3afan
11-09-2005, 09:08 AM
Football playoff preview: Best of the best
10:56 PM CST on Tuesday, November 8, 2005
By TIM MacMAHON / The Dallas Morning News
READY FOR A RUN
The area teams with the best chances to advance to state finals:
Southlake Carroll: It'd be silly to bet against a program that has played in three consecutive 5A Division II finals. But Carroll certainly is no lock. Abilene, which almost upset Carroll last season, looms in the third round. A state-ranked, undefeated foe – Carter, Copperas Cove, Lufkin or Longview – would challenge Carroll in the state semifinal.
Highland Park: QB Matthew Stafford and an explosive offense get all the attention. Highland Park's defense has consistently shut down opponents in relative anonymity. The balance makes Highland Park the favorite in the loaded 4A Division I Region II.
Euless Trinity: Trinity, which won a regional title last season, received a big break when Carroll wasn't bumped to the 5A Division I bracket. The earliest Trinity could see a state-ranked team is the final.
Woodrow Wilson: Woodrow has a do-it-all superstar in Sergio Kindle, a strong supporting cast and the good fortune to play in the 4A Division II bracket. Sounds a lot like Lincoln last season.
Celina: The state's top-ranked 2A team has shut out six opponents and scored at least 50 points seven times. Celina has won 26 of its last 27 playoff games as a 2A program.
CLUTCH QUARTERBACKS
Some quarterbacks who have proven themselves in pressure situations:
Matthew Stafford, Highland Park: His 403-yard, three-touchdown game in an upset of Ennis two years ago was one of the most impressive playoff performances by a sophomore in state history. His high school career, however, will be remembered for what he does the next six weeks.
Trevor Vittatoe, Euless Trinity: He was spectacular during Trinity's run to the 5A Division I semifinals last season. He completed all 12 passes for 193 yards in a victory over Mansfield Summit in the regional final.
Greg McElroy, Southlake Carroll: McElroy, a Texas Tech recruit, didn't shy away from preseason expectations that came with following Chase Wasson and Chase Daniel, winners of the last three 5A offensive player of the year awards. He exceeded them, posting passing stats that compare favorably with his predecessors.
Justin Johnson, Richardson Berkner: He rushed for 203 yards in last season's bi-district win over Skyline. He also was the starting point guard on Berkner's basketball team, which went to the regional tournament.
Kelly Page, Mesquite: The sophomore engineered a last-minute touchdown drive in the regular-season finale against Rockwall to clinch a playoff berth.
OVERPOWERING LINES
Some big, bullying offensive lines:
Carter: OT Curtis Bailey (6-7, 340), one of the state's top recruits, often puts two or three opponents on the turf during a play. College coaches will come to see C Jeremiah Hatch (6-5, 240) next season.
Euless Trinity: "The Hawgs" are carrying on a Trinity tradition of opening holes almost as wide as the one in the Texas Stadium roof. Saia Falahola, a 6-3, 310-pound guard, sets the tone.
Highland Park: Chris Olson (Texas Tech) and Reid Prince (Baylor) are the state's best bookends. They headline a unit that allowed Highland Park to dominate while QB Matthew Stafford was sidelined by knee surgery.
Cedar Hill: Brandon Washington (6-5, 305) and Nigel Bolden (6-5, 290) anchor a unit that allows multipurpose star Jerell Norton to get into open field.
DOMINANT DBs
Some defensive backs who create problems for offenses:
Lawrence Edwards, DeSoto: The hard-hitting backbone of DeSoto's defense forced three turnovers in the regular-season finale against Duncanville.
Steven Harris, Hebron: Has nine inter- ceptions over two seasons. He has something to prove after a poor performance in Hebron's first-round loss last season.
John Murphy, Garland: Garland's defense has more talented players, but Murphy is the heart. He's a big hitter with a knack for making momentum-shifting plays.
Cameron Nelson, Kimball: Arizona recruit needs to shut down area 4A receiving leader Andrew Novak to give Kimball a chance to upset Ennis.
Malcolm Williams, South Grand Prairie: He'll play cornerback at Texas A&M, but SGP coaches put Williams at free safety to allow him to make plays all over the field. He has 14 interceptions the last two seasons.
TRULY SPECIAL
Some special-teams units that could play key roles in playoff runs:
South Grand Prairie: Opponents must double-team Malcolm Williams to prevent him from blocking punts and field goals. He also has gamebreaking potential as a kickoff returner.
Irving MacArthur: Blocked field goals were the crucial plays in close wins over Coppell and South Grand Prairie. Ron Brooks is one of the area's most elusive kick returners.
Allen: Punter Michael Such has a big leg, often booming 50-yarders. Jeremy Griggs is an excellent open-field tackler who makes life miserable for returners.
W.T. White: Senior Suad Hopovac's 46-yard field goal against Bryan Adams put W.T. White in the playoffs. Foes would be foolish to kick to speedy Kansas State recruit Leon Patton.
Pilot Point: Junior Michael Yarnell has blocked nine kicks, including extra points in both of Pilot Point's one-point wins.
LONGEST PLAYOFF STREAKS
School Streak Comment
TCA-Addison 17 Has three TAPPS state titles
Carter 16 Upset by Mesquite last year
Kimball 16 Lost to Ennis last season
Waxahachie 16 1992 4A state champions
Celina 14 Streak includes 5 state titles
Skyline 12 After first playoff win since '95
Highland Park 11 Eyes first state title since '57
THIS WEEK'S BEST GAMES
Kimball at Ennis, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Lions Stadium: Kimball believes it should have beaten Ennis a year ago. Instead, Ennis won its third state title in five seasons.
Highland Park vs. Texarkana Texas High, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Tyler's Rose Stadium: Two 4A state-ranked teams meet in a rematch of Texas High's 28-25 win in last season's first round.
Denton Ryan vs. South Grand Prairie, noon Saturday, Texas Stadium: SGP earns 6-5A's top Division II seed and is rewarded with a foe that has a 23-3 playoff record.
Southlake Carroll vs. Irving MacArthur, 6 p.m. Saturday, Texas Stadium: MacArthur won eight games by a touchdown or less. Just keeping this one close will be a feat.
LOOK AHEAD
Intriguing potential matchups:
Carter vs. Tyler John Tyler: New coach Thomas Brooks has brought Cujo back to John Tyler. Carter coach Allen Wilson invented it while leading John Tyler to a state title. They'll meet if both teams handle their business in the first round.
Hebron vs. Woodrow Wilson: Hebron has wanted this game since getting whupped by Woodrow in the first round last season. Hebron would have to wait until the fourth round to get another crack at Sergio Kindle and Co.
Highland Park vs. Ennis: This has Thanksgiving weekend classic written all over it, just like the perennial powers' previous two meetings. Ennis would love a chance to end QB Matthew Stafford's career at Highland Park.
Southlake Carroll vs. Plano: Texas Stadium might be packed for this potential regional final between undefeated teams. Plano would be a major underdog against the nation's No. 1 team.
TITLE GAMES
TAPPS Division I and II, Nov. 26, Floyd Casey Stadium
TAPPS Division III and IV, Dec. 3, Floyd Casey Stadium
UIL Division I, Dec. 9-10, times and sites to be determined
UIL Division II, Dec. 16-17, times and sites to be determined
RARE APPEARANCES
School Comment
Anna Hadn't made playoffs since 1981
Carr. Creekview CFBISD's first berth since 2001
Cedar Hill Last trip to playoffs was in 1998
McKinney North First playoffs for 4th-year program
Rowlett First playoffs for 10th-year program
10:56 PM CST on Tuesday, November 8, 2005
By TIM MacMAHON / The Dallas Morning News
READY FOR A RUN
The area teams with the best chances to advance to state finals:
Southlake Carroll: It'd be silly to bet against a program that has played in three consecutive 5A Division II finals. But Carroll certainly is no lock. Abilene, which almost upset Carroll last season, looms in the third round. A state-ranked, undefeated foe – Carter, Copperas Cove, Lufkin or Longview – would challenge Carroll in the state semifinal.
Highland Park: QB Matthew Stafford and an explosive offense get all the attention. Highland Park's defense has consistently shut down opponents in relative anonymity. The balance makes Highland Park the favorite in the loaded 4A Division I Region II.
Euless Trinity: Trinity, which won a regional title last season, received a big break when Carroll wasn't bumped to the 5A Division I bracket. The earliest Trinity could see a state-ranked team is the final.
Woodrow Wilson: Woodrow has a do-it-all superstar in Sergio Kindle, a strong supporting cast and the good fortune to play in the 4A Division II bracket. Sounds a lot like Lincoln last season.
Celina: The state's top-ranked 2A team has shut out six opponents and scored at least 50 points seven times. Celina has won 26 of its last 27 playoff games as a 2A program.
CLUTCH QUARTERBACKS
Some quarterbacks who have proven themselves in pressure situations:
Matthew Stafford, Highland Park: His 403-yard, three-touchdown game in an upset of Ennis two years ago was one of the most impressive playoff performances by a sophomore in state history. His high school career, however, will be remembered for what he does the next six weeks.
Trevor Vittatoe, Euless Trinity: He was spectacular during Trinity's run to the 5A Division I semifinals last season. He completed all 12 passes for 193 yards in a victory over Mansfield Summit in the regional final.
Greg McElroy, Southlake Carroll: McElroy, a Texas Tech recruit, didn't shy away from preseason expectations that came with following Chase Wasson and Chase Daniel, winners of the last three 5A offensive player of the year awards. He exceeded them, posting passing stats that compare favorably with his predecessors.
Justin Johnson, Richardson Berkner: He rushed for 203 yards in last season's bi-district win over Skyline. He also was the starting point guard on Berkner's basketball team, which went to the regional tournament.
Kelly Page, Mesquite: The sophomore engineered a last-minute touchdown drive in the regular-season finale against Rockwall to clinch a playoff berth.
OVERPOWERING LINES
Some big, bullying offensive lines:
Carter: OT Curtis Bailey (6-7, 340), one of the state's top recruits, often puts two or three opponents on the turf during a play. College coaches will come to see C Jeremiah Hatch (6-5, 240) next season.
Euless Trinity: "The Hawgs" are carrying on a Trinity tradition of opening holes almost as wide as the one in the Texas Stadium roof. Saia Falahola, a 6-3, 310-pound guard, sets the tone.
Highland Park: Chris Olson (Texas Tech) and Reid Prince (Baylor) are the state's best bookends. They headline a unit that allowed Highland Park to dominate while QB Matthew Stafford was sidelined by knee surgery.
Cedar Hill: Brandon Washington (6-5, 305) and Nigel Bolden (6-5, 290) anchor a unit that allows multipurpose star Jerell Norton to get into open field.
DOMINANT DBs
Some defensive backs who create problems for offenses:
Lawrence Edwards, DeSoto: The hard-hitting backbone of DeSoto's defense forced three turnovers in the regular-season finale against Duncanville.
Steven Harris, Hebron: Has nine inter- ceptions over two seasons. He has something to prove after a poor performance in Hebron's first-round loss last season.
John Murphy, Garland: Garland's defense has more talented players, but Murphy is the heart. He's a big hitter with a knack for making momentum-shifting plays.
Cameron Nelson, Kimball: Arizona recruit needs to shut down area 4A receiving leader Andrew Novak to give Kimball a chance to upset Ennis.
Malcolm Williams, South Grand Prairie: He'll play cornerback at Texas A&M, but SGP coaches put Williams at free safety to allow him to make plays all over the field. He has 14 interceptions the last two seasons.
TRULY SPECIAL
Some special-teams units that could play key roles in playoff runs:
South Grand Prairie: Opponents must double-team Malcolm Williams to prevent him from blocking punts and field goals. He also has gamebreaking potential as a kickoff returner.
Irving MacArthur: Blocked field goals were the crucial plays in close wins over Coppell and South Grand Prairie. Ron Brooks is one of the area's most elusive kick returners.
Allen: Punter Michael Such has a big leg, often booming 50-yarders. Jeremy Griggs is an excellent open-field tackler who makes life miserable for returners.
W.T. White: Senior Suad Hopovac's 46-yard field goal against Bryan Adams put W.T. White in the playoffs. Foes would be foolish to kick to speedy Kansas State recruit Leon Patton.
Pilot Point: Junior Michael Yarnell has blocked nine kicks, including extra points in both of Pilot Point's one-point wins.
LONGEST PLAYOFF STREAKS
School Streak Comment
TCA-Addison 17 Has three TAPPS state titles
Carter 16 Upset by Mesquite last year
Kimball 16 Lost to Ennis last season
Waxahachie 16 1992 4A state champions
Celina 14 Streak includes 5 state titles
Skyline 12 After first playoff win since '95
Highland Park 11 Eyes first state title since '57
THIS WEEK'S BEST GAMES
Kimball at Ennis, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Lions Stadium: Kimball believes it should have beaten Ennis a year ago. Instead, Ennis won its third state title in five seasons.
Highland Park vs. Texarkana Texas High, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Tyler's Rose Stadium: Two 4A state-ranked teams meet in a rematch of Texas High's 28-25 win in last season's first round.
Denton Ryan vs. South Grand Prairie, noon Saturday, Texas Stadium: SGP earns 6-5A's top Division II seed and is rewarded with a foe that has a 23-3 playoff record.
Southlake Carroll vs. Irving MacArthur, 6 p.m. Saturday, Texas Stadium: MacArthur won eight games by a touchdown or less. Just keeping this one close will be a feat.
LOOK AHEAD
Intriguing potential matchups:
Carter vs. Tyler John Tyler: New coach Thomas Brooks has brought Cujo back to John Tyler. Carter coach Allen Wilson invented it while leading John Tyler to a state title. They'll meet if both teams handle their business in the first round.
Hebron vs. Woodrow Wilson: Hebron has wanted this game since getting whupped by Woodrow in the first round last season. Hebron would have to wait until the fourth round to get another crack at Sergio Kindle and Co.
Highland Park vs. Ennis: This has Thanksgiving weekend classic written all over it, just like the perennial powers' previous two meetings. Ennis would love a chance to end QB Matthew Stafford's career at Highland Park.
Southlake Carroll vs. Plano: Texas Stadium might be packed for this potential regional final between undefeated teams. Plano would be a major underdog against the nation's No. 1 team.
TITLE GAMES
TAPPS Division I and II, Nov. 26, Floyd Casey Stadium
TAPPS Division III and IV, Dec. 3, Floyd Casey Stadium
UIL Division I, Dec. 9-10, times and sites to be determined
UIL Division II, Dec. 16-17, times and sites to be determined
RARE APPEARANCES
School Comment
Anna Hadn't made playoffs since 1981
Carr. Creekview CFBISD's first berth since 2001
Cedar Hill Last trip to playoffs was in 1998
McKinney North First playoffs for 4th-year program
Rowlett First playoffs for 10th-year program