I am really getting ready for some football!!!

[vet93]

Don't get me wrong...I am all for track, softball, baseball, UIL etc...but I am really ready to talk some football. I know it is early and I know that I am just making myself crazy...but if anybody has any topics to discuss about football...particularly region I...then lets get after it. Here are my two early (subject to change) favorites in region I both divisions. Division I...Everman (nobody else even close) and Monahans. In Division II...Greenwood and Decatur are front runners. What are your thoughts?

<small>[ May 13, 2003, 03:32 PM: Message edited by: vet93 ]</small>

[rholl]

I'll have to admit a lack of knowledge of other teams here but I'll agree about Everman in Div. 1. Last yrs playoffs showed me how weak Region 1 was, now I have to decide if many teams were just going through a down yr. or if that is the standard. Monahans seemed to have some good young players so I think they will make some noise. Kennedale should return with another good season. I have to slip over to Region 2 and find the team that I think will make the most noise...Forney..is this the yr they finally make it past Everman???

<small>[ May 13, 2003, 03:41 PM: Message edited by: rholl ]</small>

[WiLdHoRnS]

I must say I also am not the most knowledgeable, but I am looking to see how Kennedale will do next year. I am also looking forward to see what Everman will do. I hope they go all the way again. It would be nice to see someone from 8-3A go all the way again. I think Midland Greenwood will do well again. I also agree that Decatur is looking pretty good. Who knows though. Anything can happen.

[Bandera YaYa]

You guys just crack me up! I hope you can make it until August.... :)

[vet93]

Thanks for the replies...I am starting to breath easier now and my systolic is below 200...A couple of you guys mentioned Kennedale...I agree that they are a team to watch. They return Rex Harper, coach Barrett's son at quarterback and some other good players. They lose some guys on the line, a back or two and a great tight end. They may not beat Everman this year but they could very well go further in the playoffs than last year. I think that they underestimated Ballinger last year and were caught looking ahead to Greenwood. They would have been a team that would have been tough the longer that they stayed in the playoffs. Rholl...I think that divsion I was very weak last year and I hope for some improvement. I forgot to mention Abilene Wylie. They are a team that year in and year out can put together some good teams. They graduated alot from last year and will be starting a great deal of youngsters. Only time will tell if they will be able to have a team that was as good as the 2000 team that made it to the finals. Snyder, Borger and Canyon were all drop downs that were a little dissapointing. They certainly have the numbers to field a good team. Sweetwater will likely reload, Ballinger returns 7/8 from last year and Iowa Park, Graham, Vernon and maybe a few others may be in the mix. I agree with Rholl that Forney out of region 2 will be pretty salty this year. I'll stop for awhile now and take a valium :D

[smustangs]

Sweetwater will be good if they can find a new O-line the return only 2 starters on the offensive line. And 1 of them only played 9 games the others he was our w/ a cracked sternum. Does any one know if they have any younger kids steepin up to play or not?

[wildstangs]

Everman should take Division 1. Doesnt seem like there will be much competition in the big school division. Wylie will have a good shot as always. Greenwood has to be a favorite in D2. If they make it through there non district undefeated, I think they will most likely be statebound. Call me crazy, but I think Sweetwater will squeak by them at home though. Ballinger could be great. Great running back coming back, will this be the year they get by Wylie? Came close 2 outta the last 3. Decatur has all the makings to be a good team, but for some reason I think last year might have been a fluke year.

[vet93]

Wildstangs...I think that Sweetwater has a chance against the Rangers this year. I think that it will depend largely on the state of mind of the Rangers. If they have been feasting on everybody else leading up to the Mustangs and come into the game with the "Bighead", then I think that Sweetwater could pull off the upset. By the way...aren't you guys undefeated in the mustang bowl? If they come in focused and ready to play then it might be difficult to win. Also...it may be a little early in the season for Coach Jackson to have worked out the kinks...should have the Stangs rolling by the playoffs. Anybody know anything about the panhandle teams this year (Perryton, Borger, Canyon, Muleshoe, others)?

<small>[ May 14, 2003, 10:21 AM: Message edited by: vet93 ]</small>

[Matthew328]

This will be a great topic in about another month..I don't wanna give away all the details of my preview! :)

[vet93]

Matt...sorry I jumped the gun...maybe this will give you even more fuel for your future predictions! I just couldn't help myself wink

[VWG]

I agree with everyone that Everman is the defending state champion and are the clear favorites to win Region I, Div. I. Abilene Wylie and Graham will make the playoffs and see each other in another round 1 matchup, but say goodbye to those teams as the next round would match them against the Everman Bulldogs. I don't see anyone else in Div. I pulling any upset here. Canyon, Borger, Snyder, and Monahans were supposed to be in the hunt last year but nobody could stop Everman.
Div. II is wide open. Kennedale, Decatur, Ballinger, Sweetwater, Iowa Park, Vernon, Midland Greenwood, Perryton, etc... all have a shot at making some noise in the playoffs. I like Greenwood due to their numbers returning. Kennedale should make a run but will run into tough competition if they make it out of bi-district round. Decatur and Ballinger both have skill players coming back, but what about the rest of the team? Sweetwater after Carillo and Squires show? Jackson left Olney after their great run....he's got to stick it out in Mustang Country. I think Sweetwater can make the playoffs but could be a short run.
Iowa Park will have good size on the lines, a good soph. running back coming into his junior year and should be ok for the bi-dist. matchup but after that who knows....
Vernon will have to replace some key players, but should plug the holes as they have the athletes to do so. Some crazy things happening in that town though that some out of the area are wondering about. Why haven't they hired a new coach yet? The HC at Petrolia (won Class A State Title last year) turned them down, and it's been a while since Porter stepped down. Why is it taking so long to find a coach?
Questions abound before two-a-days!
Everman and Greenwood seem to be the front runners, but in Div. II look for a strong fight in the 2003 playoffs out of Region I.

[vet93]

VWG...great analysis! I was wondering about Vernon myself. I thought somebody on another board mentioned the DC (coach Hall?) was going to get the job or had already gotten it. Don't know anything for sure. I think that whoever takes over at Vernon has some good kids to work with. The sophomore running back (Hall) was a load in the backfield. Z-motion's son (#35) was a good reciever and they had some other good, tough kids.

[Ozzy]

Don't forget in region 1 that Decatur could easily be the Division I rep from their district. That might toughen up Everman's path.

[PPHSfan]

Also..Region 1 champ does not mean automatic Division 1 champ. But Everman is definatley the team to beat. But they still have to beat Forney for a third time in a row I bet.

[vet93]

PPHSfan...I don' think that anybody has suggested that Everman was anything more than the prohibitive favorite for their own region. Forney and Burnet both could make a stronger case for favorite status based on returning starters than Everman. I do think that they will reload quite well though.


PPHSfan:
Also..Region 1 champ does not mean automatic Division 1 champ. But Everman is definatley the team to beat. But they still have to beat Forney for a third time in a row I bet.

[Z motion 10 out on 2]

Hey boys & girls I'm back! I'm like you Vet can't wait to get into some football talk. Hey let me give you some info on Vernon's Team. They did hire Keith Hall their DC. I think he is a great hire also. The kids respect him and I think he lives in the field house during football season. Very intense. I didn't know they were after coach Ponder. He would have also been a good one. I think Vernon is still going to add a couple of more assistant coaches, but I'm not sure. There are a couple of former Vernon players that have recently graduated from College. It would be great to get some hometown boys that just finished playing college ball.

Vernon should have a solid team this year. Lots of quality players coming back. I think they only lost about 5 or 6 starting players from last year. Most of those were linemen. Getting some size from the under-classmen this year also. New QB this year, but not new to Varsity. Played both offense (receiver) and defense (safety) last year and is really speedy. Returning the secondary (minus two but the underclassmen last year saw extended playing time at both of those positions), linebackers minus one - also the underclassmen LB's saw a lot of playing time last year, and all skill positions on Offense save QB.

A serious playoff contender -- past that I don't know. New Coach and new plays. Maybe they will be able to give Graham a good run at it this year. IP should also be good again. I hope that they get to scrimmage Ballinger again this year. It is good to get some tough comp. in early. Plus you kind of get a feeling for how the team is playing or at what level anyways. Also, I think Vernon plays Sweetwater in non-district so that should be a good game.

In the early season we all hope that our teams will be good so who knows?

I'm hoping for a breakout year for my boy. College scouts watch #35 Matt Gonzales. We need college money!

[vet93]

Good to hear from you Z-motion. Glad to hear that things are beginning to settle down in Vernon. This should give the new coach time to get everything in place before next year. I think that Vernon has a real good chance of doing well this year. As far as I know, the Vernon/Ballinger scrimmage is still on. Always a good barometer of how things are progressing. We need to be playing well because our first game is against Greenwwood. Good luck this year and keep us informed on how your boy is doing.