Dave Campbell's look at 14-5A football

“Dave Campbell’s 2013 Texas Football” Magazine claims, right there on the cover, to be “The Southwest’s Leading Football Source Since 1960.”

I can’t argue with that and it’s always fun and interesting to read someone’s opinion on an always much-anticipated upcoming high school football season.

And fumbling past the two-page pull-out poster of “Johnny Football” I find the magazine predicts The Woodlands High School football team to win its 14th district championship, which would also be its fifth in six years.

The Woodlands is ranked No. 21 in the state, according to the publication. They are the only District 14-5A team in the top 25.

Highlanders running back Patrick Carr’s 2,019 yards are second-most of any returning back in the state, yet oddly enough he was left off the Preseason All-State Team. However, the junior-to-be was listed as the 14-5A Preseason Offense MVP and a Texas Top 300 player.

College Park High School two-time all-district safety Eric Harrell was named 14-5A Preseason Defense MVP.

The magazine predicts the Cavaliers to finish fourth and return to the playoffs after a narrow miss last year. It also predicts Lufkin and A&M Consolidated to join the Cavaliers in the playoffs as the second- and third-place teams respectively in the district.

Missing out on the playoffs, the magazine foresees Conroe to finish fifth with Oak Ridge sixth and Bryan seventh.

Lufkin will be tough to beat again this year but the Highlanders have them at home on a Saturday afternoon following a visit to A&M Consolidated. Like last year, those back-to-back games will probably make or break the Highlanders’ season.

College Park will have to play outstanding defense throughout the season to make it back to the playoffs. That’s because both Conroe and Oak Ridge are poised to make a serious run.

Conroe returns quarterback Stedman Bell, another Texas Top 300 selection, who rushed and passed for more than 2,500 yards and 15 touchdowns in last year’s 3-8 playoff season. The Tigers return 15 starters among 42 lettermen, which is double the number of lettermen returning to College Park and nearly double that of Oak Ridge (22), The Woodlands (24), A&M Consolidated (24) and Bryan (24).

On paper, the Tigers look like the team with the best chance to break into the top three in the district. But if they don’t, Oak Ridge could be the surprise team. The War Eagles return quarterback Braden Letney, who with a year of experience under his belt, could be the spark Oak Ridge is looking for. Like Conroe the War Eagles, 1-9 last year, return 15 starters. No other team in the district returns more.

The magazine is a good read and if you have $10.95 to spend on the 400-page effort you’ll get pro, college and high school football information along with the poster of the Heisman Trophy winner to do with what you will.