LH Panther Mom
12-29-2006, 08:38 AM
Friday, December 29, 2006
1. LIBERTY HILL (13-2)
Liberty Mountain, more like it. That's what the Panthers had to climb to win the Class 3A, Division II state championship. Liberty Hill ran over three straight previously undefeated teams — Giddings, Hondo and Celina — in its last three playoff games, and gave Central Texas its second straight Class 3A title.
2. WESTLAKE (12-3)
Few gave the Chaparrals much of a chance in the Class 5A, Division I state title game, but they proved they belonged there, giving eventual national champion Southlake Carroll a serious run for three-and-a-half quarters.
3. COPPERAS COVE (12-3)
The Bulldawgs, expected to be a state-championship contender after dropping down from Class 5A, fell to Alamo Heights in the Division I title game. A strong defense — especially in the secondary — and an effective offense weren't enough to win a district title, but they came together in the postseason. An upset of Texas High was the highlight.
4. LEXINGTON (12-3)
If only there was no Mart. The Eagles lost to Mart twice this season, including in the Class 2A, Division II semifinals. Lexington was steady all year and rolled over its opponents in the first four rounds of the postseason.
5. SAN MARCOS (8-6)
The biggest surprise of Class 5A was the Rattlers, who made it all the way to the quarterfinals. Their Wing-T offense proved too much for state-ranked Smithson Valley in the first round. San Marcos eventually fell to San Antonio MacArthur in overtime 50-43.
6. GIDDINGS (13-1)
Ranked No. 1 among Central Texas' small schools all year, the Buffaloes were rolling toward a state championship before running into Liberty Hill in the Class 3A, Division II quarterfinals. The Buffaloes (along with Liberty Hill) had one of the most potent offenses in the state behind quarterback Brock Fitzhenry.
7. WIMBERLEY (12-2)
If only the Texans were in Division I; they destroyed eventual Div. I champion Liberty-Eylau handily early in the season. But Wimberley was in Class 3A's Division II, where it ran into Hondo in the quarterfinals. The Owls scored 42 straight points, ruining the Texans' chances at back-to-back championships.
8. LEANDER (10-3)
The Lions were three points from the state quarterfinals, losing to Garland 27-24 in the Class 5A, Division II regional round. Quarterback Josh McKinley was one of the most exciting players in the state every week.
9. HAYS (10-4)
The drop down to Class 4A proved fruitful for the Rebels. Hays made a nice run in Region IV, making it all the way to the state quarterfinals before falling to Schertz Clemens 27-7. The Rebels were overlooked a bit during the regular season but turned it on in the playoffs.
10. ROUND ROCK (9-4)
They barely made the playoffs. But once they did, the Dragons became everybody's favorite team by upsetting A&M Consolidated and Lufkin (then No. 2 in the country) to make it to the Class 5A, Division I regional round, where they lost a thriller to Allen (42-35). The offense was amazing down the stretch.
Our top 10 teams in Central Texas, based on how their seasons turned out:
Our top 10 teams in Central Texas heading into the 2006 season, based on preseason strength and projections on playoff success:
Rank - team - Class - 2005 - 2006
1. Westlake 5A 9-2 12-3
Third in 25-5A, but ended up in 5A's Div. I title game.
2. Giddings 3A 10-3 13-1
Looked like a title team — until the Liberty Hill game.
3. Copperas Cove 4A 13-1 12-3
Fell to Alamo Heights in the 4A, Div. I championship.
4. Cameron Yoe 3A 13-1 6-5
Disappointing year ended with a loss in bi-district.
5. Leander 5A 10-2 10-3
Might've made a deeper playoff run in another region.
6. Wimberley 3A 15-0 12-2
Good season ended vs. Hondo in the state quarters.
7. Connally 4A 12-2 7-4
Two-time state semifinalists fell in bi-district playoffs.
8. Hutto 3A 13-3 7-3
Unable to capture the 2005 magic, fell in bi-district.
9. Pflugerville 5A 7-5 3-7
A down year for P-ville, which missed the playoffs.
10. McCallum 4A 10-3 9-2
Won 17-4A as expected, but lost in the first round.
Games of the year
Round Rock 38, Lufkin 25 — Shocking. The Dragons, who had upset state-ranked A&M Consolidated the week before, knocked off the nation's No. 2-ranked team by outplaying Lufkin in all phases of the game.
Liberty Hill 22, Celina 19 — A 31-yard field goal by Gio Magallon with seconds to play handed the Panthers the Class 3A, Division II state title.
Southlake Carroll 43, Westlake 29 — Westlake took a surprising 15-7 halftime lead, but Carroll — led by Class 5A player of the year, quarterback Riley Dodge — had a big second half to hand the Dragons their fourth 5A title in five years.
Austin High 31, Westlake 24 — The Maroons — 0-16 all-time against Westlake — prevailed on a 71-yard pass from Cameron Jones to Emory Blake with 32 seconds left.
San Antonio MacArthur 50, San Marcos 43 — Only 14 seconds away from a berth in the state semifinals, San Marcos lost in dramatic fashion: a 14-yard over-the-shoulder TD catch by MacArthur sent the game to overtime, where the Rattlers fell.
Looking ahead
A sneak peek at the teams that have the best shot at turning in the best seasons for 2007.
1. LIBERTY HILL
For starters, the Panthers return one of the top defensive players in Central Texas, linebacker Cody Lattimore, who's led the team in tackles his freshman and sophomore years. The offense will be led by RB Doug Allman, who rushed for more than 1,600 yards in the push to the 3A state championship. DL Marlowe Poitier, an All-State second-teamer, returns for the defense.
Another state title is certainly a possibility for the Panthers.
2. GIDDINGS
Opponents will be glad to know that QB Brock Fitzhenry will finally be a senior. He has guided Giddings to consecutive spots in the Class 3A state quarterfinals. Giddings is also fortunate to return LB Alan Dock, the Class 3A defensive player of the year. Only a loss to Liberty Hill kept the Buffaloes from making a possible state appearance this year.
3. AUSTIN HIGH
The Maroons finally have finally broken the Westlake curse. The next step is to cause some damage in the playoffs. Austin High will have a dynamic offense with Davis Collins at RB and Emory Blake at either QB or WR. Stingy on defense, LB Hayden Bowers contributed a team-high 140 tackles for a defense that allowed 13.4 points per game. These are not the Maroons of old.
4. WESTLAKE
No team loses a better senior class than Westlake, but look for coach Derek Long to regroup with talented newcomers. Justin Tucker is ranked by one publication as the No. 1 junior kicker in the country. WRs Jordan Etier and Mike Walker made breakthrough performances in the playoffs.
Can you say reload?
5. LEANDER
Coach Steve Gideon has built a steady program that isn't likely to miss the playoffs. Among the key players he has returning are RB Reggie Hodges, safety Blake Gideon and WR LaFon Clark. The key will be replacing the team's offensive leader, QB Josh McKinley.
Top players for 2007
Emory Blake, Austin High WR/RB — A multi-dimensional player, Blake is strong on both sides of the football. So diverse, in fact, he could be switched to QB to better utilize his speed and big-play potential.
Michael Brown, Lexington, OL — One of the top linemen for an explosive offense, Brown had 72 pancake blocks and was District 26-2A's newcomer of the year.
Davis Collins, Austin High, RB — Collins helped carry the Maroons to the playoffs, gaining 1,301 yards and 15 TDs in 8 games.
Ross Evans, Burnet, K — One of the area's most consistent kickers, Evans connected on 14 of 17 field goals, including five longer than 40 yards.
Brock Fitzhenry, Giddings, QB — A threat to score whenever he touches the football, the elusive quarterback led all area rushers with 2,400 yards and 31 TDs.
Garrett Gilbert, Lake Travis, QB — 25-4A's offensive MVP passed for 2,859 yards, 29 touchdowns and 10 INTs while running for 243 yards and three TDs.
Chase Griesbach, Westwood, LB — While the Warriors made sparks on offense, Griesbach led an underrated defense, finishing with 119 tackles. Only a sophomore, he intercepted a pass and caused a fumble.
Jake Morrow, Cedar Park, OL — One of the top OLs in District 14-5A, he was credited with 62 pancake blocks and graded out at 90 percent.
Ryan Perez, New Braunfels, QB — Led the Unicorns in their playoff run, passing for 1,643 yards and 19 TDs while rushing for 831 yards and 9 TDs.
Kevin Smith, Seguin, QB — The leader of the surging Matadors, Smith contributed 1,823 yards, 17 TDs and three only 2 INTs.
— From staff reports
American-Statesman link (http://www.statesman.com/sports/content/sports/stories/highschool/12/29/29prepfoot.html)
1. LIBERTY HILL (13-2)
Liberty Mountain, more like it. That's what the Panthers had to climb to win the Class 3A, Division II state championship. Liberty Hill ran over three straight previously undefeated teams — Giddings, Hondo and Celina — in its last three playoff games, and gave Central Texas its second straight Class 3A title.
2. WESTLAKE (12-3)
Few gave the Chaparrals much of a chance in the Class 5A, Division I state title game, but they proved they belonged there, giving eventual national champion Southlake Carroll a serious run for three-and-a-half quarters.
3. COPPERAS COVE (12-3)
The Bulldawgs, expected to be a state-championship contender after dropping down from Class 5A, fell to Alamo Heights in the Division I title game. A strong defense — especially in the secondary — and an effective offense weren't enough to win a district title, but they came together in the postseason. An upset of Texas High was the highlight.
4. LEXINGTON (12-3)
If only there was no Mart. The Eagles lost to Mart twice this season, including in the Class 2A, Division II semifinals. Lexington was steady all year and rolled over its opponents in the first four rounds of the postseason.
5. SAN MARCOS (8-6)
The biggest surprise of Class 5A was the Rattlers, who made it all the way to the quarterfinals. Their Wing-T offense proved too much for state-ranked Smithson Valley in the first round. San Marcos eventually fell to San Antonio MacArthur in overtime 50-43.
6. GIDDINGS (13-1)
Ranked No. 1 among Central Texas' small schools all year, the Buffaloes were rolling toward a state championship before running into Liberty Hill in the Class 3A, Division II quarterfinals. The Buffaloes (along with Liberty Hill) had one of the most potent offenses in the state behind quarterback Brock Fitzhenry.
7. WIMBERLEY (12-2)
If only the Texans were in Division I; they destroyed eventual Div. I champion Liberty-Eylau handily early in the season. But Wimberley was in Class 3A's Division II, where it ran into Hondo in the quarterfinals. The Owls scored 42 straight points, ruining the Texans' chances at back-to-back championships.
8. LEANDER (10-3)
The Lions were three points from the state quarterfinals, losing to Garland 27-24 in the Class 5A, Division II regional round. Quarterback Josh McKinley was one of the most exciting players in the state every week.
9. HAYS (10-4)
The drop down to Class 4A proved fruitful for the Rebels. Hays made a nice run in Region IV, making it all the way to the state quarterfinals before falling to Schertz Clemens 27-7. The Rebels were overlooked a bit during the regular season but turned it on in the playoffs.
10. ROUND ROCK (9-4)
They barely made the playoffs. But once they did, the Dragons became everybody's favorite team by upsetting A&M Consolidated and Lufkin (then No. 2 in the country) to make it to the Class 5A, Division I regional round, where they lost a thriller to Allen (42-35). The offense was amazing down the stretch.
Our top 10 teams in Central Texas, based on how their seasons turned out:
Our top 10 teams in Central Texas heading into the 2006 season, based on preseason strength and projections on playoff success:
Rank - team - Class - 2005 - 2006
1. Westlake 5A 9-2 12-3
Third in 25-5A, but ended up in 5A's Div. I title game.
2. Giddings 3A 10-3 13-1
Looked like a title team — until the Liberty Hill game.
3. Copperas Cove 4A 13-1 12-3
Fell to Alamo Heights in the 4A, Div. I championship.
4. Cameron Yoe 3A 13-1 6-5
Disappointing year ended with a loss in bi-district.
5. Leander 5A 10-2 10-3
Might've made a deeper playoff run in another region.
6. Wimberley 3A 15-0 12-2
Good season ended vs. Hondo in the state quarters.
7. Connally 4A 12-2 7-4
Two-time state semifinalists fell in bi-district playoffs.
8. Hutto 3A 13-3 7-3
Unable to capture the 2005 magic, fell in bi-district.
9. Pflugerville 5A 7-5 3-7
A down year for P-ville, which missed the playoffs.
10. McCallum 4A 10-3 9-2
Won 17-4A as expected, but lost in the first round.
Games of the year
Round Rock 38, Lufkin 25 — Shocking. The Dragons, who had upset state-ranked A&M Consolidated the week before, knocked off the nation's No. 2-ranked team by outplaying Lufkin in all phases of the game.
Liberty Hill 22, Celina 19 — A 31-yard field goal by Gio Magallon with seconds to play handed the Panthers the Class 3A, Division II state title.
Southlake Carroll 43, Westlake 29 — Westlake took a surprising 15-7 halftime lead, but Carroll — led by Class 5A player of the year, quarterback Riley Dodge — had a big second half to hand the Dragons their fourth 5A title in five years.
Austin High 31, Westlake 24 — The Maroons — 0-16 all-time against Westlake — prevailed on a 71-yard pass from Cameron Jones to Emory Blake with 32 seconds left.
San Antonio MacArthur 50, San Marcos 43 — Only 14 seconds away from a berth in the state semifinals, San Marcos lost in dramatic fashion: a 14-yard over-the-shoulder TD catch by MacArthur sent the game to overtime, where the Rattlers fell.
Looking ahead
A sneak peek at the teams that have the best shot at turning in the best seasons for 2007.
1. LIBERTY HILL
For starters, the Panthers return one of the top defensive players in Central Texas, linebacker Cody Lattimore, who's led the team in tackles his freshman and sophomore years. The offense will be led by RB Doug Allman, who rushed for more than 1,600 yards in the push to the 3A state championship. DL Marlowe Poitier, an All-State second-teamer, returns for the defense.
Another state title is certainly a possibility for the Panthers.
2. GIDDINGS
Opponents will be glad to know that QB Brock Fitzhenry will finally be a senior. He has guided Giddings to consecutive spots in the Class 3A state quarterfinals. Giddings is also fortunate to return LB Alan Dock, the Class 3A defensive player of the year. Only a loss to Liberty Hill kept the Buffaloes from making a possible state appearance this year.
3. AUSTIN HIGH
The Maroons finally have finally broken the Westlake curse. The next step is to cause some damage in the playoffs. Austin High will have a dynamic offense with Davis Collins at RB and Emory Blake at either QB or WR. Stingy on defense, LB Hayden Bowers contributed a team-high 140 tackles for a defense that allowed 13.4 points per game. These are not the Maroons of old.
4. WESTLAKE
No team loses a better senior class than Westlake, but look for coach Derek Long to regroup with talented newcomers. Justin Tucker is ranked by one publication as the No. 1 junior kicker in the country. WRs Jordan Etier and Mike Walker made breakthrough performances in the playoffs.
Can you say reload?
5. LEANDER
Coach Steve Gideon has built a steady program that isn't likely to miss the playoffs. Among the key players he has returning are RB Reggie Hodges, safety Blake Gideon and WR LaFon Clark. The key will be replacing the team's offensive leader, QB Josh McKinley.
Top players for 2007
Emory Blake, Austin High WR/RB — A multi-dimensional player, Blake is strong on both sides of the football. So diverse, in fact, he could be switched to QB to better utilize his speed and big-play potential.
Michael Brown, Lexington, OL — One of the top linemen for an explosive offense, Brown had 72 pancake blocks and was District 26-2A's newcomer of the year.
Davis Collins, Austin High, RB — Collins helped carry the Maroons to the playoffs, gaining 1,301 yards and 15 TDs in 8 games.
Ross Evans, Burnet, K — One of the area's most consistent kickers, Evans connected on 14 of 17 field goals, including five longer than 40 yards.
Brock Fitzhenry, Giddings, QB — A threat to score whenever he touches the football, the elusive quarterback led all area rushers with 2,400 yards and 31 TDs.
Garrett Gilbert, Lake Travis, QB — 25-4A's offensive MVP passed for 2,859 yards, 29 touchdowns and 10 INTs while running for 243 yards and three TDs.
Chase Griesbach, Westwood, LB — While the Warriors made sparks on offense, Griesbach led an underrated defense, finishing with 119 tackles. Only a sophomore, he intercepted a pass and caused a fumble.
Jake Morrow, Cedar Park, OL — One of the top OLs in District 14-5A, he was credited with 62 pancake blocks and graded out at 90 percent.
Ryan Perez, New Braunfels, QB — Led the Unicorns in their playoff run, passing for 1,643 yards and 19 TDs while rushing for 831 yards and 9 TDs.
Kevin Smith, Seguin, QB — The leader of the surging Matadors, Smith contributed 1,823 yards, 17 TDs and three only 2 INTs.
— From staff reports
American-Statesman link (http://www.statesman.com/sports/content/sports/stories/highschool/12/29/29prepfoot.html)