It’s true that whichever team wins when Austin High and Del Valle clash Friday night (9/26), they will be tied for the lead in District 26-6A. It’s also unlikely they’ll stay there for long. Not in a compact 7-team district that features perennial state powers Westlake and Lake Travis, emerging power Dripping Springs and a seemingly resurgent Bowie. Heck, even Akins emerged unscathed with a 4-0 mark after non-district play.

So, yes, the winner has the best shot of displacing Bowie for the final playoff spot – like Austin High did last year – assuming they can also get past Akins. But more to the point, this is one of those games that gets to the essence of high school sports. Not every game is dripping with playoff implications. You’re only “guaranteed’ 10 games in Texas high school football, injuries notwithstanding. And each of these two teams feels as if this is a winnable game. So, you’d better believe that for the 50 or so guys who suit up for either of these two programs, each searching for its identity under a new head coach, this is the most important game of the week. Which is precisely why the Austin High Maroons traveling to Del Valle’s Veterans Stadium to take on the Cardinals is this week’s VYPE Central Texas Game of the Week.