odessa Permian vs. Galena Park Northshore
DII
2nd Round
San Antonio Madison vs. San Antonio Warren
3rd Round
Abilene vs. Southlake Carroll
Allen vs. Lufkin
Longview vs. Klein Oak
State Semifinals
Lufkin vs. Southlake Carroll
State Title
Katy vs. Southlake Carroll

The district 5-5A contest between Richland and Keller this Friday will in all likelihood determine whether Southlake Carroll does D1 or D2. A win by Keller will probably send the Dragons to DII, while a Richland win should put them in DI.

The Quick Slant: Week Six

News and notes from week six:

Class 5A Arlington Bowie running back Jeremy Davis, who was suspended in August for violating team and district rules, has been reinstated. Davis obviously has talent, having rushed for 1,190 yards and 13 touchdowns last year, but it remains to see how he will fit in with Bowie, who is 6-0, and in the midst of what could be the finest season in school history. Davis suited out in last week's 51-0 blowout of Arlington Sam Houston, but did not play.

Class 5A San Antonio Reagan running back Marcus Wright had another big game last week, and now has 1,524 yards rushing on the season and over 5,000 for his career.

Class 3A Chapel Hill RB Matthew Tucker and class 5A Spring Westfield RB Bo Walker both broke the 1,000 yard rushing barrier in wins over Canton and Klein Forest respectively.

According to the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, the season is over for the class 1A Frost Polar Bears. The Polar Bears were low on numbers to begin with, and lost more members when grades came out. This was not unexpected as their homecoming game against Evant was moved up to Thursday so they could get it in. Frost did manage to score their first points of the year against Evant (29-8 loss), and ended up being outscored 282-8 on the season.

Class 4A Austin Johnston is in the same boat as Frost after 12 players failed to achieve passing grades and became inelgible due to the state's no-pass, no-play rule. The Rams will forfeit their next two games and if enough players become elgible they may play their final game.

Class 3A QB Brock Fitzhenry (pictured) of the Giddings Buffaloes continues to climb the state's all-time rushing list. He now has 973 yards and 15 touchdowns on the season and 6,451 yards in his career. Another 311 yards and he will move into the state's all-time top twenty list of ball carriers. If the Buffaloes can make it to the class 3A state title game, which they are favored by many to do, and Fitzhenry averages 200 yards per game, which is about his career average, he could conceivably end up with enough yards to move into third place ahead of Rodney Thomas (8,441) on the all-time list.

Red Zone Stat of the Week: The class 3A Diboll Lumberjacks, who are 6-0 this year, have scored on 27 of 28 trips into the red zone (from the 20 yd. line in).

State's Leading Passer Out for Season

Coming on the heels of the news that one of the state's top running backs is done for the season (San Antonio Madison RB Devin Thomas), comes news that the state's leading passer is out for the year.

press release follows------>
Update from Texas High School Region IV District 29 5-A

PRESS RELEASE FROM
Scouting Lrd Sports & The Texas Valley

Junior quarter back Jerry Lopez (son to head football coach Joel Lopez) from Laredo Alexander High School is out for the season with a knee injury.

Jerry Lopez was the leading passer in Texas and ranked in the top five in the nation in passing yards and yards per game.

He is being replaced with Junior Sergio RED Velasquez who stands at 6'3" 195 pounds with a rocket arm. Velasquez has started on the varsity baseball team since his freshman year as a starting pitcher for the Bulldogs. He been clocked at 90 mph and consistant at 85 mph.

Sal Sciaraffa
Senior Scout
lrdoftexas.com

Leading Rushers in the State

By my research the state's top two ball carriers in terms of total yardage are Henry Solis from class 3A Palacios, who has 1,503 yards with 20 touchdowns and a 9.05 yards-per-carry average, and Devin Thomas of San Antonio Madison, who has 1,447 yards with 17 touchdowns and an 11.3 average per carry.

Unfortunately Thomas suffered a broken ankle against San Antonio Reagan and his season is finished.

Speaking of the state's top running backs, look for Cypress Fairbanks RB Sam McGuffie to start piling up the yardage after returning to full strength from an early injury.

Article on Devin Thomas Injury

Run Defense Optional

It is reported that a number of fans who witnessed last nights' district 13-5A contest between The Belton Tigers and the Killeen Shoemaker Grey Wolves will be seeking help from their local chiropractor in the near future due to neck problems.

The two teams went up and down the field more on Friday night than a West Texas jackrabbit being chased by a pack of hound dogs.

The two teams combined for over 1300 yards in the game that was finally won by Belton, 47-45. The catch? Only 56 of the yards were gained through the air, meaning the teams harkened back to the days of the NFL Los Angeles Rams coach Chuck Knox and his "ground Chuck" attack.

Shoemaker running back Dion Demers (pictured) had a huge game with 306 yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries and his total was only second best on the evening.

Belton ball carrier Keith Daniels led all rushers, romping for 375 yards and three scores on 37 totes. His total broke Ramonce Taylor's school record of 347 yards.

Shoemaker QB Andre Smith chipped in with a pedestrian 222 yards and two touchdowns on 21 rushes.

Yes the chiropractors in Central Texas will see increased activity come Monday morning, all due to a night when run defense was optional.

The State's Biggest QB?

6-5, 270 LBS., mobile and agile.
Someone gives you this description of a high school football player and what runs through your mind? The foundation of a defensive line? The anchor of your offensive line?

Not if your at El Paso Hanks. That is the height and weight of Hanks QB Branden Livingston who is one of the state's largest signal callers. Apparently he's more than a large statue as he was 19-38 for 386 yards with three touchdowns in a 28-21 upset win over El Paso Coronado last night.

Would You Believe?

With Southlake Carroll's earlier loss to Miami Northwestern and Cedar Hill's loss to Arlington Bowie this past Friday the state's longest class 5A winning streak belongs to, would you believe, El Paso Franklin.

The El Paso area takes much grief over the fact that the local 5A schools usually do not make it past the early rounds of the playoffs and have never had a program win a large school title, but for now Franklin can claim bragging rights over the rest of the state.

Current Longest Win Streaks are Listed Below:
5A El Paso Franklin - 7
4A La Marque - 17
3A Liberty Hill - 15
2A Mart - 17
1A Alto - 18

Longest Current Regular Season Win Streaks:
Galena Park North Shore 64
Lufkin 36
Celina 36

Plenty of undefeated teams left entering week 5, but the least likely to be undefeated (based on their past) has to be Houston Davis. Davis holds the state record for consecutive losses (80 from 1985-1993), and hasn't done much to distinguish themselves in recent years. The 2007 version is off to a 4-0 start and if any team deserves a winning streak it is Coach Chuck Arnold and the Houston Davis Panthers.

Coaches Approaching 300 Wins

Active coaches approaching 300 wins include Harleton's Dennis Alexander (295-102-11), Arlington Lamar's Eddy Peach (295-110-6), Bob Shelton of Hays Consolidated (292-169-7) and Curtis Barbay of Newton (286-87-6).

The all-time winningest coaches in Texas high school football are as follows:
G.A. Moore Celina (408-78-9)
Gordon Wood Brownwood (396-92-15)
Phil Danaher CC Calallen (328-83-4)**
Charlie Johnston Childress (314-96-8)
** still active

The only other active coaches in the top twenty are Jim Streety of San Antonio Madison (276-106-3) T11th, and Randy Allen of Highland Park (244-69-6) 19th.

Tough Schedules

Three undefeated teams all ranked in the top ten your first three week's of the season; that's tough, but that's exactly what The Woodlands (1-3) faced their first three games against Smithson Valley, Galena Park North Shore and Katy. They finally got a break and took a 28-7 win over Klein Collins last week. Break time is over however as they meet their fourth undefeated team of the season when they face Klein Oak (3-0) tonight.

A&M Consolidated (0-4) has faced a tough schedule in their own right. Their first four games consisted of teams with an 10-2 record. Leander (2-1), Austin Westlake (2-1), Pflugerville (3-0) and Katy (3-0). Ouch!!

In class 3A, Wimberley (1-3) has played the state's No. 1 team in Giddings, and now faces the No. 2 team this weekend (Liberty Hill). They also played defending state champion Texarkana Liberty-Eylau last week (lost in OT) and have perennial contender Abilene Wylie on the schedule next week. Can't say they're unwilling to take on the state's best.

Week Three Thoughts

In class 5A, Southlake Carroll survived against Rockwall, 49-42. Was Carroll suffering the post Miami Northwestern blues or is Rockwall that good? Probably a combination. Surprised that SLC administration would agree to a Thursday game after a national spotlight Saturday evening contest. Word is they didn't have much choice though (Hmmmmm ......). Carroll's pass defense looks vulnerable this year, but give them credit for surviving a tough game.

The Katy Tigers look too dominant to me to rank them anywhere but #1 in class 5A, but if you're looking for a potential Katy vs. SL Carroll matchup in the playoffs, don't count on it. Odds are Carroll will go DI and Katy will be DII.

DeSoto was surprised by Bryan last week, 30-27. Give the Vikings credit for a great gameplan, but the Eagles helped out with six turnovers. DeSoto will still make plenty of noise this season.

Two great games to watch this week in 5A (Smithson Valley vs. SA Madison, Plano vs. Allen).

In class 4A, 2-2 Brenham was awarded a first place vote in the AP Poll after losing to Bay City 42-40. Please tell me a voter fell asleep at the wheel and turned in his 2006 vote. Big game this week in Aledo (Aledo vs. Stephenville).

In class 3A, the Liberty Hill Panthers cemented their position as one of the state's top two class 3A programs, along with Giddings, by defeating Cuero 49-35. Both Liberty Hill and Giddings are open October 5th. Too bad they couldn't have met on that date, as LH has only nine games on the schedule and Giddings had a forfeit win over Hempstead. Obviously some bad blood between these two after last years' playoff game won by the Panthers.

Class 2A was tough to rank this week in the 8-10 positions. There's a group of 9 or 10 teams that could have a legitimate beef to be included in this week's top ten.

In class 1A the Munday Moguls continue to impress and moved up to #7 in our class 1A Poll.

A Win for High School Football

The stadium was packed, Michael and Deion were in the house, and a national television audience was tuned in.

All that was left was for the Southlake Carroll Dragons to de-horn the Miami Northwestern Bulls and put to rest the silly notion that a program from another state could compete with the elite of Texas football without returning home fraught with stories of how a maniacal Dragon dominated them with fire-breathing precision.

In the end the raging bull from Miami turned Carroll into Puff the Magic Dragon by shutting them out in the second half and forcing an uncharacteristically high five turnovers. No more win streak, no more record breaking performance and no more Texas high school football invincibility; but somehow it seemed OK.

This was not a loss for Southlake Carroll and Texas high school football, but a win for high school football in general and for two communities specifically.

The looks on the faces of the Northwestern faithful said it all. Most of them had probably never been to the Lone Star state, or witnessed high school football on such a grand scale, but then again, few had. For all those who made the long haul from the Sunshine state this was no doubt a trip that will be etched in their mind indelibly.

For one night, financial disparity was an afterthought, and racial divsion was non-existent. The communities and coaches gave each other respect and the players prayed together in unity at game's end, knowing they will never pass this way again.

Northwestern will likely go on to their second consecutive Florida 6A title and Carroll will be favored to do the same in class 5A Texas high school football, but whatever the outcome for the remainder of the season, they will never forget the night they all came together on a steamy night in Texas and produced a win for high school football.

Ticket sales for Carroll, Northwestern approach 20,000

More than 10,000 tickets remain for the 2007 Clash of Champions between Southlake Carroll and Miami Northwestern at SMU's Ford Stadium. Current ticket sales are at 18,480.

Ticket and Will Call windows will open at Gate 4 at Noon on the north end of Ford Stadium. Ticket Sales will expand to Gate 6 on the east side at 2 PM and then to Gate 8 at the southeast side at 3 PM. Gates open at 4:30 PM. Kickoff is 6:04 PM. Parking lots open across SMU's campus at 2 PM. There will also be free shuttle service from Mockingbird Station to Moody Coliseum prior to the game.

No media credentials remain for the game. All tickets are $15.

Carroll, Northwestern, Conference Call

Coach Hal Wasson, QB Riley Dodge and RB Tre' Newton, along with Miami Northwestern coaches and selected players are part of a media conference call scheduled from 12:30-1:30 central time today.

Although the players and coaches are downplaying the contest with the proverbial "It's just another game" statements, it'll no doubt take on special meaning. What with a national TV audience, a projected attendance of 20,000-23,000 and a pre-game confrence call, it is probably one the most hyped high school football games ever a national scale.

Most games I can walk right in, but for this game I had to sumbit a request to TITUS Marketing and wait in line. Got the media credentials along with an e-mail stating they have received over 100 requests for said item; unheard of for a high school football game.

Top Underclassmen in Texas

Who are the top underclassmen in the state? Wouldn't even want to try and single out the best, but here's two to keep an eye on.

Lufkin's JR. defensive lineman Jamarkus McFarland (right) is already being touted as a 5-star recruit by Rivals.com for the class of 2009, while Soph. running back Ben Malena of Cedar Hill scored 25 touchdowns in only seven games as a freshman on the JV team and burst on the scene against Colleyville Heritage in his first varsity game with 117 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries.

http://rivals100.rivals.com/barrier_noentry.asp?sid=&script=content.asp&cid=711163&fid=&tid=&mid=&rid=

Mascot Mania

Capital One is looking for the top mascots in the following areas of Texas and they let the public choose the top mascot for each city! You can win various prizes, including $5,000.00 for your school athletic fund.

Austin Travis & Williamson counties
Dallas/Ft. Worth Dallas, Tarrant, Collin, Denton & Kaufman counties
Houston Harris, Ft. Bend, Montgomery & Galveston counties

http://www.capitalonemascotchallenge.com/

Zero Week is a Wrap

Texas high school football has kicked off and "Zero Week" is a wrap, and before I hit the highlights/lowlights of the first week let me say this; isn't it time to give the moniker "Zero Week" the boot? In layman terms zero means nothing, zilch, nada, and in the state where everything is bigger who wants to be a part of zero anything. The term started when only a handful of teams played that week. Now a ton of teams play the first week. Just say no to zero.

Now to the first week............ not the usual plethora of upsets to start the season. Oh there were a few here and there but not that many.

In 5A Round Rock Westwood surprised Austin High 27-7 and Galena Park North Shore survived a scare from Aldine. Some would call Plano over Mesquite an upset, but that seems not so surprising. I was more surprised by Abilene's margin of victory over Austin Westlake (31-10).

In class 4A I was surprised at the ease with which Wichita Falls Rider cruised past Wolfforth Frenship (31-7) and Nederland over Brenham was a surprise, but the young Cubs will get better.

In class 3A Giddings served notice to the rest of the 3A teams by pounding Wimberley 55-21. I wouldn't count the Texans down and out yet. The Buffaloes are just that good.

In 2A Pittsburgh ran roughshod over top ten Jefferson by a 41-13 margin while Farmersville lost to Caddo Mills in a knee-knocker 28-27. Also we want to mention an outstanding defensive performance by Txprepsfootball.com preseason all-state DL Kyle Kriegal of Elysian Fields. Didn't catch his stats before posting the 3A Game Balls section, but he was certainly deserving as he had 19 tackles and four sacks in a 45-0 shut out of Queen City.

In 1A three of the top four AP teams lost. #2 Windthorst (31-21 to Holliday), #3 Shiner (32-12 to Schulenburg) and #4 Bremond (20-19 to Lexington). None of those were shocking scores to me however and I expect all three of those teams to be there in the end. The surprise was Olney over Quanah by a 40-0 knockout.

Zero Week Games "I Wish I Had Seen"
Allen 21 Garland 15
Lufkin 16 Longview 13
Killeen 41 Killeen Ellison 41 in OT
Edcouch-Elsa 41 Port Isabel 33
Paris North Lamar 21 Texarkana Liberty-Eylau 20
Farmersville 28 Caddo Mills 27
Lexington 20 Bremond 19

Christmas Eve

It's Christmas Eve all across the great state of Texas as high school football begins tomorrow. Hmmmm....... decisions, decisions. Head to Pennington Field in Bedford on Friday for a great 3A game featuring Celina vs. Robinson or to Grapevine-Colleyville Stadium for defending 5A-DII champ Cedar Hill at Colleyville Heritage. Or maybe I'll go west young man for the Abilene/Austin Westlake matchup. Then again going south to see Giddings/Wimberley or The Woodlands and Smithson Valley seems appealing. Decisions, decisions..........maybe.........I'll sleep on it.

What to watch for in 07'
Coach Bob Shipley moves to 5A Coppell from 3A Burnet
Hal Wasson tries to extend 48 game win streak at Southlake Carroll
After 22 years as an assistant Larry Cone takes over at 2A Somerville
Galena Park Northshore looks to extend 60 game regular season win streak
Will steroid testing be implemented before season's end?
Alto dominated class 1A by outscoring foes 744-58 in 06'. Can they repeat?
Giddings QB Brock Fitzhenry (pictured at right), who has 5,478 career rushing yds., looks to move into the top ten all-time rushing list

Five Must See Games in 07'
Gilmer vs. Tatum September 7th
Southlake Carroll vs. Miami Northwestern September 15th
Shiner at Thrall September 21st
Wimberley at Liberty Hill September 28th
Copperas Cove at Waco November 9th

2007 Associated Press Top Ten Poll

This year's Texas High School Football Associated Press Top Ten Poll is unusual in the fact that it doesn't seem that unusual.

In what typically seems to be an AP Top Ten Poll tradition, they usually pull out some surprises that appear to have been mailed in from the planet Pluto. This year the picks actually seem to have been made by common earthlings that have half a football brain.

Hard to be picky at all with this years' selections, but here's my comments:
Class 5A - Many seem to be high on the Grapevine Mustangs this year, but I'll take a wait and see attitude. Grapevine does have 14 returnees, but only 6 on the defensive side, and therein lies the problem. The Mustangs gave up an average of 30 points a game last year including 56 to Coppell and 41 to Haltom. They did improve during the season, but the lack of defense reared it's ugly head again in a 48-42 playoff loss to Desoto. Can't see ranking them ahead of Desoto, Longview, Abilene and Mesquite, among others.
Class 4A - Can't argue with the picks.
Class 3A - 3A looks good too, but I'm surprised China Spring didn't receive votes. They have 14 starters back from an 8-3 team that includes the QB Eskew to WR Hicks connection.
Class 2A - Altair Rice seems a little low to me.
Class 1A - Everyone seems to be on the Bremond Tigers bandwagon this year. I think they'll be a fine team, but a #4 ranking seems way out of line. Yes they return 16 starters, but this was a 5-6 team last year and I see them as no better than the third place team in their own district. District foe Chilton is the reigning state champ and even though they return only 5 starters don't underestimate the heart of a champion, while Normangee also returns 16 starters from a 7-3 team, including the Mullinnix twins at QB and RB.

Associated Press Top Ten Poll
http://www.txprepsfootball.com.invisionzone.com/index.php?showtopic=348

Ex Coppell RB Ponders Move to Gators

News out that former Coppell high school running back Emmanuel Moody is considering the University of Florida after leaving USC.

USC has ten All-American running backs on the roster and they are well known for rotating their backs. Word is that RB Joe McKnight from John Curtis high school in Louisiana has impressed Pete Carroll and his staff and has been all but guaranteed playing time.

Moody wants to be a "featured back" after having a decent freshman season where he gained 458 yards at USC before being sidelined the last four games with a sprained ankle.

The question is, didn't Moody know going in that the Trojan backfield situation would be extremely conjested? Remember he also backed out of a UT commitment upon leaving high school. Seems it's time for him to make a decision and realize there is going to be stiff competition no matter where he goes.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/football/ncaa/specials/preview/2007/08/23/florida.moody.ap/index.html?eref=si_topstories

The Rivals Fab 50

The Rivals.com Fab 50 is out and it includes four teams from Texas: #1 Southlake Carroll, #10 Katy, #29 Smithson Valley and #38 Copperas Cove.

Don't get me wrong, the Copperas Cove Bulldogs are a good team (we have them ranked as the #2 class 4A team), but to rank them ahead of 5A powers Euless Trinity, Lufkin, Cedar Hill and Spring Westfield seems questionable at best. As Randy on American Idol would say; I ain't feelin' ya' dog.
http://highschool.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=704359

The Gingerbread Haka?

The Euless Trinity Trojan Haka was imported from New Zealand and now the same country brings us the Gingerbread Haka for your viewing pleasure.
http://www.bakeryoftheyear.co.nz/net/best-bakery/gingerbread-video.aspx

It's Soooo Hot ...... It Must Be Texas HS Football Season

Texas high school football team workouts are now in full force and the first scrimmages will be this weekend. Along with the start of practice came the traditional Texas heat. Football practice and 100 degree heat just go hand-in-hand in these parts don't they?

Actually the big story most of the summer was cooler weather and flooding throughout the state, and now tropical storms are bringing more rain to the southern part of the state. Old man sunshine will continue to dole out high temperatures until September though, so we might as well break out the "it's so hot" jokes.

It's so hot ..................

• I saw a dog chasing a cat and they were both walking
• I saw a robin pulling a worm out of the ground and he was using pot holders
• Chickens are laying boiled eggs
• You eat a jalapeno pepper just to cool your mouth off
• When the temperature dips below 95 you break out a jacket
• You use your seat belt buckle for a branding iron
• You learn how to drive with two fingers
• My french poodle is now a french fry
• You take turns standing in each others shade
• You burn your rear from the boiling water in your toilet bowl
• Trees are whistling at dogs

The "Orange" River

Has anyone noticed the Red River is turning Orange?

Most Texans have come to accept the annual OU raid across the border, which is continuing this year, as five-star recruits RB Jermie Calhoun of Van and DL R.J. Washington of Keller Fossil Ridge have committed, and they can probably deal with the fact that the skill positions at Michigan will have a Texas accent in a couple years with last years' signing of Texarkana QB Ryan Mallett and this year's pledges by Cy-Fair RB Sam McGuffie and Dulles WR Darryl Stonum.

But are we prepared to be a supply factory for the Oklahoma State Cowboys? ......... I repeat .... the Oklahoma State Cowboys!! Yes, they have the occasional Barry Sanders or Thurman Thomas shuffle through, but isn't this the same program that the University of Texas spots a 30 point lead every year and still beats by 30? Isn't this the same program that never so much as sniffs a top ten national ranking?

In case you haven't noticed, all 18 commitments to OSU stem from the Lone Star state. That's grounds enough to round up a posse, strap on our six-shooters, and stand guard at the Orange,....eerr....Red River.

The fact that Texas continues to supply the nation's football programs speaks not only to the depth of talent the state produces, but also to the premium quality of coaching staffs at the high school level in Texas.

Oklahoma State 2008 Verbal Commitments
http://rivals100.rivals.com/commitlist.asp?Year=2008&School=58

National contest seeks video of amateur football interceptions

UPS and former NFL quarterback Archie Manning are looking for videos of the country's best amateur football interceptions in the UPS Delivery InterceptSM Challenge Video Contest.

Those who submit videos of interceptions to www.ups.com/challenge through Dec. 3 can win cash and prizes and compete for a chance to steer a donation as much as $10,000 to the high school or youth football program of their choice.

Michael Irvin Owes the Hall of Fame One

Former Cowboy receiver Michael Irvin was bestowed the highest honor the NFL can give to a player when he was inducted into the Hall of Fame yesterday in Canton, Ohio.

Irvin has never been one to check his emotions at the door, and yesterday was no exception. He spoke of his affection for his former teammates, coaches and owners, while also apologizing for his admitted moments of weakness off the field.

Irvin's on the field accomplishments were never the issue here. The issue was whether his off field exploits had tarnished the career he had worked so hard for on the field to the degree that inclusion to the Hall of Fame would tarnish that arena of football greats.

Make no mistake, Irvin was one of the best at his craft when the spotlight shown on him during gameday, and maybe the same factors that contributed to his success on the field led to his demise off the field, for he never seemed to do anything half-heartedly.

Irvin's likable, "happy go lucky" persona makes him the kind of person you want to root for, but his story reeks of "the boy who cried wolf" saga when we read another off the field issue has once again reared it's ugly head in his life.

It's a sad statement to make, however the perception is if you want someone to liven up your party, call Micheal Irvin, but if you need a person of integrity to vouch for your character, don't bother.

We watched as Irvin admitted his shortcomings and talked of realizing that integrity was part of the total package for HOF induction while being at last year's event. Now, more than ever, we want to believe that he truly is a changed man. No, the Hall of Fame selection committe didn't owe this one to Mr. Irvin. Now he owes them one.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Irvin

A Packed House?

The Southlake Carroll vs. Miami Northwestern game at Ford Stadium on the campus of SMU, September 15th will be one of the most hyped games ever involving teams of national acclaim.

Is it possible the game will attract a sellout crowd of 32,000? Possible, but not likely.

Let's say the Carroll faithful turn out in full force and show up with a throng of 10,000 or so fans. That leaves 22,000 seats. Between the fans that love high school football and just want to see a good game and the fans that have a "protect the Texas high school football tradition" mentality, I can see another 12,000 fans showing up. The Bulls might have 100-200 fans make the long trek from Miami. That's a crowd of 22,200; great for any high school game played anywhere at anytime, but not quite a sellout.

That being said, I wouldn't take any chances if you plan on going to the game. If you've been to Ford Stadium you known the parking is atrocious. I attended the Tom Landry classic at the stadium last year and it took me two days by camel to reach the stadium from where I had to park. My advice, carpool if you can and get there early!

The game is being played at a good time to maximize the attendance, but will have some competition. I wouldn't expect these games to detract much from the crowd though.

Other games in the same time slot:

Euless Trinity vs. Odessa Permian on Fox Sports Net 6:30 PM

Arkansas vs. Alabama 6 PM

USC vs. Nebraska 7 PM

Johnston Inducted Into Hall of Honor

Congratulations to former Katy and current Houston Christian coach Mike Johnston on his induction to the Texas High School Coaches Hall of Honor at this year's Texas High School Association Coaches' convention.

Johnston, who will be entering his 40th year of coaching in the fall, helped guide the Tigers to three state championships, including handing Southlake Carroll their only blemish since entering class 5A in the 2003 state championship game, 16-15.

from an earlier Houston Chronicle article -->
The victory was the final game Johnston coached at the public school level. He has spent the past three years as the head football coach at Houston Christian, and he has loved every minute of it.

"For where I am in my life, this is pretty much ideal for me," said Johnston, who will turn 60 this summer. "I enjoyed the public school part. But it was so demanding of my time. I had other responsibilities I needed to take care of in my personal life. That wasn't going to happen if I stayed where I was.

"This gives me a lot more flexibility," he said of coaching at the TAPPS 5A school vs. Katy High School. "At Houston Christian, I am just a football coach. In Katy, I also was the athletic coordinator. I don't miss that part of it.

"Oh, I enjoyed watching the kids compete (in all sports)," he added. "But you had to be there a half-hour before the game, give game reports and handle concessions. It keeps you a couple hours extra every day. That was good in my time. But after your sons grow up, you realize you miss out on a lot of family time.

"I have said all along, this is God's perfect timing for me," he added.

"I am flattered and honored as well," said Johnston, who guided Katy to state titles in 1997, 2000 and 2003. "There are guys I think quite a bit of (in the Hall). My old high school coach (at Galena Park), Paul Smith, is one of the inductees. One of the coaches I played under at SFA (Gordon Brown) is in the Hall. I worked for him at Nacogdoches High School.

"Another one of the coaches at Nacogdoches, Beau McMichael, also is in there," he added. "For me to be in the same company with those guys is a humbling thing. I think a lot of them. Not just as coaches, but as men. They were role models in the business."