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Saturday, December 1, 2007
Bracket Busters
Collin County, TX
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By: Tim Polzer
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Photo(s) By: Alex Lee
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Dan Buckner and the Allen Eagles lead the charge of Collin County football teams determined to bust through their brackets all the way to a state championship.
Five, maybe six straight wins. That’s all fans of Collin County’s playoff teams are asking. Because five consecutive victories will win a Division I state title and six decisions are required to hoist the Division II state champions trophy. Most teams don’t win five straight in the regular season, much less half a season’s worth of postseason games against the state’s cream-of-the-crop. But a University Interscholastic League playoff bracket will do that to you.
Of course, bracketology is not a perfect science. In fact, the scenarios are enough to give one a headache.
The fact that teams are assigned by proximity isn’t so bad. But it gets complicated when you throw in order of finish, attendance and division breakdowns. The results are fans wondering if their team might have been better off going 9-1, losing to a larger school and winding up in an easier division, rather than 10-0 and facing a tougher bracket. At least those headaches disappear when the home team kicks off that bi-district game.
In the spirit of football fans who can’t help but skip to the end of any book, High School Sports-The Magazine: Collin County dares to throw out conventional coaching wisdom and look past the next opponent and peek down the brackets. Here’s a round-by-round preview of the teams that stand between a one-and-done playoff memory and a trip to the state finals for Collin County schools.
Class 5A
Division I
Region II
Allen Eagles
10-0, District 9-5A champions
As the third-ranked Eagles prepare for their season finale against Plano East, the most talked about subject wasn’t the Panthers but the fact that Southlake Carroll might wind up in Class 5A Division II bracket. The chance of facing the three-time defending state champs – who ended Allen’s playoffs in each of the last four seasons vanished when the Dragons wound up in Division II.
With Southlake out of the picture and a void of state top-10 teams, the Eagles’ road to San Antonio appears wide open until the quarterfinal round. That’s where Allen could play Plano in a rematch of their District 9-5A opener, a high-scoring affair decided by a touchdown.
If the Eagles advance to the semifinal round, they could encounter an undefeated Odessa Permian team that has resurrected the Mojo magic or Euless Trinity whose only loss was to the Panthers.
A Class 5A Division I final involving Allen could be a battle of undefeated teams if fourth-ranked Galena Park North Shore is there.
Bracket Busters
Bi-district: Rowlett (5-5)
Area: Skyline (9-1), Tyler Lee (5-5)
Regional: Conroe (8-1), Klein (6-4), Round Rock (6-4)
Quarterfinal: Plano (9-1), Round Rock Stony Point (8-2), Spring Westfield (8-2)
Semifinal: Permian (10-0), El Paso Montwood (9-1), Mansfield Summit (9-1), Trinity (9-1)
Final: Galena Park North Shore (10-0), Pearland (9-1), San Antonio Southwest (10-0)
Plano
9-1, District 9-5A runners-up
Though Rockwall gave Southlake Carroll first-half fits earlier this season, Plano should coast into the regional round. The Wildcats’ six-game gambit is also sprinkled with 6-4 teams until the regional round where Spring Westlake (8-2) or Round Rocky Stony Point (8-2) could break up a Plano-Allen quarterfinal rematch. A Wildcats win over Allen could set up a semifinal showdown between two of the state’s most storied football programs in Plano and Odessa Permian.
Bracket Breakdown
Bi-district: Rockwall (6-4)
Area: Mesquite (6-4), Dallas Molina (6-4)
Regional: Bryan (6-4), Round Rock Stony Point (8-2,) Spring Westlake (8-2)
Quarterfinal: Allen (10-0)
Semifinal: Odessa Permian (10-0), El Paso Montwood (9-1), Mansfield Summit (9-1), Trinity (9-1)
Final: Galena Park North Shore (10-0), Pearland (9-1), San Antonio Southwest (10-0)
Class 5A
Division II
Region II
Plano West
6-4, District 9-5A third-place
Plano West was a minute away from being left at home for the playoffs until an 80-yard touchdown pass in the season-finale gave them new life. Do the Wolves have any more magic up their sleeves? They may need it to get past Garland Naaman Forest, which is riding the emotional wave of one of its best seasons ever. The regional round could match the Wolves against a tough 9-1 Lufkin team. Unfortunately for West, the quarterfinal round likely will feature one of four 9-1 teams including South Garland, which defeated the Wolves in their season opener. From there the Wolves might ask Allen coaches for their scouting reports on potential semifinal opponent Southlake Carroll. Top-ranked Katy (10-0), seventh-ranked Smithson Valley and 10th-ranked San Antonio Madison (9-1) are favorites to fill the other finals bracket.
Bracket Breakdown
Bi-district: Garland Naaman Forest (8-2)
Area: Dallas Carter (5-5), North Mesquite (4-6)
Regional: Lufkin (9-1), Klein Forest (8-2), Pflugerville (7-3), Temple (7-3)
Quarterfinal: College Park (9-1), Klein Oak (9-1), Longview (9-1), South Garland (9-1)
Semifinal: Abilene (9-1), Southlake Carroll (9-1)
Final: Katy (10-0), San Antonio Madison (9-1), Smithson Valley (9-1)
Wylie
(5-5), District 9-5A fourth-place
The Pirates rode an upset of Plano East into their first playoff berth at the Class 5A level. It’s quite an accomplishment considering they play in perhaps the toughest district in Texas. That tough district schedule could give the Pirates their first 5A playoff victory with a first-round upset of South Garland. The Colonels finished 9-1 but struggled to win their season-opener against Plano West in a game the Wolves wish they could have back.
A pair of 9-1 teams in Longview and College Park likely stand in the way of a Wylie meeting with Southlake Carroll or a rematch with West.
Bracket Breakdown
Bi-district: South Garland (9-1)
Area: Longview (9-1)
Regional: College Park (9-1), Leander (7-3)
Quarterfinal: Garland Naaman Forest (8-2), Lufkin (9-1), Klein Forest (8-2), Plano West (6-4)
Semifinal: Abilene (9-1), Southlake Carroll (9-1)
Final: Katy (10-0), San Antonio Madison (9-1), Smithson Valley (9-1)
Class 4A
Division I
Region II
McKinney Boyd
7-3, District 9-4A third place
The Broncos also are riding an emotional streak into the playoffs. After finishing 0-10 in 2006, not only did the second-year school produce its first varsity victory, but qualified for its first playoff berth. The good news for the Broncos is that most of the top 4A teams wound up in Division II brackets. The only one top-10 ranked team in Division I is seventh-ranked Copperas Cove. A win over Richardson Pearce (8-2) could lead to a quarterfinal contest with Copperas Cove or a 9-1 Waxahachie team.
If the Broncos can get out of Region I, the lack of a dominant team could put the bow on top of an unbelievable Christmas gift – a state finals match-up against 10-0 New Braunfels or 9-1 San Antonio Heights.
Bracket Breakdown
Bi-district: Richardson Pearce (8-2)
Regional: Texarkana Texas (6-3-1), Marshall (6-4)
Quarterfinal: Waxahachie (9-1), Copperas Cove (8-2)
Semifinal: Canyon Randall (9-1), El Paso Del Valle (8-2), Fort Worth Southwest (10-0), Keller Fossil Ridge (9-1)
Final: New Braunfels (10-0), San Antonio Alamo Heights (9-1)
Class 4A
Division II
Region II
Frisco
6-4, District 9-4A runners-up
After making a run at the district title, the Raccoons hope to put a season-finale loss to Lake Dallas behind them. An upset over second-ranked Highland Park would be just the medicine. It doesn’t help that the Raccoons must face the high-scoring Scots on their home field.
The upset-minded Raccoons would love another shot at district rival Lake Dallas in the regional round. But a Cinderella postseason likely will run straight into top-ranked Stephenville in the semifinals.
Bracket Breakdown
Bi-district: Highland Park (10-0)
Area: Kilgore (8-2)
Regional: Waco (9-1)
Quarterfinal: Lake Dallas (9-1), Whitehouse (9-1)
Semifinal: Stephenville (9-1)
Final: Corpus Christi Calallen (10-0), Kerrville Tivy (9-1), Texas City (9-1)
Class 3A
Division I
Region II
Frisco Wakeland
9-1, District 9-3A runners-up
The celebration surrounding Wakeland’s first playoff berth in school history promptly ended when they got a glimpse of their bracket containing a roll call of state-ranked teams. The Wolverines landed in Division I and drew the unenviable task of taking on fifth-ranked Royse City in the bi-district round. If that’s not formidable enough, a win against the Bulldogs probably will pit Wakeland against a 9-1 Dallas Roosevelt team. The Wolverines then could face fourth-ranked Gilmer (10-0) in the quarterfinal round.
Bi-district: Royse City (10-0)
Regional: Dallas Roosevelt (9-1)
Quarterfinal: Gilmer (10-0)
Semifinal: Canyon (10-0), Abilene Wylie (8-2)
Final: Liberty Hill (10-0)
Class 3A
Division II
Region II
Celina
10-0, District 9-3A Champion
The odds that Celina will “finish it” all the way to the state finals increased greatly when the Class 3A brackets were divided by attendance. The third-ranked Bobcats landed in Division II and won’t run into 10-0 Division I heavyweights Canyon, Gilmer, Liberty Hill and Royse City.
The Bobcats won’t face a seven-win team until the regional round. Though District 9-3A rival Prosper may be laying in wait in the quarterfinal bracket, Celina’s first true test could come in the finals. How does a Celina-Giddings state-final showdown sound?
Bracket Breakdown
Bi-district: Emory Rains (4-6)
Area: West (6-4), Dallas Madison (5-4)
Regional: Kaufman (8-2), Longview Spring Hill (7-3)
Quarterfinal: Texarkana Pleasant Grove (8-2), Ferris (7-3), Prosper (7-3)
Semifinal: Vernon (9-1), Graham (9-1)
Final: Waco Giddings (10-0), LaVega (10-0), Diboll (9-1), Madisonville (9-1), West Orange-Stark (9-1)
Prosper
7-3, District 9-3A third-place
The good news in Prosper is that the Eagles won’t face a team with more wins than themselves until the regional round, so it’s not irrational to consider a quarterfinal rematch with district rival Celina. A three-game run through the playoffs would give Prosper momentum to build on in what promises to be a tough District 9-3A lineup next season.
Bracket Breakdown
Bi-district: Wills Point (7-3)
Area: Glen Rose (6-3)
Regional: Texarkana Pleasant Grove (8-2), Ferris (7-3), Kaufman (8-2), Longview Spring Hill (7-3)
Quarterfinal: Celina (10-0)
Semifinal: Vernon (9-1), Graham (9-1)
Final: Waco Giddings (10-0), LaVega (10-0), Diboll (9-1), Madisonville (9-1), West Orange-Stark (9-1)
Class 2A
Division I
Region II
Farmersville
8-2, District 13-2A Champions
The Farmers have to like their playoff draw. Though Winnsboro (9-1) and Caddo Mills (10-0) boast impressive records, Farmersville could advance all the way to the state final game before encountering a top-10 team.
Bracket Breakdown
Bi-district: Pottsboro
Regional: Winnsboro (9-1)
Quarterfinal: Caddo Mills (10-0)
Semifinal: Muleshoe (9-1), Kermit (8-2), Littlefield (8-2)
Final: Salado (10-0), Tatum (9-1), Teague (9-1)
Class 2A
Division II
Region II
Melissa
8-2, District 13-2A runners-up
If losing the District 13-2A title to Farmersville wasn’t bad enough, the Cardinals face a murderer’s row in Division II. If the Cardinals can beat Whitewright in their bi-district game, they will face either Holliday (9-1) or Itasca (9-1). Then comes the fun with second-ranked Cisco in the regional round, followed by seventh-ranked Gunter in the quarterfinals, eighth-ranked Canadian in the semifinals and someone likely must play top-ranked Mart in the state finals.
Bracket Breakdown
Bi-district: Whitewright
Area: Holliday (9-1), Itasca (9-1)
Regional: Cisco (10-0)
Quarterfinal: Gunter (10-0)
Semifinal: Canadian (9-1), Childress (9-1), Crane (9-1)
Final: Mart (10-0), Refugio (10-0), Elysian Fields (9-1)
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