|
|
|
2008 Games of the Week
(Week 10)
5atexasfootball.com
|
|
|
Weekly
Awards Home |
Players of the Week |
Teams of the Week |
|
Week 0 |
Week 1 |
Week 2 |
Week 3 |
Week 4
| Week 5 |
Week 6 |
Week 7 |
Week 8 |
Week 9 |
Week 10 |
| |
|
FEATURED GAMES OF THE WEEK
(Week 10)
 |
DATE AND TIME:
November 6th, 2008
7:00pm
LOCATION:
Ranger Stadium |
 |
SA Roosevelt
(7-2) |
@ |
#8 Smithson Valley
(8-1) |
 |
DATE AND TIME:
November 8th, 2008
2:00pm
LOCATION:
Comalander Stadium |
 |
SA Reagan
(7-2) |
vs |
#20 SA Madison
(8-1) |
|
26-5A’s top four are all tied at 6-1
going into the final week of the season. It must have been fate
because they finish the season against one another this week.
Roosevelt visits Smithson Valley and Reagan plays Madison. The
action amounts to a district championship playoff, but ultimately
two teams will share the crown with 7-1 district records when the
dust settles.
It was thought 26-5A would have a down year
after traditional power Judson was moved to another district in the
new alignment, and also when Madison and Reagan graduated two of the
best players the city of San Antonio has ever seen. Madison and
Reagan defied expectations and are having very successful seasons
despite the graduation hits earlier this year. Madison’s unveiled a
new star in sophomore tailback Aaron Green, and Reagan’s displayed
strong defense in addition to a diversified offense. New Braunfels
stepped in from Class 4A and played competitive football thanks to
one of the state’s top defenses. Macarthur improved on last year’s
losing season and got back in the playoff hunt. Smithson Valley’s
continued to display their hallmark consistency.
Roosevelt visits Smithson Valley on the
heels of a 36-21 loss against Madison. The loss broke a seven game
winning streak for the Rough Riders. Smithson Valley’s only district
loss came at the hands of Reagan in the third week of the season.
The Rangers lost a defensive struggle, 10-7. Smithson Valley’s
reeled off six straight wins since. Smithson Valley is unbeaten as a
home team this season and Roosevelt is unbeaten as an away team.
Roosevelt’s best away result came in a 12-7 win at New Braunfels.
Smithson Valley is the favorite at home, but a Roosevelt win
wouldn’t be a shock given how evenly matched the district’s top
teams are. The Rangers haven’t allowed more than 13 points in a home
this year, so Roosevelt’s big challenge will be generating the
necessary offense to win.
Madison and Reagan are both riding three
game winning streaks into their meeting with each other. Madison’s
tasted defeat for the only time this year so far in a 31-21 loss to
Smithson Valley. Reagan was edged out by Roosevelt in a 12-7 game.
Smithson Valley and New Braunfels are the only teams to keep
Madison’s high powered offense somewhat contained so far. Reagan’s
effort must start with slowing the Mavericks down. It is awfully
difficult to win a scoring contest with Madison, so Reagan must
contain defensively and control the ball on offense. Sometimes the
best defense is keeping the other team’s offense off the field. This
game features one of the district’s best offensive players in
Madison sophomore running back Aaron Green, as well as one of the
best defensive players in Reagan defensive back LaQuince McCall.
Madison is favored because of their superior ability to score points
and control games with explosive offense.
The 26-5A district championship and playoff
seeds are on the line in these two match-ups. Madison and Roosevelt
at the Division 1 representatives, and Smithson Valley and Reagan
will carry the district banner in Division 2.
KT2000's PICK-
SMITHSON VALLEY AND SA MADISON
KTCHAMP97'S PICK-
JC84CHILL'S PICK- SMITHSON VALLEY
AND SA MADISON
|
#15 Lewisville Hebron
@ FM Marcus
Hebron
emerged as the district frontrunner after handing Southlake Carroll its worst
defeat since 2001 (44-28). The Hawks sit atop 6-5A with a 4-0 district record.
Hebron must win at Marcus to take the district title outright. If the Marauders
win, then Hebron and Marcus will share the spoils. Hebron and Marcus are
guaranteed playoff positions. Hebron will be the top seed in Division 2, and
Marcus is the top Division 1 seed since they hold tie breakers over Coppell and
Flower Mound. Marcus beat Flower Mound 28-21 last week in their rivalry game.
Hebron dropped its first two games of the
year at The Woodshed against Wylie and Plano, but regained home field advantage
in district play. Now the Hawks must go on the road to earn the district
championship. Hebron’s been carried by the dynamic backfield tandem of seniors
QB Justin Iwuji and RB Darius Staten. The Hawks rolled up nearly 500 yards
rushing against Carroll. Marcus must contain the Hebron running attack to avoid
getting in a scoring contest. Junior defensive tackle Daniel Noble anchors the
Marauder front. Senior outside backers Taylor Hardin and Jamison Holt will play
big roles in keeping Hebron contained along with junior inside backer Dylan
Blount. Hebron spreads the ball to multiple targets when they pass, so Marcus
needs to be prepared to defend the entire field.
Marcus also has a potent running game
thanks to junior tailback Stephen Hopkins and one of the state’s biggest
offensive lines. Junior QB Brad L’Hullier has gained experience over the season
and given needed balance to the attack. Senior WR Joel Free, senior WR Alex
Finley and junior TE Rhett Butler are three of the top downfield targets. In
Marcus’ two lowest scoring games of the year, Katy and Tyler Lee, Hopkins was
held well below his usual game average of 150 plus yards. Hebron’s defense must
first corral Hopkins if they are to limit the overall effectiveness of the
Marcus offense. Senior defensive lineman Stansly Maponga will be a key player in
the trench battle against a talented Marauder line. Hebron must get off the
field in order to avoid being worn down.
District bragging rights are on the line at
Goldsmith Stadium, and we’ll either see Hebron win it outright or Marcus will
swipe a share of the title. Both Hebron and Marcus are locked into their
seeding, so there is nothing on the line in that regard. This has been one of
the competitive districts in the state this season, and the fans in attendance
for this one will be in for a treat if previous games are any indication. Hebron
is the favorite on the heels of a big win over Carroll, but must guard against
the same letdown Coppell had after they beat the Dragons. That shouldn’t be a
problem with an undisputed district title on the line, and Marcus presents
plenty of challenges.
KT2000'S PICK- FM
MARCUS
KTCHAMP97'S PICK- LEWISVILLE HEBRON
JC84CHILL'S PICK- LEWISVILLE HEBRON
#24 Katy @
#25 Katy Cinco Ranch
The first all-Katy
district championship will be determined by the Katy Tigers (7-2) and the Cinco
Ranch Cougars (8-1). Katy is 8-0 all-time against the Cougars with an average
victory margin of 40-9. This is the first time since 2002 that Katy’s lost more
than one game in the regular season. Cinco Ranch has eight regular season wins
for the third time in the program’s nine year existence. Gradually, the Cougars
have become more competitive with Katy in the years since they began varsity
play in 2000. Cinco Ranch now battles Katy for annual supremacy at the
sub-varsity levels and also have challenged for district at the senior level in
two previous seasons (2004 and 2006).
It became evident early in district play
this season that 17-5A would be a two horse race between Katy and Cinco. Katy’s
outscored district opponents 184-37, and Cinco’s outscored the same competition
188-65. The lone stumble for Cinco occurred last week against Seven Lakes in an
unexpectedly close Halloween thriller (41-34). The Cougars turned the ball over
seven times but still managed to roll up over 400 total yards and win the game.
Katy is on a seven game winning streak after overcoming tough early losses to
North Shore (7-0) and The Woodlands (7-1). The Tigers have gradually improved
each week and now find themselves in position to seal the program’s 24th
district championship.
Senior dual-threat quarterback Shane Ros
leads Cinco Ranch’s shotgun based offense along with senior tailback Adam Hirtz.
Hirtz is one of the Houston area rushing leaders and also a top choice for
district most valuable player. The Cougars also have a capable passing game.
Seniors Tyler Mack and Ryan Moos lead the team in receiving. No offense can be
effective without good line play, and the Cougars execute well up front behind
seniors Michael Schraub and Connor Key. Cinco has several experienced seniors on
defense as well. Senior defensive linemen Devin Williams and Bobby Kiesewetter
lead the push up front. Senior corner Tanner Leland negates match-up problems
against big receivers with his 6’3 frame. The Cougars have experienced seniors
across the entire line-up, and that is a main reason why they have an
opportunity to play for a district title.
The Katy offense is also directed by a
senior dual-threat talent in quarterback Parker Ray. Ray can make plays with his
feet if flushed from the pocket. Senior Michael Webber and junior Will Jeffery
split carries from the I-back position. Senior fullback Chris Roberson is a
versatile option from the backfield, and senior receiver Taylor Brandt stretches
the field with his speed and 6’5 height. The improved play of the Tiger
offensive line, anchored by senior Cameron Travis, has allowed the offense to
become more balanced. The Tiger defense allows only 13.8 points a game. The
Woodlands is the only team to score more than 14 points against Katy. Senior
nose tackle Elvin Tapong is the motor up front. The Tigers are young but deep in
talent at the linebacker position. Junior Sam Holl moved back into the secondary
at strong safety after playing outside linebacker as a sophomore. This is a
typical Katy defensive unit in that it thrives on playing disciplined team
football.
Offenses usually get the hype in the
build-up to big games, but neither Cinco nor Katy is explosive by nature. These
are two teams that like to control the ball on offense and pick their spots when
it comes to taking their shots downfield. However, both do have the talent to
make the big play when the blocking is right or if the defense blows an
assignment. The result could come down to which team can make it hardest on the
other to dictate tempo. Sound execution is a must for both teams. The respective
coaching staffs and players are very familiar with one another, so that
emphasizes the importance of execution further. Neither team will be able to do
much to surprise the other. Katy is the favorite because of the team’s
consistency in district play. With the exception of the Seven Lakes game, Cinco
has also been consistently strong in district. Cinco’s strength on offense will
be tested by Katy’s ability to contain on defense. No extra motivation is needed
for a game like this, so two competitive and hungry teams should take the field
in front of a packed house at Rhodes this Saturday.
KT2000's PICK- KATY
KTCHAMP97'S PICK- KATY
JC84CHILL'S PICK- KATY
Beaumont West Brook @
#5 North Shore
Almost two months ago now,
Hurricane Ike slammed into the upper Texas Gulf coast, and high school football
action was put on hold indefinitely in the areas most affected until the clean
up efforts brought things back to normal. North Shore and West Brook, separated
by roughly 80 miles of Interstate 10 highway, took some of Ike’s biggest
punches. Ultimately, North Shore lost two games due to the storm and West Brook
lost three. North Shore returned to action on October 3rd and West Brook on the
10th.
North Shore broke Southlake Carroll’s state
record of 72 consecutive wins in their first game back at Lufkin. The Mustangs
are 7-0 overall, and each win adds a tally to the new state record for
consecutive regular season wins (currently 77). North Shore’s success this
season is largely due to the fact they field the state’s second best scoring
defense (8.3 ppg). The Mustangs use a punishing running game on offense to
compliment their unforgiving style on defense. Senior defensive tackle Thaddeus
Randle and senior middle linebacker Daniel Salinas are two leaders for the
Mustangs. Senior quarterback Alex Tillman has greatly improved his efficiency
over the course of the season.
The West Brook Bruins travel to Galena Park
ISD Stadium with a 6-0 record. They aren’t getting quite the fanfare of other
undefeated teams because Ike took away what key pre-season games. We know the
Bruins have talent, but we don’t know exactly where they stand because they
haven’t played anyone regarded as a top team. The Bruins have a chance to
finally prove themselves on the road against a team that hasn’t lost a regular
season game since 2001. It will be a great litmus test for West Brook as the
playoffs loom. West Brook features arguably the state’s best player in senior
running back Christine Michael. Senior quarterback Christian Louis and the Bruin
passing game will be huge this week given North Shore’s outstanding defense of
the run. North Shore is one of the few teams that can negate West Brook’s speed,
so the Bruins must be varied in their approach.
District 21-5A will have an undisputed
champion when the smoke clears at Galena Park ISD Stadium. North Shore and West
Brook will be in different Divisions so this result won’t have any impact on
bracket seeding. North Shore will be the top district Division 1 seed, and West
Brook the top seed in Division 2. North Shore is the favorite in this match-up
because of their ability to stop the run and pressure the backfield in general.
It will be difficult for West Brook to stand up to North Shore’s size and
strength on both lines over four quarters. The play of North Shore’s defensive
front should be a key deciding factor in this game.
KT2000's PICK- NORTH SHORE
KTCHAMP97'S PICK- NORTH SHORE
JC84CHILL'S PICK- NORTH SHORE
|
|
|
|
