2016 Region Outlooks: 3A DII Region IV — East Bernard leads deep, dangerous region

[caption id="attachment_22785" align="aligncenter" width="1024"]EB Wide Photo by Artie Guerrero[/caption] The UIL realigned the districts for the 2016 and 2017 football seasons in February. Realignment doesn’t just change district races – championships can be decided with new groupings competing once the playoffs begin. We’ll take a closer look at the frontrunners in each region throughout the spring doldrums.Previous Outlooks:6A Region I / 6A Region II / 6A Region III / 6A Region IV / 5A Region I / 5A Region II / 5A Region III / 5A Region IV / 4A DI Region I / 4A DI Region II / 4A DI Region III / 4A DI Region IV / 4A DII Region I / 4A DII Region II / 4A DII Region III / 4A DII Region IV / 3A DI Region I / 3A DI Region II / 3A DI Region III / 3A DI Region IV / 3A DII Region I / 3A DII Region II / 3A DII Region IIIClass 3A Division II Region IV It wasn’t too long ago when East Bernard was the dominant force in what is now known as Class 3A Division II. Waskom has dominated the discussion over the past two years, but the Brahmas are poised for another run at a regional championship. The defending champions of Region IV face stiff competition in district play with Boling, a team East Bernard beat to win last year’s regional final. Defending district champions Blanco, Odem and Hebbronville are also in the mix. Waskom’s move to Region III makes the road to a state title game tougher for whichever team ends up with the Region IV championship. East Bernard Jerry Long’s program dropped the first two games of the season before rebounding to win 12 straight games. In the process, East Bernard won a district and regional championship. The two non-district losses – Stafford and Houston Christian – served as growing pains for the Brahmas in 2015. A win over a very good Yoakum team in Week 3 jumpstarted the return to form, while a blowout win over Boling in district play cemented East Bernard as the favorite inside the region. The Brahmas lived up to the expectation and remain the favorite in Region IV until knocked off the mountaintop. Boling The Bulldogs lost two games in 2015 – both to East Bernard. Boling proved it can beat the best of the best in the playoffs with wins over district champions Odem and Hebbronville en route to a berth in the regional semifinals. Boling lost the district game to East Bernard, 48-7. The Bulldogs won’t find solace in a moral victory, but Boling played much better in the second game against East Bernard. Boling still lost in the regional finals, though, the 14-point loss to end the season should serve as motivation in 2016. Blanco The only blemish on Blanco’s 2015 record was a third-round playoff loss to East Bernard, the eventual Region IV champions. It was another banner year for Danny Rogers and his program. The Panthers enter 2016 as the biggest challengers to East Bernard’s throne. A strong running game and a stout defense give Blanco a chance each season. The Panthers allowed fewer than 100 total points over 13 games last season. Odem

Odem went undefeated through the regular season, claimed a district championship and advanced past the first two rounds of the state football playoffs. The road ended for the Owls in the third round following a 28-20 loss to Boling. It was a strong season for Odem and one it can build on moving into 2016. Odem must compete inside the same district as Hebbronville for the next two seasons. Hebbronville is the defending champion of District 16.