East Texas Owns Class 3A

Two East Texas teams battled it out for the Class 3A DI State Championship Friday night with Henderson prevailing 28-21 over Tyler Chapel Hill. Tyler and Henderson are only 34 miles apart, and when you add in Carthage, who knocked off previously unbeaten Brownwood, 35-28, and meets Coldspring-Oakhurst next week for the Class 3A DII title, you have to say that East Texas has earned bragging rights in Class 3A football this year.

Carthage is only 29 miles east of Henderson and they will be gunning for a third consecutive title next Friday at Cowboys Stadium. If Carthage does bring home another title, it will be a clean sweep for district 16-3A.

By the way, the Henderson-Chapel Hill game drew 20,560 fans at Cowboys Stadium last night; a great attendance for a Class 3A game, and it could be a precursor to some huge crowds next weekend for the class 4A and 5A championships.

TV and Webcast Info for State Championship Games

Fox Sports Southwest and Fox Sports Houston have all the championship games covered this year either on live TV or live webcast. Most all newer TV's will allow a direct hookup to your computer, so if you have the setup, you can watch the live webcasts on your big screen. They are also broadcasting some classic games this year (see schedule below).

The action kicks off tomorrow night with the live webcast of the Class 3A Division I title game from Cowboys Stadium between Tyler Chapel Hill and Henderson.

Live TV Broadcasts on Fox Sports
Class 5A Division I and Division II, the Class 4A Division I and Division II and the Class 3A Division II championships played at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington on Friday, Dec. 17 and Saturday, Dec. 18.

Live Webcasts at foxsportssouthwest.com
Class 3A Division I title game from Cowboys Stadium on Friday, Dec. 10; the Six Man Division I and Division II championships from Shotwell Stadium in Abilene on Saturday, Dec. 11; and four games from Vernon Newsome Stadium in Mansfield on Friday, Dec. 17 and Saturday, Dec. 18 in Class 1A Division I and Division II and Class 2A Division I and Division II.

Texas High School Football Championship Classics Schedule
Dec. 12 8:00 p.m. 2001: Mesquite vs. San Antonio Taft FS Southwest/FS Houston
Dec. 13 11:00 a.m. 2001: Mesquite vs. San Antonio Taft FS Southwest/FS Houston
Dec. 13 7:00 p.m. 2008: Allen vs. Fort Bend Hightower FS Southwest*/FS Houston
Dec. 14 4:30 p.m. 2008: Allen vs. Fort Bend Hightower FS Southwest/FS Houston
Dec. 14 9:30 p.m. 1995: Converse Judson vs. Odessa Permian FS Southwest/FS Houston Plus
Dec. 15 Noon 1995: Converse Judson vs. Odessa Permian FS Southwest/FS Houston
Dec. 15 5:00 p.m. 2009: Euless Trinity vs. Austin Westlake FS Southwest/FS Houston
Dec. 16 11:00 a.m. 2009: Euless Trinity vs. Austin Westlake FS Southwest/FS Houston
Dec. 16 11:00 p.m. 2004: Southlake Carroll vs. Smithson Valley FS Southwest/FS Houston
Dec. 17 1:00 p.m. 2004: Southlake Carroll vs. Smithson Valley FS Southwest/FS Houston
* -- available on FOX Sports Southwest Plus in North Texas markets

Pearland / Katy Attendance Makes Record Books

High school football attendance is sometimes hard to get a handle on as the turnstile count is often an estimate or involves guesswork, but the thrilling Pearland / Katy game (Pearland won 38-35) played at Rice Stadium this afternoon had an announced crowd of 41,368, and that's good enough to move it in to 6th place on the all-time list. Rice Stadium also hosted the 4th and 12th highest attended games.

Attendance Game Site Year
49,953 Plano vs. Port Neches-Groves Texas Stadium 1977*
46,339 Southlake Carroll vs. Euless Trinity Texas Stadium 2006
45,790 Highland Park vs. Waco Cotton Bowl 1945*
45,000 Houston Washington vs. Galveston Rice Stadium 1968
45,000 Dallas Adams vs. Richardson Cotton Bowl 1967
41,368 Katy vs. Pearland Rice Stadium 2010
39,102 Garland vs. Katy Astrodome 1999*
39,102 Stephenville vs. Port Neches-Groves Astrodome 1999*
38,570 Port Neches-Groves vs. Houston Kashmere Astrodome 1977
38,374 Plano vs. Highland Park Texas Stadium 1980
38,000 Odessa vs. San Antonio Jefferson Memorial Stadium (Austin) 1946
36,000 Fort Bend Willowridge vs. Houston Yates Rice Stadium 1988
*state championship game

Sources: UIL, Bill McMurray's Texas High School Record Book,
Texas Football magazine, FW Star-Telegram archives, Txprepsfootball.com

More on Trinity / Coppell

Euless Trinity's 41-40 victory over Coppell Friday night was an instant classic.

A few snippets from the game.......

Euless Trinity extended it's winning streak to 27 games.
There were exactly 0 punts in the game.
Coppell scored all eight times it had the ball ( 4 TD's, 4 FG's), and it still wasn't enough.
Coppell QB Joe Minden had an exceptional game as he was 26-35 passing for 392 yards and two TD's.
Trinity had 539 yards of offense and Coppell had 441 yards.
Trinity's Brandon Carter was 4-5 passing for 79 yards and a TD, rushed 13 times for 149 yards and a TD, and had a reception for 24 yards.

If Trinity is to win a state title, they will have to break a trend. They have won three titles since 2005, and they have all come in odd numbered years (05', 07', 09').

Big Games Litter the Landscape

Suffice to say that every game is big in the fourth round of the playoffs, but this week brings an extra special smorgasboard of enticing games.

Start off with undefeated Euless Trinity and Coppell in Class 5A. The game sold out 48 hours in advance allowing it to be televised live and local in the DFW area on channel 21.

Move down the road to Waco where traditional Class 4A rivals Stephenville and Aledo square off at Baylors' Floyd Casey Stadium, and on to the Alamodome for CC Calallen and Boerne Champion.

In Class 3A, 13-0 teams Brownwood and Monahans lock horns in San Angelo, while undefeated Class 2A teams New London West Rusk and Lexington meet at Hewitt Midway High School in Waco.

And in what has to be the Class 1A game of the year, Canadian and Albany, who have been ranked 1 & 2 much of the year, tangle in Plainview to see who remains undefeated.

And that's just Friday night ........... Saturday brings equal value to the plate with a Class 5A matchup in Waco between DeSoto and Round Rock Stony Point (tape delayed Saturday at midnight in DFW area on 21), and undefeated teams Pearland (13-0) and Katy (13-0) at Rice Stadium.

Class 25-4A district foes Cedar Park and Lake Travis meet in a rematch of a regular season game won by Cedar Park at UT's Memorial Sadium, while Class 2A features two more games between undefeated teams when Tatum (12-0) and Cameron Yoe (12-0) meet in Ennis, and Schulenburg (12-0) and Refugio (12-0) battle at the Alamodome.

These games and many more on the schedule will help to make this the biggest weekend of Texas High School football yet to be seen in 2010.

Mesquite ISD Showing Depth

Out of five schools in the Mesquite ISD, three made the playoffs, and all three are on to the third round of the playoffs.

When you think of Mesquite, you would assume Mesquite or North Mesquite would be in the playoff mix, but this season, it is the other three schools in the district that have stepped up.

Mesquite Horn pulled off a surprising 48-14 drubbing of Copperas Cove in the first round of the Class 5A DII playoffs and takes on Leander Saturday afternoon in Waco. Horn was the third place team in district 11-5A, where the top two teams, Longview and DeSoto, are also still alive.

In Class 4A, Mesquite Poteet pulled off a surprise of its' own in the second round by defeating a Whitehouse team that many thought had the potential to challenge for a state title by a 24-19 margin. The road continues to be tough for them as they take on undefeated Highland Park in the third round.

Class 4A West Mesquite also won a big game last week with a 55-34 win over a Sherman team whose only loss was by one point earlier in the season to Highland Park. They now face 9-3 Wylie at Cowboys Stadium on Friday.

The only state championship won by a Mesquite ISD school was by Mesquite High, which won the title in 2001 with  a 14-13 victory over San Antonio Taft.

Pearland Flying Low

Pearland has been flying under the radar all year, which is pretty hard to do when you are 12-0 on the season. The Oilers never were ranked in the AP Top Ten Poll during the year, and only garnered five points in the final poll of the season.

Maybe voters were frightened off by several close call victories during the season, or the fact that their defense is prone to giving up yardage. It seems clear though, that they are worthy of their perfect record after they man handled Beaumont West Brook in the second round of the playoffs, 51-22, a game in which the beleaguered defense didn't allow a point until the fourth quarter.

Pearland boasts two of the top offensive players in the Houston area in running back Dustin Garrison, who has over 2,300 yards rushing on the season, and quarterback Trey Anderson, who took over the West Brook game when Garrison was held to a season low 57 yards. Anderson has 21 touchdowns against only three interceptions on the year.

From this point forward there will be no low flying however, as they now face Cypress Creek next week, who knocked off once beaten Katy Cinco Ranch 54-28, before a potential matchup with fellow unbeaten powerhouse Katy.

1950 Class 2A Playoff Bracket

Here's a class 2A playoff bracket from 1950. This was the largest classification in the state at the time until the following year, when the UIL added 3A and 4A. Most of the the schools listed are 4A or 5A today, with the exception of Breckenridge, which remains 2A.

 1950 Football Play-Off Bracket

Victoria West vs. Weslaco East Time Change

The Victoria West  vs. Weslaco East second round playoff game originally scheduled for 7 p.m. Saturday at Comalander Stadium in San Antonio has been moved to 5 p.m. Saturday.

Brownwood makes a statement

The Class 3A undefeated and #1 ranked Brownwood Lions have rarely been challenged all season, so one might expect some complacency to set in, but the Lions would have none of it in their opening round playoff game against Iowa Park.

They scored a school record 88 points on their way to an 88-24 victory, and announced to the rest of Class 3A that they on a mission to bring home the Class 3A DII championship trophy.

The team looks like one of the best in Brownwood history, and they'll move on to play the winner of West and Bridgeport next Friday night in Stephenville.

Who has the toughest road to a state championship in class 5A?

Class 5A Division I is loaded, and any team that makes to it through Regions I or II had better bring their "A" game each week in the playoffs.

One thing is for sure. The state champion of  Class 5A Division I will probably have faced one of the toughtest roads to the title in the history of Texas high school football.

Who's road will be the toughest? While anything can and will happen in the playoffs, we're going to project the toughest road to state using the theory that all the favorites will win and move forward through each round (which probably won't happen).

And the winner is............
The Woodlands

Imagine this rocky road to a state championship, with The Woodlands winning six consecutive games to claim the title.

Round One Klein Oak (7-3)
Round Two RR Stony Point (10-0)
Round Three A&M Consolidated (9-1)
Round Four Klein Collins (10-0)
Round Five Euless Trinity or Coppell (10-0)
Round Six (State Championship) Katy (10-0)

That means the Highlanders would beat six teams that entered the playoffs with a combined 56-4 record, including four who were undefeated. Good luck running that gauntlet!

Undefeated teams meet to settle 12-2A Division II district championship

Lexington and Rogers will settle the 12-2A Division II district championship tonight at Merk Field in Rogers. Both teams are 9-0 and ranked in the Class 2A top ten.

This should be a good one, but it may be tough to top last season's tilt, won 21-20 by Rogers. The matchup to watch is a Rogers offense that has averaged 41 points per game against Lexington's defense, which only allows 8 points and 115 yards per game.

Other 2A games to watch tonight:
Grandview (8-1, 4-0) at Maypearl (8-1, 4-0)
Malakoff (9-0, 4-0) at Crockett (8-1, 4-0)
Corsicana Mildred (8-1) at Lone Oak (9-0, 4-0)
Linden-Kildare (8-1, 4-0) at Hughes Springs (8-1, 4-0)
Schulenburg (9-0), (6-0) at Boling (8-1, 6-0)

Game is believed to set national record with twelve overtimes

It's finally official ....... at 12:53 AM on Saturday morning. The class 4A Jacksonville Indians and Nacogdoches Dragons sent fans on a search for the record books Saturday morning after playing twelve overtimes before Jacksonville finally prevailed, 84-81.

It is believed that the twelve overtimes set a national record, and sends Jacksonville to the playoffs, while the Dragons quest for a playoff spot is over, as they needed to win by at least seven points to qualify.

Five players and coach suspended after brawl

The DeSoto Eagles will self suspend four players for their upcoming game against Mesquite, and Mesquite Horn will suspend one player, all with the approval of a district 11-5A committee, following a fight that took place during Friday's 61-47 DeSoto victory.

The brawl started soon after a Mesquite Horn player approached Mathis after he went on to the field to speak with officials after a DeSoto player was injured.

Mathis has removed himself from practice this week, and will not coach or attend DeSoto's upcoming game against Mesquite.

Katy could go DI, create "monster division"

The Katy Tigers perennially go 5A Division DII come playoff time, but this year could be different. There is at least an average to good chance they could end up in DI this season.

If that happens, DI could end up with nine of our current top ten teams to create a "monster division". Can you imagine Euless Trinity, Katy, RR Stony Point, Allen, Coppell, Katy Cinco Ranch, The Woodlands, DeSoto and GP North Shore all in the same division? There is a strong chance it could happen, which will make for some interesting early round matchups.

Here's our early Class 5A Playoff Projections.

The Best Winless Team in Texas

Who's the best winless team in Texas? Our hands down vote goes to Tyler Lee. The Class 5A Red Raiders, who are 0-6, have played a brutal schedule, and it doesn't get any easier this week when they take on 5A top ten DeSoto.

Tyler Lee's previous opponents have a 34-5 record, and all but one are currently ranked in the top ten of their classification, or have been at some point this season.

The Red Raiders are not that bad, and they have played their last three opponents close, losing 13-7 to The Woodlands, 25-20 to Beaumont West Brook and 28-14 to Mesquite Horn.

Amazingly enough, if Tyler Lee can figure out a way to win two of their last four games, they might be able to sneak in to the playoffs. If they do, they will carry the banner as the state's most battle tested team.

A&M Consolidated coach to join select company

Only 64 coaches in the history of Texas high school football have 200 victories or more. A&M Consolidated head coach Jim Slaughter is on the verge of becoming the 65th, as he owns 199 career victories heading in to tomorrow's game with Bryan.

Slaughter totaled 126 victories during 17 years as the head coach at San Angelo Lake View, Corpus Christi Carroll and Lufkin, before becoming athletics director at Carrollton Farmers Branch, a position he held for five years before replacing Ross Rogers at A&M Consolidated in 2000.

Slaughter's record at Consolidated is 73-44, and his teams have reached the playoffs eight of the nine seasons he has been at the helm.

Games we wish we had seen - week five

This week's games "we wish we had seen" are ......


#5 Class 3A Caldwell 21, Brookshire Royal 15
Caldwell stops Brookshire Royal in a battle of Class 3A unbeatens, as Caldwell's Kedrin Shepard rushed for 139 yards and two TDs.


#4 Class 4A Nederland 39, Port Neches-Groves 32
Nederland pulls off the upset in this traditional rivaly. The Indians scored late and recovered the ensuing on sides kick, but an errant snap from center sealed their fate and sent the Nederland faithful flowing on to the field.


#3 Class 2A - Bushland 27, Muleshoe 20
The Mules had seven false starts and six turnovers on offense, and Bushland makes the plays when they need to, as Muleshoe's 30 game regular season win streak comes to an end.


#2 Class 4A - Cedar Park 36, Cedar Park Vista Ridge 35
Cedar Park scores with 29 seconds left in the game and decides to go for the win. If it works, it's a "gutsy" call. If it fails, it's a "dumb" move. Chalk one up for gutsy, as the Timberwolves convert to win a matchup of unbeaten teams.


#1 Class 1A - Stamford 32, Archer City 26  2OT
In another clash of unbeaten teams, this time between two of the state's top 1A teams, Stamford jumped out to a 20 point lead, but Archer City came roaring back before a missed PAT by the Wildcats allowed Stamford to walk off with a double overtime victory. The game was not without a price for Stamford however, as all-state wideout Jesse Ramos was lost with a shoulder injury.

Legendary Newton coach dies after heart attack

Legendary Newton High School football coach Curtis Barbay has died of a massive heart attack at Christus Hospital St. Elizabeth this evening.

Barbay, 68, coached for about 40 years and won three state titles at Newton High School. He won more than 300 games, and is the winningest football coach in Southeast Texas.

The Eagles were a perennial powerhouse under Barbay, and are currently ranked in the top ten in class 2A. Barbay passed away doing what he loved till the very end according to KFDM News in Beaumont. Please pray for his family and the Newton community.

Abilene makes late comeback

Good one in Plano tonight as Abilene and Longview are tied. Abilene throws a TD pass with 16 seconds remaining....going to overtime. Longview is 1-3, but every game has come down to the end for them. Catch the overtime here.

West Orange-Stark game against Giddings cancelled

According to the Beaumont Enterprise, West Orange-Stark coaches confirmed that their next game, Saturday, September 25 against Giddings in Conroe, has been cancelled. 

There has been no decision made about the Mustangs' game in two weeks against Kirbyville.

WO-S quarterback dies in hospital after seizure

It is being reported by Beaumont area media that Reggie Garrett, a senior quarterback at WO-S High School, was pronounced dead at Baptist Hospital Orange just after 9:30 p.m. tonight.

Garrett jogged to the sideline after throwing a touchdown pass with nine minutes left in the second quarter, and passed out on the sidelines where paramedics suspect he had a seizure.

Abilene and Tampa Plant kickoff the weekend on ESPNU

Abilene and Tampa Plant square off tomorrow night in Abilene in a game scheduled to be televised on ESPNU at 7 PM. Plant is led by RB James Wilder Jr., the son of former Tampa Bay RB James Wilder, while Abilene RB Herschel Simms is expected back from a shoulder injury.

Plant QB Phillip Ely, who is pledged to Alabama, was out last week with a lower leg strain, but he is also expected back for the game.

The game kicks off a big weekend of football, including matchups of top ten class 5A teams Katy and Beaumont West Brook, and Round Rock Stony Point and DeSoto.

In class 4A, the headliner is Lake Travis vs. Kerrville Tivy, along with Waco Midway vs. Everman.

Southlake Carroll QB appeal denied

AUSTIN -- Southlake Carroll senior quarterback Daxx Garman's appeal to be reinstated was denied Tuesday by the University Interscholastic League state executive committee in a unanimous vote.

Waco ISD athletic director Johanna Denson, San Antonio ISD athletic director Gil Garza,Troy ISD superintendent Kerry Hansen, and Houston ISD athletic director Daryl Wade decided to uphold the District 7-5A committee's Aug. 27 ruling to rescind Garman's eligibility after it determined his move from Oklahoma to Southlake Carroll last February had been made for athletic purposes, which is forbidden by the UIL.

Carroll ISD issued the following statement.

What a wild weekend of football!

Week two in Texas high school football featured a Florida invasion, plenty of big games and plenty of big performances. Here's our recap of week two.

It's over, Aledo wins, 14-10

Class 4A #2 Aledo scores with six minutes remaining in the game and ends Lake Travis' 48 game win streak, 14-10.

Aledo takes 4th quarter lead, 14-10

Aledo now leads Lake Travis for the first time, 14-10, as running back Johnathan Gray scored from the one yard line on 4th down with six minutes remaining in the game. Lake Travis has been turnover prone the second half.

Lake Travis leads Aledo 10-7 at halftime

Lake Travis is leading Aledo 10-7 at the half. You can link to the Aledo broadcast here.

Aledo/Lake Travis Broadcast

If you are looking for the internet feed for the big class 4A matchup between Aledo and Lake Travis, you can find it here. Cavalier QB Michael Brewer's is not starting. You can find many other games on our broadcast links page.

District Executive Committe rules Trinity did not violate rules

A District Executive Committe ruled by an 8-0 margin that Euless Trinity violated no rules in a seven on seven tournament that was aired in the DFW area by WFAA channel 8.

The district released the following statement.

DEC Decision: HEB ISD Did Not Violate UIL Rules

After WFAA aired its story last week, the UIL instructed HEB ISD to conduct an internal investigation and provide information to them and to the District 6-5A Executive Committee (DEC), the local governing body that deals with UIL rules enforcement.

We provided information they requested at a hearing held at 10:00 a.m. today. In an 8-0 decision, the DEC ruled that HEB ISD did not violate any UIL rules.

We are pleased with today's ruling. We have said from day one that we wanted to participate in an official DEC investigation and that we would abide by their decision. We want to thank the DEC members for their work on this matter, and we want to thank the entire HEB community for your continued support.

Lake Travis win streak on the line

The Lake Travis Cavaliers are the owners of a 48 game win streak and three consecutive state titles, but they are about to be tested as never before over the past three seasons, including the playoffs.

First the Cavaliers face 4A #2 Aledo Friday night at home, then they host 4A #6 Kerrville Tivy, who is coming off an impressive win over San Antonio Madison.

Lake Travis gave up 268 yards rushing to Pflugerville Hendrickson running back Kenny Williams last week and will have their hands full with Aledo's junior running back Johnathan Gray, who ran for over 200 yards and five TDs against Weatherford last week.

The Cavaliers are also missing top wide receiver Conner Floyd, who is out with a leg injury. Make no mistake though, Lake Travis still has plenty of talent, and the swagger of a champion. If they ace this test and go on to win another title they will make their mark with one of the best runs of any team in Texas high school football history, regardless of classification.

AP Poll September 7th

Here is The Associated Press high school poll for September 7,

2010, with first place votes in parentheses, records, points based
on 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1, and the team's ranking in last week's
poll:

Class 5A

School Record Total Points Prv

1. Euless Trinity (22) (2-0) 246 1

2. Abilene (3) (2-0) 224 2

3. Katy (2-0) 200 3

4. Round Rock Stony Point (2-0) 148 4

5. Allen (2-0) 126 5

6. Katy Cinco Ranch (2-0) 112 6

7. Beaumont West Brook (2-0) 90 7

8. DeSoto (2-0) 73 8

9. The Woodlands (2-0) 62 9

10. Lufkin (2-0) 33

Others receiving votes: 11, Cedar Hill 23. 12, Coppell 10. 14,

Justin Northwest 7. 14, Round Rock 7. 16, Klein Collins 3. 17,

League City Clear Springs 2. 17, Copperas Cove 2. 17, Austin

Westlake 2. 17, SA MacArthur 2. 21, Denton Guyer 1. 21,

Pflugerville 1. 21, Port Arthur Memorial 1.

Class 4A

School Record Total Points Prv

1. Lake Travis (24) (2-0) 249 1

2. Aledo (1) (2-0) 223 2

3. Brenham (2-0) 194 3

4. Denton Ryan (2-0) 169 4

5. Kerrville Tivy (2-0) 145 5

6. Dallas Highland Park (2-0) 112 6

7. Smithson Valley (2-0) 96 7

8. Friendswood (2-0) 73 8

9. Tyler (1-1) 34 9

10. Cedar Park (2-0) 27

Others receiving votes: 11, Stephenville 26. 12, Hewitt Midway

14. 13, Angleton 4. 14, Killeen 3. 15, Gregory-Portland 2. 15,

Everman 2. 17, New Braunfels Canyon 1. 17, Whitehouse 1.

Class 3A

School Record Total Points Prv

1. Brownwood (23) (2-0) 248 1

2. Carthage (2) (2-0) 217 2

3. Celina (2-0) 186 3

4. Prosper (2-0) 149 5

5. Sealy (2-0) 131 7

6. Wimberley (2-0) 123 8

7. Argyle (2-0) 100 10

8. Kirbyville (2-0) 73

9. Abilene Wylie (1-1) 32 6

10. Gilmer (1-1) 30 4

Others receiving votes: 11, Lucas Lovejoy 22. 12, West

Orange-Stark 17. 13, Henderson 9. 13, Bridgeport 9. 15, Giddings 8.

16, Brookshire Royal 7. 17, Caldwell 4. 18, SA Houston 3. 19,

Monahans 2. 19, Pittsburg 2. 19, Devine 2. 22, Silsbee 1.

Class 2A

School Record Total Points Prv

1. Daingerfield (23) (2-0) 246 1

2. Refugio (2) (2-0) 212 2

3. Tatum (2-0) 187 5

4. Littlefield (2-0) 177 4

5. Godley (2-0) 139 7

6. Cameron Yoe (2-0) 117 10

7. Lexington (2-0) 88

8. Linden-Kildare (2-0) 48

9. Newton (0-1) 41 3

10. Muleshoe (2-0) 30

Others receiving votes: 11, Blanco 25. 12, New London West Rusk

15. 13, Omaha Pewitt 10. 14, Bushland 8. 14, Edna 8. 14, Sonora 8.

17, Altair Rice 7. 18, White Oak 2. 18, Malakoff 2. 20, Franklin 1.

20, Grandview 1. 20, Lago Vista 1. 20, Comfort 1. 20, Woodville 1.

Class 1A

School Record Total Points Prv

1. Goldthwaite (17) (2-0) 241 1

2. Canadian (5) (2-0) 210 2

3. Mart (3) (2-0) 207 3

4. Tenaha (2-0) 174 4

5. Albany (2-0) 125 6

6. New Deal (2-0) 107 7

7. Springlake-Earth (2-0) 88 8

8. Alto (2-0) 85 9

9. Kerens (2-0) 61 10

10. Stratford (1-1) 35

Others receiving votes: 11, Falls City 11. 12, Ganado 10. 13,

Evadale 5. 14, Archer City 4. 14, Plains 4. 16, Sunray 3. 17,

Stamford 1. 17, Seymour 1. 17, Mason 1. 17, Burton 1. 17, Cayuga 1.

Trojans dominating Shiloh Christian at halftime

Euless Trinity has amassed 455 yards of total offense and leads Shiloh Christian 53-20 at halftime. The announcers are trying to put a good face on this one, but it's apparent Shiloh Christian is out of it's league.

Scoring coming fast and furious in Trinity/Shiloh game

Eulees Trinity jumped out quick on Shiloh Christian to go up 14-0, but Shiloh answered with a 96 yard kickoff return to make it 14-7. The Trojans answered right back to make it 21-7 with 8:33 still remaining in the first quarter. The game was scheduled to be broadcast on Fox SW Plus, but can't find anything. Shiloh Christian is streaming the game here, but it seems they are experiencing technical difficulties. We'll post more information when we have it.

Herbstreit Classic set to air tomorrow

The Herbstreit Classic at Cowboys Stadium tomorrow will feature four games, with the first kickoff at 10:30 AM, featuring powers from Texas and Arkansas, as Euless Trinity meets Shiloh Christian.

Dallas Skyline then takes on another out of state powerhouse at 1:30 PM as they face St. Thomas Aquinas from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. This game was originally scheduled for 4:30, but flip flopped with the Cedar Hill-Denton Guyer game, which will now be played at 4:30 PM.

The day wraps up with another classic matchup at 7:30 PM as #4 DeSoto takes on Arlington Bowie.

All the games will be shown on Fox Sports Southwest, however, the first two games will be shown in the DFW area on Fox Sports Southwest Plus due to a conflict with the Rangers-Blue Jays game.

TV station that aired Carroll QB eligibility is airing Trinity story tonight

WFAA Channel 8 in Dallas, the station that first aired a story concerning the eligiblity of Southlake Carroll QB Daxx Garman, is set to air a story tonight concerning the behavior of Euless Trinity coaches at a 7 on 7 competition. The HEB school district has issued a press release ahead of the broadcast.

Think your team made a bone headed play over the weekend? Check these out ...

We get frustrated with our team sometimes when they pull a bonehead play, but it would be hard to top these two.

Games on TV tonight

RB Malcolm Brown Cibolo Steele

Two of the nation's top rated running backs square off tonight at 6 PM on ESPN as Cibolo Steele RB Malcolm Brown and San Antonio Madison RB Aaron Green go head to head, while Euless Trinity, the top ranked Class 5A team in the state, and the nation according to some polls, faces a tough Tyler Lee team at 9 PM on ESPNU.

Carroll QB ruled ineligible

Just hours before Southlake Carroll is scheduled to take on Copperas Cove, quarterback Daxx Garman has been ruled ineligible by a 4-3 vote of a District 7-5A Executive Board.

Senior Roman Namdar, who has never started a game for the Dragons, is expected to assume the QB duties.

Southlake Carroll QB's eligiblity questioned

A story by channel 8 news field reporter Brett Shipp was shown in the DFW area last night questioning the eligibilty of Southlake Carroll QB Daxx Garman. This looks to be an ongoing story and we'll save any comments one way or another for now. Garman's eligibility should be confirmed before the Dragons season opener against Copperas Cove Friday night.



Link to statement from Carroll ISD school district
Additional info from Carroll ISD
Link to NewsOK

Texas Congressman's take on high school football

The week Texas high school football fans have waited for is here. A cool front is expected to invade the state by mid week and knock temperatures down to the upper 80's and mid 90's, so load up your blankets and thermos of coffee and hot chocolate. It's time for some football!

We received the following from the office of Congressman Ron Poe, who serves in the 2nd congressional district of Texas, which covers Harris, Jefferson and Liberty counties. He shares our passion for Texas high school football, so we thought we would share.

Poe Notes - Aug. 19

By Ted Poe, U.S. Congressman

Friday Night Lights

Well, I am back in Texas this month and the first thing I hear when I turn on the radio in my Jeep is that new Kenny Chesney song, “Boys of Fall.” Now I know I am behind on this one, but Washington doesn’t have a lot of country radio stations. (I can add that to the long list of reasons I love being back in Texas.)

It’s that time of year, a time that folks in Texas and across the South prepare for all year long. Football in Texas is its own religion, where even your preacher cuts the sermon short on Sundays to get you home in time to watch the game. Nowhere else on Earth will you find a culture so wrapped up in football like we are in Texas.

I had my D.C. staff down here last week, and I think next year I might sign them up for two-a-days so they can really appreciate Texas in August. And for those staffers that don’t have the good fortune of being from Texas, I had to impart on them the seriousness of this time of year.

According to football legend Darrel Royal, there are only two sports in Texas: football and spring football. In coffee shops, barber shops and even in the beauty salons all across Texas, the talk is all the same – how’s the team gonna be this year?

Proud Texans naturally believe everything is bigger and better in Texas – because it is. And like most fathers, I am a proud dad. My son Kurt started playing football when he was 8 years old, and I watched him play every game from Humble pee-wee football until he took the field wearing the purple and white of our alma mater, Abilene Christian University.

From the beginning, Kurt played quarterback. Quarterback is one of those positions that is tough on parents – it’s all the fame or all the blame. Every time I saw him take the field, I saw that same little 8-year-old boy full of determination. It was that very determination that led to him walking on at ACU and earning a spot as a safety and becoming an Academic All Conference player.

With this new position, came a new prayer for the Poe family. The word “interception” took on a whole new meaning for us.

I was a judge during that time and I would head out on Friday nights after court and drive all night to towns such as Abilene; Kingsville; Canyon; Wichita Falls; Commerce; Las Cruces, N.M.; and Ada, Okla., to get there for Saturday’s game.

There is nothing more fun than being in a stadium on that first crisp fall weekend and seeing your team, and your son, take the field to thousands chanting: “W-I-L-D-C-A-T-S, purple, white, purple, white, fight, fight, fight!”

Texas football is that of legend and legacy. It has spawned books, movies and TV series. A look into a way of life that is so unique, so Texan. It’s the Junction Boys, the Tyler Rose, the last-minute touchdown run by Texas Longhorn Vince Young in the Rose Bowl for the national championship. (I was there by the way with my son. What a game. What a memory.)

Yes, Texans love their football, right down to the names they choose for their children and the cars they buy. I am sure there is some big executive up in Detroit wondering why they have to send so many maroon cars and pickups to Texas.

We may not have too many fall weddings, but I am willing to bet that you have been to a wedding where the new Mr. and Mrs. took off down the aisle to the “Eyes of Texas” or got a big “Whoop!” after the preacher declared them husband and wife.

Now I am not one to say that we don’t love our Texans and Cowboys. A smile still comes across my face when I think of the Astrodome and those “Luv Ya Blue” days. But professional football today just doesn’t have that same thrill and excitement anymore. Sure, maybe up north it does since they don’t have high school stadiums that hold 15,000 people, field turf, jumbotrons, and the caliber of coaches and players we have in Texas.

But it’s not just the facilities. What makes the game so special is the atmosphere of it all. It’s the band, the drill team, the cheerleaders, the moms selling T-shirts, the school clubs hanging banners – the whole atmosphere is what makes the game great.

So this weekend, grab the family, put on your school colors and head to the game. Grab some hot dogs and a coke and take part in one of Texas’ finest traditions. You will see some of those folks that you went to high school with and some of the same old guys sitting in the same seats they were in 20 to 30, or even 40 to 50 years ago. I wish all the players, the coaches, the trainers, the cheerleaders, the drill team and all those people that volunteer their time to support our kids the very best of luck. Know that you are all part of something special, a Texas religion – Texas football.

Spot the ball; it’s game time. And that’s just the way it is.

Kim Brode
Field Representative
US Representative Congressman Ted Poe TX 02
1801Kingwood Drive Ste 240, Kingwood, Texas 77339
Office 281-446-0242
Fax 281-446-0252
poe.house.gov

Three Texas teams ranked in USA Today Super 25 top ten

Three Texas teams are ranked in the USA Today Super 25 top ten.

Euless Trinity is #1 in the nation, while Abilene is #3, and Lake Travis checks in at #9.

Steele RB gives pledge to Longhorns

Cibolo Steele RB Malcolm Brown verbally committed to the University of Texas Wednesday night. Brown, who ran for 2,170 yards and 33 TDs last season, is the top rated running back in the nation according to Rivals.com.

Class 2A rankings released

Class 2A moves to a two division format in 2010, and Daingerfield and Refugio are our #1 picks in each division. Daingerfield will be looking for a third consecutive title, while Refugio returns 14 starters from last season's 14-1 team. Link to class 2A rankings

Detectives now questioning Aldine coach's story

Detectives investigating the story of Aldine coach Lionel Crawford's shooting are now saying the story is not "checking out" according to the Houston Chronicle.

Aldine head coach recovering from gunshot wound after carjacking

Smiley N. Pool Houston Chronicle

Aldine head coach Lionel Crawford is said to be improving after suffering a gunshot wound during a carjacking, but still has a ways to go to fully recover according to the Houston Chronicle.

The Mustangs improved to 7-5 last season in Crawford's first year after winning only three games the previous season.

Link to Article

Brownwood is #1 in Class 3A

The Brownwood Lions are #1 in our just released Class 3A Rankings. The Lions return almost their entire starting offense and defense, as 18 starters return.

Lucas Lovejoy has exceeded the learning curve, as they have only had a program since 2008, but are now ranked #2 in the state.

Gilmer won a title last season and has enjoyed great success in recent years. They have lost so much talent from a year ago though that it's tough to justify a top ten ranking.

Florida vs. Texas .... Who is Better?

National polls and message boards continue to raise the question, what state has the best football?....and there are more state vs. state high school games each year.

Several 2010 games match Texas high schools against out of state teams, including the Florida vs. Texas High School Football Showcase, which pits four Florida teams against four teams from Texas on September 10th and 11th in DeSoto. The Showcase features two top ten teams from Texas, in Abilene and DeSoto, as well as four top teams from the state of Florida.

Press Release

Texas Teams Prominent in National Poll

Texas teams are littered through the newly released PrepNation Poll. Euless Trinity is ranked #1, followed by Abilene at #3 and Austin Lake Travis at #4.

Just ahead of Abilene is Tampa Plant, Florida, who comes to Texas for a matchup with the Eagles on September 16th.

Class 5A Rankings Posted

Our Class 5A rankings are now posted. The two 5A defending state champions, Euless Trinity and Abilene, are our top two picks. Frankly, it was hard to see it any other way with the nucleus both teams are returning.

DeSoto probably has the best offensive talent in the state, but they're not as well rounded as the teams in front of them. If their defense steps up this season they'll be a handful for any team they face.

Our top ten is full of familar programs, but the new kid on the block is Arlington Martin. We feel they just have too much talent to leave out of our top ten.

If you're looking for a darkhorse keep an eye on Plano. Even though they were only 5-7 last season, they return a solid nucleus after making their way in to the playoffs where they threw a scare in to eventual champion Euless Trinity.

Other teams to watch outside of our top twenty five are Leander, San Antonio Reagan, San Antonio Madison and Clear Springs. Tyler Lee has a talented team, but they play what undoubtedly has to be the toughest schedule in the state, as they have six teams on their schedule who are ranked in our top thirteen.

Who Drives the Car at Trinity?

The defending Class 5A DI state champion Euless Trinty Trojans will be searching for a new quarterback in 2010 and the question is, who is going to drive the car? The short answer is, does it matter?

The longer answer is that the Trojans have shown in the coach Steve Lineweaver era that they are a team that doesn't depend on their quarterback to carry them. With what seems like a never ending supply of NFL size linemen, all-state tight ends and plenty of speed at the skill positions, Trinity just expects someone to drive the car straight enough to let the rest of the team help carry them to the finish line.

Super athlete Brandon Carter, who is pledged to OU, is expected to rotate between the WR position he played last season, and QB, while Junior Lahi Kautai and Joel Sullivan look plenty capable when called upon.

 

Lake Travis Wins 7on7 Title

Lake Travis won the large school 7on7 state championship with a 42-39 victory over DeSoto. The Cavaliers won all eight games they played over two days. Lufkin won the consolation bracket, beating The Woodlands 50-39 in the final.

7 on 7 Begins Today

The 7on7 state tournament begins today in College Station. Here are the pools for the large and small school divisions.
Division I
Division II

Top Running Backs Collide On ESPN

According to the SA Express-News Cibolo Steele's Malcolm Brown, who is the top rated running back in the nation as listed by Rivals.com and San Antonio Madison running back Aaron Green, who is slotted fifth at his position by Rivals, will be featured on ESPN on August 28th at 6 PM in a game to played at Heroes Stadium.

What's Next For Big 12?

The Big 12 managed to stay together after losing Colorado and Nebraska and some saber rattling from Texas and Texas A&M.

Now what?? With the conference apparently on firm footing again, it's time for the Big 12 to go after some other schools and actually get back to 12 teams. So Colorado and Nebraska are gone. I say good riddance! Nebraska realized it was never going to get a leg up on Oklahoma or Texas and Colorado was a stepchild in the Big 12, so both ran away to try their luck elsewhere.

Now the Big 12 needs to beef up by going after LSU and Arkansas. Why would both join the big 12? Money of course. But wait, doesn't the SEC offer a bigger payout to league members? By all reports they do, but if the Big 12 comes up with some new TV money and allows teams to go after their own TV contracts, there is more money to be had.

Arkansas has become nothing more than a whipping post since leaving the Southwest Conference and has to long for the days of past conference rivalries with the Longhorns and Aggies, although the Hogs were smart enough to nail down a non-conference schedule with the Aggies at Jerry World for the next nine years. Meanwhile, LSU would be better served by yearly tussles with the neighboring state of Texas. Yes, LSU has a couple decent rivalries with Alabama and Florida, but geographically their fan base is much closer to College Station and Austin. The biggest benefit for both of these schools would be that it puts them in a better position to recruit Texas.

The next thing to do is to jettison Iowa State and round up TCU. The Horned Frogs are showing they are perennial top ten material in football and have advanced to the College World Series in baseball. Iowa State.......maybe the Pac 10 has a place for you. TCU......there's a place for you in the Big 12; but you need to add 15-20,000 seats to your stadium and make sure it's packed on Saturday's.

On any given Saturday I would pay to see Oklahoma/LSU, Texas/Arkansas, TCU vs. Texas A&M and Texas Tech vs. Oklahoma State. Kansas State, Kansas, Missouri and Baylor would round out one of the nation's top, if not the top conference in college football.

We can all dream can't we?

Woman Hired as Varsity HS Football Head Coach

Natalie Randolph was named as the head coach of the boys' varsity high school football team at Coolidge High School in Northwest Washington D.C. on Friday, and is believed to be the only female head coach in the United States. Coolidge High tabbed the 29-year-old former wide receiver for the D.C. Divas of the women's professional football league as head coach after she served a two-year stint as an assistant at Woodson High School.

The main concern seems to be that the other head coaches are afraid of being the first team to lose to a team coached by a female.

Read the story here.

Win Super Bowl Tickets and Other Prizes

The Fort Worth Star Telegram is asking readers to vote for the greatest moments in North Texas High School Football in the last 100 years. By participating you'll have the opportunity to win Super Bowl tickets and other prizes. You can print and mail your votes here or vote online here.

National Signing Day Show to be Streamed

Fox Sports Southwest will be streaming their national signing day show here at 6 PM central time.

Not many surprises on signing day, with the notable exception of Dallas Skyline all-state linebacker Corey Nelson, who switched his commitment to Oklahoma after originally stating he was bound for Texas A&M.

Realignment & Signing Day

The 2010-11 realignment didn't seem to produce many surprises this year. Mostly it seemed to be a time of returning to the past, including, but not limited to the return of Abilene to the "Little SWC" out west and Longview rejoining class 5A.

Longview will be welcomed back to 5A with one of the toughest non-district schedules in the state as they travel to Allen and Lufkin, before hosting Abilene.

One of the best matchups forthcoming in 2010 will be a tilt between defending class 4A champs Lake Travis and Aledo at a location to be determined. It will be a home and home series the next two years.

Also, former class 2A schools, Aubrey and Pilot Point, who had outstanding 2009 seasons (Pilot Point garnered a state title), will move up to class 3A and join each other in district 9-3A.

On the heels of realignment comes national signing day tomorrow, with the Texas Longhorns scheduled to sign one of the most highly touted classes in school history. The late commitment of Plano West DE Jackson Jeffcoat put the cherry on an outstanding group that features a strong core of wide receivers and the second leading rusher in Texas high school football history in Cayuga's Traylon Shead.

And don't look now, but the Texas A&M Aggies have lined up a class considered top ten material by most analysts. The men in maroon appear to be on the rise.

U.S. Army All-American Bowl

The U.S. Army All-American Bowl, played in San Antonio, will be televised on NBC at noon today. The state's top recruit, DE Jackson Jeffcoat from Plano West, will not play today due to a sprained ankle.

As usual, some recruits will announce their college intentions, but don't expect a commitment announcement from Jeffcoat, who stated he is still in the process of deliberation.