District 14-5A season kicks off Friday

Ready or not, here we come. That’s what District 14-5A is saying to its seven high school football team members.

District play begins Friday with the initial games that count towards determining a league champion and the four playoff representatives.

Which teams those will be is up for debate, so let’s dive right into it.

It looks to me like a three-team race for the district title as we get set to kick it off. So many previous years in this district, the championship has come down to one game – The Woodlands vs. Lufkin.

But there’s a new sheriff in town. And it rode in from the city of College Station.

The A&M Consolidated Tigers are one of two new teams in District 14-5A, their neighbors, Bryan High School, being the other. The Tigers have started the season 3-1, including last week’s 30-28 victory over Class 5A No. 8 state-ranked Lake Travis, which won the 4A state title last season before moving up in classification with this year’s realignment.

The Tigers also claimed victories this season over Austin Westlake (35-17) and Copperas Cove (31-20). Their only loss to date was a 34-27 setback at the hands of Waco Midway.

We’ll know pretty quickly the fate of the Tigers. They host Lufkin on Friday before visiting The Woodlands at Woodforest Bank Stadium the following Thursday.

The Woodlands must travel to Lufkin for a Friday, Oct. 12, clash. Those three games will probably decide the district championship.

Theoretically, with victories in their first two games, the Tigers could wrap up a title before the second week of the season is completed. It could happen, and it would still be less surprising than a replacement referee making a proper call.

The Woodlands and Lufkin enter district play with identical 2-2 records. The Panthers were trounced 45-14 last week by Longview. Their other setback was a 35-21 season-opening loss to Class 4A No. 4 Tyler. Lufkin has wins over Tyler Lee (41-31) and Nacogdoches (45-7).

If it’s true that defense wins championships, then look for the Highlanders to rise to the top. Their defense is giving up about 100 yards less per game than either of the defenses from A&M Consol or Lufkin.

Highlanders’ quarterback Blaine Gillespie needs 37 yards passing to hit the 1,000-yard mark for the season. He should get that accomplished Friday when The Woodlands visits Buddy Moorhead Stadium to take on the Conroe Tigers at 7:30 p.m.

My prediction:
1. A&M Consolidated
2. The Woodlands
3. Lufkin

I don’t know whether I picked A&M Consol for objectivity sake. Truth be told I believe the two teams are so equal I flipped a coin to decide. Full disclosure – it was a Ron Paul 2012 button. I couldn’t find a coin.

And give me College Park for the fourth and final playoff spot. The Cavaliers are 3-1 so far this season and statistically have the district’s best defense, yielding just 224 yards per game. They open district play a week from Friday at Woodforest Bank Stadium against Oak Ridge.

The War Eagles (0-4), along with Conroe (1-3) and Bryan (1-3) are all poised to grab that fourth playoff berth if College Park should stumble.

14-5A SCHEDULE

Friday, Sept. 28
The Woodlands at Conroe
Bryan at Oak Ridge
Lufkin at A&M Consolidated

Thursday, Oct. 4
A&M Consol at The Woodlands

Friday, Oct. 5
Oak Ridge at College Park
Conroe at Bryan

Friday, Oct. 1
The Woodlands at Lufkin
College Park at Conroe
Bryan vs. A&M Consol

Thursday, Oct. 18
A&M Consol at College Park

Friday, Oct. 19
Conroe at Oak Ridge
Lufkin at Bryan

Friday, Oct. 26
Oak Ridge at A&M Consol
Bryan at The Woodlands
College Park at Lufkin

Friday, Nov. 2
The Woodlands at College Park
A&M Consol at Conroe

Saturday, Nov. 3
Lufkin at Oak Ridge

Friday, Nov. 9
Oak Ridge at The Woodlands
College Park at Bryan
Conroe at Lufkin