By Robert Morgan | Published Thursday, August 30, 2007
The 2007 high school football season has finally arrived. The bands will strike a tune, players get to knock heads and fans start trash-talking in less than 48 hours.
The 2007 high school football season has finally arrived. The bands will strike a tune, players get to knock heads and fans start trash-talking in less than 48 hours.
Ah, yes, we love our football in Texas - the place where all of life's problems are forgotten for three hours every Friday night.
Some Wise County teams, however, will have things to worry about during those 180 minutes. Injuries and big losses to graduation have teams such as Decatur, Paradise and Northwest scrambling this season.
Then there are teams such as Bridgeport and Boyd that are simply reloading, two teams likely to be playing for district titles this year. Alvord and Chico, meanwhile, hope to win more games than last year and have a chance at a playoff spot in November.
There are a lot of games to play before we talk playoffs. Therefore, lets talk about week 0. (No, I didn't give it that hideous name, the UIL gets the props for that one)
Boyd, which was the final Wise County team to play last year in the 2A semifinals, will be the first this time around in a rare Thursday night kickoff. I know the Yellowjackets have their game-face on for the season-opener, so after getting 89 percent of the picks right in 2006, it's time for me to get mine on as well.
Boyd vs. Gunter
The Yellowjackets, after two scrimmages, have not played like a team that finished one shy of the state championship game. They have the best line in the county and a slew of offensive weapons.
The defense, however, will get all it can handle against a Gunter team that runs a lot of broken bone stuff. The Tigers had plenty of success against Boyd last year and will likely move the ball often this week.
Unfortunately for Gunter, this is not a scrimmage. Coach J.G. Cartwright and his squad will step it up when it counts, and it counts Thursday night in Denton.
Boyd by 14
Decatur vs. Burkburnett
Any ranking that has the Eagles listed in its top five is one not worth reading. This group has so much work to do that it's been painful talking to head coach Kyle Story and watching him stumble for answers.
It's because he has more questions than answers. Getting depleted by graduation is one thing, but losing players to injuries, moves and one that just quit has been something Story has not dealt with since he took over eight years ago.
Offensively, Decatur is only a skeleton of what it was - and that's if starters Josh Trant (tailback) and Chad Harrison (receiver) can play. They missed all the scrimmages already.
The Eagles will also enter Friday's date with Burkburnett a starting quarterback. Justin Unger and Tim Metts will share time as they continue to vie for the job.
The good news is Decatur has a good offensive line and that just might be enough to sneak away with a win. Don't expect a shutout, however, because the defense is not in much better shape.
Story has never lost to Burkburnett and that should not change this week.
Decatur by 10
Bridgeport vs. Breckenridge
The excuse for a 1-14 non-district record the last three years from some Bridgeport faithful is that "BHS is a slow-starting team" and that the first five games of the season do not matter.
Oh, Bull! That's just the excuse of an offensive-minded person for poor tackling.
I don't expect to hear that excuse this year, and for good reason. Bridgeport is not going to lose consecutive games in the preseason - if it loses any at all.
Behind quarterback Cameron Green (a very good runner, by the way), tailback Aaron Holt and a good front line, Bridgeport will continue to score its share of points. The good news is that the defense has already shown dramatic improvement.
The whipping Brecken-ridge gave the Bulls last year is old news, but the one Bridgeport is about to give is hot off the press.
Bridgeport by 21
Paradise vs. Van Alstyne
The Panthers have been bitten by the injury bug throughout August. However, head coach Danny Neighbors expects to have all his starters ready to play to some extent Friday night.
I hope so because he is going to need everyone available. The offense, led by first-year starter P.J. Fuller, is coming along but has growing to do.
Defensively, however, Paradise has changed its scheme and will get a big test with Van Alstyne. The Panthers will throw the ball at least 50 percent of the time.
It's a test I think this young Paradise bunch can pass.
Paradise by 7
Chico vs. Rio Vista
The Dragons lost this game 14-13 last season. It's a loss that the few returning starters remember because they believe it was a victory they let get away.
It won't be any easier this time. The 18-member team has to be able to play in the second half, which is hard to do when you have very few substitutes.
The solution is simple. Sophomore quarterback Klent Selz and Hayden Eubanks, who has been moved from lineman to tight end, need to join the rest of their team and get a 21-point lead by halftime.
There will not be an easy second half all year for the Dragons. However, setting the tone in the first half can go a long way for a team looking to match its total wins in 2006 on one night in 2007.
Next week's headline, "Undefeated Dragons ready for next foe."
