STATE QUARTERFINALS PREVIEW: Breaking down the Texas high school football playoff action

Duncanville (11-2) vs. Allen (13-0), 2:00 p.m. Saturday at Arlington’s AT&T Stadium Any questions about Allen’s legitimacy as a state title contender were answered in a big way on Friday as the Eagles went to San Angelo and knocked off unbeaten San Angelo Central 34-21. Allen showed they can handle any style of game as in the first half, AHS went toe-to-toe in a shootout, jumping out to a 31-21 halftime lead, and then when the rain arrived, Allen’s defense locked down and held the Bobcats scoreless in the second half. QB Mitchell Jonke didn’t throw up eye-popping numbers, but when he needed to make a play, the plays were made and Allen’s backfield duo of Brock Sturges and Kirby Bennett were able to grind out tough yards. They’ll have a big test running this week against a very good Duncanville defensive line. The Panthers, despite losing star QB Jaylin Nelson, have kept fighting and last week’s 32-27 win over Arlington Bowie was a perfect example as Tre Siggers ran for 138 yards and four touchdowns and the DHS defense made the plays when it came down to crunch time. It’s Duncanville’s first trip to the fourth round since 2000 and the hiring of HC Reggie Samples has certainly paid dividends. Allen’s defense is the difference in this one. Duncanville isn’t dynamic enough to break multiple big plays against this Allen defense, and they don’t have the passing game to balance things out. Duncanville’s defense will keep them in it, but I see Allen winning a 21-7 type game. Stepp’s Pick: Allen by 14 Craven’s Pick: Allen Max’s Pick: AllenGalena Park North Shore (12-1) vs. Humble Atascocita (11-1), 7:30 p.m. Friday at Houston’s NRG Stadium Although the story from North Shore’s 20-17 win over Katy last week will certainly be the Mustangs’ goal line stand to preserve the win, the Mustangs offense, led by QB Bryant Badie and RB Kerrion Hadnot, certainly deserves credit as well as the past two weeks they’ve had to churn out yards against two of the state’s best defenses. They’ll get a rematch this week against district rival Humble Atascocita, whom they knocked off 31-21 in the regular season. The Eagles won a thriller of their own last week, knocking off Houston Lamar 28-27. QB Daveon Boyd threw for 223 yards and two touchdowns against a very good Texans defensive unit. Boyd will have to have a monster game for AHS to pull off the upset, he’s among the most dynamic players in the state and is the one guy who can cause the incredible North Shore defense problems. Stepp’s Pick: Galena Park North Shore by 13 Craven’s Pick: Galena Park North Shore Max’s Pick: Galena Park North ShoreLake Travis (12-1) vs. Austin Westlake (11-2), 7:30 p.m. Friday at Round Rock’s Reeves Stadium Austin’s two premier programs meet up once again and this time with much more on the line than any prior meeting as the winner advances to the state semifinals. Lake Travis blasted Westlake in the first meeting 49-7, but if you are a Westlake fan you’ve got to feel better about this game because QB Sam Ehlinger and RB Nakia Watson will both be ready from the outset (Ehlinger was hurt while trailing the last time the teams met, while Watson sat out). It’s hard to take much from either teams’ blowout wins last week as both destroyed overmatched opponents, but one thing we can say is LTHS QB Charlie Brewer is playing about as well as any player in the state – he’s simply on fire. Westlake, on the other hand, had to scrape by Converse Judson two weeks ago at home, winning in overtime. Meanwhile, LT dominated Smithson Valley. This game won’t be a 42-point margin like the first meeting, but I think Westlake’s going to have to score 45 to have any chance of winning this one. The Chaps don’t have the personnel to contain Lake Travis’ explosive offense and in the end, the Cavaliers pull away in the fourth quarter for a comfortable win. Stepp’s Pick: Lake Travis by 17 Craven’s Pick: Lake Travis Max’s Pick: Lake TravisDeSoto (13-0) vs. Cedar Hill (11-2), 5:30 p.m. Saturday at Arlington’s AT&T Stadium We almost didn’t get this colossal rematch as DeSoto dug themselves a pretty deep hole last week against a fantastic Abilene squad, falling behind 24-7. After fighting back, the Eagles needed a late miracle fumble recovery and some Shawn Robinson heroics to escape Wichita Falls with a 49-45 win. Now they’ve earned a rematch with rival Cedar Hill, who is playing as well as any team in the state at the moment. Cedar Hill ripped past Mansfield 56-28 a week ago. The Longhorns offense, led by QB Avery Davis, will garner the headlines, but the defense, which was much maligned during the regular season, has raised their game in the playoffs. With all the offensive talent on both sidelines, this game is going to come down to which defense can rise to the occasion. Past playoff pedigree plays a factor for sure. Cedar Hill has the reputation of rising to the occasion in the playoffs, while DeSoto’s history in big playoff games isn’t as good. Can DeSoto take another step toward shaking that reputation, or does history repeat itself? It’s really tough to beat a good team twice in one year, and DeSoto already owns a win over Cedar Hill. I’m taking the Longhorns in this one based on their defense, which is playing incredibly well at the moment. Stepp’s Pick: Cedar Hill by 3 Craven’s Pick: Cedar Hill Max’s Pick: DeSotoKlein Collins (12-1) vs. Spring Westfield (10-3), 7:00 p.m. Friday at Shenandoah’s Woodforest Bank Stadium Klein Collins had one of the state’s most impressive wins last week as they hammered Tyler John Tyler 56-14. The Tigers rolled up over 500 yards of offense as D’Anthony Doyle hauled in a touchdown pass and ran for two other scores as the Tigers simply decimated a very good Lions team. After a 0-3 start to the season, Spring Westfield has rattled off ten consecutive wins and the Mustangs have their eyes set on a trip to Arlington. In three playoff wins, the Westfield defense has allowed just nine total points, including a 44-6 rout last week of Beaumont West Brook as Bralon Bland and Daniel Young combined for 198 rushing yards and five touchdowns. Both teams are on short rest this week as both played on Saturday, and chose to play Friday this week to avoid potential bad weather in the Houston area. The two schools are less than five miles apart, so there is a rivalry and familiarity factor at play, as well. Expect a physical matchup with a lot of defense and running the football. Mistakes will be incredibly magnified and it seems like Collins has the more consistent track record of mistake-free football this year. It’s a coin flip game, but we’ll go with the Tigers. Stepp’s Pick: Klein Collins by 4 Craven’s Pick: Klein Collins Max’s Pick: Klein Collins [caption id="attachment_27711" align="aligncenter" width="700"]Photo by Mary Scott McNabb Photo by Mary Scott McNabb[/caption] Cibolo Steele (12-1) vs. San Antonio Churchill (11-2), 6:00 p.m. Saturday at San Antonio’s Alamodome Surprising Churchill is making their deepest playoff push in quite some time, and now the Chargers get the chance to shock the state as they take on powerful Cibolo Steele in front of what should be a large crowd at the Alamodome. Both teams dispatched their South Texas opponents last week rather easily, although Churchill going to Laredo and pitching a 38-0 shutout of Laredo United South was fairly impressive. The big matchup in this one is the Churchill defense, which has allowed just seven points the last two weeks, against Texas Tech commit Xavier Martin and the explosive Steele offense. The key in this game, however, is Steele’s defense, which has rounded into form in a big way pitching back-to-back shutouts. The Knights are a much more complete team and the pressure on Churchill’s very good defense will be incredibly high. Steele is used to the big game atmosphere, and this is a relatively new experience for the Chargers. Stepp’s Pick: Cibolo Steele by 19 Craven’s Pick: Cibolo Steele Max’s Pick: Cibolo SteeleDenton Ryan (13-0) vs. Colleyville Heritage (10-3), 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Arlington’s AT&T Stadium The game we all thought would happen in the pre-season has materialized as Denton Ryan and Colleyville Heritage hook up in a morning affair at AT&T Stadium. Both teams went out to Abilene and took care of their opponents from Lubbock in tougher than anticipated games a week ago. The key matchup this week is the Colleyville Heritage offense, led by Cam Roane, going against the incredibly physical Denton Ryan defense. If Colleyville can get Ryan into an up-tempo shootout, that certainly favors the Panthers. However, I anticipate Heritage relying on big plays to score against the Raiders. Denton Ryan’s defense is too well coached and too talented for teams to consistently put together long drives. It’ll have to be big plays in the passing game for Colleyville to get it done because I expect Ryan’s defense to take the running game away. The Ryan offense hasn’t been very consistent, but the one constant is Oklahoma State verbal commit Spencer Sanders at QB. His leadership and ability to make plays in crunch time will carry Denton Ryan into the state semifinals this week. Stepp’s Pick: Denton Ryan by 10 Craven’s Pick: Denton Ryan Max’s Pick: Denton RyanHighland Park (11-2) vs. Mansfield Legacy (11-2), 5:30 p.m. Friday at Arlington’s AT&T Stadium Injuries are the headline for this game as both teams suffered fairly significant losses in their wins last week. Highland Park, who knocked off Mansfield Lake Ridge 41-27 last week, lost RB Jake Kozmetsky to a broken wrist, while Mansfield Legacy, who drilled Frisco Wakeland 42-10, lost do-it-all QB Kendall Catalon to a shoulder injury. Catalon is a huge part of Mansfield Legacy’s attack and his loss is much more impactful to LHS than Kozmetsky to Highland Park from a depth perspective. Highland Park has much better depth across the board and they have a more balanced offensive attack as QB John Stephen Jones is able to spread the ball around to multiple weapons. Look for a lot of points in this one, but unless Catalon plays look for Highland Park to advance to the semifinals. Stepp’s Pick: Highland Park by 12 Craven’s Pick: Mansfield Legacy Max’s Pick: Highland ParkManvel (13-0) vs. Temple (10-3), 9:00 p.m. Saturday at Arlington’s AT&T Stadium After some searching for indoor sites, Manvel and Temple decided to head to the DFW area to hook up in this state quarterfinal. Manvel added to what is an already impressive resumé by rolling past Cedar Park 47-35 last week, ending the defending state champions’ 28-game winning streak. QB Kason Martin had a huge game, throwing for 390 yards and four touchdowns, but for the first time this year Manvel’s defense had some issues as CPHS rolled up 450 yards of offense on the Mavericks. Temple doesn’t have that kind of offensive firepower, but the Wildcats defense is one of the best in all of Class 5A, led by DE Taquon Graham, who is a Texas commit. Temple’s plan is fairly simple: they are going to try to control the tempo, limit possessions and use their running game. It’s a similar plan to Cedar Park’s last week, but CPHS got down 27-7 early and was forced to abandon their game plan early. How Temple handles the early Manvel surge will be key in how this game gets played. Stepp’s Pick: Manvel by 15 Craven’s Pick: Manvel Max’s Pick: ManvelRichmond Foster (13-0) vs. Dripping Springs (12-1), 2:00 p.m. Saturday at San Antonio’s Alamodome San Antonio has certainly been a home away from home for Richmond Foster, who is making their third straight trip to the Alamo City. The Falcons haven’t been tested yet in the playoffs, winning their three games by a combined 182-39. That test could come this week against a surging Dripping Springs squad that jumped out to a 42-7 first quarter lead and cruised to an easy 69-35 win over Mission Veterans Memorial last week. The Tigers, led by QB Reese Johnson, have a good group of tall and shifty receivers, but the DSHS defense could have a tough time with the speed on the outside that unbeaten Richmond Foster brings to the table. Dripping Springs will score some points, but stops will be at a major premium in this matchup. Stepp’s Pick: Richmond Foster by 13 Craven’s Pick: Richmond Foster Max’s Pick: Richmond Foster [caption id="attachment_27710" align="aligncenter" width="700"]Photo by Shane Roper Photo by Shane Roper[/caption] Mesquite Poteet (11-2) vs. Lancaster (12-1), 7:30 p.m. Friday at Midlothian’s Midlothian ISD Stadium Although these two didn’t play in 2016, there is plenty of familiarity as they hooked up to open the 2014 and 2015 season, with Lancaster winning both meetings. Poteet got a tougher than anticipated test last week from South Oak Cliff, but the Pirates survived 45-37 on the strength of Cha Cha Corbin’s 10 receptions for 198 yards and four touchdowns. Lancaster also got a stern test last week, although it was much more expected as WEBO slipped past Wylie East 27-20. Cartrell Thomas, who had five catches for 98 yards and a touchdown, intercepted a Wylie East pass in the end zone with less than seconds left to lift the Tigers to the win. Poteet’s defense will need to be much better this week if they want to pull off what many would consider an upset. Lancaster has a ton of weapons and the Tigers defense has the ability to take away Poteet’s weapons on the outside. These two are very similar, but Lancaster has the better personnel and that’s what this game comes down to as the coaching matchup appears to be a dead heat. Stepp’s Pick: Lancaster by 8 Craven’s Pick: Lancaster Max’s Pick: LancasterFort Bend Marshall (11-2) vs. College Station (13-0), 7:00 p.m. Friday at Prairie View’s Panther Stadium Surprising Fort Bend Marshall is looking for the College Station double dip as the Buffaloes knocked off A&M Consolidated 28-21 last week, and now they’ll try to take down unbeaten power College Station High. The Buffaloes have speed to burn (back-to-back state track champions), but can their defense contain a College Station offense that has put up 48 or more points in ten of their thirteen games this season? College Station put up 52 last week in an easy win over 11-1 Port Neches-Groves and there doesn’t appear to be any slowing down of the Cougars this week. I think Marshall’s impressive run comes to an end at beautiful new Panther Stadium in Prairie View. Stepp’s Pick: College Station by 16 Craven’s Pick: College Station Max’s Pick: College StationVictoria East (10-3) vs. Corpus Christi Calallen (12-1), 7:30 p.m. Friday at San Antonio’s Alamodome Even though these two haven’t played this year, there is plenty of familiarity as former district rivals Victoria East and Calallen meet up for the right to advance to the state semifinals. East’s powerful offense, led by QB Bailey Zappe and a bevy of talented playmakers including Tre Wolff, has thrown up impressive numbers all year, but the East defense rose to the occasion last week in an impressive 48-0 shutout of Edcouch-Elsa. Calallen’s defense has led the way, allowing just 14 points in three playoff games, including last week’s 20-7 win over Boerne Champion. The big question is can the Victoria East offense continue to throw up the kind of big numbers that they are accustomed to? My guess is no, Calallen’s got a ton of playoff experience and they have a legend on the sidelines, so there are lots of intangibles working in their favor in this one. Stepp’s Pick: Corpus Christi Calallen by 11 Craven’s Pick: Calallen Max’s Pick: CalallenLevelland (10-3) vs. Abilene Wylie (10-1), 7:30 p.m. Friday at San Angelo’s San Angelo Stadium One of many rematches at the Class 4A level, these two hooked up in the playoffs last year and it wasn’t close as Abilene Wylie scored a 61-8 win over Levelland in Round 3. This year’s game is in round four and although the teams are the same, the circumstances are a bit different and it starts with Levelland, who found their defense last week in a dominant 53-22 win over a very good Andrews squad. The offense, led by record setting QB Nick Gerber, grabs headlines, but Levelland won’t get past Wylie unless the defense plays another good game. Abilene Wylie got the running game going and their defense flat out stuffed Argyle, ending the Eagles’ chances at a fifth straight title appearance with a 35-14 victory last week. Abilene Wylie’s defense is one of the state’s best groups and the matchup against the high-flying Levelland attack is very intriguing. However, Abilene Wylie is playoff tested and they have the depth and scheme to finally slow down the Levelland offensive juggernaut. Stepp’s Pick: Abilene Wylie by 20 Craven’s Pick: Abilene Wylie Max’s Pick: Abilene WylieKennedale (10-3) vs. Van (12-1), 7:30 p.m. Friday at Frisco’s Ford Center Kennedale needed every bit of the 49 points they scored last week as they Wildcats escaped Midlothian Heritage 49-47. DJ Kirven ran for 170 yards and five touchdowns to lead the Wildcats and Baron Browning was able to break up Heritage’s two-point try late in the game to preserve Kennedale’s win. Van has been very impressive through the first three rounds of the playoffs. The Vandals blasted past a surging Paris squad 55-27. QB Garrett Mosley accounted for 395 yards and six total touchdowns as – once again – Van dominated what was considered a very good team. Van’s defense isn’t out of this world good, and Kennedale will hit a big play or two, but this Van offense is humming along at an incredible pace. Stepp’s Pick: Van by 13 Craven’s Pick: Van Max’s Pick: Van [caption id="attachment_27709" align="aligncenter" width="701"]Photo by Artie Guerrero Photo by Artie Guerrero[/caption] Waco La Vega (13-0) vs. China Spring (12-1), 2:00 p.m. Saturday at Waco’s Waco ISD Stadium If there’s a team that is due it’s got to be China Spring, right? The Cougars are 24-3 in their past 27 games, with all three losses coming at the hands of Waco La Vega, who has one of the state’s longest winning streaks going at 29 games. La Vega did what they’ve done pretty consistently the past two years last week in a 36-20 win over Somerset. The Pirates were good enough on offense, while the defense was once again lights out against a Somerset team that has an LSU commit under center. China Spring, on the other hand, was impressive as the Cougars throttled district rival Liberty Hill for the second time this year by over thirty points 52-21. Both these teams are fantastic and I’m hedging my bets some, I don’t think there is a huge gap between these two, so I’m playing the odds and I think it’s unlikely China Spring drops four in a row to La Vega, give me CSHS in a slight upset. Stepp’s Pick: China Spring by 2 Craven’s Pick: Waco La Vega Max’s Pick: Waco La VegaSeminole (9-3) vs. Sweetwater (11-1), 7:00 p.m. Friday at Midland’s Grande Communications Stadium If you notice a trend in Class 4A you aren’t alone, it’s another rematch as district rivals Sweetwater and Seminole hook up in a good old fashioned West Texas showdown. Lots of ties in this one, as well, as Seminole HC Kent Jackson was the longtime HC at Sweetwater and current Sweetwater HC Shane Mobley is a former Jackson assistant. Sweetwater won the regular season meeting comfortably at 39-22, but fourth-place Seminole has gotten hot at the right time. The Indians knocked off district rival and district champion Monahans 28-21 last week. Sweetwater and their high-powered offense present a totally different challenge for Seminole. The Mustangs rolled past Glen Rose 44-14 just a week after stunning favored Krum 40-14. Sweetwater has turned it the playoffs after the late season stumble to Monahans. Stepp’s Pick: Sweetwater by 10 Craven’s Pick: Sweetwater Max’s Pick: SweetwaterCelina (11-2) vs. Gilmer (12-1), 7:30 p.m.Friday at Mesquite’s Memorial Stadium This is a playoff rematch from 2015 and 2014 as Celina and Gilmer have split the last two meetings in the state semifinals. There will be plenty of orange on hand in Mesquite as Gilmer tries to enact revenge from last year’s loss against a Celina team that has narrowly escaped upset bids from East Texas the last two weeks. Last week, it was a 6-6 Texarkana Pleasant Grove squad that took CHS to the brink in a 23-19 win for Celina, and the week before, Celina needed a touchdown in the last twenty seconds of the game to beat Gladewater 44-41. Gilmer, on the other hand, has had no trouble in the playoffs, winning their three playoff games by an average margin of over 33 points per game. QB Aaron “Poppy” Brown continues to throw up video game numbers and the Buckeyes defense, which was much maligned early in the year, has slowly improved. Gilmer has wanted another shot at Celina and I think the Buckeyes take full advantage of that opportunity this week. Stepp’s Pick: Gilmer by 13 Craven’s Pick: Gilmer Max’s Pick: GilmerGeronimo Navarro (13-0) vs. Cuero (13-0), 7:30 p.m. Friday at San Antonio’s Alamo Stadium Continuing with the rematch theme, Navarro, who has won 25 of their last 26 games, gets a second crack at Cuero. Last year, Cuero pulled off the upset of the heavily favored Panthers in the third round. That win certainly signaled the return of Cuero to an elite program in Region IV, while Navarro was denied a shot at their first regional title in 4A. Navarro’s Slot-T offense is one of the most difficult offenses in the state to slow down, but Cuero, with their combination of size and speed on the defensive side of the ball, has the ability to contain the Panthers. Cuero’s defense has been on fire in the playoffs, giving up just seven points the last two weeks. There’s no question Navarro will put up points, but can the NHS defense, which gave up over 30 points to speedy Wharton last week, contain the Gobblers? Stepp’s Pick: Cuero by 3 Craven’s Pick: Navarro Max’s Pick: Cuero [caption id="attachment_27708" align="aligncenter" width="700"]Photo by Thomas Hays Photo by Thomas Hays[/caption] Wall (10-3) vs. Brock (13-0), 7:30 p.m. Friday at Abilene’s Shotwell Stadium Can Wall take out their nemesis Brock after back-to-back years of playoff disappointment? The Hawks are certainly playing like a team capable of pulling the upset as the Hawks are averaging 58 points per game in the playoffs after last week’s 55-7 rout of Littlefield. Brock started out a bit slow last week, but the Eagles earned their 29th straight win as they pulled away from Muleshoe 48-19. Both teams are intent on playing a physical brand of football where defense and a potent rushing attack are key. Brock is much more of a straight ahead running team, while Wall utilizes the flexbone. Assignment football is key against the Wall offense and the reason why Brock has had so much success the past two years against the Hawks is their discipline on defense. Wall will keep this year’s game much closer than last year, but Brock is the champion until proven otherwise. Stepp’s Pick: Brock by 11 Craven’s Pick: Brock Max’s Pick: BrockMalakoff (13-0) vs. Cameron Yoe (11-2), 7:30 p.m. Friday at Waco’s Waco ISD Stadium A year ago in the area playoffs, upstart Malakoff jumped out to a 32-7 second quarter lead on heavily favored Cameron Yoe, only to see the lead evaporate in the second half in a 45-44 loss. The sting of that defeat seems to have been fuel for the Tigers’ impressive 2016 run as MHS, led by QB Judd Miller and an array of playmakers, has won 13 straight in dominating fashion. MHS has only had one game closer than a 13-point margin and that was their 40-36 late October win over Teague. Yoe, as usual, seems to be peaking at the right time after last week’s impressive defensive effort, totally shutting down a good Teague offense in a 23-6 victory. Yoe’s defense will certainly be tested this week with the Malakoff attack and there’s no doubt Malakoff has had this one circled. I think it has the makings of another classic and I have a REALLY hard time picking against Yoe based on pedigree alone, but I think this may be Malakoff’s year. Stepp’s Pick: Malakoff by 2 Craven’s Pick: Cameron Yoe Max’s Pick: MalakoffHallettsville (13-0) vs. Yoakum (9-4), 7:30 p.m. Friday at San Antonio’s Heroes Stadium Sticking with the rematch theme, which is all over the place in the playoffs, undefeated Hallettsville will certainly face their toughest test of the year against district rival Yoakum. In the first meeting, HHS knocked YHS off 35-28 in what has been Hallettsville’s closest game to date. Yoakum has four losses, but from a pure talent standpoint, the Bulldogs may have the edge on the Brahmas as twins Josh and Jordan Moore are two of the state’s more highly recruited playmakers in the Class of 2018. Last week, Yoakum took care of another nearby rival escaping Goliad 23-21. Hallettsville blasted past a good Rice Consolidated team (another district rival) 35-21 a week ago as Scooter Adams had 180 yards from scrimmage and four touchdowns on the ground. Hallettsville’s defense has been key in their unbeaten run, but the offensive balance can’t be overlooked, either. When HHS needs to make plays in the air, QB DJ Taylor has been outstanding. Stepp’s Pick: Hallettsville by 6 Craven’s Pick: Hallettsville Max’s Pick: HallettsvilleCanadian (11-2) vs. Sonora (12-1), 7:00 p.m. Friday at Lubbock’s Lowrey Field at Plains Capital Park Make no mistake about it, Canadian’s playoff road is much tougher in 3A Division II, but the Wildcats have been up to the task thus far. The Wildcats won their 14th straight playoff game last week, stopping a late two-point conversion to slip past Coleman 21-19. WR Manny Ramsey hauled in a pair of touchdowns to pace Canadian, which was held to just 245 yards offense on the day. The Wildcats will get a big test this week against a red hot Sonora squad, which won a 40-36 thriller over another surging team in Childress. It was a nip and tuck game the entire way. Sonora trailed by a point at the half, but the defense stepped up big in the second half, holding CHS to just eight second half points. Jarrett Jackson’s game-winning touchdown reception from Kaiden Cordell proved to be the game winner for the Broncos. Cordell finished the night with 390 passing yards and six total touchdowns. Expect a lot of points in this one, both offenses are very dynamic and execute at a high level. Canadian has the playoff pedigree, but I’m leaning to Cordell and the hot hand of that Sonora offense. Stepp’s Pick: Sonora by 2 Craven’s Pick: Canadian Max’s Pick: CanadianGunter (13-0) vs. Winona (8-5), 7:30 p.m. Friday at Forney’s City Bank Stadium Unbeaten Gunter has relied on a very tough defense to get them to this point. In fact, in thirteen games only Pottsboro and Pilot Point have scored more than 20 points on the Tigers. In last week’s 31-3 win over Henrietta, Gunter’s defense allowed just 124 total yards of offense and only seven first downs. The challenge for Gunter is much different this week as the Tigers will look to contain the speed of Winona. Since a blowout loss to Harmony late in the year, the Wildcats have gotten things going, led by an explosive ground game. However, Gunter’s defense and physical play is just too much and the Cinderella run for Winona comes to a halt this week. Stepp’s Pick: Gunter by 24 Craven’s Pick: Gunter Max’s Pick: Gunter [caption id="attachment_27707" align="aligncenter" width="700"]Photo by Robert Martinez Photo by Robert Martinez[/caption] Lexington (11-2) vs. Boling (11-2), 7:30 p.m. Friday at Navasota’s Rattler Stadium Lexington won a thriller last week as Colby Bexley nailed a 25-yard field goal as time expired to lead the Eagles to a 38-35 win over East Bernard. QB Walker Hess led LHS with 318 yards passing and a pair of scores, while Nic Dillon ran for 138 yards and two scores. Priority number one for Lexington this week is slowing down Boling QB Vernon Jackson, who simply went bonkers last week as the Bulldogs outgunned Odem 62-35. The Boling signal caller ran for an incredible 487 yards and six touchdowns, and Boling ran for a staggering total of 705 yards in the win. Lexington’s defense will revolve around containing Boling on first down and trying to force Boling into passing situations where they typically don’t thrive. That may be easier said than done as Boling looks like a team that is peaking at the right time. We’ll take Boling in a slight upset. Stepp’s Pick: Boling by 3 Craven’s Pick: Lexington Max’s Pick: BolingAbernathy (11-2) vs. Anson (10-3), 2:00pm Saturday at Snyder’s Tiger Stadium Abernathy avenged their season opening loss to Post last week in a thrilling 24-21 win. Freshman QB Bryson Daily led the way for Abernathy in the win, throwing for 156 yards and two touchdowns, running for 84 yards, and he kicked a game-winning 27-yard field goal to lead Abernathy to the regional final. Anson avenged a regular season loss to Forsan with a convincing 43-31 win over the Buffaloes last week. Since that upset loss, the Tigers have been on fire offensively, scoring at least 42 points in their last four games. Considering one of those wins in the last four was an easy win over Post, Anson looks to be on a different level at the moment, and unless Abernathy benefits from some turnovers, look for the Tigers to move on to the state semifinals. Stepp’s Pick: Anson by 14 Craven’s Pick: Anson Max’s Pick: AnsonDeLeon (11-2) vs. Crawford (12-1), 7:30 p.m. Friday at Glen Rose’s Tiger Stadium Two teams that weren’t predicted to meet for the second time this year have earned their way to a rematch as DeLeon takes on Crawford. Last week, DeLeon rolled past what many thought was a favored Windthorst squad 30-14, but the Bearcats certainly have their hands full against a Crawford squad that won the meeting 45-7 in September. Crawford is fresh off their upset of a Mart squad that was considered by most to be among the teams to win a state title. The Pirates got a game-winning touchdown pass from Gage Pearson to Cade Johnston with 8:49 left in the game, and the CHS defense held off a couple of late Mart charges to win 27-20. Crawford’s dominance in the trenches and depth will again prove to be too much for DeLeon. Stepp’s Pick: Crawford by 27 Craven’s Pick: Crawford Max’s Pick: CrawfordMason (11-2) vs. Refugio (12-1), 7:30 p.m. Friday at San Marcos’ Rattler Stadium After a slow start at 2-2, Mason has found their groove, winning nine straight games including an OT win over Shiner two weeks ago and a dominant 55-18 rout of Normangee last week. The Punchers got the running game going and never looked back in a relatively easy win over Normangee, who had just moved up from 2A Division II this year. Refugio battled the rain and a scrappy Ben Bolt squad, but the Bobcats earned a comfortable 36-12 win despite being without RB Jaylon Mascorro, who injured his shoulder in the first quarter. Mascorro’s status is unknown this week, but Refugio’s defense, led by LB Kobie Herring and an outstanding defensive line, should prove to be the difference once again. Stepp’s Pick: Refugio by 12 Craven’s Pick: Refugio Max’s Pick: RefugioSeagraves (10-3) vs. Wellington (12-1), 7:00 p.m. Friday at Amarillo’s Bivins Stadium Seagraves will look to make a third straight trip to the state semifinals this week as they try to pull off another upset. The last two weeks, against Memphis and Roscoe, the Eagles were underdogs, yet they have found a way to win. Last week, it was a 29-21 win over Roscoe as sophomore RB Aries Williams ran for 182 yards and three touchdowns on just twelve carries. He’ll need a huge game this week against a Wellington squad that completely dominated Hamlin 38-0. WHS held Hamlin to just 38 yards of total offense and forced eight total turnovers in the win. Wellington’s defense, especially up front, has just been absolutely dominating and they’ll stifle Seagraves this week. Stepp’s Pick: Wellington by 16 Craven’s Pick: Wellington Max’s Pick: WellingtonBremond (13-0) vs. Tenaha (13-0), 7:00 p.m. Friday at College Station’s Cougar Field The showdown we’ve all been waiting for in 2A Division II is here as Bremond and their 44-game winning streak take on perennial power Tenaha, who has yet to allow a point in the playoffs. Bremond and Texas A&M commit QB Roshauud Paul have been good, but they certainly look vulnerable. Paul is one of the state’s best players regardless of class, but his supporting cast isn’t quite as stout as it was the past two years when the Tigers rolled to state titles. Two years ago, when Bremond won their first title, they had to get past perennial power Tenaha in the state semifinals and BHS won an absolute war 32-29. That signaled a bit of a dip for Tenaha and Bremond’s ascent to their first title. Now the roles are reversed. Tenaha is the up and comer and Bremond is the older power. Can Tenaha, led by a group of incredibly talented juniors, take down Bremond? I think it is entirely possible, but Bremond still has “that dude” in Paul, and I think he’ll find a way to lift his team up one more time. Stepp’s Pick: Bremond by 4 Craven’s Pick: Bremond Max’s Pick: BremondOTHER GAMES TO WATCHRound Rock (10-3) vs. The Woodlands (13-0), 2:00 p.m. Saturday at Waco’s McLane Stadium Defense will be at a premium in this one. The Woodlands has a little more balance and has shown more consistency. Stepp’s Pick: The Woodlands by 9 Craven’s Pick: The Woodlands Max’s Pick: The WoodlandsCypress Ridge (11-2) vs. Katy Cinco Ranch (10-3), 1:00 p.m. Saturday at Houston’s TDECU Stadium Two surprising teams in 6A Division II are still left. Cinco Ranch certainly benefitted last week from an injury and Cy Ridge star RB Trelon Smith’s status is unknown this week. The difference here is Ridge has a much better supporting cast, and the Rams advance to the state semifinals for the first time. Stepp’s Pick: Cy Ridge by 11 Craven’s Pick: Cy Ridge Max’s Pick: Cy RidgeSaginaw Boswell (9-4) vs. Aledo (13-0), 9:00 p.m. Friday at Arlington’s AT&T Stadium It’s been a wonderful run for Boswell, but they just don’t have the personnel to keep up with an Aledo squad that looks like a title favorite. Stepp’s Pick: Aledo by 27 Craven’s Pick: Aledo Max’s Pick: AledoStafford (9-4) vs. Carthage (10-2), 7:30 p.m. Friday at Lufkin’s Martin Stadium Carthage blew past Stafford last year 34-0 in the playoffs. The margin will be much closer this time, but the Bulldogs dominance in the trenches remains. Stepp’s Pick: Carthage by 9 Craven’s Pick: Carthage Max’s Pick: CarthageGiddings (11-2) vs. West Orange-Stark (13-0), 7:30 p.m. Friday at Porter’s Texan Drive Stadium The dominance in West Orange continues. The “Chain Gang” defense is one of the most dominant units in the state, and with a state title, they have a chance to vault into a group with the state’s all-time greats. Stepp’s Pick: West Orange-Stark by 22 Craven’s Pick: West Orange-Stark Max’s Pick: West Orange-StarkPottsboro (11-2) vs. Mineola (11-2), 7:30 p.m. Friday at Royse City’s Royse City ISD Stadium Mineola’s won eleven straight and with a fantastic group of senior skill kids, they knock off another great team from Pottsboro. Stepp’s Pick: Mineola by 5 Craven’s Pick: Mineola Max’s Pick: MineolaNewton (13-0) vs. Arp (11-2), 7:30 p.m. Friday at Nacogdoches’ Dragon Stadium Arp pulled off a bit of an upset last week over Crockett, but the Tigers will need more of that magic to try to keep up with consensus number one Newton. Stepp’s Pick: Newton by 21 Craven’s Pick: Newton Max’s Pick: NewtonCenterville (10-3) vs. Price Carlisle (12-1), 7:00 p.m. Friday at Palestine’s Wildcat Stadium This might be the year of the Tiger. Centerville continues to roll on with their strong ground attack. Stepp’s Pick: Centerville by 6 Craven’s Pick: Centerville Max’s Pick: CentervilleIraan (13-0) vs. Munday (12-1), 7:00 p.m. Friday at Colorado City’s Wolf Stadium Iraan rolled past Albany 33-14 and the Braves are in position to bring a regional title home to the Permian Basin. Munday needed every inch in pulling off a 40-34 win over Muenster. The key to beating Munday is containing the Moguls speedsters at the skill spots and Iraan has that key. Stepp’s Pick: Iraan by 10 Craven’s Pick: Iraan Max’s Pick: IraanBurton (12-1) vs. Flatonia (9-4), 7:30 p.m. Friday at Giddings’ Buffalo Stadium This one is a pick’em game. Burton has been pegged by many as a regional favorite, but Flatonia is certainly battle tested. FHS went three-deep as a Division I school last year. This game comes down to mistakes and big plays, and Burton has the playmakers to give them a slight advantage. Stepp’s Pick: Burton by 7 Craven’s Pick: Burton Max’s Pick: BurtonHappy (13-0) vs. Borden County (12-1), 3:00 p.m. Saturday at Levelland We can’t pick against Happy at this point! The Cowboys roll continues. Stepp’s Pick: Happy by 17 Craven’s Pick: Max’s Pick: HappyJonesboro (13-0) vs. Union Hill (12-1), 7:00 p.m. Friday at Springtown Union Hill to my knowledge is vying to be the first six-man program from deep East Texas to play for a state title at the six-man level. The Eagles look like the better team on paper, but what a run for relative newcomer Union Hill! Stepp’s Pick: Jonesboro by 13 Craven’s Pick: Jonesboro Max’s Pick: JonesboroTurkey Valley (11-2) vs. Balmorhea (13-0), 6:30 p.m. Friday at Borden County Valley High, located in Turkey, has only suffered two losses this year to Happy and Crowell, who are still playing in the six-man game. They have a major test this week against unbeaten Balmorhea. Look for the Bears to move on to Arlington. Stepp’s Pick: Balmorhea by 15 Craven’s Pick: Balmorhea Max’s Pick: BalmorheaRichland Springs (13-0) vs. Crowell (11-1), 7:30 p.m. Friday at Jim Ned Richland Springs may have locked up a state title last week after blasting Calvert by 50. This Coyote team looks unstoppable at the moment. Stepp’s Pick: Richland Springs by 31 Craven’s Pick: Richland Springs Max’s Pick: Richland Springs

PICK ACCURACY THROUGH THE REGULAR SEASON + PLAYOFFSMax Thompson (DCTF Digital Director): 71% Matt Stepp (DCTF High School Insider): 71% Greg Tepper (DCTF Managing Editor): 69% Mike Craven (DCTF Senior Writer): 67%