Region 2 is once again the undisputed toughest region in Texas.  Ten of our Preseason Top 25 call Region 2 home which should make for another great year of playoff action.

    Lufkin is the obvious favorite, not only in the region, but in the state.  Lufkin returns 16 starters and 46 lettermen from last year’s 14-1 squad.  Of the 16 returning starters, 11 received All-District honors.  QB Jeremy Claybon returns to lead an incredibly talented offense.  Claybon had a great Jr. season but did not get to participate in Lufkin’s clash with Southlake Carroll due to an injury he suffered against Copperas Cove the previous week.  Lufkin is 64-8 in the last 5 years.  With their impressive track record combined with their tremendous talent and experience , anything less than a semifinal appearance would be considered a shock.

    The Garland Owls are the top team projected in the Division 1 bracket.  Garland returns 12 starters and 40 lettermen from last year’s 10-3 team.  Extraordinarily talented all-purpose athlete Malcolm Williams will be gladly welcomed back to the starting lineup after missing the last 7 games of the season due to a broken foot.  Williams plays on every special teams unit and is among the state’s best at both WR and Safety.  Garland is loaded at every key position and they are one of the favorites to compete for a state title.

   A&M Consolidated will certainly have a say in how the playoffs unfold as they return 34 lettermen and 11 starters from last year’s 11-3 state semifinalists.  Consolidated isn’t traditionally known for its speed, but this year, the Tigers boast 8 starters with sub 4.5 speed.  Consolidated should field one of the best defenses in the state, and if Daniel Palmer and Cleavon Jackson can stay healthy, the offense should be outstanding as well. 

    Aside from those three, the other teams in the region have some major question marks that need to be answered before they can expect to be the last team standing.

    The Woodlands is loaded with returning starters, but they are going to need to find a way to put more points on the board in order to compete with the top teams.  The Highlanders return 14 starters and 28 lettermen including star DB’s Taylor Skaufel and Taylor Charbonnet.  WR/KR Taylor Grote is The Woodlands’ top returning offensive player.

    Richardson Berkner made a fantastic run through last year’s playoffs, making it all the way to the Regional Finals before bowing out to A&M Consolidated.  Berkner returns the dynamic backfield duo of Justin and Josh Johnson, who combined to rush for over 3,000 yards and 34 TD’s last fall.  Berkner’s offense will be great, but they’ll need to rebuild their defense the reach the next level.

    Westfield enjoyed 2 years in Region 3, going 24-3 and winning the region both years.  Things figure to be quite a bit more difficult as the Mustangs return to Region 2.  Westfield’s performance this year, a year in which they don’t return many proven players, will go a long way to proving if they are here to stay as a consistent contender.

    Leander, Allen, Klein Forest, and Tyler Lee are all among a group of really talented teams in the region that, if certain things come together as the season progresses, could end up being among the favorites come season’s end.