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Here are some of the unranked teams we think could pull the rug out from under some of the favorites. * In alphabetical order (2005 record in parentheses) Arlington...the Colts made the playoffs last season and return a huge amount of experienced players in 2006. Senior tailback Roshaud Finley is one of the state's top rushers. Arlington will have a nice base of senior leadership on the team, and that never hurts. Cy Fair...the Bobcats gave Westfield all they wanted and more in the state quarterfinals last year. Cy Fair must replace key seniors, but all is not lost. Junior RB Sam McGuffie is one of the top 2007 talents in the state. Dallas Carter...Allen Wilson's Cowboys will likely enter the playoffs with at least 8 wins given their dominance in district play. Defensively, Carter is very strong and they will be tough to handle in general given they can keep games very low scoring with their ball control approach. Senior RB Michael Hicks will lead the offense. Senior DB Jeremy Watts is the best returning player on that side of the ball. Humble...Each year, Humble fields talent on par with most teams in the state and they really have a lot back this year. The Wildcats are loaded with experience on both sides of the ball, but need to finally prove it in the playoffs. Make no mistake, this team has the potential to be very dangerous. John Tyler...Cujo rebounded for an 8-2 record last year, and want to continue their improving trend. The Lions flipped the tables on Tyler Lee last year, and will obviously want to continue that. A healthy Kendal Hunter will help them reach their goals no doubt. He and Leland Malina will be a potent combination out of the backfield. Senior OL Marquis Franklin is one of the best at his position in the state. Klein Oak...Oak went 9-2 as a 4A team and return key players to help them progress into 5A. Oak will look to first crash the top of their district, but that will be no easy feat with Klein Forest, Westfield, Klein and Spring waiting to pounce. This is a very balanced team as far as varsity experience goes. La Porte...the Bulldogs barely missed the state quarterfinals last season after losing to Cy Falls. Senior QB Boogie Anagnostou is one of the best players in the Houston area. His backfield partner Quentin Castille should keep some pressure off. This is a team that can score points, but need to stop them to improve. Plano...the Wildcats made our "most improved team picks" list at the beginning of last year. Now, we will find out if last year's senior group was a flash in the pan or a sign of things to come. Plano has a chance to really put themselves back on the map this season if they perform well again after big graduation losses. SA O'Connor...the Panthers return many experienced players from a team that took Judson to the wire in the playoffs. However, O'Connor must first survive what will be a very competitive top four in 28-5A. Senior T.J. Horny will carry the torch for the Panthers this year. Seguin...This could very well be the most talented football class in Seguin's history. There are proven and legit playmakers on each side of the ball. Senior RB Isaiah Sneed and WR Calvin Caad are the top on offense, and look for senior LB Marcus Richardson and DB Desmond Jackson on defense among others. The Matadors should have one of the top defenses in Region 4 this season. South Grand Prairie...the Warriors must replace graduated talent on defense, but the offense should be better overall. Senior QB Denzel Dewberry and senior WR Trae Johnson could form one of the top QB-WR combos in the state. Senior OL Tray Allen may be the best offensive lineman in the state this year regardless of class.
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