GAMES
RANKINGS
THE UNDERDOG: Westfield; Hatter intend to prove doubters wrong
The Regional Finals are upon us -- two-steps from a the State Finals.
Perennial powers like Katy and North Shore are in contention, of course. Westfield, however, is one of the dark horses this postseason with eyes on the Class 6A crown.
Move-in QB PJ Hatter is at the center of the Mustangs' success.
After playing for Klein Oak his sophomore and junior seasons, Hatter chose to finish his high school football career at Westfield and hasn’t looked back.
“Having a great team and coaching staff has really helped me develop my game,” said Hatter. “At Westfield, there’s so much energy in the locker room. Everyone gets hyped before every game and we have motivated each other to win throughout this season.”
The Westfield Mustangs' StandoutsBradley Collier (VYPE)
Like Westfield, Hatter's performance has gone under the radar. With little attention from college scouts, the QB has seemingly played with a chip on his shoulders.
“We like being the underdogs,” Hatter said. “We love to prove people wrong. We don’t really get into it that much but we just look at it as motivation.”
Hatter has been exceptional, throwing for 42 touchdowns and adding 10 scores on the ground, He has led the Mustangs to a 9-1 record in the regular season while advancing past Conroe (62-7), Klein Collins (41-38), and Waxahachie (10-7) through the first three rounds of the postseason.
Westfield has its work cut out for them in the Class 6A Regional Finals against Duncanville Saturday at 3 pm in Georgetown. Duncanville is a familiar opponent and has a stifling defense, giving up only 16 points in the postseason. It will be huge test for the 'Stangs.
“The key to beating [Duncanville] is to stay focused,” said Hatter. “We have to trust our coaches' game plan and have the energy to play hard every down.”
THE BIG STAGE: A look at the public, private school storylines
The UIL and TAPPS postseason is coming to a point. The TAPPS State Weekend starts Friday, while the Regional Finals for UIL will determine the State's Final Four.
Here's a quick look at this week's matchups.
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Class 6A DI
Region II
Westfield (12-1) vs Duncanville (13-0), Saturday December 3rd, 3:00 PM in Georgetown
Westfield’s high-powered offense led by QB Preston Hatter will be tested this week against a Duncanville defense, who has been dominant this year led by the state's No.1 defensive player DE Colin Simmons.
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Region III
North Shore (13-0) vs Atascocita (11-2), Friday December 2nd, 7:00 PM at Randall Reed Stadium
North Shore is seeking their fifth-straight State Semifinal appearance and fourth State Title in six years. District rival Atascocita stands in their way, who is looking for their their first Semifinal appearance since 2016.
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Class 6A DII
Region III
Katy (13-0) vs C.E. King (9-4)
Katy’s road to their 10th State Title in program history is beginning to narrow down as Jerry’s World is only two exits away. RB Seth Davis and a nasty defense is prepped C.E King and QB Denhim Johnson. The Panthers want to spoil the party.
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Class 5A DII
Region III
FB Marshall (12-1) vs PNG (11-2), Friday December 2nd, 7:00 PM at Galena Park ISD Stadium
The Fort Bend Marshall Buffs are rolling in the playoffs, demolishing most in their way. The Buffs have hopes of hoisting the State Trophy for the first time in program history. District-mate Port Neches-Groves is up next, who they beat by 20 points in conference play.
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PRIVATE SCHOOLS
TAPPS Division 2
Fort Bend Christian Academy (9-4) vs Fort Worth All Saints (7-5), Friday December 2nd, 12:00 PM Waco ISD Stadium
Fort Bend Christian Academy is in the TAPPS State Championship for the first time in program history, facing an All Saints team who has also never made the State game. QB Brady Dever and the Eagles will look to continue their success and hoist the trophy as the champs Friday.
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TAPPS Division III
Dallas Christian School (12-1) vs Cypress Christian School (8-4), Saturday December 3rd, 7:00 PM Waco ISD Stadium
Cypress Christian won TAPPS State last year and is looking for the repeat, but Dallas Christian is in the way. The private school powerhouse, moved down a division after winning the TAPPS Division 2 Championship last year.