One must-see game in every 11-man classification in Week 2

[caption id="attachment_24951" align="alignright" width="350"] Vandegrift QB Alex Fernandes (Photo by Mary Scott McNabb)[/caption] The fog of a new season is clearing and more questions will be answered around the state in Week 2. As games take place this weekend, we’ll start learning which teams’ Week 1 performances were flukes and which teams have what it takes to make a run at the postseason. If I could choose my assignment, here are the games I’d attend in each 11-man classification. 6A: Lake Travis at Cibolo Steele The options at the Class 6A level are high, but I’m going to the game featuring two possible Region IV winners. Lake Travis, ranked No. 1 entering the season, must rebound against another San Antonio power after falling in the opener to Converse Judson. Cibolo Steele, the overwhelming favorite to win the Division II Region IV championship, hopes to give San Antonio another early-season win over an Austin power. Steele is loaded with talent. Quarterback Xavier Martin is a Texas Tech commit, while running back Travell Lumpkin is a three-star recruit. The defensive line is anchored by Minnesota commit Josh Croslen. The Steele three-man front must be dominant to prevent Lake Travis from bouncing back with a win. Lake Travis, by its own admission, didn’t play well in the home loss to Judson. Lake Travis blew a fourth-quarter lead, struggled with penalties and couldn’t stop the mobile Julon Williams from doing damage with his feet. Steele and Judson provide similar issues to opponents, making this game a perfect test for Lake Travis. Was Week 1 a fluke or is Lake Travis truly the fourth-best team in Region IV behind Judson, Steele and Westlake? 5A: Vandegrift at Cedar Park These two shared a district for years. Now, the Vipers are a Class 6A team in the same district as Westlake and Lake Travis. High hopes were placed on Vandegrift heading into the season, especially with uncertainty surrounding which power teams will be put in Division II after district races are decided. Week 1 started strong against Odessa Permian, but the Vipers faded and lost by one point in their 6A debut. Cedar Park is the defending Class 5A Division II state champion, and started the 2016 season with a convincing victory over Waco Midway. The Timberwolves likely go Division I this season, meaning a potential showdown with Manvel and eventually Denton Ryan. A victory against a quality Class 6A team keeps Cedar Park in the conversation of Class 5A favorites. 4A: Carthage at Texarkana Liberty-Eylau Carthage couldn’t complete its Week 1 game against Gladewater due to lightning. The Bulldogs get their chance to truly kick off the 2016 season with a road game to Texarkana Liberty-Eylau. The Leopards lost in Week 1 to Gilmer, but did so in exciting fashion. The 61-55 loss did nothing to damage the reputation of the Leopards, and a strong victory over Carthage would place them right back in state title conversation. Carthage started 2-2 in 2015 before storming into the state semifinals. 3A: Cisco at Wall Two Class 3A West Texas running teams going at it early in the season should get every true high school football fan excited. Wall lost the opener to Class 4A Monahans, but faces a school with a similar enrollment size this week. Cisco arrives as the favorite after a suffocating win in Week 1. The team with the ability to stop the run on a consistent basis wins this game and the Cisco defensive line held a strong Breckenridge team to fewer than 200 yards. 2A: Memphis at Wheeler Bremond needs challenges in Division II and two teams off to fast starts are Memphis and Wheeler. Both programs brought back numerous starters from 2015 playoff teams and each has a quarterback to lead the way back to the postseason. Quarterback Nick Adame threw for three touchdowns in Memphis’ opening win. Wheeler quarterback Holden Guest accounted for over 300 total yards and three touchdowns in Week 1. The X-Factor might be Memphis’ running back David Dickson, who rushed for three touchdown in a win against Olton.

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