Week ten preview: Playoff picture gaining focus

THE WOODLANDS, Texas- Week ten of the high school football season kicks off Friday, and runs through Saturday as everyone continues to jockey for a playoff spot.

The Woodlands Highlanders (7-1, 4-0) at The Summer Creek Bulldogs (3-5, 2-2)

Next Up: The Highlanders take to the road for a Halloween affair against the Summer Creek Bulldogs on Friday, October 31, at 7:30 pm from Turner Stadium.

Last Week: The Woodlands gashed the Oak Ridge War Eagles 33-6, while the Bulldogs dropped a contest to the College Park Cavaliers 42-28.

What to Watch For: Running back play. Patrick Carr is one of the best backs in the Houston area, holding many division one offers (he is down to TCU and Arkansas for his college choice). De’Unte Chatman was the second leading rusher heading into last week, and is the driving force behind a lot of Bullodog touchdowns.

Analysis: Last week College Park shut Chatman out in the first half, holding him to seven carries for a total of one yard. While College Park was ready for Chatman, you better believe the top ranked defense in the district will be. The defense for the Highlanders are holding opponents to an insane average of 7.75 points per game, including holding powerhouse Katy to 7. Katy has averaged almost 49 points a game in every other contest this year. On the other side of the ball, Carr has been hot, last week running for 143 yards and three touchdowns in a game which he wasn’t used for all four quarters. Carr stands 82 yards shy of 1,000 for the season, and should eclipse that number in this game. The Highlanders appear to be the most complete team in the district, so unless Chatman can have a big game and control the clock, the Highlanders should be sitting pretty in this contest.

The College Park Cavaliers (2-6, 1-3) at Kingwood Mustangs (2-6, 1-3)

Next Up: The Cavaliers travel to Turner Stadium to take on the Mustangs at 1pm on Saturday, November 1.

Last Week: The Cavaliers picked up their first district win, upending the Summer Creek Bulldogs 42-28. The Mustangs fell to Atascocita 28-21.

What to Watch For: Line play. College Park has been playing good football, and a lot of it is due to the offensive and defensive lines picking up their play. Kingwood has big lineman, and are a power run team because of it. The team that wins the trenches will be in prime position in this game.

Analysis:This game is big for both teams. With the season winding down, there is a good chance three district wins gets you a playoff spot, especially for College Park, who appears to be on path to hold tiebreakers should they be needed. For College Park, it’s about ball distribution in this game. Last week five different players found the end zone, and that kept Summer Creek guessing where the ball was going all evening. For Kingwood, lots of players touch the ball but the players to watch are running backs Griffin Lay (533 yards, eight scores) and Damon Young (452 yards, two scores). An early turnover or a big play could dispel the tension both teams will be feeling, and the winner of the contest will be licking their chops at the likelihood of clinching a playoff spot the following week.

The Legacy Prep Christian Academy Lions (1-7, 1-4) at Rosehill Christian Eagles (2-6, 0-5)

Next Up: The Lions travel to Rosehill Christian to take on the Eagles on Friday, October 31 at 7pm.

Last Week: The Lions exploded for their first win in school history, beating Lutheran North 72-21. The Eagles were taken down by The Woodlands Christian Academy 55-19.

What To Watch For: Points for Legacy Prep. The Eagles have given up 40+ points in five of their last six game, and the Lions appear to have figured things out on the offense.

Analysis: Mr. Benjamin Bargainer is streaking. To the end zone. Over and over again. Last week he scored five times on the ground to go along with 267 yards rushing on just 19 attempts (13.7 yards per carry). The Lions scored nine times on the night, and seem to be ready to repeat the process this weekend. For Rosehill Christian, Landen Barns and Jon Hendrix, need to keep the game close. Combined they have 1,537 yards of total offense and 13 touchdowns, however, a lot of games haven’t been close, so those numbers may be skewed. This is probably the first game the Lions have ever been favored in, so handling the pressure may be a big factor on the outcome of the game.

The Woodlands Christian Academy Warriors (8-0, 5-0) at Lutheran North Lions (0-7, 0-5)

Next Up: The Warriors will travel to Lutheran North to take on the Lions on Friday, October 31st at 7pm..

Last Week: TWCA keeps winning, this time taking down Rosehill Christian 55-19. Lutheran North was defeated by Legacy Prep, 72-21.

What to Watch For: TWCA refinement. This game won’t be close, so TWCA will have an opportunity to practice plays and use players not often used to get some rhythm as postseason play begins in a few weeks.

Analysis: I don’t see any scenario where Lutheran North stays in the game, barring TWCA just going through the motions and not playing their brand of football. Every statistical category has TWCA favored, and this game has mismatch written all over it. Expect several touchdowns and yards to be added to Luke Hudson and Jack Bento’s stats, along with a lot of their teammates. The game will be played with intensity in the first half, and the second may feature some new players and new plays to see what works and doesn’t work with future games in mind.

The John Cooper Dragons (2-7) at Village High School Vikings (2-4)

Next Up: The Dragons will travel to Village High School to battle the Vikings on Friday, October 31 at 7pm.

Last Week: The Dragons were bested by Saint Mary’s Hall 49-7, while the Vikings picked up a win against KIPP Houston 32-28.

What To Watch For: Opportunistic defenses. Both teams take gambles on offense from time-to-time, so the defense that takes advantage of the the chances given to them should help their team in this game.

Analysis: This is a winnable game for both teams. John Cooper should have the best player on the field in quarterback Michael Gerber and his 1283 yards passing, along with running backs Andrew Coleman (225 yards rushing) and Alex Farley (197 yards rushing), however the key to the game will simply be playing from ahead. Cooper has been behind early in contests this season, making them take those chances I mentioned earlier, to try and catch up. Both the Vikings and Dragons will be looking to control the clock, grab an early lead, and coast to the finish line. Neither team has been too successful at coming from behind, so the team that jumps in front is the one in the best position to win this game.