WEEK 5 PREVIEW: Breaking down the biggest games in Texas high school football

Week 5 Preview - Cedar Hill (John Hamilton)Converse Judson (4-0, 1-0) at Cibolo Steele (3-1, 1-0) It’s the game of the year in the Alamo City as the top two powers in San Antonio square off for bragging rights and the inside track to the district title. From a playoff standpoint, there isn’t a lot riding on the game. Judson is Division I bound and Steele is Division II bound, but it won’t take away from any intensity. Judson has been on a roll since their stunning season opening win over Lake Travis. Last week, the Rockets drilled New Braunfels 54-13 despite QB Julon Williams not playing in the win. The Judson camp has been quiet on Williams’ status for this week but smart money says he’ll find a way to go. The Rockets have plenty of other weapons to rely on – backup QB Royal Davis and RB’s Mi’Kel Jackson and Sincere McCormick combined for 344 rushing yards and five touchdowns against the Unicorns. McCormick also chipped in 64 receiving yards and a score. Steele had a much tougher time last week as they escaped with a 24-17 win over a game Smithson Valley squad. The Rangers defense played their best game of the year, and actually held a 10-7 halftime lead before Xavier Martin and the Knights offense got untracked late. The big question for Steele is how healthy are they going into this one? Martin left last week’s game early. Although Coach Lehnhoff said his QB was ok after the game, and knowing his injury history, do the Knights hold him out of this week’s game in an abundance of caution? All things being equal, I expect both signal callers to play. Judson is vastly improved this year, but Steele has had their number recently (the Rockets have never beaten Steele) and I can’t imagine the Knights losing two home games in the same season (they lost in Week 2 to Lake Travis). Stepp’s Pick: Cibolo Steele by 7 Max’s Pick: Cibolo Steele Craven’s Pick: Cibolo SteeleDeSoto (3-0) at Cedar Hill (2-1) It’s the “Battle of Belt Line” and it has all the makings of another classic between these two Southwest Dallas County titans. The game has added meaning this year as both teams are likely headed to Division II, which means playoff seeding will be at stake. DeSoto comes in unbeaten and flying high after some unusual struggles in 2015. QB Shawn Robinson has gotten better each game and has added plenty of versatility to an already dynamic Eagles attack. DeSoto has one of the top offensive line units in the area and that has enabled them to control the tempo of the game and consistently put their offense in favorable down and distance. Cedar Hill has been without Notre Dame commit QB Avery Davis since the season opening loss, but he’s expected to play this week and that will boost the Longhorns. However, backup QB Garrett McGuire was more than solid in his two games leading CHHS to wins over Mansfield and Mesquite Horn. The issues for the Longhorns early have been two-fold: they’ve struggled to run the football consistently, and they haven’t stopped the run well early on. When you don’t do one of those things well it’s hard to win, not to mention not doing both well! There were positive signs that the Longhorns turned the corner two weeks ago in their 59-21 blowout win over Mesquite Horn, and that should give ‘Horns fans hope after a rocky start. Cedar Hill has gotten the best of DeSoto in two straight years, and I expect this game to be an absolute war. There’s not much difference between the two on paper right now. This one is going to come down to which defense can make a key stop late in the game as I expect both offenses to click. DeSoto has the best win of the year between the two, but Cedar Hill has the pedigree in recent years and they have the home field advantage. Stepp’s Pick: Cedar Hill by 3 Max’s Pick: Cedar Hill Craven’s Pick: Cedar HillFriendswood (2-0) at Dickinson (3-0) District 24-6A play gets started off with a bang as two of the district’s favorites meet up on Friday night. Both teams come in with high-powered offensive attacks and defenses that thus far have been good enough. Friendswood has long been known to have one of the most prolific offensive attacks in Greater Houston, and early on, the Mustangs have held form averaging 56 points per game. The Mustangs Week 2 game against Humble Summer Creek was cancelled due to bad weather. Dickinson put up a 50 spot in the season opener, but the last two weeks it’s been the Gators defense that’s been the story, holding George Ranch and Texas City to just 21 total points. The Gators come at you in waves with great speed all over the field and they play a very physical style of football. This game was close last year and should be another nip and tuck affair. As long as Dickinson avoids turnovers, they have enough speed on defense to contain Friendswood in this matchup. Stepp’s Pick: Dickinson by 8 Max’s Pick: Friendswood Craven’s Pick: DickinsonWhite Oak (4-0) at Gilmer Harmony (4-0) One of the top 3A Division II teams in East Texas hosts one of the top Division I squads in a very underrated matchup. White Oak had their lowest offensive output of the year last week, putting up “only” 43 points in a seven-point win over Daingerfield. The Roughnecks rallied from a late 12-point deficit to pull out the win as QB Heath Hood tossed three touchdowns. Harmony served notice to the state in Week 2 with a blowout win over back-to-back state champion Waskom. HHS ended Waskom’s 32-game winning streak in emphatic fashion. Harmony has topped the 60-point mark in three straight games, including last week’s 63-6 rout of Quitman. RB Mike Edmonson was one of many Eagles who had a big game, as he ran for three scores, while QB Spencer Seahorn tossed a pair of touchdowns and ran for another. This will easily be Harmony’s biggest test of the season as White Oak will be bigger and more athletic than any team they’ve faced. I think WOHS wears Harmony down in this one, but it will be close as Harmony will prove once and for all they are a contender in 3A Division II with a solid effort. Stepp’s Pick: White Oak by 5 Max’s Pick: Harmony Craven’s Pick: White Oak [caption id="attachment_25662" align="aligncenter" width="5000"]Photo by Russell Peables Photo by Russell Peables[/caption] Clyde (3-0) at Coleman (4-0) Another intriguing Division I vs. Division II matchup in Class 3A, but this one is out in the Big Country as Clyde visits Coleman. Clyde had their showdown with Cisco cancelled last week with bad weather hitting the Big Country, forcing the cancellation of several games, but fans are certainly excited about Coach Rocky Smart’s high-powered attack. In three games, the Bulldogs are averaging 42 points per game and they own a signature win over Eastland. Coleman may be the quietest legitimate state title contender in all of the state as the Bluecats are really just now beginning to enter the top ten radar. Coleman gets things done with a punishing ground game and physical defense. Last week, the Bluecats won a 28-19 slugfest against Brady as Bryson Hammonds led the way with 141 yards on the ground and three touchdowns. He also threw for 136 yards and a score as CHS had their best passing game to date. After trailing 6-0 in the first quarter, CHS rattled off 21 straight points to pull away from a tough Brady squad. Coleman’s defense will have a big test against the up-tempo Clyde offense, but Coach Elder’s group thus far has shown they are up to the task. We’ll take Coleman in a nail biter. Stepp’s Pick: Coleman by 2 Max’s Pick: Coleman Craven’s Pick: ColemanA&M Consolidated (2-1) at Waco (3-1) After a few subpar seasons, hopes were high that Waco High had turned the corner with a 3-0 start, but things came crashing down in more ways than one for the Lions last week. They lost their first game of the year to 6A Waco Midway 28-7, but even more damaging was losing star QB Will Richards III to a torn ACL, who’s now out for the season. That’s a tough pill to swallow for the Lions, so it will be interesting to see if they can regroup against powerful A&M Consolidated, who rolled past 6A College Park HS of the The Woodlands a week ago. The Tigers young offense is improving weekly, and the defense has been stout the last two weeks allowing just 14 points in both wins. Waco has enough talent at the skill spots to test AMC, but breaking in a new signal caller against a tough defense will be too much to ask in the district opener. Stepp’s Pick: A&M Consolidated by 17 Max’s Pick: A&M Consolidated Craven’s Pick: A&M ConsolidatedCisco (2-1) at Albany (4-0) Two of the top small school programs the past ten years in the Big Country meet up in what should be a much-anticipated showdown. The two programs have a combined seven state title appearances in recent years, and both are certainly capable of another deep playoff push. Both teams were affected by weather as Cisco’s game was cancelled against Clyde, while Albany managed to get a half of football in. That was enough for the Lions, though, as they rolled to a 34-0 lead over Anson before the game was called. At DCTF we are declaring the game a win for Albany as the game made it to halftime. The Lions will have a much tougher test at home against a bigger and more physical squad from Cisco. In fact, these two teams on paper are near mirror images in style of play, toughness, being well coached and, often times, simply finding ways to win. The big difference here is I believe Cisco’s just got a pure physical talent edge on Albany, who is extremely scrappy but won’t have enough to get past the Loboes. Stepp’s Pick: Cisco by 10 Max’s Pick: Cisco Craven’s Pick: AlbanyAmarillo (1-1) vs. Amarillo Caprock (3-0) It’ll be a contrast of styles at Bivins Stadium as Amarillo and their old-school Wing-T offense hooks up with high-flying Caprock. Two weeks ago, the Sandies lost an absolute heartbreaker to Class 6A archrival Tascosa 23-21 on a last minute touchdown. Coach Mel Maxfield’s young offense seems to be coming along after a slow start, and the defense through two full games has played well for the most part. Caprock’s offense, as always, puts up points and yards in chunks and in the past two games, Coach Sherwood’s bunch has earned close wins over Bushland and Lubbock Estacado. CHS, however, is taking a major step up in competition level this week from Class 4A programs to AHS, who was a 6A playoff team in 2015. Amarillo’s size in the trenches directly contrasts with Caprock’s biggest weakness, and they’ll control the clock with their ground-based attack and the defense will force a couple of turnovers which will turn this one lopsided by the second half. Stepp’s Pick: Amarillo by 24 Max’s Pick: Amarillo Craven’s Pick: AmarilloAustin LBJ (3-1) vs. Austin McCallum (4-0) This matchup will go a long way toward deciding the District 25-5A title. LBJ closed the non-district slate with an impressive 23-7 win over Class 6A Manor last week. The Jaguars defense totally shut Manor down and forced four turnovers, while QB Aaron Green was solid in piloting the offense, accounting for three touchdowns. McCallum is off to a strong 4-0 start and the key for the Knights has been success in close games, winning three by 10 points or less. McCallum’s defense also played well last week, knocking off Austin Akins 17-7 as they got a key interception to quell an Akins drive to tie the game in the fourth quarter. RB Andre Blakemore had another big night with 195 yards rushing and a touchdown, and he’s averaging well over 150 yards rushing per game. Expect a very close game between these two district rivals who have a lot of familiarity with each other. LBJ’s big play ability on offense and tougher non-district slate will prove to be the difference in a tough game. Stepp’s Pick: Austin LBJ by 6 Max’s Pick: LBJ Craven’s Pick: LBJ [caption id="attachment_25665" align="aligncenter" width="5000"]Photo by Diana Porter Photo by Diana Porter[/caption] Montgomery (3-1) at Beaumont West Brook (4-0) Montgomery takes the road trip down Highway 105 into the Golden Triangle to open district play against undefeated West Brook. The Bears rolled past another set of Bears from Alief Hastings last week 45-14 as Waverly Hampton returned the opening kickoff 101 yards for a touchdown, and the defense forced three turnovers in the easy win. West Brook took on a strong private school last week in Houston St. Thomas and won 28-20. The Bruins were led by WR Kandin Robertson, who had nine catches for 199 yards and a pair of touchdowns to lead the West Brook attack. The trip down to the Thomas Center will be tough for a lot of the teams in 12-6A, expect some big plays from the West Brook offense and that proves to be the difference. Stepp’s Pick: Beaumont West Brook by 11 Max’s Pick: West Brook Craven’s Pick: West BrookDenton (4-0) vs. Denton Ryan (4-0) The District 5-5A title could be decided this week as unbeaten upstart Denton High takes on Denton Ryan, ranked number one in all of Class 5A by many polls. Denton has proven just how strong they are with wins over Lake Dallas and previously unbeaten 6A Keller Timber Creek. Colorado commits WR Chris Miller and OL Grant Polley lead the way along with QB Colt Atkinson and RB Caleb Osuofa, who has emerged as a tremendous replacement for RB Xavier Scott. The Broncos defense is still a question mark, and the Ryan offense, led by Spencer Sanders and a bevy of talented receivers, will certainly be a formidable challenge. Ryan is a battle-tested bunch with four wins over elite 5A programs in Lancaster, Mesquite Poteet, Wylie East and Frisco Lone Star. Although the Raiders have started slow in three of their four games, they jumped on Lone Star early last week and never looked back. The key in this game is the Denton Ryan front seven, which is as good as any group in the state regardless of class. They will harass the DHS offense and force them into mistakes. Stepp’s Pick: Denton Ryan by 18 Max’s Pick: Denton Ryan Craven’s Pick: Denton RyanWest Columbia (3-1) at El Campo (4-0) The Roughnecks are fresh off a big 28-14 win over La Marque last week, but they go from the frying pan into the fire this week as they visit unbeaten El Campo. The key blow for West Columbia was a 43-yard fumble return for a touchdown by Michael Carlson. El Campo, who owns an impressive win over 5A power Angleton, comes in fresh off a 32-28, rivalry win over Wharton. QB Brock Bandi threw for a touchdown and 132 yards, and ran for two other touchdowns as the Ricebirds continued their strong start despite a game effort from a tough Wharton bunch, who actually handed West Columbia their only loss in Week 2. I look for El Campo’s defense to set the tone and control this game from the beginning. The Ricebirds are emerging as a legitimate title contender. Stepp’s Pick: El Campo by 15 Max’s Pick: El Campo Craven’s Pick: El CampoCanutillo (4-0, 2-0) at El Paso Del Valle (2-2, 2-0) Unbeaten Canutillo got things going in a big way last week as the Eagles drilled El Paso Hanks 45-0. RB Aaron Moya led the way for the orange and blue, rushing for 232 yards and three touchdowns to pace Coach Brooks’ squad. Canutillo is looking to erase the memory of 2015 when they missed the playoffs, just a year after making the deepest playoff run in the city of El Paso’s history. Del Valle, after a 0-2 start, has rebounded nicely including knocking off previously unbeaten El Paso Ysleta last week 37-26. QB Raymond Montez and RB Ray Morales led a diverse and speedy offensive attack from Del Valle. The Conquistadores defense played very well last week containing an explosive Ysleta offensive attack. Expect another all-out war as these two teams had developed quite the rivalry before being separated in the previous realignment. We give the nod to Coach Perales’ squad from Del Valle. Stepp’s Pick: El Paso Del Valle by 4 Max’s Pick: Canutillo Craven’s Pick: Del Valle [caption id="attachment_25663" align="aligncenter" width="5000"]Photo by Mark Martin Photo by Mark Martin[/caption] Gilmer (3-1) at Nacogdoches (3-1) Gilmer is fresh off a humbling 55-37 defeat to Carthage last Saturday night, and questions about the Buckeyes defense, most notably against the run, are starting to creep up as GHS has allowed 55 points in two of their four games. There are no concerns about the Gilmer offense as QB Aaron “Poppy” Brown has put up huge early season numbers. The Gilmer offense is predicated on the screen game and getting their bevy of talented playmakers in space. Nacogdoches is off to a solid start, and the Dragons own a win over 6A Tyler Lee and played powerful Lufkin tough in their Week 2 defeat. Nacogdoches RB Phillip Jones had a big night in the 35-14 win over Hallsville last week, rushing for 272 yards and three touchdowns. Expect NHS to employ a similar tactic this week as they try and wear down a smaller Gilmer squad with the ground game and keep that explosive offense on the sidelines. Stepp’s Pick: Nacogdoches by 3 Max’s Pick: Nacogdoches Craven’s Pick: GilmerLaredo Nixon (4-0, 2-0) at Sharyland Pioneer (3-1, 1-0) Surprising Laredo Nixon will look to get another big road win this week in 31-5A as they look to take a big step towards a potential playoff appearance. Nixon’s Slot-T offense has been tough to stop early on and last week they had no trouble in any easy 55-10 win over Laredo Cigarroa. Travelling to Mission to take on Pioneer will be no easy task as the Diamondbacks spread offense puts up yards and points in bunches. PHS had a bye last week after they opened district play with an easy 42-0 win (also over Cigarroa). Nixon’s secondary hasn’t been tested like they will this week and I expect Pioneer’s defense, which is battle tested, to rise to the occasion and slow down the Mustangs ground and pound attack. Stepp’s Pick: Sharyland Pioneer by 14 Max’s Pick: Sharyland Pioneer Craven’s Pick: Sharyland Pioneer Centerville (3-1) at Mart (4-0) Two potential regional contenders in 2A Division I meet up in what should be an intriguing contrast of styles. Ground oriented Centerville is fresh off a 54-3 blowout win over Hardin. The Tigers backfield duo of Brandon Madison and Datavion McCarty ran wild, combining for 360 rushing yards and five touchdowns. As a team, CHS ran for an impressive 527 yards of offense. Mart can run the ball as well, but the Panthers prefer spreading you out and using a balanced attack to keep your defense off balance. Mart had no trouble last week in a 44-7 rout of Kerens. RB Tyrek Horn led a balanced Mart ground game with 125 yards and two touchdowns on just ten carries. MHS jumped out to a quick 24-7 lead and never looked back. After an uncharacteristic early playoff exit last year, second year HC Kevin Hoffman has Mart once again looking like an elite squad and I think the Panthers make a big statement at home to close out the non-district portion of their schedule. Stepp’s Pick: Mart by 13 Max’s Pick: Mart Craven’s Pick: MartMidland (3-1) vs. Midland Lee (1-3) It’s the battle of “Tall City” as Midland High takes on their crosstown rival Midland Lee, who is off to a slow start under new HC Clint Hartmann. Midland on the other hand, with a very experienced squad, has started strong with their only loss of the year to DeSoto by six points. The Bulldogs did however struggle some last week as they came to DFW and barely escaped with a 24-21 win over winless Keller. The Bulldogs held on with a goal line stand with just over a minute remaining. Midland Lee has struggled early on. The Rebels opened the season with a 42-12 win over El Paso Coronado, but since that point they’ve been blown out in three straight games including a 51-17 loss last week to Lubbock Monterey. That doesn’t bode well against a Midland squad that many believe can compete for a district title in a tough 2-6A. Stepp’s Pick: Midland by 20 Max’s Pick: Midland Craven’s Pick: MidlandNewton (4-0) at East Chambers (3-1) Newton is off to an impressive start to the season with four wins, and the closest was a 16-point win over Class 4A Division I Silsbee in Week 2. Last week, the Eagles rolled past Bridge City 38-16 as RB JD Spikes topped the 100-yard mark and scored a pair of touchdowns as NHS built up a 24-0 first half lead and cruised to a comfortable victory. East Chambers had no issues with an overmatched New Waverly squad, winning 34-7. The Bucs, after a surprise Week 2 loss to Cleveland Tarkington, have bounced back with consecutive wins, but the task is tall as Newton is a consensus number one team in 3A Division II at the moment. Expect East Chambers to keep this one close for a half, but Newton’s just got too many playmakers and their defense has been absolutely fantastic early on. Expect that trend to continue in Week 5. Stepp’s Pick: Newton by 17 Max’s Pick: Newton Craven’s Pick: NewtonOdessa Permian (4-0) at Wolfforth Frenship (2-2) Despite having an incredibly young offense, Permian has progressed quickly into an unbeaten record through non-district. The Panthers drilled Bishop-Timon out of Buffalo, NY, last week as sophomore RB Ed Williams ran for 126 yards and three touchdowns in an easy 55-12 win. The Panthers will face a tough test against a Frenship squad that’s been disappointing and very eager to get back on track. Two weeks ago, the Tigers were drilled by 5A Lubbock Cooper 35-0, and last week they dropped a close game to a rapidly improving Abilene Cooper squad 28-25. Frenship must establish the running game and limit turnovers in this one as the Permian offense appears to be firing on all cylinders. At home, look for FHS to keep this one close for a while but Permian’s playing at a really high level and they could be on pace to have another nice playoff run. Stepp’s Pick: Odessa Permian by 13 Max’s Pick: Permian Craven’s Pick: PermianPittsburg (3-1) at Tatum (3-1) A week after suffering an embarrassing loss to Henderson, Pittsburg bounced back for a solid 49-35 win over Paris. The Pirates were led by QB Jaylon Jimmerson, who threw for three touchdowns and ran for another score, while three other ball carriers scored rushing touchdowns for Coach Baca’s squad. A year after going winless, Tatum has far exceeded their win total from 2015 under new HC Craig Barker. The Eagles got a solid 28-9 win over Wills Point last week to improve to 3-1. The Eagles got down 9-0 early, but THS rattled off 28 straight points as Cedric White and LaMarcus Harmon each ran for a pair of touchdowns in the win. All the talk in East Texas at the 4A Division II level seems to center on Gilmer, but both of these teams are looking to take the next step and put themselves in that top tier in the Piney Woods. Pittsburg’s offense is a bit more balanced and dynamic, while Tatum’s gotten it done on the ground and with a vastly improved defensive unit. We give the edge to the more potent Pittsburg squad on the road. Stepp’s Pick: Pittsburg by 8 Max’s Pick: Pittsburg Craven’s Pick: Pittsburg [caption id="attachment_25664" align="aligncenter" width="5000"]Photo by Artie Guerrero Photo by Artie Guerrero[/caption] Geronimo Navarro (4-0) at Refugio (3-0) This is an intriguing matchup as host Refugio punches up in its weight class, taking on Class 4A Navarro. Refugio is the consensus number one team in 2A Division I, while Navarro is ranked in the top ten in nearly every major poll at the 4A Division II level. NHS, who runs the Slot-T offense to near perfection, is fresh off a dominant 42-13 win over LaGrange. The Panthers defense was the story, holding LaGrange to just 171 yards of offense, while the offense did what they always do and that’s grind out yards and points. They’ll face a stiff test this week against Refugio, who has as much talent as anyone in the state for a school their size. The Bobcats rolled past Edna 37-0 last week as Jaylon Mascorro ran for 164 yards and three touchdowns while the Refugio defense only allowed Edna into their territory twice on the evening. Refugio is much more multiple than they’ve been in the past and the Bobcats actually prefer to be under center and run the football. The key will be: can their defense maintain discipline and not get caught in over pursuit against the misdirection the Panthers will throw at them? This will be a very entertaining game, but I’ve got to go with larger school in this one. Stepp’s Pick: Geronimo Navarro by 6 Max’s Pick: Refugio Craven’s Pick: NavarroWellington (4-0) at Panhandle (2-1) As many predicted, the Skyrockets from Wellington have taken off since their return to 2A Division II, rattling off four straight wins to start the season. Coach Williams’ squad had no trouble last week with an overmatched 3A squad in Tulia winning 52-13. They’ll get a much tougher test this week against Panhandle, who rolled past previously undefeated Dimmit 41-7 a week ago. The Panthers got big nights from Colby Neely and Layton Lamberson, who combined for 279 rushing yards and four touchdowns as PHS jumped out to a 21-0 first quarter lead and never looked back. Wellington is a battle tested group, having bumped heads with Canadian and Stratford in district play the last two years, and the ‘Rockets already own a win over a good 3A program in Childress. This is a team that could make a lot of playoff noise come November. Stepp’s Pick: Wellington by 11 Max’s Pick: Wellington Craven’s Pick: PanhandleHappy (3-0) at Crowell (4-0) Happy comes into this one as maybe the top team in all of Class 1A Division I. The Cowboys have been on quite the roll, winning 29 straight regular season games and they continued the run with a 54-6 rout of Ropes last week. Karson Bryan led the way with five touchdown runs on just eight carries. Crowell blasted past Wichita Falls Notre Dame a week ago 53-8. Crowell once again looks to be a Division II title contender in Class 1A. As always, check out Greg Tepper’s thoughts on this game on “Fixin To Pick Em.” I’m taking Happy because I read Cowboy Parks Six Shooter report and he says Happy is the best team in the state and when it comes to six-man, no one knows more than him! Stepp’s Pick: Happy by 21 Max’s Pick: Happy Craven’s Pick: Crowell

PICK ACCURACY THROUGH WEEK FOURMatt Stepp (DCTF High School Insider): 65% Greg Tepper (DCTF Managing Editor): 62% Max Thompson (DCTF Digital Director): 60% Mike Craven (DCTF Senior Writer): 60%