Football Predictions: Tough test for Wise County this week
By Robert Morgan | Published Thursday, October 30, 2008
I was one disappointing Boyd loss away from calling all the winners last week. The Yellowjackets, who I think did it on purpose just to mess up my confidence, lost an exciting game to Jacksboro.
Everything else came out as I thought in moving my season record to 45-11. Paradise, Alvord, Bridgeport and Northwest all rolled to victory, while Decatur and Chico slipped in week eight.
Now it's time to talk abut week nine. Will Paradise and Bridgeport remain undefeated? Will Decatur be eliminated from playoff contention for the first time in eight years?
In a game with lots of bragging rights and the playoff hopes of both teams, Boyd will be in Paradise for the highly-anticipated Battle of 114. These games, and several others, will make for a very busy and exciting week of football.
What do I think of the winners in the second to last week of the regular season? Well, keep on reading.
Decatur vs. Vernon
When it comes to the 2008 state playoffs, this game has bigger implications than any other matchup in the county. Without some sort of act of God, the loser of this game will move on to basketball practice in 10 days.
The winner will likely be playing football at least three more weeks. And it is anyone's guess as to which one of these squads is ready to step up to the challenge.
The Eagles have made the playoffs the last seven years. Vernon, however, expects to end that run the same way it did eight years ago.
The Lions were the last team to knock Decatur out of the playoff race. That came back in 2001 when the Lions beat the Eagles 27-7. Ironically, that game was also played at Eagle Stadium, just as it is this week.
So, what gives this year? Both teams are crawling through rebuilding seasons and field defenses that have given up more real estate than Century 21.
I believe what will separate the two is offense. The Eagles have a little more talent on that side of the ball than the Lions.
That is assuming receiver Chad Harrison plays this week after suffering a head injury last week in Burkburnett. Without the three-year letterman, you can stick a fork in the Eagles.
I'm going with No. 3 catching a lot of passes this week.
Decatur coach Kyle Story is one of the best motivators I have ever known, but there is not much he will have to say this weekend in the locker room when it's clear the winner of the game will be in the playoffs. If that is not enough to fire up this team, nothing is.
Decatur by 6
Boyd vs. Paradise
The Panthers bring a perfect 8-0 record into the Battle of 114 for the first time in school history. Despite an unbeaten record this late into the season, Paradise is only ranked No. 23 in the state.
The Yellowjackets expect to prove why the Panthers have not been taken lightly by the pollsters. I would not want to be the team facing Boyd a week after it lost a game that should have ended with a different result.
Paradise coach Danny Neighbors has enjoyed a very even rivalry against J.G. Cartright's Yellowjackets. Neighbors is 4-5 against Boyd since he took over at Paradise. However, his Panthers have not scored more than one touchdown in all four of the losses.
However, the Panthers have won two of the last three meetings. They can secure at least a share of the district championship with another win over Boyd this week.
The Yellowjackets have played well at times this year, and far from it the other night, I'm not sure Boyd can handle this team even on one of those good nights.
Paradise by 10
Chico vs. Millsap
Keeping a full roster has been a problem in years past for the Dragons. The problem this year is they have not been able to tackle.
Those struggles continued last week against an Alvord team that was missing its star running back. Alvord still exploited the defensive weakness and ran the ball nearly at-will.
Chico coach Pete Hart has owned Millsap. His teams are 3-1 against the Bulldogs.
Millsap is not as good as Alvord, but the group can move the ball. If the Dragons want a district win this year, it will have to be this week.
I just have the feeling some on the team are ready to end the season. I hope I'm wrong, and I hope I'm wrong about the outcome.
Millsap by 14
Bridgeport vs. Hirschi
The Bulls are awesome, the Huskies are not.
Bridgeport by 54
Alvord vs. Jacksboro
Jacksboro made it clear last week that it has plans of playing after next week. The Tigers beat Boyd by a touchdown, but it could have easily been a blowout as they failed to score inside the 10-yard line on three other occasions.
This is a matchup between two good defenses. So, which offense will steal the show?
I think Jacksboro now has the edge since the Bulldogs lost Shane Watkins. He is not all they have, but it sure helps to keep the defense honest. This week QB Preston Hartfield will be the subject of every practice.
Alvord must win this game to keep its playoff hopes alive. A loss this week will make it very difficult to make it into the playoffs, even after a 5-0 start to the season.
This rivalry is even since Alvord Coach Mike Chaney came to town. The Bulldogs are 2-2 against the Tigers in the last four meetings.
Jacksboro by 7
Northwest vs. Trinity
The good news for the Texans is that Trinity slipped from No. 1 to No. 2 in the national rankings. The bad news is that they still have to play the Trojans.
On paper, Trinity has not been as dominant this season as it was last year in cruising to the Class 5A state championship. The group has won three games this season by fewer than than 15 points.
The big problem here is that Trinity plays better defense than some colleges. The group allows just 227 total yards a game.
The Northwest band might want to play some of its pump-up-the-crowd-and-football-team music after each first down, because even those will be hard to come by. Grapevine managed just two against Trinity last week in a 45-0 ball game.
