Playoff Ramblings

The State of Texas is now ready to do something that college football cannot figure out how to do; crown state champions through an on-the-field playoff system.

Hold on to your helmets! It's time for some high school playoff football!

As opposed to recent years when Division II was loaded with powerhouse teams, Class 5A Division I is the one to watch this year, as no fewer than eight members of our final top ten reside there, and if there is one region to watch in the state, it is Region I, which includes Odessa Permian, Allen, Plano and Euless Trinity.

The Trojans handed Allen their only loss (24-14) and thrashed Permian in last year's playoffs. They will be the favorite here, but it won't be easy. Allen looks to be improved since that first meeting.

Spring Westfield (5-3) versus The Woodlands (8-1) looks like an interesting matchup in DI, while Southlake Carroll (7-2) takes on former district foe Colleyville Heritage (9-1) in a DII bout at Texas Stadium where Heritage has to be favored. Don't underestimate the tradition of Carroll however; a first round playoff loss would be a major dissapointment in Dragon Land, where anything short of a title appearance is considered less than a successful season.

Also, in DII, Pflugerville (8-2) vs. Smithson Valley (9-1) should be a good opening round tilt.

In Class 4A, the clear favorite in DI is Austin Lake Travis, while Everman is looking good in DII. We like Longview to challenge Lake Travis in DI and Everman will be hard pressed in the second round of DII against old foe Aledo, who is also 10-0.

In class 2A, you can put this in 3 inch headlines. Two teams will suffer their first loss of the season in the first round of the playoffs.

You won't see this too often, but the opening round matches four 10-0 teams; Bushland (10-0) vs. Muleshoe (10-0) and Littlefield (10-0) vs. Kermit (10-0). Someone's got to go down.