The Baseline

It's been a week, huh?

2012-02-14T15:46:00.000-06:00

I just realized that it's been a week since I've posted a blog, which is a failure on my part.

Normally in this spot, I'd post the weekly Inside the Polls blog post, but for the life of me can't get the TABC Web site to load so I can get the actual rankings.

It's about to get crazy in the sports world, with softball ball beginning this week and baseball next, not to mention the little thing called the basketball playoffs gearing up as we speak.

In talking with the Grapeland Messenger's Chris Boothe the other day, we decided it's probably the busiest time of the year to be a small-town sports editor. But man if it also isn't the funnest.

With multiple teams capable of making runs to at least the regional if not state basketball tournaments, it'll probably be a little while before I'm able to dive deep into baseball. Plus, soccer's district schedule is in full swing.

If you're a sports fan, now is your time. Hang on for a great ride.

A whole new meaning

2012-02-07T16:29:00.002-06:00

At this time last week, tonight's Palestine/Westwood basketball games were nothing more than season finales for the girls and late-season games for the boys.

Sure, I thought, there might be some playoff implications (there's one, the Westwood boys can't lose this one, and they shouldn't) but nothing more than that.

Boy was I wrong.

Because of the way the realignment fell on Thursday, this could be the last time these teams see each other on the court for at least two years. It's definitely the last time they'll see each other in district play.

This is only the first time this will happen this year. When the softball and baseball teams face off for the final time in the spring, the same will ring true: This could be it for at least a while.

I've yet to really give my thoughts on the realignment, and for six of the nine schools I cover, there really aren't many. Those schools won't really see many changes.

But then there are the other three:

For Palestine, the main move is into a five-team district, which is kind of weird because you get six non-district games instead of five. Other than that, though, it'll just take some getting used to for Wildcat fans not to see rival Westwood on the schedule. On the plus side, the Jacksonville rivalry is back, and I feel like Palestine/Fairfield could also be heating up.

For Neches, the move obviously isn't a football one. But, the Tigers move up to Class 1A, Division I is a significant one, because it puts them not only in the same classification, but the same region as girls' basketball powerhouse Martins Mill. Now, with five seniors graduating, many may not have expected too much from the Lady Tigers in 2012-2013 anyway, but at the D-II level they could've easily competed deep into the postseason. In D-I, that gets much tougher, and a battle with Martins Mill looms in the regional quarterfinals.

Finally, there's Westwood. The Panthers got what they wanted, which was a move down to Class 2A. They've been a 3A school with 2A numbers for the past two years anyway, really, so it's nice to see them make the move down. That being said, it isn't going to get much easier, if any at all. They've been put into a tough football district with Crockett, Teague, Franklin, Elkhart and Trinity. While Trinity may not be much of a factor, those first three teams will be, and the Elks definitely could be. On the basketball side, they've now got to contend with basketball-only schools like Central Heights and Woden, not to mention Crockett, a perennial power.

How it all plays out is anyone's guess, and we won't really know for at least six months or so. But, tonight will be special in a somewhat sad kind of way, as we start saying goodbye to Palestine/Westwood district clashes, one at a time.

Inside the Polls (2/7/12)

2012-02-07T13:53:00.001-06:00

The latest edition of the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches (TABC) polls have hit the Internet, and they look pretty much the same as last weeks.

On the girls' side, Slocum remains No. 18 in Class 1A, Division I, while Neches remained at No. 2 in 1A, Division II.

On the boys side, the only movement locally was backwards, as Slocum fell from No. 22 to out of the top-25 after beating Latexo on Tuesday but falling to No. 8 Grapeland on Saturday.

Above the eighth-ranked Sandies sits No. 3 Cayuga, with Class 1A, Division I's other top teams from Region III, Clarksville and Tenaha, remaining at No. 1 and No. 4, respectively.

For the full girls' poll, click here. For the boys', here.

2012-2014 UIL Realignment cutoff numbers

2012-02-02T10:01:00.000-06:00

Here are the cutoff numbers the UIL used to determine the classifications for this latest realignment

5A: 2090+ (245 schools)
4A: 2089-1005 (250)
3A: 1004-450 (190)
2A: 449-200 (235)
1A/6M: >199.

And here are the division breaks for 2A and 1A. Anything above the number is Division I, below is D-II
2A 297.5
1A 11-Man 150.5
1A 6-Man 53.5

Finally, here are what our area schools turned in on snap-shot day:
Palestine: 802
Westwood: 448.5
Elkhart: 339
Frankston: 206
Cayuga: 199
Grapeland: 154
Oakwood: 59
Neches/Slocum: N/A

UIL Realignment

2012-02-02T09:36:00.001-06:00

The numbers are in and district's are out. There will be plenty of time to figure out what it means later today, but for now here are the area's new districts:

Class 3A (all sports)
District 19 (Region III)
FAIRFIELD HS
GROESBECK HS
MEXIA HS
PALESTINE HS
RUSK HS

Class 2A, Division I (football)
District 11
CROCKETT HS
ELKHART HS
FRANKLIN HS
PALESTINE WESTWOOD HS
TEAGUE HS
TRINITY HS

Class 2A, Division I (all other sports)
District 19
CROCKETT HS
ELKHART HS
GARRISON HS
GROVETON HS
NACOGDOCHES CENTRAL HEIGHTS HS
PALESTINE WESTWOOD HS
WODEN HS

Class 2A, DII (football)
District 10
ARP HS
FRANKSTON HS
GARRISON HS
GLADEWATER UNION GROVE HS
HAWKINS HS
NEW LONDON WEST RUSK HS
WINONA HS

Class 2A, DII (all other sports)

District 18
ARP HS
BIG SANDY HARMONY HS
FRANKSTON HS
GLADEWATER SABINE HS
HAWKINS HS
NEW LONDON WEST RUSK HS
TROUP HS
WINONA HS

Class 1A, DI (football)

District 6 (Region II)
CAYUGA HS
DALLAS GATEWAY CHARTER ACADEMY
ITALY HS
ITASCA HS
KERENS HS
MALAKOFFCROSS ROADS HS

District 10 (Region III)
ALTO HS
CUSHING HS
GRAPELAND HS
PINELANDWEST SABINE HS
SAN AUGUSTINE HS
SHELBYVILLE HS

Class 1A, DI (all other sports)

DISTRICT 18 (Region III)
CAYUGA HS
DAWSON HS
HUBBARD HS
KERENS HS
MALAKOFFCROSS ROADS HS
WORTHAM HS

District 20 (Region III)
GRAPELAND HS
JEWETT LEON HS
LATEXO HS
LOVELADY HS
NORMANGEE HS
SLOCUM HS

District 21 (Region III)
ALTO HS
CUSHING HS
MOUNT ENTERPRISE HS
NECHES HS
NEW SUMMERFIELD HS
WELLS HS

Class 1A, DII (all other sports)
District 25 (Region IV)
APPLE SPRINGS HS
CHIRENO HS
DOUGLASS HS
GROVETONCENTERVILLE HS
KENNARD HS
LANEVILLE HS
OAKWOOD HS

Class 1A, Six-man DI

District 16 (Region IV)
APPLE SPRINGS HS
CHESTER HS
HIGH ISLAND HS
OAKWOOD HS

A crazed 48 hours

2012-02-01T15:21:00.000-06:00

As I write this, I've just wrapped up my story on Frankston's Michael Warren and Treston Coleman signing their National Letters of Intent.

In just a little bit, I'll head out to Palestine for a similar ceremony for Palestine's Bobby Walker. Then, I'm off to Neches to talk to the stellar seniors of the Lady Tigers.

Then, tomorrow, I'll be in early for Realignment Day, when the University Interscholastic League releases all the new districts and regions.

Realignment Day especially excites me, because I've never covered one before, not the mention that locally, there are storylines galore.

Storyline No. 1: Where will Westwood end up?
Palestine turned in a solid 3A number and will stay in the classification its occupied for the better part of a decade. Westwood, on the other hand, turned in a number of 448.5, less than 20 kids away from the 3A/2A cutoff number from two years ago. Where the Panthers fall on the new cutoff number will be big. A move to 2A would be best for Westwood, in my opinion. It's not real fair to ask a school with less than 450 kids to compete against schools with 900. Which brings me to my next point...

Storyline No. 2: What district will Palestine/Westwood wind up in?
Let's say, for argument's sake, that Westwood stays 3A. Multiple projections have the two schools moving north to join up with Athens, Chapel Hill, Bullard and Brownsboro in a new district. Travel-wise, that's a win for everyone. But, in that scenario, three schools (Chapel Hill, Brownsboro and Athens) are bigger than even Palestine, who at 805 students is one of the bigger 3As around. As for Westwood, they'd still be the small fish in the pond, with only Bullard (around 550) coming close.

Storyline No. 3: Will Frankston stay or fall?
The Indians turned a 206 kids on "snapshot day," a number that by 2010 math would put them seven kids above the 1A level. If the UIL's pattern of gradual increases keeps up, the Indians may find themselves in a district with Anderson County's own Cayuga, and possibly Grapeland. Cayuga turned in 199, exactly on last realignment's number for 1A.

There are plenty more storylines to follow, mainly concerning where each teams will end up and what that will do to traditional rivalries. Beginning at 9 a.m. tomorrow, it'll all start to fall together.

Stay tuned.

Inside the Polls (1/31/12)

2012-01-31T15:07:00.001-06:00

It's Tuesday, which means a new batch of state polls have been released into the Internet.

In the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches (TABC) latest girls poll, not much change locally. Slocum remains at No. 18 in Class 1A, Division I after a 1-1 week, while Neches remains at No. 2 in 1A, D-II.

As far as district rivals go, 20-3A members Madisonville (18) and Fairfield (25) are ranked, but no Class 2A teams are.

In 1A, Lovelady stayed at No. 7.

On the boys side, all three ranked teams from last week stayed at their respective rankings: Cayuga at No. 3, Grapeland at No. 8 and Slocum at No. 22.

In 20-3A, Mexia is the lone representative at No. 15, while LaPoynor comes in at No. 12 and Lovelady No. 14 in 1A, D-I.

The full polls can be found here (Boys) and here (Girls).

The Dempsey/Donovan debate

2012-01-26T14:49:00.000-06:00

On Friday, for the first time since 2006, Clint Dempsey and Landon Donovan will take the pitch in a game that they're not teammates.

Seems like as good a time as any to delve into what is becoming a hot-topic debate these days: Who's the better U.S.-produced field player?

Now, goalies like Brad Friedel and Tim Howard have been scorching the game in foreign leagues and international play for some time, so for the sake of discussion we'll take them off the table. The discussion now is about field players.

So, who is the better U.S. product, Landon Donovan or Clint Dempsey?

The case could be made for either, but the thing that in my mind sets Dempsey, an East Texas native, apart is his production on the world's biggest stage.

While Donovan has put up bigger numbers in his career as a club player (148 goals for his clubs in his 351 appearances), he's also been at it a while longer. Donovan turned pro in 1999, and began his Major League Soccer (MLS) career in 2001.

Dempsey, on the other hand, didn't turn pro until 2004 with the New England Revolution of the MLS. He's scored 78 goals for his clubs in his 293 appearances.

By those numbers, Donovan is a more productive goal scorer by about a quarter of a goal per game.

But, to dig deeper into those numbers is to realize that the last 51 club goals Dempsey has scored have come at Fulham, an English Premiere League team for all of Dempsey's five-plus seasons there.

There's really no comparing the talent level of players at the MLS level with players at the Premiere League level. To many, myself included, it's the best league in the whole world.

That's where Dempsey has made his impact, at the highest level in the world. Not only that, but his impact has been an historic one.

In his time at Fulham, Dempsey holds the distinction of being the only American to score a hat trick in England (vs. Charlton City, 2011 FA Cup 3rd Rd.) and the only American to score an EPL hat trick (vs. Newcastle, 1/23/11).

He's scored the most goals in the EPL for an American in a career (42) and last year became the first American to hit double-digit goals in an EPL season with 12. His 42 career goals for Fulham also make him the career leader in goals for the club, period.

Donovan has done most of his playing time in the MLS, which to me is why he's the recognized more often than not as the "face" of American soccer.

It's not necessarily because he's the best, but it's because he's stayed home in the country's league for most of his career. Donovan did have a successful stint on loan to Everton two seasons ago, and he's back there now for another two month stretch.

But, until he continually puts up numbers that are equal to Dempsey's in a better league, the East Texan will be superior, at least to me.

As a side note, if you haven't read Deadspin's piece on Dempsey, do so now: "Clint Dempsey is better at soccer than you, and every other American ever"

This weeks 'View From the Cheap Seats'

2012-01-25T18:38:00.000-06:00

This week on the 'View From the Cheap Seats' podcast, I talked with Westwood junior forward Dra Ross, who has had a huge impact on Westwood's success in 2011-2012.

The Panthers don't have anyone on their roster over 5'11", and that's Ross. But, he plays way bigger than his listed height.

Because of his ability to both rebound and defend the paint, despite his short stature, Westwood's guards have had a presence inside with which to feed the basketball. As he grew into his game last year, he didn't always provide that type of inside threat.

Anyway, here's the link to the podcast. Also, to check out all the past podcasts, go here.

The unfit pro athlete?

2012-01-24T14:59:00.000-06:00

The Dallas Mavericks are in the midst of a three-game winning streak, and have won eight of their last 10 games.

In the past two wins, the Mavs have been without the services of MVP and team leader Dirk Nowitzki, who's expected to miss at least two more games before he returns to action.

Why is the Mavs leader sitting on the bench in a suit? Because he's a little out of shape, and has a sore right knee.

Except, as that story above states, it's not really about the knee. It's about the Mavs best player and team leader not really being in shape for the season.

I'm sure the lockout was tough on everyone, and training camp was nothing if not a blip of its normal length. But still, a professional athlete who is sitting down because he's out of shape? That seems a little absurd.

That's not to say that Dirk doesn't need the rest, that's not the point. I'm sure he could use the rest.

The point is that he's paid to play basketball, and to keep himself in physical condition to do so. Obviously, he hasn't done that.

When you're paid to do anything, it's expected that you'll do it to the best of your ability. I'm paid to cover and write about sports, and every day I do that the best that I can.

Dirk gets paid to play basketball, and the fact that he didn't keep himself in good enough shape during the offseason to be able to withstand what is about 80 percent of a regular season lumped into about 72 percent of the time frame is inexcusable.

He's probably my second-favorite active DFW sports figure, behind Michael Young. But, that shouldn't exclude him from criticism. He owes it to the organization to be at his best when called upon, and right now he's not.

Without him, the Mavs are winning, for now. Let's hope it stays that way, and that he's ready to close the year strong when he gets back, whenever that might be.

It's Crosstown Rivalry night

2012-01-20T17:15:00.000-06:00

It's that time again, time for bragging rights in the Palestine city limits to be decided, at least for the next three weeks or so.

The Palestine and Westwood boys and girls basketball teams face off tonight, with varsity girls action set to begin at 6:30 p.m. As we get ready for this matchup, I thought I'd go back and see how these two schools fared against one another last season in the yearly standings.

So, let's make it simple. Team's get a point for a win in any major team sports (football, volleyball, basketball, baseball, softball) in the head-to-head matchup.

It's easier to just limit it to those sports because in events like golf, track and cross country, the teams are competing against more schools than just one another.

So, let's look back at 2010:

Volleyball
Sept. 21: Westwood defeats Palestine, 3-0. +1 for WHS
Oct. 12: Palestine tops Westwood, 3-0. +1 for PHS

Football
Nov. 5: Palestine defeats Westwood, 37-20. +1 for PHS

Basketball

If I ran the Rangers...

2012-01-19T20:04:00.000-06:00

As I came down from my Yu Darvish-elation yesterday, I got to thinking: Could the Texas Rangers still be players in the free agent market?

The cream of the crop remaining is slugger Prince Fielder, who will be a big (see what I did there) acquisition for whichever team pulls the trigger for his services. One of the interested teams is reportedly the Rangers, who met with him and his agent Scott Boras on Friday.

Most baseball people thought that Prince would wait to make his decision until after the Rangers either did or did not lock up Darvish during the negotiation period. Now that that's done, what happens?

Conventional wisdom would say that the Rangers are now out on Fielder, because let's be honest, they just gave Darvish what amounts to $111 million (with posting fee).

But if we've learned anything about the Jon Daniels/Nolan Ryan-led Rangers, they're anything but conventional.

With that in mind, let's let our minds wander and bring Prince to Texas, shall we?

The first thing that has to be done to get Fielder to Texas is to acknowledge the fact that it won't come without some painful moments, none more than having to realize that Fielder and current Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton can't co-exist on the same payroll.

Hamilton is a free agent after 2012, and he and the Rangers have put contract talks on hold while the Rangers focused on Darvish. For the Prince to Texas scenario to work, he can't be re-upped. The money's not there.

As a Ranger fan, no one appreciates what Hamilton has done for the franchise more than I do. He's been one of the leaders on these resurgent Rangers clubs. But, he's also shown an inability to not get hurt.

The elephant in that conversation is, of course, his past drug use. You never want to hold past mistakes over people, especially when they seem to have atoned for them, but this is something that can't be ignored.

How many years older than his real age (31) did the drug use make his body? It's a question that must be asked, especially for a guy that plays all out the way he does, and only played 121 games in 2011.

Fielder, on the other hand, is only 28, and while he isn't the picture of health (he's big, ya know?), he's younger and his position (1B) isn't as demanding as the outfield. Plus, later in the contract, he could move to the DH role.

I'm not saying the Rangers will do it, but I think they should consider it. Sign Prince now, then start fielding trade offers for Hamilton. If the right offer comes before the season, make it. If not, wait until the trade deadline. That's the luxury they have.

Without Hamilton, the Rangers still have a top-10 MLB outfield with Nelson Cruz in right, Leonys Martin in center and David Murphy in left. Is Murphy a downgrade from Hamilton? Of course, but he'd start in most big league outfields.

Imagine the Rangers trotting this lineup to the dish everyday:

1. Martin (CF)
2. Kinsler (2B)
3. Beltre (3B)
4. Fielder (1B/DH)*
5. Cruz (RF)
6. Napoli (C/1B/DH)*
7. Young (DH/1B)*
8. Murphy (LF)
9. Andrus (SS)
*position listed first would be primary, but player can play any listed.

I mean, wow. What opposing pitcher wouldn't that at least somewhat intimidate?

Like I said, something to consider.

Taking a more local approach

2012-01-19T17:48:00.000-06:00

In yesterday's post (here), I hinted at putting some state and national stuff here at The Baseline because we've had talks about taking a more local approach to the actual, hard-copy sports page in the Herald-Press.

The question is, what's that mean? Well, it means I'm going to try and write some more, for one. Whether it be additional features to game previews to simple briefs, the idea is to get more about the local sports scene on the paper itself.

So, with more local copy in print, what happens to stories about, say, the Cowboys or the Rangers? Well, that's where it'll get tricky. If space allows, those types of stories will still get into the paper. If it doesn't, then they won't.

I won't be putting the stories from the Associated Press here at the blog, per say. But, if something in the state or national sports landscape requires my opinion, I'll voice it.

That may irk some readers, while others my find it refreshing. All I know is that the goal of the Herald-Press is to be the paper of record for Anderson County and the rest of the Dogwood Circle. I feel my best bet to help with that is to produce some more local copy.

What do you think? Let me know below in the comments or send me an email.

Cayuga duo on 'View From the Cheap Seats'

2012-01-19T16:35:00.000-06:00

Yesterday I made a trip northwest to Cayuga to talk to Wildcat seniors Jake Nash and Jimmy Johnson, both of whom signed college letters of intent to go play junior college baseball. Nash is headed to Vernon College, while Johnson is heading to Hill College.

After the signing, the pair sat down with me for the latest episode of the 'View From the Cheap Seats' podcast. We covered it all from their excitement to play college baseball to their expectations for 2012 after a disapointing — by Cayuga standards — 2011.

Take a listen: Click Here

Let's try this again

2012-01-18T13:48:00.000-06:00

About this time last year, I made these bold proclamations about how the blog was back and it was my New Year's resolution to keep it going, etc. Obviously, that lasted about four months.

Well, here we go again. The blog is back, and it's my goal to keep it as active as possible moving forward.

Here's the thing: I struggled last year with what this blog should be. Should it be strictly local? Should I use it for both local tidbits as well as my thoughts on state and national sports stories? I could never quite get past that issue, so the impasse began.

But, I think I've solved it, and the answer is yes. Yes to both. I'll try and keep it as local as possible here, but with the emphasis on local growing even stronger on the sports page(s) in the paper (more on that later), there may not be quite as much content to go here, locally speaking.

So, we'll dive into area, state and national sports stories as well. I'll tell you my feelings on things like the Rangers, the Cowboys, etc., while also tackling some arguments made by others (a la what we did with some Yahoo! stories, etc., in the past).

Mostly though, I want this blog to reflect both myself and the readers I serve. So, if there's something in particular you want me to tackle, let me know in the comments. It's a two-way street after all.

Cayuga/Water Valley state semifinal live chat

2011-11-18T10:12:00.002-06:00

&lt;p&gt;&amp;lt;a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php/option=com_mobile/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=b116ac88ad" &amp;gt;Cayuga/Water Valley state semifinal&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;&lt;/p&gt;

Friday Night Previews: Week 9

2011-10-28T17:31:00.000-05:00

It's a big, if not huge, night locally for high school football. That being said, before we head into our previews, allow me a chance to vent about my beloved Texas Rangers.

Never in my life have I felt more emotionally drained following a sporting event. Silly? Probably, but real none the less. As I sat on my couch helpless and watched David Freese rounding the bases, I figured that I'd just lived through the worst sporting event experience in my life, and perhaps in the life I haven't even lived yet.

Now, this all sounds rather extreme, I know, but that's what fandom is about, right? It's about investing yourself emotionally in a group of people you've never met and probably never will meet. That's at least part, if not all, of the fun.

Now the team gets a chance on the biggest of stages, Game 7. They don't come any bigger. As a fan who can look at things as subjectively as I want, I want to say I think they can pull it out, think they can rebound. As a sportswriter whose job it is to be object, I'm not that sure.

I don't know if teams get many more opportunities than the Rangers got last night, but as a fan, I hope they have one more in them. If they can't pull it out...well I just don't know.

On to the football.

Madisonville (3-5, 2-1) at PALESTINE (5-3, 2-1)
This is as big of a game as you'll get at this point in the season that doesn't include two teams ranked in someone's top-10. Both Palestine and Madisonville can clinch a playoff spot with a win tonight. The loser, on the other hand, will be forced into an almost win-or-go-home situation in Game No. 10. The whole scenario benefits Palestine, because they've got Westwood next week while Madisonville takes on Fairfield. no disrespect intended toward the Panthers, but the Eagles they are not. That puts all the pressure, I would think, on the visiting Mustangs. A team under pressure tends to press at times like these.
My Pick: Palestine 48, Madisonville 31

WESTWOOD (2-6, 0-3) at Mexia (1-7, 1-2)
Mexia is the team with only one win all season, but the Blackcats are still the team with everything to lose in this matchup. By beating Madisonville last week, they now control their own playoff destiny. If they win out, they'd be in. Westwood, I'm sure, was expecting a winless team with nothing left to play for. On the other hand, the Panthers are all but out of the playoff race but still would like to end what is now a nine-game district losing streak. On the road in Mexia is a tough place to play.
My Pick: Westwood 54, Mexia 49

Malakoff (7-1, 3-0) at ELKHART (3-5, 0-3)
Needless to say, this was not how things were supposed to go for the Elks this season, especially not after the team opened the year 3-1. But, it's been a steady drop since then, due in large part to the Elks steady stream of drops (fumbles). In their three district games, Elkhart has turned the ball over 16 times. That's no way to win games. Another way to not win games is play teams that are merely better than you, which appears to be the case tonight.
My Pick: Malakoff 49, Elkhart 21

FRANKSTON (2-6, 1-2) at Union Grove (3-5, 1-2)
This game is a lot like the game between Madisonville and Palestine with one caveat, this one's more important, because the loser of this one is probably done. Both the Indians and Union Grove need to win out to make the playoffs, and that starts tonight near Gladewater. All eyes will be on the Frankston defense, which hasn't been able to stop many teams so far this season. As far as the offense, well that's not an issue at all.
My Pick: Frankston 56, Union Grove 31

Cushing (2-6, 1-2) at GRAPELAND (3-5, 2-1)
The Sandies can punch their return ticket to the postseason with a win tonight when the welcome in Cushing, and spirits are more likely than not high in Grapeland. Cushing comes in struggling, with its only district win over winless Timpson. If Grapeland can maintain the balance its shown since the return of the QB Cameron Boyd from injury, expect an 11th game for the Sandies in 2011.
My Pick: Grapeland 31, Cushing 14

Dallas Academy (7-1) at OAKWOOD (8-0)
The Panthers get a break from district play tonight from not from tough competition as they welcome in a one-loss Dallas Academy team. With district rival Leverett's Chapel looming next week, any chance of a letdown in Oakwood? Don't count on it, with the alumni coming back for homecoming and the Panthers penchant for playing well under coach Mike Heckathorn on homecoming night.
My Pick: Oakwood 68, Dallas Academy 22

Friday Night Previews: Week 8

2011-10-21T17:08:00.001-05:00

After a week away — car trouble — from the previews, here we are again. Week 8 is setting up to be arguably the biggest week of the season for a variety of reasons, namely that a lot of teams have everything on the line this week.

But, the marquee game isn't one with everything on the line. Fairfield comes into Palestine tonight in a battle of two teams who have yet to lose a district game. Fairfield comes in at 7-0 on the season, Palestine is 5-2, having won four-straight games.

Outside of the Dogwood Circle and the Fairfield area, this game isn't really getting much attention. It's understandable. In East Texas Class 3A alone, Van will take on Lindale and Carthage and Henderson will face off. Those are, arguably, four of the state's top-15 3A football teams, including a battle between last year's D-I and D-II state champions.

But, just because the attention won't be here doesn't mean this game isn't huge.

Fairfield (7-0, 2-0) at PALESTINE (5-2, 2-0)
This is a chance for both teams to prove whether they're really "for real" or not. Fairfield is 7-0, but it's a perfect record that comes with a bit of an asterisk. The Eagles seven opponents have a combined record of 12-37. They've only beaten one team (Class 2A Teague) which has a winning record, and have beaten two winless teams. On the other hand there's Palestine, who's schedule was a bit tougher. The Wildcats have played three teams (Pittsburg, Van and Athens) better than anyone on Fairfield's schedule. The Wildcats are 1-2 in those games, but the Pittsburg game was close. Both teams want to run the football, so don't be surprised if this one gets over with early.
My Pick: Palestine 37, Fairfield 30

Groesbeck (1-6, 0-2) at WESTWOOD (2-5, 0-2)
Aside from the above matchup, there may be no game on the schedule with more on the line than this one at Panther Stadium. The winner of this game keeps their player hopes alive, the loser is basically knocked out of postseason contention. Groesbeck can run the football, but makes critical errors and has a shaky defense. The same things can be said about the Panthers.
My Pick: Westwood 55, Groesbeck 42

Crockett (6-1, 2-0) at ELKHART (3-4, 0-2)
The fall has been hard and fast for Elkhart, who after a 3-1 start has lost its last three games. It doesn't get any easier this week, a week when the Elks would need to win to stay alive for the playoffs. Unfortunately, Crockett is coming to town, and may take the Elks once-high playoff hopes with it when the Bulldogs leave.
My Pick: Crockett 49, Elkhart 14

Joaquin (3-4, 1-1) at FRANKSTON (2-5, 1-1)
The Indians got a much-needed victory over West Rusk last week and welcome in high-powered Joaquin to Jeff and Opal Austin Stadium tonight. Between them, these two teams average more than 700 yards rushing per game, so expect plenty of defense. If Frankston's defense can repeat last week's performance even half-way, the Indians could secure their place as the second-best team in District 9-2A, Div. II.
My Pick: Frankston 48, Joaquin 42

CAYUGA (2-5, 0-2) at Cross Roads (2-5, 0-2)
After seven weeks, Cayuga is finally going to get a matchup that it prefers. For the first seven weeks of the season the Wildcats have been pitted against heavy, smash-mouthed football teams. Cross Roads will play more of a spread offense, which should benefit a small but fast Cayuga defense. Like plenty of other teams on this list, Cayuga really needs a win to stay alive in the playoff hunt.
My Pick: Cayuga 28, Cross Roads 17

Garrison (6-1, 2-0) at GRAPELAND (3-4, 2-0)
Think the quarterback position is overrated? Ask Grapeland fans what they think. Since the return of senior signal-caller Cameron Boyd from injury, the Sandies are 2-0 and have taken up a spot right alongside state-ranked Garrison atop the district standings. This week, the Sandies get a shot at the reigning champs, who travel to Grapeland in a battle of district leaders.
My Pick: Garrison 43, Grapeland 21

OAKWOOD (7-0, 2-0) at Coolidge (3-4, 1-0)
Before 2011 started, Oakwood's goal was the "Protect the Crown." So far, mission accomplished. The Panthers are a perfect 7-0 and look to make it eight when they travel to Coolidge tonight, the Panthers last trip of the season. The best thing about this season has been Oakwood's seamless transition offensively despite losing star running back Junior Edwards.
My Pick: Oakwood 74, Coolidge 27

There they are, my picks for tonight's games. What do you think, who gets the wins tonight?

Friday Night Previews: Week 6

2011-10-07T15:58:00.000-05:00

After the majority of the local squads got the weekend off last weekend, everyone returns to the field tonight. Everyone also begins their quest for a district title.

All seven local squads begin district play tonight, headlined by the resurgent Palestine Wildcats taking on visiting Groesbeck.

But, there are plenty of intriguing matchups already in the first week of district, plenty of which could alter the playoff landscape.

That's right, games played tonight could easily be looked upon in four weeks as deciding factors in the playoff races.

Excited yet?

Groesbeck (1-4) at PALESTINE (3-2)
Fresh off their two victories to close out non-district play — including a thrilling win over Athens — the Wildcats' confidence may be at a season-high. No disrespect intended, but Groesbeck will probably only help that. The Goats are struggling through a rebuilding year and have move away from their pass-happy offense from a year ago in favor of the triple-option. In reality, Palestine should be able to get some back-ups some significant time tonight.
My Pick: Palestine 54, Groesbeck 10

WESTWOOD (2-3) at Madisonville (1-4)
This game might be the Game of the Week and could easily decide who snags District 20-3A's final playoff spot. The Panthers are coming off a win over Rusk and Madisonville has played the toughest schedule of any of 20-3A's teams. Westwood seems to have things moving in the right direction, and a win tonight would only steer them straighter.
My Pick: Westwood 41, Madisonville 30

Trinity (2-3) at ELKHART (3-2)
The Elks are looking to forget the drubbing the team took at the hands of Mildred before the bye, and what better way to do that than to welcome in District 11-2A's worst team. Elkhart won this game on the road last year and the Elks are a better team this year. Translation: Elkhart should open up district with an easy W.
My Pick: Elkhart 42, Trinity 13

FRANKSTON (1-4) at Arp (3-2)
Neither Frankston nor Arp probably have the overall records they envisioned they'd have heading into this matchup preseason. Never the less, these are still the best two teams in District 9-2A DII hands down, and this one could basically decide the district title. Both have played tough schedules to date, but Arps is probably tougher. And, the game is in Arp.
My Pick: Arp 37, Frankston 30

CAYUGA (2-3) at Riesel (3-2)
Much like the Westwood/Madisonville game could this year, the Cayuga/Riesel game last season decided District 8-A's third-place team during the district's first week of play. That could easily be the case again, although neither is out of is with Kerens suffering through rebuilding this season. Riesel plays its standard smash-mouth football, something that has given Cayuga trouble so far this season. But, Cayuga's offense seems to finally be rolling. This one could be interesting.
My Pick: Riesel 20, Cayuga 17

Shelbyville (3-2) at GRAPELAND (1-4)
The records heading into this one are slightly deceiving. On one hand, there's Shelbyville which boasts a 3-2 mark, all three coming in the last three weeks. That being said, they've come against teams that are a combined 3-11. On the other hand there's Grapeland, who is 1-4 but have played the better part of the past three games without QB Cameron Boyd, among others. Boyd is back, expect him to bring a win with him.
My Pick: Grapeland 29, Shelbyville 20

OAKWOOD (5-0) at Apple Springs (3-2-1)
That's right, a tie. Apple Springs has tied this season (20-20 against Karnack). Game result oddities aside, Oakwood begins its journey to "Defend the crown" on the road against an Apple Springs team that is used to winning titles. After the Panthers narrow escape against Trinidad (80-73) last week, expect Oakwood to come in a bit more focused for this one.
My Pick: Oakwood 64, Apple Springs 40

What do you think, who's gonna win tonight?

Friday Night Previews: Week 4

2011-09-23T16:27:00.001-05:00

It's the final week of non-district play for the six Dogwood Circle schools that play 11-man football, and no one wants to ponder a loss for a single week, let alone two.

That being said, plenty of local squads take on some tremendous opponents this week and, if nothing else, we'll get to see what these teams are truly made of.

On the season, I'm 13-12 picking high school, which shows how much I know I guess.

Without further adieu, let's go:

Athens (3-1) at PALESTINE (2-2)
The Wildcats are no doubt still riding high from last week's come-from-behind victory over Mabank, a win that could be the kind of thing needed to galvanize this young squad moving forward. Athens is riding some momentum of its own in the form of a three-game winning streak. In that streak, the Hornets have only given up 19 points (7 to Spring Hill and 12 to Diboll). It'll be a tough-test for Palestine, one I think they can pass without winning.
My Pick: Athens 43, Palestine 31

Rusk (0-4) at WESTWOOD (1-3)
Like I said in my preview story for this game in Thursday's paper, don't let the combined 1-7 record fool you. These two teams could easily be 5-3 or 6-2 had breaks gone another way in a couple of games. But, they didn't and so, they aren't. But, both teams are pretty good football teams that could challenge for third playoff spots in their district's and tonight will be a good test for each. Westwood was set to win this game last year on a last second field goal, but the kick was blocked.
My Pick: Westwood 47, Rusk 29

ELKHART (3-1) at Mildred (4-0)
No team should find out more about itself this week than Elkhart, who travel to state-ranked Mildred to take on the Eagles in the Elks first big test of 2011. In their only other road game this year, Elkhart fell to Centerville, but John Adair and Co. still feel like that's one that got away. The styles are conflicting: Mildred is pass happy while Elkhart wants to run, run, run. Like Palestine, I think Elkhart can pass this test even in a loss.
My Pick: Mildred 34, Elkhart 27

FRANKSTON (1-3) at Crockett (2-1)
Crockett got a big boost going into this matchup earlier today with the news that star Dominique Wheeler is expected to play. Frankston finally found the win column last week, and no doubt wants to build on that win over Alto. That being said, Crockett will be a tough test for a young Indian defense still trying to find itself.
My Pick: Crockett 53, Frankston 41

CAYUGA (1-3) at Colmesneil (1-3)
The Wildcats also found the win column for the first time in 2011 last week, but unlike Frankston, their Week 4 test shouldn't be near as tough. The hardest part of it all may in fact be the trip to Colmesneil, which is south of Zavalla and north of Woodville on Hwy. 69. The Wildcats are banged up and without two of their top defenders, but should still pull this one out.
My Pick: Cayuga 30, Colmesneil 20

GRAPELAND (1-3) at Buffalo (3-1)
Grapeland is a team battling injuries, including one to their quarterback. Buffalo is a team coming off of its first loss of the year. It's also homecoming. Expect the Bison to come in inspired and ready to run the ball heavily against a Grapeland defense that has struggled to stop the run all season long. The best news for Grapeland will be to get out of this one without further injuries.
My Pick: Buffalo 51, Grapeland 13

OAKWOOD (3-0) at Rockwall Heritage Christian (2-2)
The Panthers are a team on a roll, especially offensively. That being said, I'm sure they're licking their chops to take on a Rockwall Heritage Christian team that has given up more than 40 points per game already this season. Expect the Oakwood winning streak to hit four.
My Pick: Oakwood 76, Rockwall 30

My plan for the Big 12

2011-09-22T16:45:00.001-05:00

It appears that the Big 12 lives, despite varying reports over the past two weeks to the contrary.

From Manhattan and Lawrence, Kansas to Waco earlier this week, college administrators breathed sighs of relief, knowing no one would be left behind...yet.

But, with Texas A&M still poised to hit the door after 2011, the Big 12 is really the medium-sized 9. With Missouri half-way to the SEC already, we're looking at 8.

Don't worry, I've got a way to change that.

As constructed the former North division of the Big 12 has only three remaining members: Kansas, Kansas State and Iowa State. On the south side, there are (or will be) five: Oklahoma, Oklahoma St., Texas, Texas Tech and Baylor.

The ultimate goal should be to get back to 12 members, if for not other reason than so the name will be right. Plus, we'd get the conference championship game back.

So, move the Oklahoma schools to the North and add BYU (based in Utah). That gives the North six teams and should alleviate some of the disparity between the two divisions that there always seemed to be.

That leaves only three teams from the original south remaining. Add SMU, Houston and...wait for it...TCU to the mix and there are your six. Plus, the SMU/TCU game could easily be a great rivalry game each and every year, play it at JerryWorld.

"But Justin," you ask, "isn't TCU already committed to the Big East."

Committed in the sense that they've been planning to go there in 2012? Yes. How committed they remain to that move with the growing sense of Big East instability is unknown.

One thing I do know, however, is that Dan Beebe's incompetence as a commissioner was never on bigger display than when he didn't pick up the phone to call TCU the moment Nebraska and Colorado said they were leaving.

They're the perfect fit, and we can finally settle the question of "who's the best college football team in Texas."

So there it is, in a nut shell. I'm sure there are political minefields that would need to be navigated, especially as it regards TCU backing out of the Big East. I seriously doubt that SMU or Houston would waste much time accepting an invitation.

Also, Texas needs to do some revenue sharing. I'm not saying all of the revenue from the Longhorn Network should be split, but something has to be put on the table or this whole thing will just play out again in about eight months.

Odds are the league couldn't survive a third time.

The Dogwood Circle Power Rankings (Week 4)

2011-09-22T13:31:00.000-05:00

After a week's hiatus, we're back with the latest edition of the Dogwood Circle Power Rankings, where we ranked each football team in the area based not on how they'd match up against one another, but how they match up against their schedule.

For example, Oakwood may be the area's No. 1 team in this week's rankings, but obviously the Panthers wouldn't be Palestine or Westwood. That being said, against the schedule they've played and still have to play, the Panthers could be considered the area's best team.

Now that we've gotten the explanation out of the way, let's get into the rankings.

1. Oakwood (3-0, Last ranking: No. 1) — Since we've last debuted the rankings, all the Panthers did was top Milford — a top-10 preaseason team, according to sixmanfootball.com — 65-56. It was the first-ever win over Milford for the Panthers, who were off this past week and take on Rockwall Heritage Christian this week on the road.

2. Elkhart (3-1, Last ranking: No. 2) — The Elks dropped a game to Centerville after moving up to No. 2 in the last poll. But, Elkhart rebounded this past week as they throttled Grapeland, 45-26. Jeffrey Wilson and Tevin White continue to shine as a two-headed running attack for the Elks, and the defense has played well all season long. No. 16 Milford is the final non-district test for the Elks, and it could be the toughest.

3. Palestine (2-2, Last ranking: No. 3) — It's been a rough couple of weeks for Palestine since the last rankings. They lost their top-two quarterbacks and got throttled by a very good Van team in Week 3. This past week, the Wildcats squeaked out a win in the final seconds over Mabank, a win the team desperately needed.

4. Westwood (1-3, Last ranking: No. 4) — The Panthers could easily be both 3-1 (or at the worst 2-2) and could also easily be No. 3 in this week's rankings. After mistakes and miscues cost the team their Week 3 matchup against Bullard, they again fell hard in a 28-27 loss to Arp at home last Friday that saw Westwood come up one-yard short of an upset.

5. Frankston (1-3, Last ranking: No. 5) — Frankston finally got a win this past Friday against Alto, one that was long-coming. The Indians' offense has continually shined this season, and the defense has finally started to come around. If the defense can become half as good as the offense, the Indians will climb very quickly.

6. Cayuga (1-3, Last ranking: No. 7) — Cayuga also got its first win Friday, theirs coming against lowly Dawson, 49-6. CHS coach Greg Jenkins said the Wildcats' execution was much better in the game, but they still have a ways to go to become the third-playoff team in a very tough district.

7. Grapeland (1-3, Last ranking: No. 6) — The Sandies have yet to outgain an opponent this year, and it only got worse two weeks ago when QB Cameron Boyd went down with an injury. He could be out at least 5 more weeks, and that severely hampers the Sandies playoff chances. Patrick Walker has been a bright spot for Grapeland, but makes up almost all of the offense.

Friday Night Previews (Week 2)

2011-09-09T16:22:00.000-05:00

We're entering the third week of the season, dubiously titled Week 2, and things are beginning to shake themselves out across the local landscape.

There are plenty of teams in need of wins this Friday, all of them really with the possible exceptions of Elkhart and Oakwood, who are both already 2-0.

With that in mind, onward, forward and upward we go.

PALESTINE (1-1) at Van (2-0)
The Wildcats need this game tonight more than anyone probably wants to admit. By not completing last Friday's comeback against Pittsburg, Palestine all but made tonight a must win because the Wildcats really want to be 3-2 when non-district play ends. Looking ahead, Mabank is more likely than not a win, while Athens is the opposite. Van's 2-0 record and gaudy stats are nice, but have come against inferior opponents, including last week's 51-18 win over the same Brownsboro team Palestine beat 54-6.
My Pick: Palestine 27, Van 20

WESTWOOD (1-1) at Bullard (1-1)
Now that they've gotten into the win-column for the first time since 2009, the goal of the Westwood Panthers to put another number on the right, and not the left. They'll get a pretty good chance on the road against a Bullard team that scored 52 points in a season-opening win over Quitman, but were then subsequently shutout in Week 1 by Mineola. Westwood, on the other hand, has moved the ball decently in both games this season, and defense will be the key.
My Pick: Westwood 48, Bullard 21

ELKHART (2-0) at Centerville (1-1)
The Elkhart Elks couldn't have asked for a better start to the 2011 season. Dominant offense, check. Strong defense, check. The only thing really missing is some stops in special teams, otherwise the Elks would be giving up single-digit points per game. Centerville enters the game 1-1 but could easily be 2-0 after allowing a Teague comeback last week, and this game will tell everyone just how serious of a threat Elkhart might be in 2011.
My Pick: Elkhart 34, Centerville 17

FRANKSTON (0-2) at Elysian Fields (2-0)
Arguably the most surprising thing in the area's first two weeks of football is that the Frankston Indians haven't won a football game yet. If anything, I'd have expected them to be 2-0 at this point in the year. But, they seemed to play better defense in last week's loss to Westwood, and the offensive threat is always there, so don't expect them to stay down long. It'll be a tough test against Elysian Fields on the road, but Frankston should be able to handle it.
My Pick: Frankston 31, Elysian Fields 13

Buffalo (2-0) at CAYUGA (0-2)
Another perennial playoff team, another surprising winless start. Unfortunately for Cayuga, Buffalo brings no relief, instead more of the same. The Wildcats have struggled with hard-nosed, smash-mouth football teams this year, and the Bisons are just that — and good at it. The Wildcats won't struggle like this all season, but the win more likely than not isn't coming this week.
My Pick: Buffalo 28, Cayuga 16

Lovelady (1-1) at GRAPELAND (1-1)
The Lions and Sandies enter this week's game with the same records, but they're not really the same records. Grapeland was beat up by Centerville during Zero Week and then topped Trinity last week despite being outgained offensively. Conversely, Lovelady easily topped New Waverly to open the year, then fell to state-ranked Garrison.
My Pick: Lovelady 40, Grapeland 17

Milford (1-1) at OAKWOOD (2-0)
It's the home-opener for the once-again undefeated defending district champion Panthers, and Oakwood has a chance to do something it's never done: Beat Milford. The Bulldogs entered 2011 as a top-10 team in six-man Division II according to sixmanfootball.com, but fell last week to Abbott. They'll have speed, speed and more speed, not to mention almost 20 players on the sideline. Should be entertaining.
My Pick: Milford 74, Oakwood 64

There are my picks, what are your's? See you at the games.

The Dogwood Circle Power Rankings (Week 2)

2011-09-08T14:48:00.000-05:00

Two games are in the books for each of the local teams, and after last week's games there's been a bit of a shakeup in the Power Rankings.

But before we get into this week's rankings, a few thoughts from the first two weeks of the season.

If someone would've told me before the season that there would be two teams that hadn't won a game yet in 2011 after two weeks, I would've said something along the lines of, "sounds about right."

I would not, however, have thought that those two teams would be Frankston and Cayuga. In fact, I'd have been confident that those two teams didn't have losses yet by this point.

In 3A, both Westwood and Palestine are 1-1 — and before I forget, a hardy congrats to the Panthers and Roger Mays, who deserved a W. The Panthers should move to 2-1 on Friday, but more on that in tomorrow's previews.

As for Palestine, the Wildcats should probably be 2-0 and I think everyone around the program knows that. They showed in the second half an ability to both move the football on Pittsburg and stop the Pirate defense, but you can't go back now.

Anyway, on to the rankings.

1. Oakwood (2-0, Last Week: No. 2) — The Panthers kept on winning this past weekend, in convincing fashion. A team can't move anywhere but up after scoring 88 points in a game, six-man or not. Oakwood will get its toughest test of the young season this Friday when they welcome in Milford, a preseason top-10 team according to people who rank these things.

2 Elkhart (2-0, Last Week: No. 3) — The Elks are rolling. After rattling off 38-straight points in their opening win against Leon, the Elks put up 52 against Normangee. Jeffrey Wilson is emerging as a legit area Player of the Year candidate already, and the players in Elkhart have seemed to buy in to what John Adair is selling right now.

3. Palestine (1-1, Last Week: No. 1) — Have to fall down the poll after a loss, even one that you probably should've won. Palestine is probably a better team than Pittsburg six or seven times out of 10, but it didn't show on Friday, especially in the first half. That loss makes this week's game against Van that much more important if the Wildcats want to finish non-district play above .500.

4. Westwood (1-1, Last Week: No. 6) — The Panthers have opened some eyes, not just here but around East Texas with their win over Frankston on the road Friday. Not only did the Panthers win, but they kept that potent Frankston running game in check as well, which is no easy task. Heading to Bullard Friday, the Panthers have a real chance to move to 2-1 and keep increasing their public profile.

5. Frankston (0-2, Last Week: No. 4) — Despite not having won a game, Frankston still possesses all the weapons needed to make a run for the playoffs. All that needs to happen is Sam Wells and Co. need to combine the offense from Week 1 and the defense from Week 2, stir and bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

6. Grapeland (1-1, Last Week: No. 7) — The Sandies won on Friday, which is the definite good news. The bad news is that Grapeland was still outgained by Trinity in the win and has yet to find itself on offense. It won't get easier this week when they welcome in Lovelady for a rivalry showdown Friday.

7. Cayuga (0-2, Last Week: No. 5) — Football is a game of matchups, and Cayuga can't seem to get any good ones right now. They keep running into teams with big, physical running games, a style of play that the Wildcats don't want to deal with. The good news is that the Yuga offense can move the ball, the bad is they also can't get out of their own way (4 TDs called back this year due to penalties).

There they are, what do yo think? Give your rankings down below.

Friday Night Previews: Week 1

2011-09-02T17:06:00.000-05:00

It was an interesting and entertaining first week of games for the Dogwood's Circle seven teams. Some surprised in a good way (Palestine) and a not so good way (Frankston, Cayuga), while others lived up to their expectations.

After last week's picks, I'm 4-3, hoping to do a little bit better this week. The matchups for Week 1 are very interesting across the board, and could provide some really big wins or losses for the home teams.

Pittsburg (1-0) at PALESTINE (1-0)
It wasn't that the Wildcats won last week that was the surprise, it was the way they did it. Palestine did basically whatever it wanted against Brownsboro en route to a 54-6 victory, a win that surely lifted up the team's confidence to high levels. This week's game will bring a tougher challenge, as Pittsburg also won with ease during Zero Week, 42-0 over Jefferson. Many around East Texas have taken notice of this game, and a win tonight surely legitimizes the Wildcats as a real threat in the area.
My Pick: Palestine 41, Pittsburg 37

WESTWOOD (0-1) at FRANKSTON (0-1)
The area's first local-versus-local matchup of the year should also be one of 2011's most entertaining games. Both Westwood and Frankston are loaded with talent at the skill positions, and neither showed much of a defensive presence in their Zero Week losses. The scoreboard might break tonight in Frankston, but I think Treston Coleman makes the difference for the Indians.
My Pick: Frankston 56, Westwood 45

Normangee (0-1) at ELKHART (1-0)
Without a doubt, the Elkhart offense is licking its chops at the idea of Normangee coming to Elk Field. A week after rushing for more than 350 yards in their 38-6 win over Leon, the Elks now get to face a Normangee squad that gave up almost 200 yards to Trinity in its own Zero Week loss (24-0). Led by sophomore standout Jeffrey Wilson, this one could be over really quick.
My Pick: Elkhart 48, Normangee 6

CAYUGA (0-1) at Mt. Enterprise (1-0)
After their first non-district loss since their season-opener in 2009, the Cayuga football team is back trying to find itself and trying to get in the win column. It won't be easy on the road in Mt. Enterprise, a team that made it to the final eight in the smaller division of Class 1A in 2010. That being sad, Cayuga may have more beat themselves in Zero Week than did Overton.
My Pick: Cayuga 20, Mt. Enterprise 14

Trinity (1-0) at GRAPELAND (0-1)
Everything that applied in the Elkhart/Normangee preview applies to this one as well, except it doesn't favor the local team. Trinity ran for around 200 yards in their Zero Week win over Normangee, and Centerville did anything it wanted offensively against Grapeland in their 55-20 victory to open the year. It doesn't bode well for the Sandies.
My Pick: Trinity 30, Grapeland 13

OAKWOOD (1-0) at Fruitvale (0-0)
Junior who? Okay so let's not anoint him the next Junior Edwards yet, but after his big game against Watauga Christian, Bryson Randle looks to be handling the duties okay. Add in a diversified attack with Jerome Dawson (six carries for 70 yards and two scores), and Oakwood is dangerous once again. This game is one that the Panthers won handily in 2010, and while it might be closer, it's still a win.
My Pick: Oakwood 53, Fruitvale 34

There you have it, my Week 1 picks. Who do you have winning this week?

The Dogwood Circle Power Rankings (Week 1)

2011-08-30T15:56:00.000-05:00

Welcome everyone to our new venture, the Dogwood Circle Power Rankings. Every week we'll dive in to how we rank the Dogwood Circle's seven football teams based up their performances so far this season.

But first, some explanation. This is not a poll based on how we think teams would do matched up against one another. Obviously, with Palestine's sheer numbers they could best a lot of the teams in the area. On the other end of the spectrum, Oakwood doesn't even play 11-man football.

What this is is a poll to show how we think each team matches up against their own level of competition and their own schedule. Nothing more.

So with all that said, let's go.

1. Palestine (1-0) — The Wildcats showed that they may in fact be a force to be reckoned with during the team's impressive 54-6 drubbing of Brownsboro to open up 2011. It's still early, but if the Wildcat offense can stay that explosive and the defense can maintain that level of intensity, it could be a good, good year at Wildcat Stadium.

2. Oakwood (1-0) — The lone defending district champion in the area just kept on winning this past weekend, defeating Watauga Harvest at Maverick Stadium on the campus of UT-Arlington. Oakwood could have easily been No. 1 on this list, but the team's lack of depth at key positions makes me worry about something possibly going awry.

3. Elkhart (1-0) — The stock for the Elks just keep right on rising. After a turnaround season in 2010, Elkhart kept winning Friday, defeating Leon, 38-6. The Elks showed a beautiful understanding of the team's new running attack, and running back Jeffrey Wilson seems like he'll be a star for the next two-plus years.

4. Frankston (0-1) — If you'd have ask me to make this list before the season started, odds are the Indians would've been at the top. Armed with all the offensive talent anyone could ask for, the key to Frankston's success will be whether they have the ability to stop anyone when they need to. They couldn't against White Oak, and it cost them a game in which they scored 40 points and gained 600 yards.

5. Cayuga (0-1) — No one expected the Wildcats to be state championship-level great forever, and all good things must come to an end. That being said, don't count the Wildcats out of the playoff race just yet. Cayuga is a young team made up of players who are going to have to adjust to the speed of Friday nights.

6. Westwood (0-1) — No one wants to lose a game by 51 points, but the Panthers showed something to plenty of people in their 74-23 loss to No. 1 Chapel Hill Friday. The Panthers have the talent on offense and some playmakers on defense. Enough to contend for a playoff spot? Maybe.

7. Grapeland (0-1) — The Sandies lost a ton of talent (Reshawd Shepherd, Donte Brown) off a 2010 team that won three games. It showed against Centerville, when Grapeland also struggled to contain the running game of the Tigers.

So there it is, the first edition of the Dogwood Circle Power Rankings. Agree or disagree? Let us know in the comments.

Friday Night Preview: Zero Week

2011-08-26T15:57:00.000-05:00

Well, it's finally here. As I said in my column in Thursday's Herald-Press, Friday nights are once again Friday nights.

With the return of football also brings the return of our Friday Night Preview blog post, where I'll break down each local game and give what I think will be the final score. I haven't taken the time to tally last year's totals, so I don't know how I did, but feel free to leave your thoughts down in the comment section.

So, without further adieu, here we go:

PALESTINE (0-0, 2-8 in 2010) at Brownsboro (0-0, 6-5 in 2010)
Brownsboro made the playoffs last season, the third-place team in its five team district. Palestine, obviously, did not.
Both teams could point to last year's opener as a catalyst for things to come. As a refresher, Brownsboro won that game 20-14, with Palestine quarterback Kenny Green having his last second pass to the end zone intercepted. From there, Brownsboro went 5-4 in the regular season, while Palestine went 2-7.
But, 2011 brings a new year and new blood. Brownsboro has a new coach and the task of replacing both their starting quarterback and No. 1 wide receiver from a year ago, while Palestine brings a whole new look to the table.
Both teams run the same offense, which is built on speed and tempo, so things should move pretty fast on the Bear Stadium turf tonight.
My Pick: Palestine 27, Brownsboro 19

Chapel Hill (0-0, 13-2 in 2010) at WESTWOOD (0-0, 0-10 in 2010)
The "on paper" mismatches don't come much bigger than this one, with Associated Press preseason No. 1 and 2010 state runner-up Chapel Hill coming into Palestine to take on Westwood, a team that didn't win a game in 2010.
Chapel Hill returns many of their key players from last year's juggernaut, and all have the intention of returning to the state title game, and winning it this year. The Bulldogs opened 2010 with a 50-10 victory over the Panthers last season.
For Westwood, 2011 is about rebuilding an identity for the Panther program, and an upset signature win would do just that.
Unfortunately, I don't think the Panthers are there just yet.
My Pick: Chapel Hill 47, Westwood 13

Leon (0-0, 6-5 in 2010) at ELKHART (0-0, 4-6 in 2010)
The Elkhart football program began what it hopes was a steady climb back into contention in 2010, winning four games — more than in the last three seasons combined.
The Elks opened 2010 with a loss to Leon, and to continue their momentum from 2010, EHS coach John Adair wants his team to flip that result in 2011. He said he feels a first game W would go along way.
Gone from Elkhart is QB Lane Grant, who accounted for more than 70 percent of the Elks offense last season. In his place the Elks have instituted a new offensive scheme, complete with a stable of weapons that are fast enough to break away at any time.
Adair wants a fast start, odds are I think he'll get it at Elk Field.
My Pick: Elkhart 27, Leon 21

White Oak (0-0, 5-6 in 2010) at FRANKSTON (0-0, 8-4 in 2010)
With the playmakers the Frankston Indians have on offense, they could no doubt light up scoreboards all season long.
Unfortunately, they may not their own this weekend, because the scoreboard at Jeff and Opal Austin Stadium got struck by lightning this week.
All kidding aside, the FHS offense won't be a problem with RB Treston Coleman and QB Michael Warren leading the way.
The question is how a Frankston defense that lost eight starters from 2010 will be able to stop people.
Tonight it might not matter, with White Oak having lost some talent in 2011.
My Pick: Frankston 48, White Oak 27

CAYUGA (0-0, 9-3 in 2010) at Overton (0-0, 2-8 in 2010)
Even having lost more talent to Division I schools than some are Class 3A and 4A squads last season, the Cayuga football team still made it two rounds deep into the playoffs.
To get back, they'll have to deal with more lost talent and a new offensive scheme, both of which shouldn't be too difficult thanks to QB Jake Nash and RB D'onte Jackson returning to the backfield.
As far as openers go, this one should be pretty pedestrian for the Wildcats.
My Pick: Cayuga 31, Overton 9

GRAPELAND (0-0, 3-7 in 2010) at Centerville (0-0, 2-8 in 2010)
Both squads taking the field in Centerville tonight are looking to start bounce-back seasons after finishing a combined 5-15 in 2010.
Grapeland won this game in 2010, but even GHS coach Jerry Richards admits Centerville is a better team than they were last year, and the Sandies lost big pieces to their offense like Reshawd Shepherd (graduation) and Donte Brown (transferred to Palestine).
Even still, the Sandies should've been better than 3-7 in 2010, and should be in 2011 as well.
My Pick: Grapeland 20, Centerville 14

OAKWOOD (0-0, 9-3 in 2010) vs. Watauga Harvest (0-0, 6-5 in 2010)
The Oakwood Panthers don't look much like the team that captured the schools first-ever six-man district title in 2010. Gone are seven big-time players to graduation.
But, Oakwood returns quarterback Travis Eldridge and playmaker Damiyne Durham, along with loads of speed, which in six-man football is king.
Because of that, Oakwood should still win plenty of games.
My Pick: Oakwood 54, Watauga Harvest 27

That'll

We're Back!

2011-08-26T11:32:00.000-05:00

After a summer hiatus that — admittedly — started a little bit before summer, The Baseline is back in service. We'll bring you everything you need about game predictions on Friday nights, where your favorite teams rank in the numerous polls released each week and other little nuggets that we find interesting.

I'm happy to be back and happy that it's football season once again here in the Dogwood Circle, so check back here often, and follow the Herald-Press sports department on Twitter (@phpsports) for other updates, including in-game commentary from Palestine's game every week.

Dogwood Circle SuperFan Contest

2011-08-05T10:54:00.002-05:00

We've found them, the three biggest football fans in the Dogwood Circle. now, it's up to you to tell us which one you think is the area's SuperFan. Check out their submissions below and then vote at the poll the right. Voting will end Friday at 5 p.m., and the winner will be featured in the upcoming Dogwood Circle football special section. Also, they'll earn the right to pick against the pros in the Herald-Press' weekly Fearless Forecasters football pick'em poll.

CHARLES AND BILLE BRIDGES

I nominate a couple, Charles and Billie Bridges as the area’s super fan. They both attended Elkhart High School and even though they are both in their late 70’s, they rarely miss an athletic event, whether it be a football game, a track meet or a softball game. Their children and their grandchildren played on a variety of teams for the Elks and now they are religiously following their great-grandchildren play for the Elks.

-- Alice Spacek

CINDY PENLAND

HAVING FUN!

When asked to write about why I think I am the SuperFan, the word fun comes to my mind, so that word will be a big part of my reason for being the SuperFan.

Football like other sports is all about have FUN. I love all sports and have since being a young girl. My Daddy loved sports, so me wanting to do things he loved got me involved at a young age. Back in those days my FIRST sport to love was baseball. You see I was only about 10 years old. We would listen to the games on the radio and I saw what enjoyment and love of sports meant to him. So I was hooked and did we have FUN. It was just the simplicity of listening to a radio that sometimes was full of static! This would be the beginning of a lifetime of loving ALL sports.

So to make my plea on why I am the SuperFan that I am today, I must give credit to my Dad.
So lets fast forward to the local football teams. I was fortunate to be in High School in 1964 when Palestine Wildcats won the State Championship. I was able to go to all the games thanks to friends. Since Daddy worked for the Railroad and was gone a lot and missed some of the games. But he was able to go see the Championship game and I got to go with him. What a memory for me. And what FUN we had.

I have fun following the 7 local schools that are covered by your excellent Sports Team in our area in football. Your paper does a great job giving me information about each school, players, and Coaches. They try their best to keep the public informed on statistics involving every area of the game, for each school. It enables me to keep up with each school,s Schedule, up and coming players and the outstanding players these local teams are fortunate to have. I am kept informed with the outstanding Coaches that lead the teams to victory or defeat. I have often wondered and have had the chance to ask some of the area Coaches this burning question.....Are you having FUN? The reply was a big YES and the players are having FUN , too.

Coaching is fun and having fun will bring enthusiasm that can be contagious to a team to have a Winning Season. But even if you do not have a winning season playing football teaches one leadership, sharing, friendship. discipline that will bond a team to be almost a Family.
Also when considering me as the SuperFan, I play every week when you have the area football wins and scores. Also the college and NFL picks to win.

I get my whole family involved in picking who they think will win or loose . and remember we have to pick the tie- breaker score. IT IS FUN!! I go buy extra papers to accommodate my family member that do not subscribe to your paper..That is FUN to me to include anyone that wants to play your game.
I hope everyone that reads this especially the fans and family members that have kids playing football will get out and support their school. Go to the games and make some Great Memories with your family. As I still hold dear to me the memories of having FUN with my Daddy.

So Being a SuperFan I wish the best for all the 2011 Football season for the following schools....Palestine Wildcats, Westwood Panthers, Cayuga Wildcats, Elkhart Elk, Frankston Indians, and the Grapeland Sandies, and do not forget the Oakwood Panthers, the only area team that plays 6 man football.

I also must mention I listen to the games on the radio, and I drive my husband crazy screaming and cheering on The teams as mentioned above I love so much.......I will be having FUN this season.

MICHAEL VARNADO

This all started when he was 6 years old and his mother bought him a t-shirt that was on sale – that shirt happened to be a Pittsburgh Steelers hooded sweatshirt that he still has to this day. Since his mother bought it for him he knew it had to be special.

He is a Pittsburgh, Steelers #1 FAN. He just moved from Los Angeles, CA where he had a custom Steelers garage (photo attached).

Michael unknowingly moved to a home across the street from Adrian Peterson’s grandmother, but he respectfully continued his tradition of displaying his dedication to his team. (photo of our Christmas lawn display attached) Instead of the tradition nativity display he honors his team with 8” Steelers Players in a mock red zone playing against Santa.

Michael has a classic 1966 Pontiac GTOSteelers license plate on the front and Steelers magnets one each door. (photo attached, where he just won Best of Show at the 2011 Congo Truck Club car show)
He has a room, garage, & attic full of his collection of Steelers Fan Memorabilia.

On game days he has rituals that have to be adhered to (everyone sitting in the right spot, wearing the right clothes) & if his team should lose, his family has a bad week – all week. When his last daughter was born, he was not available to hold her during the Steelers games – no interruptions.

Also on game days the entire family has to wear Steelers gear (photo attached) and at every good play the neighbors get to see him run outside and blow his Steelers horn (and maybe some kids running and cheering up and down the street) – and if they do really good, he will light off some fireworks.

If there has ever been an emergency where he had to miss a game, he records it, turns off ALL phones, & does not go anywhere public until he can get home and watch the game. Of course he has DirecTV’s NFL package so he does not miss one Steelers game.

He plans household projects, helping family & friends, around the football season. He is even putting in extra time at church in the off-season….you won’t see him at church on Sundays when his team is playing.

You can see him around town in his Steelers T-shirt, Steelers cap, cell phone case, and Steelers stickers, magnets, &/or flags on his truck.

He just bought tickets today – he is taking his family of 8 to Houston where the Steelers will play the Texans on October 2, 2011.

Thank you NFL for ending the lock-out!

Softball state championship live blog

2011-06-04T07:55:00.000-05:00

Grapeland/Shiner State Title Game

Moving Inside the Polls

2011-04-06T12:29:00.000-05:00

Instead of it usual publication day of Tuesday's, the baseball/softball Inside the Polls blog post will now be posted on Thurs. to coincide with the Texas High School Baseball Coaches' Association (THSBCA) release of its weekly poll.

We're doing this not to favor baseball, but because the THSBCA poll release has been very regular, while the Texas Girls' Coaches Association (TGCA) softball poll is sometimes sporadic.

Inside the Polls (3-29)

2011-03-29T12:39:00.000-05:00

Well we're only diving into one poll this week, because the Texas Girls' Coaches Association hasn't updated its softball poll yet.

What does that mean? It means there's only one local team to talk about, and it's the No. 2 Cayuga Wildcat baseball team. The Wildcats remain No. 2 in the latest Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association (THSBCA) poll, behind Windthorst.

Now, at least on paper, Cayuga's resume is far stronger especially given the Wildcats' 11-0 record versus the 12-7 mark that Windthorst currently has. That being said, I don't know who Windthorst has played, where they played them, etc., etc.

So, only one team to talk about today. No other local or district rivals make any kind of appearance in the new poll. (For the full poll, click HERE)

Hopefully we'll have a new softball poll to include next week. Stay tuned.

Inside the Polls (3/21)

2011-03-22T14:57:00.000-05:00

Well, it's back. Everyone's favorite breakdown of where the local teams stand in all the state polls.

Just as a refresher, we'll be using the Texas Girls Coaches Association (TGCA) for the softball polls and the Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association (THSBCA) for the baseball, obviously.

One final note, the THSBCA poll only displays the top-10, while the TGCA poll goes either top-20 or top-25, depending on the week.

So, without further adieu, let's do it.

SOFTBALL (Full poll)

Class 3A
No area teams or district rivals

Class 2A
No area teams or district rivals

Class 1A
Grapeland still finds itself in the top-10, right where its been since the very first preseason poll put out by the TGCA earlier this year. The Sandiettes went on a deep playoff run last season, and the recognition is well deserved. Slocum fell three spots this week from No. 15 to No. 18.
Cross Roads, which resides in District 14 with both Cayuga and Neches, currently sits atop the latest poll as the best team in the state, according to the poll at least.

BASEBALL (Full poll)
Class 3A
No area teams or district rivals, though it is important to note that some of the best baseball in the state is played one district over, in the Waco-area District 19. West (No. 1) and Robinson (No. 4) both call that district home and that district would be the first round playoff matchup for the No. 2 and No. 3 seeds out of Palestine and Westwood's District 20.

Class 2A
No area teams or district rivals, although Central Heights (No. 2) did play and beat Elkhart earlier this season in a tournament.

Class 1A
Unbeaten and, for at least the last four games, unhittable, the Cayuga Wildcats have moved up from preseason No. 3 to No. 2, still sitting behind Windhorst (11-4) for the top spot. Cayuga's district rival LaPoynor was in the top-10 preseason, but has since fallen out. Same can be said for Cross Roads. Region III, the Cayuga region, is arguable the toughest in the state, with the Wildcats, Shelbyville (No. 3), Garrison (No. 7) and Evadale (No. 10, preseason No. 1) all calling Region III home. Also in this poll is Bremond (No. 6) another squad that topped Class 2A Elkhart this year.

Inside the polls will return soon

2011-03-08T15:36:00.000-06:00

Now that basketball is over, we will no longer be diving headlong into the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches (TABC) state polls each week here at The Baseline.

But, that doesn't mean we don't have state polls to digest all the same.

The Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association (THSBCA) handles things on the baseball side of things, while we'll rely on the Texas Girls' Coaches Association (TGCA) takes care of things on the softball side.

We'll start that adventure next week, so look for a new edition of Inside the Polls every Tuesday from now until playoff time.

Final thoughts from Austin and moving forward

2011-03-08T11:04:00.000-06:00

Well, the whirlwind past few weeks that have been the boys' and girls' state basketball playoffs are over, capping with another title for the Neches girls' basketball team and a stunning loss by Cayuga in the regional semifinals to upstart Tenaha.

My weekend in Austin was an eventful one, and one that will certainly live in my memory for a while. From talking Roddricka Patton with a handful of nationwide high school scouts to listening in on the press conference of Canyon head coach Joe Lombard after winning another state title, finishing a perfect season and winning his1,100 career game...all on his birthday, it was a great experience.

As I said in a column in the PHP today, I expect to go back next season as well, what with Neches returning all its players from this year's team.

Now that the roundball season has passed, it's time to move forward full-boar into spring, starting tonight. I'll be at Wildcat Stadium, as the Palestine girls' soccer team takes on Hudson, a team trailing the Ladycats by only one point in the standings as the pair fight for playoff positioning.

Also getting into full swing is baseball and softball season, and some schools open district play tonight, including No. 3-ranked Cayuga, who'll travel to Neches to play the Tigers. The game will be the team's first with some key players who've been out playing basketball, including reigning TAPPS Player of the Year Jake Nash, who'll take his place at 2B for the Wildcats.

Track season is also underway, and Elkhart's Amanda Ham is doing to her track competition what she did do her cross country competition: Showing no mercy. Already this season the Lady Elk sophomore has captured eight gold medals at her team's two track meets, with the Lady Elks finishing first and second, respectively, as a team.

And, my no means can we leave out powerlifting. The local boys' contingent heading to regionals should be large, and two Palestine girl lifters are headed to the state meet on March. 18

The playoffs may be over, and my travel may be cut down, but things are going to be as busy as ever here in the Dogwood Circle, with teams and individuals vying for district, regional and state titles from now until late May-early June.

Stay tuned, it should be fun.

Neches/Whitharral State Final

2011-03-05T18:30:00.001-06:00

Neches/Whitharral State Final

Neches/Lipan State Semifinal

2011-03-04T11:48:00.000-06:00

Neches/Lipan State Semifinal

Another playoff scenario, another possible UIL flub

2011-03-03T12:13:00.000-06:00

In the past week, I found myself doing something that I rarely ever do. I defended the University Interscholastic League (UIL), the governing body of Texas High School sports.

The UIL was under fire from Yahoo! Sports High School blog Prep Rally for having Class 3A's No. 1 girls basketball team, Kennedale, travel to Lubbock for a regional tournament where it played a team from Lubbock and a team from Abilene.

The boys basketball regional tournament's begin this weekend, and Region I, the region in which Kennedale plays, is again on the hot seat. This time, however, the UIL has time to make the right call, as first suggested by CBS 11's Bill Jones (@cbsdollarbill) on Twitter.

The Region I tournament is scheduled for Snyder on Friday and Saturday. Snyder is in West Texas. The problem? All four teams who've qualified for the tournament are teams from the Dallas/Fort Worth area (Denton Ryan, FW Arlington Heights, Trimble Tech and The Colony).

We'll let Mr. Jones take it from here (via Twitter)

With budget crisis & $3.50 gallon gas, UIL has got to call audible and not force 4 DFW class 4A hoops teams to travel 250 miles to regional

He couldn't be more right. The UIL has had plenty of things they've messed up in the past. The time is still there, let's make the right call.

No schools should have to face a 250-mile trip out West when all four of the schools are within a 50 mile radius of one another.

There are gyms, nice gyms, all over the D/FW Metroplex that could be called into action for this.

Come on UIL, let's do the right thing here, and save some face for some of your other flubs.

LIVE CHAT: Cayuga v. LaPoynor Reg. Quarterfinals

2011-03-02T17:32:00.000-06:00

Cayuga/LaPoynor Reg. Quarters

UIL again under fire from Yahoo

2011-03-01T19:53:00.000-06:00

The Yahoo! high school sports blog Prep Rally, which I routinely link here at The Baseline, isn't very fond of some decisions the University Interscholastic League (UIL) has made in recent months.

The blog criticized the UIL for allowing Longview and Mesquite to play a football playoff game in Louisiana, just to name one.

Now, the blog is after the UIL because Kennedale—who entered the girls' basketball playoffs as the state's No. 1 team in Class 3A—lost in the regional finals to Abiliene Wylie, 59-53.

The blog's editor Cameron Smith's problem is that Kennedale is seven hours away from Texas Tech's United Spirit Arena, where the Region I tournament was held. Conversely, it was a much shorter trip for both Wylie and for Kennedale's semifinal opponent, Lubbock Cooper, which actually plays there from time to time.

Now, the UIL does some silly things, but I just don't know if I can justify criticism here. Texas is a big state, and when you're only breaking it down into four regions per classification, then things like travel are bound to happen from time to time.

Smith makes the argument that Kennedale should've been allowed to host the game, and as the No. 1 team in the state he may have some sort of point. But, in Texas, there are regional tournaments at neutral sites. That's how it's done at every level, from Class 5A all the way down to Class 1A, D-II.

He also points out that SMU's gym was open at the time, which is all well and good but as he points out later, Region I is mostly teams from out West, so when the regional tournament was set-up, Lubbock would've sounded like a logical idea.

Kennedale isn't the only playoff team from the DFW area in that region. Decatur lost to Wylie in the regional quarterfinals, and while Burkburnnet isn't exactly in the heart of Dallas/Fort Worth, it's closer to the middle of the state than it is to West Texas.

Now, does this example make a case for expanding beyond four regions into possibly six? Maybe, but to do it right, you'd have to go all the way to eight regions to make the playoff system work without byes and off weeks, etc., etc.

I have wholeheartedly disagreed with the UIL on any number of issues, including the aforementioned Louisiana locale for a playoff game, the lack of a shot clock in high school basketball and more. But, I can't knock them for this.

I've long wondered how redistricting gets done every two years and certainly wouldn't want that job myself. With a state as big as Texas, not everyone is going to be happy.

In the end the better team won and it's really that simple. Wylie was state runner-up in 2010 and Kennedale didn't actually travel on the day of the game, or at least I would assume. I'd be willing to be they stayed in a hotel, probably a pretty nice one, and were well rested going into the game.

Neches/Saltillo Live Chat

2011-02-26T15:31:00.002-06:00

Neches/Saltillo Reg. Final

LIVE CHAT: Neches/Savoy Regional Semifinal

2011-02-25T14:16:00.002-06:00

Neches/Savoy Reg. Semi

It may be time to shrink the playoffs in Texas

2011-02-17T11:36:00.000-06:00

Over at Yahoo's Prep Rally blog, Cameron Smith examines an 81-5 victory by Dallas Lincoln over Seagoville...in the PLAYOFFS.

Now, in Class 4A and Class 5A, just like in football in those bigger classifications, four teams from each district make the playoffs. When that happens, things like an 81-5 beat down have a chance to happen. Seagoville entered the playoffs eight games under .500, while Lincoln entered as the No. 12 team in the state.

I've never personally understood the need for four playoff teams from a district, because of this very reason. It's bad enough that in smaller district's there are times when more than half of the teams in the district make the playoffs, as is the case in Slocum/Grapeland's five-team district.

I realize that there are times when district's are loaded and the three (or maybe four) teams that make the playoffs can all compete. But, more often than not that isn't really the case.

I think it's probably time for the UIL to shrink the size of the playoff fields, especially at the 4A and 5A level. I'm okay with three teams from each district making the playoffs, but four seems a bit excessive.

There are other ways to do it, and Arizona does their playoff positioning based on a BCS-style points system with the top-16 teams getting in. I don't like that, because in that scenario there could be times when no team from a region (AZ's version of districts) would get in. Granted, they've got far fewer teams.

There is no perfect system, but whatever system we have in place has to be tweaked from time to time to make sure things are on an even playing field, especially in the playoffs. If a team blows out another team in a district game, that's one thing. After all, district's are built geographically so there is always going to be room for disparity. In the playoffs, however, the UIL should strive for the best teams to participate.

There might be those who feel like the more teams that make the playoffs the better, because being a playoff could breed confidence no matter your record. I disagree. I'd be willing to bet that if you asked the Seagoville girls today which they'd rather have done, at least some of them would've said miss the playoffs all together.

What do you think? Vote in the poll at right and leave a comment or two.

Former Cayuga coach named lone Waco Robinson finalist

2011-02-15T15:06:00.000-06:00

After spending a year a Jacksboro, former Cayuga head football coach Tommy Allison could be on the move again.

Multiple outlets are reporting that Allison, who spent three years at Cayuga and led the Wildcats to two state title games, is the lone finalist for the head coaching/athletic director position at Waco Robinson.

Via Smoaky.com:

Former Cayuga AD/Football Coach Tommy Allison, who led the Wildcats to the Class 1-A State Championship in 2009, is the lone finalist for the AD/Head Coaching job at Waco Robinson.
Allison went 4-6 this past season at Jacksboro High School, after going 35-8 in three years at Cayuga.
Waco Reicher's Mark Waggoner and Robinson defensive coordinator Brad Talbert were among the three finalists.
If he is offered the job and approved, he'll replace Brian Lewis who resigned following the 2010 season.

One legitimate question is this: Will Allison bring defensive coordinator Craig Earp along with him? If so, one would think along also comes Earp's son Carson, who threw for more than 3,000 yards for Jacksboro in only his sophomore season.

Earp is no stranger to the Waco area, coaching at Waco Connally and Hubbard, just to name two.

4 locals named to All-Smoaky teams

2011-02-10T12:58:00.000-06:00

Smoaky.com released its All-Smoaky teams for the 2010 football season today, and four Dogwood Circle players made the cut.

Frankston linebacker and SFA-signee Jabralon Allen and Cayuga defensive back Chris Turner both earned second team defensive honors. Allen was named the Dogwood Circle defensive player of the year after tallying 152 tackles in 2010, 23 for losses, while Turner earned first team honors on the offensive side of the ball as a wide receiver. Both were recently named to the Texas Sports Writers Association's all-state teams.

Dogwood Circle first team wide receiver C.J. Wagner from Cayuga earned second team special team honors from the Web site as a kick returner after returning two kicks and a punt for touchdowns.

Earning a third team nod from Smoaky.com was Grapeland's Reshawd Shepherd. His district's co-offensive player of the year, Shepherd caught 46 passes for 811 yards and 10 TDs, while rushing for 355 yards and three more scores. Shepherd earned first team honors at WR on our Dogwood Circle squad.

What should the Rangers do about Michael Young

2011-02-10T12:34:00.000-06:00

There are now only five days remaining until pitchers and catchers are due to report to Surprise, Ariz., for the Texas Rangers Spring Training.

Fans of the defending American League champions should be getting pumped up for another season of Rangers baseball, and players, coaches and management should be prepping for a repeat run toward a title.

Instead, what is everyone doing? Worrying about this troublesome Michael Young situation.

I wrote a column when the Rangers acquired Mike Napoli from Toronto saying that if/when Michael Young wanted out because his at-bats wouldn't be there, the Rangers owed it to him to trade him.

This past week, Michael Young did just that, demanding that Texas try and deal the six-time All Star.

Now that he's gone ahead and made the demand, the Rangers are exploring the options. But, Young has a semi-no trade clause in his contract, specifying that he can be traded to only eight teams without his written consent.

The Rangers don't seem to want to give Young away—as they shouldn't—and the fact that he's a 34-year-old who is slated to make $16 million a year for the next three years doesn't help his trade value, because the Rangers won't want to eat a lot of that contract.

So, what are the options now?

A) Well, the club could trade Young, hoping to get back prospects and maybe a pitcher, but to do so would probably have to eat at least half of the salary.

B) The team could also trade Ian Kinsler, the team's All-Star second baseman, who's trade value is probably higher than Young's, therefore yielding a better return on a trade. Then, the club could play Young at 2B.

C) Or, Young and the team can figure it out, resolve their differences and Mikey can go be the super utility/DH guy that he said he'd be when he OK'd the Adrian Beltre deal.

I vote C. Michael Young is a huge part of the Texas Rangers, both on the field and off of it, and he feels like he wasn't treated with quite enough respect in the way this whole situation has been handled. Maybe he's right, but I don't know. I'm not privy to any of those conversations.

The best option for both parties is for everyone to bury the hatchet and move on. Young has always said he wanted to play for a winner, and now he does. The Rangers would have something most squads don't have in a DH/super-utility guy: someone who can hit.

Most utility players are solid glove guys who hit about .230. Young's not that guy, he's a career .300 hitter and, while his production may be declining, he's still going to get you close to 200 hits every season.

Throw in the fact, as people at ESPN did, that some current Rangers' stars—Kinsler, Josh Hamilton, Nelson Cruz—aren't always durable for a whole season, and Young's at bats seem to be a little bit easier to compute than first thought.

If Young was willing to pick-up a first baseman's mitt and an outfielder's glove as well, that make him even more versatile, and arguably even more valuable to the squad in 2011 than he was in 2010.

Let's face it, Michael Young wasn't a great third baseman. While he and his new replacement, Beltre, both committed 19 errors in 2010, Beltre's range and first step are much better. He's an upgrade in the field, which will only help the squad this coming season.

But, Michael Young can still hit, and he's not near as valuable for any team that's not the Rangers. He's carved his niche in the squad as the leader and captain, and he—and the Rangers—owe it to each other and the fans to work this out and do what's best for the team.

FOLLOW THE PALESTINE HERALD-PRESS SPORTS DEPT. ON TWITTER @PHPSPORTS

Inside the TABC polls (Week of 2/7/11)

2011-02-08T15:48:00.000-06:00

It's getting down to the nitty-gritty time for high school basketball teams around the state this week. Girls regular-season play wraps up tonight, while the boys will finish things up with games tonight, Friday and next Tuesday.

For local squads, there wasn't loads of movement in the polls this week, as has been the norm for most of the season. That being said, many local teams still find themselves considered some of the top 20 or so squads in their respective classes in the state.

Let's dive in.

GIRLS (Full Rankings)
Class 3A
Still no local squad in the top-25, but local rival Fairfield took a tumble from No. 17 in last week's poll down to No. 24 this week, thanks in large part to the Lady Eagles loss Tuesday here in Palestine to the Ladycats. Those two squads decide who'll be district champion tonight, when Palestine travels to Westwood and Fairfield travels to Madisonville. A Ladycat win coupled with a Lady Eagle loss secures the title for Palestine. If both win, it goes to tiebreakers.

Class 2A
No local squads or district foes

Class 1A, Div. I
The Slocum girls squad moved up one spot to No. 12 in this week's poll after an undefeated week, as did district-rival Lovelady (No. 11). In District 20, Martin's Mill held strong at No. 3, while LaPoynor took a six-spot tumble to No. 21 after falling to Cayuga.

Class 1A, Div. II
Different week, same story. Saltillo remains perfect and keeps hold of the No. 1 spot, while Neches holds steady at No. 2.

BOYS (Full Rankings)
Class 3A
Still no local squads, while district rivals Mexia (No. 10) and Groesbeck (No. 24) held serve at their respective spots this week.

Class 2A
No local squads or district rivals

Class 1A, Div. I
Cayuga held on to its spot at No. 8 this week after topping Hawkins and LaPoynor last week. LaPoynor fell to No. 12 from No. 9 after the 1-1 week, while Martin's Mill tumbled from No. 10 to No. 13. In District 23, Grapeland moved up a spot to No. 11, while Slocum held at No. 16.

Class 1A, Div. II
Laneville, who currently sits atop Neches' District 22, remained at No. 6.

Blog inactivity

2011-02-08T11:45:00.000-06:00

Sorry the blog's been so dormant lately, but between vacation days and illness, I've been out the loop for the better part of the week.

I'd love to say that I'm back in, but that just wouldn't be true. I will be at Westwood tonight though to watch this rivalry games, as the Palestine girls chase a district title.

If your out and about, see you there. If not, I promise to try and be back soon.

A soccer-style 'what if?' for American sports

2011-02-01T15:37:00.000-06:00

As I sat on my couch Sunday watching East Texan Clint Dempsey and Fulham roll past Tottenham in English soccer's FA Cup play, I got to thinking about the way soccer leagues in Europe do things.

For example, almost every European nation has multiple soccer leagues, which work on a tier system, a lot like baseball in America.

The difference is, every year those leagues change makeup, adding and losing teams to different leagues based on final season record.

Basically, the English Premier League is the nation's premier league (obviously). But, at the end of every season, the bottom three teams from that league get relegated to the Championship, the nation's second-tier league.

Conversely, the top three team's from that year's Championship season get bumped up to the Premier League, and the Championship's bottom three team's get sent down to League 1, actually the third league.

That's it in a nutshell. Also, every nation in Europe's top league sends its top four teams to the Champions League the next season. That also exists on this side of the globe with the MLS, Mexico's top league, etc.

Anyway, on with the unreal comparisons. Let's start with this country's most popular league, the NFL.

With the Super Bowl this week, we'll find out who the league's best is on the field Sunday. But, if the NFL used relegation a la European football, things would look different.

First, New England (14-2), Atlanta (13-3), Pittsburgh (12-4) and Baltimore (12-4) would be off to the champions league, presumably against the best football players Canada, Mexico and the Dominican Republic have to offer.

But, Carolina (2-14), Denver (4-12) and Cincinnati (4-12) would be relegated to a lower league, maybe the Arena League?

In baseball, which is actually the closest thing we've got here to the tier-system in European soccer, Philadelphia, Tampa Bay, New York (Yankees) and Minnesota would head to the Champions league, while Pittsburgh, Seattle and Arizona would be headed to Triple-A.

Replacing those three squads? Durham, Scranton and Memphis, who held the tiebreaker over Iowa.

In the NBA, which is only midseason, San Antonio, Boston, Miami and Chicago seem Champions bound, while Cleveland, Minnesota and Toronto would be in fear of relegation.

So there it is. Will it ever happen? Probably not. Let's be honest, the Packers, Rangers or S.F. Giants wouldn't have gotten near as far as they did in that system. It's very European, and I don't think it'd be accepted here in the states, because underdog stories are loved here, especially in the playoffs.

But, it's fun to think about.

Inside the TABC polls (Week of 1/31/10)

2011-02-01T12:19:00.000-06:00

We're entering the final month of regular season basketball, and a lot of the local squads are beginning to heat up as the playoffs approach.

Granted, these rankings have no bearing on making the playoffs (like Arizona's rankings system does), but it is a somewhat accurate gauge of where team's stand against the rest of the state.

So, without further adieu, let's dive in to this week's polls.

GIRLS (Full Rankings)

Class 3A
Still no local squads breaking into the Top-25, but District 20-3A rival Fairfield continued its move up the poll. After entering at No. 25 two weeks ago, then jumping to No. 22 last week, the Lady Eagles make the leap all the way to No. 17 in this week's poll. Fairfield is scheduled to play second-place Palestine Tuesday at Palestine, barring a rescheduling for inclement weather.

Class 2A
No local squads or district foes.

Class 1A, Div. I
After falling to Lovelady Friday at home, the Slocum Lady Mustangs and the Lady Lions flip-flopped spots in this week's poll, with Lovelady moving to No. 12 and Slocum falling to No. 13. In District 20, Martin's Mill held strong at No. 3, while LaPoynor jumped two spots to No. 15.

Class 1A, Div. II
After yet another undefeated week, the Neches girls' basketball team held strong at No. 2, behind undefeated Saltillo.

BOYS (Full Rankings)
Class 3A
The Mexia Blackcats are still the class of District 20, moving back into the top-10 at No. 10 from No. 12. The district's second-place squad, Groesbeck, enters the top-25 this week at No. 24.

Class 2A
No local squads or district foes this week in the rankings.

Class 1A, Div. I
All three squads from District 20 have been bunched together in the new rankings, led by Cayuga at No. 8, the same spot as last week. LaPoynor made a huge jump this week from No. 17 from No. 9, followed by Martin's Mill, who came in at No. 10. In District 23, Grapeland moved from No. 14 to No. 13, while Slocum stayed at No. 16.

Class 1A, Div. II
Neches' district rival Laneville held firm at No. 6 in the latest poll.

Another arguement for a H.S. shot clock

2011-01-27T15:31:00.000-06:00

I wrote a column back in December about why I felt like H.S. basketball needed a shot clock after Robert E. Lee stalled for much of the fourth quarter to beat the Palestine girls' basketball team. (READ HERE)

In the D/FW area last night, another reason has emerged. Nationally ranked Flower Mound Marcus (No. 12 in Yahoo's Rivals 100) topped Plano West 38-31, IN TRIPLE OVERTIME.

Why the low score? Well, since Marcus had blown out West earlier in the season, West decided the best strategy was to be very, very deliberate with its offensive possessions. What that resulted in was the low-scoring, three OT affair.

According to Yahoo's Prep Rally blog (Read the full story HERE), West averaged more than one minute per possession on offense.

No offense to West, because it was a strategy that worked brilliantly, but is this really what we want basketball to be about at the high school level?

Rangers send Francisco to Toronto for Napoli

2011-01-25T14:50:00.000-06:00

According to multiple reports first started by FOXsport.com's Ken Rosenthal, the Rangers have traded long-time reliever Frank Francisco to Toronto for utility-man Mike Napoli, who was a Blue Jay for all of a week, acquired by the Canadian club in the Vernon Wells deal.

Rosenthal also tweeted that this deal probably shows that Vlad Guerrero won't be back in Texas either, as Napoli is expected to split time between C, 1B and DH.

Rosenthal's initial tweet:

Source: #BlueJays set to trade Napoli to #Rangers for F. Francisco. No Guerrero to Texas. Napoli ABs at C, 1B, DH. #MLB

I've always been a huge Francisco guy, as he's been an anchor in the back half of that Ranger bullpen dating back to that first serious playoff run in 2004, working the seventh inning before Akinori Otsuka and Francisco Cordero.

That being said, Francisco is going to be 32 on Sept. 11, and the Rangers have a wealth of talent in the bullpen and in the minors as well. Napoli, on the other hand, is a career .251 hitter, and that number was brought down due to a relatively ineffective 2010. In the previous two seasons, he hit .272 and .273, respectively.

With all the talent the Rangers have stockpiled in the pitching ranks, I like this move. Sure, it sends a fan favorite away, but at the same time why not see what you can get out of Napoli, who can more than make up for whatever he may or may not lack at the plate with his versatility. The ability to play C, 1B and DH will be a huge plus for this Rangers' club, especially with Michael Young available to fill in at the other IF positions.

This should also free Mikey up from having to play too much 1B, although if the club decides Mitch Moreland should play everyday at AAA, then that could definitely change.

Not to mention, Napoli has had a penchant for being tough on the Rangers. I know I never wanted to see him up in a crucial situation when he was with LAA.

What do you think? Like the move?

Inside the TABC polls (Week of 1/24/10)

2011-01-25T11:47:00.001-06:00

GIRLS (Full Rankings)
Class 3A
Only a slight change in the area 3A implications this week. After an undefeated week, Fairfield moved up two spots to No. 23.

Class 2A
Still no local squads or district rivals in the top-25 for Class 2A

Class 1A, Div. I
We saw some local movement in this poll after last week. Slocum jumped a spot from No. 13 to No. 12 after topping Grapeland on Tuesday then having Friday off. Slocum's district rival, Lovelady, made a big jump from No. 17 to No. 13, still one spot behind a Slocum squad they beat in district play. As far as District 20 goes, Martin's Mill held strong at No. 3, while LaPoynor moved up to No. 16 from No. 18 after beating Cayuga and Cross Roads during the week.

Class 1A, Div. II
Once again, Neches comes in at No. 2, a spot it should occupy until A) the Lady Tigers lose or 2) Saltillo suffers its first loss of the year.

BOYS (Full Rankings)
Class 3A
No local squads made a move into the top-25, while district rival Mexia held firm at No. 12 after topping Westwood Tuesday and beating Groesbeck Friday in a game that gives Mexia a huge advantage in district play.

Class 2A
Still no sign of a local squad or district rival in the poll this week.

Class 1A, Div. I
After defeating then No. 17 LaPoynor and Big Sandy last week, Cayuga jumped from No. 9 to No. 8 in this week's poll. Grapeland stayed pat at No. 14 after a week in which it beat No. 16 Slocum and Lovelady. After that loss to the Sandies, Slocum dropped from No. 15 to No. 16, while LaPoynor didn't suffer from that loss to Cayuga, holding at No. 17.

Class 1A, Div. II
Neches' district-rival Laneville held firm at No. 6 this week.

This week's 'Monday Lookback'

2011-01-25T11:20:00.001-06:00

For those that don't follow us on Twitter but do check the blog—there's bound to be one of y'all, right?—here's the link to yesterday's 'Monday Lookback' podcast on 'View From the Cheap Seats.'

I talk Westwood/Palestine rivalry games, as well as a little Palestine boys' soccer.

We'll have a chat with good friend Kyle Fuller (@pimpinkal) posted on Thursday, where we look back at the season that was in the NFL, and specifically in Cowboy land. We'll give you our MVPs, Rookies of the Year and biggest surprises/disappointments. Bet you can't guess who one—or both—of us chooses for that last one, huh?

Anyway, check it out HERE

Ramirez-to-Texas deal heating up

2011-01-21T11:18:00.001-06:00

We've asked the question all week right over there -------> in the poll question, and for the one person who voted (and voted for Manny Ramirez) it seems your wish may come true.

According to the Jamey Newberg of the Newberg Report, in an e-mail sent to his mailing list (I got it from friend of the blog and podcast Kyle Fuller (follow him on Twitter @pimpinkal), the Ramirez deal is gaining some steam in the metroplex:

According to a local report posted in the last hour: “The Rangers are pursuing free agent outfielder/designated hitter Manny Ramirez. He would be the big right-handed bat at DH and off the bench. It would likely mean far more playing time for Michael Young at first base and would cut into Mitch Moreland's playing time. But the Rangers are definitely interested in Ramirez.”

That really plays it out right there. Just like Kyle and I talked about on the podcast last week, this should have the same effect on the club that the Thome signing wood, except Thome is a lefty and Manny a righty. Mikey gets more play at 1B, and—it would seem—the coronation of Mitch Moreland will have to wait a bit.

But, Manny brings something that Thome doesn't bring, namely Manny. The sports world for years has talked about the antics of Manny-being-Manny, and I don't see why this would change in Arlington. I mean, this is the same guy who had Joey Cora translate his welcoming press conference when he was traded to Chicago last year, despite the fact that A) Manny is a naturalized American citizen, and knowledge of the English language is required and 2) Everyone's heard Manny speak before. He speaks good English, some say even better English than Cora himself.

Yahoo's Jeff Passan delved into Manny being Manny that fateful day in Cleveland

The chemistry in the Rangers' club house was as much talked about and credited last season for a lot of the team's success as the players on the field and some guy named Cliff were. Does the addition of Manny change that? Does it hurt or help? Also, do we really think Nolan wants to put up with this stuff? Or, does he think he can corral Mr. Ramirez, which no one else has been able to do for extended periods of time.

I'm not saying I don't like the move, because the guy can still hit and the on-the-field addition should be amazing, but what about off of it? And, is that something to concern ourselves with in the first place?

For anyone that thinks postgame (or match) press conferences are dumb and boring

2011-01-21T10:53:00.000-06:00

If the title describes you, Caroline Wozniacki is on your side. However, unlike most people, the world's No. 1 female tennis player has the ways and means to change these types of things.

Change she did. Instead of allowing reporters to ask her the same, bland questions that open every press conference in every sport—it's true, sadly. We always ask the "So, how did it feel out there?" or "What does this win (or loss) mean moving forward?" questions first. Why? I don't know, I guess it's like wading into the pool instead of diving in head first. Plus, it helps build the back-and-forth needed in settings like that. One of the first things your taught in Journalism school is to ask the tough questions last, that way if they make someone mad, you've still got material.

But, I digress, follow the link to the full story HERE to check out how she handled things. (Via Deadspin.com)

Soccer match predicting octopus immortalized

2011-01-20T17:35:00.000-06:00

Everyone remember Paul, the Octopus who so famously—and correctly—predicted the outcomes of all of Germany's matches past year's World Cup?

Well, unfortunately, Paul is no longer with this world, but the public's ability to remember him will soon increase exponentially, because Paul got a statue.

From the AP:

BERLIN (AP) — Paul the celebrated octopus has finally got his tentacles wrapped around a soccer ball.
The Sea Life aquarium in Oberhausen on Thursday unveiled an outsized memorial to the World Cup's most unlikely star: A 6 1/2-foot (2-meter) tall plastic replica of Paul clutching a ball in his eight arms.
Aquarium spokeswoman Tanja Munzig says Paul's cremated ashes were placed in a gold-leaf-covered urn inside the ball. Paul died three months ago and Munzig says fans around the world had asked for a memorial.
Paul correctly tipped the outcome of all seven of Germany's games at last year's World Cup plus the Spain-Netherlands final. He made his predictions by opening the lid of one of two boxes, each containing a mussel and bearing a team flag.

Most people don't even get statues when they die, but then again, most people are not that accurate with predictions. It got so bad that the poor guy got death threats against him when he picked against Germany in the semifinals.

RIP Paul.

Hakeem, Bill Simmons and nationalities...and how it never mattered (UPDATED)

2011-01-20T12:31:00.002-06:00

So, on Twitter today I got into a discussion with ESPN's fantastic columnist Bill Simmons (@sportsguy33) about a comment he made in his new column (Read that here). Here's the part we talked about:

Dirk Nowitzki: Was moving into the Barkley/Malone big-picture historical discussion before an injury derailed his MVP campaign.
Manu Ginobili: Reclaimed "Only a few guys get better when it matters and he's one" and "Night in, night out, it's just hard to imagine anyone being more entertaining" status after bad ankles nearly derailed his career. Hey, here's another fun 2011 subplot: the three best foreign players ever who didn't play college ball in the U.S. (Dirk, Manu and Pau, in that order) playing on the same team.

The point I made was this: Isn't Hakeem Olajuwon foreign? I mean he was born in Nigeria, and didn't immigrate to the States until college. On the flip side, Patrick Ewing was born in Jamaica, but moved to the U.S. with his family when he was 11.

At the same time, Olajuwon played for Team USA when the Olympics rolled around. But, couldn't that be because there was no chance of his native Nigeria making it far enough to qualify?

So the question becomes, how do we rank Olajuwon's nationality? Because if he's considered foreign, he far surpasses Dirk, Manu and Co. As much as I love Dirk, he doesn't hold a candle to Hakeem, who it could argued is one of the greatest big men of all time.

--As it turns out, Simmons had the college quantifier in the whole time, as was graciously pointed to me b a commenter. Sorry for not reading more carefully and for wasting a little time. It was fun though.

Dirk will go down as one of the top 50 players of all time, in my opinion. But, Olajuwon will go down as a top-20 guy, if not higher. So, that's my thought. He's foreign, growing up playing soccer in Nigeria.

What do you think?

Record number of non-seniors to hit this year's NFL draft

2011-01-19T15:48:00.000-06:00

According to a story released by the Associated Press, there are 56 non-seniors that are leaving their college squads to enter the 2011 NFL draft, a record number.

Now, the reasons could be many. For one, there is rampant speculation that in the upcoming labor dispute, the owners and league are going to almost mandate a rookie wage scale, much like the NBA has.

What that means, is that the No. 1 pick would get whatever money is slotted for that pick, as opposed to the pick getting a load more than last year's No. 1 pick, like Sam Bradford did en route to his monster, guaranteed deal out of Oklahoma.

Because of the wage scale, many pundits have said that this could cause more underclassmen to leave in an effort to recoup a little bit of the money via an extra year that they'll lose in initial signings.

Or, it could be that this year's senior class is a weak one, and underclassmen see the opportunity to get picked higher than they would in a stronger draft.

Here's the full story, from the AP via Yahoo: Record 56 leave college early

Great, great story out of Houston

2011-01-19T14:07:00.001-06:00

Sports are fun. Fun to play, fun to watch and fun to cover.

This story out of Houston is one of the exact reasons why:

One-handed girls hoops star inspires outside of Houston

(Via Yahoo's Prep Rally/Houston Chronicle)

Rangers to announce Rhadigan as new play-by-play voice

2011-01-19T11:55:00.000-06:00

The chair occupied by Josh Lewin for the better part of the last decade in the Texas Rangers' TV booth now has a new occupant.

According to ESPNDallas.com's Richard Durrett, the Rangers are all set to announce John Rhadigan as the new play-by-play man for the defending AL champion Rangers. Rhadigan will join long-time Rangers' analyst and former player/general manager Tom Grieve for Texas Ranger broadcasts.

I like the move, and I like Rhadigan, who's been a stalwart on Rangers' pre- and post-game shows, as well as other Fox Sports Southwest broadcasts.

It'll be hard to fill the void in my heart left by Lewin, however. I started really, really following the club back in 2004 and Lewin was the man who brought the game's into my TV set each and every night. Some people, I don't think, didn't care for his over-the-top style at times. I, however, loved it. You could sense a true passion from him and it always felt like he really cared about the guys on the field and in the dugout, as well as the outcome.

Here's hoping that Rhadigan can bring that same type of energy to the booth.

Bourn, Barmes and Keppinger avoid arbitration with Astros

2011-01-18T12:17:00.004-06:00

HOUSTON (AP) — Center fielder Michael Bourn has agreed to a $4.4 million, one-year contract with the Houston Astros, who also reached deals with infielders Clint Barmes at $3,925,000 and Jeff Keppinger at $2.3 million.

Tuesday's agreements avoided salary arbitration.

Bourn hit .265 with 25 doubles, a career-high 38 RBIs and a league-leading 52 steals last season for Houston. Bourn earned his second Gold Glove in 2010 and leads the majors with 154 stolen bases since 2008.

Barmes came to Houston in a November trade from Colorado and is expected to play shortstop for the Astros. He has hit .254 with 61 homers and 285 RBIs since 2003 with the Rockies.

Keppinger hit .288 with six home runs and 59 RBIs in 137 games for Houston last season.

New View From the Cheap Seats Podcast

2011-01-18T12:04:00.001-06:00

Posted a new podcast to the Web site yesterday, a new feature we'll be calling the Monday Lookback. This week, we take a look back at the Palestine girls' basketball team's loss to Fairfield and the evolution of the Ladycat soccer team over the weekend.

Check it out

Inside the TABC polls (Week of 1/17/10)

2011-01-18T11:54:00.000-06:00

I've learned something about basketball here in the Dogwood Circle as we near the halfway mark for district play in the area: We've got some teams that can ball.

As it currently stands, there are seven local squads (four boys/three girls) that sit inside the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches (TABC) Top-25. Oddly enough, all of them are in the state's smallest two classifications, Class 1A, Div. I and Class 1A, Div. II.

So, with that being said—and with squads from area districts also being ranked—from here on out during the basketball season we'll dive into the polls weekly to see where the movement, if any, has been for the local squads.

GIRLS (For complete rankings, click HERE)
CLASS 3A
There are no local squads in Class 3A ranked, but a district-rival has been a stalwart in the poll all season long. From the first week of the season to this past week, the Mexia Lady Blackcats have resided somewhere inside the poll, getting as high as a top-10 squad. No longer, the Blackcats fall out, losers of two of their last three, including a loss at Palestine. But, where one left one also emerged. Fairfield, District 20-3A's lone undefeated squad who just beat Palestine on Friday, enters the poll at No. 25.

CLASS 2A
No local squads or district rivals

CLASS 1A, DIV. I
Both Slocum (No. 13) and LaPoynor (No. 18) reside here, and both held their positions from last week's poll after undefeated weeks. The highest-ranking member of area interest in this poll is Martin's Mill, which sits at No. 3. Martin's Mill, of course, shares a district with both the Lady Flyers and Cayuga. As far as competition for Slocum, Lovelady comes in at No. 17, despite the Lady Lions topping the Lady Mustangs early last week. Slocum is still a great story, a squad that was unranked heading into the year.

CLASS 1A, DIV. II
The only local squad ranked in this poll is Neches, which sits at No. 2 behind undefeated Saltillo, the same spot they've occupied for the better part of two months.. The Lady Tigers, of course, went wire-to-wire last season en route to a state title, but have been adjusting to life without Raven McFarland, who's been out with a knee injury. Neches and Oakwood hook-up tonight in a district battle in Neches.

BOYS (For complete rankings, click HERE)
CLASS 3A
Much like in the girls' poll, no local squads call the top-25 home, but a local rival does. Mexia has taken up a spot inside the top-15 all season long, and currently sits at No. 12 in the latest poll. The Blackcats pay a visit to Westwood tonight, which should provided a big opportunity for the young Panthers to see what they're all about.

CLASS 2A
The Class 2A poll isn't short on East Texas squads (Crockett, White Oak and Tatum to name three), but no local squads nor district rivals have as much as flirted with a ranking so far this season.

CLASS 1A, DIV. I
The most congested classification when it comes to area squads, all four local teams call the top-25 home here. The highest is defending state champion Cayuga, which sits at No. 9, a steady hold for the past three weeks. Grapeland (No. 14), Slocum (No. 15) and LaPoynor (No. 17) all moved up a spot this week after undefeated stretches. This classification, at least locally, will get sorted out some tonight, when Grapeland travels to Slocum and LaPoynor travels to Cayuga.

CLASS 1A, DIV. II
No local squads here, but Laneville, which sits in District 22 with Neches and Oakwood, comes in at No. 6 this week.

New View From the Cheap Seats Podcast

2011-01-15T10:53:00.002-06:00

Meant to post this yesterday, but a new episode of the podcast is up over at palestineherald.com. In the episode, my buddy Kyle (@pimpinkal) joins me to talk a little Rangers' offseason and the NFL playoffs. Sorry about the dated Jim Thome talk, who knew?

Anyway go check it out, let us know what you think.

McDonald's employee fired for letting Adrian Peterson use bathroom? (UPDATED)

2011-01-14T15:28:00.002-06:00

According to Yahoo's Shutdown Corner NFL blog, a McDonald's employee was recently let go because she allowed someone to come into the restaurant to use the restroom after closing time.

Turns out, that someone was Palestine-native and Minnesota Vikings' star Adrian Peterson. From Shutdown Corner:

An assistant manager at McDonald's was fired after allowing Minnesota Vikings star Adrian Peterson to use the bathroom while the restaurant was closed.
While working the late-night drive-thru shift at 3 a.m., a female employee encountered a man standing outside the window who asked to come inside and use the restroom. After a little while, she realized it was the popular Minnesota Vikings star and opened the door for him to come inside and use the facilities. (The seating area at the restaurant is normally closed during the late-night hours.)
One week later, the mother of three was fired for the offense.
"He's a public figure... I know him better than some of the maintenance people that come in and out," she told Consumerist. "I never thought in a million years that that decision was going to cost me my career."

Firing someone because they let another person use the bathroom? That in itself seems really, really harsh. If anything, I'd think she should be commended for providing that kind of customer service.

On the plus side, Shutdown Corner went on to report that after a public and media backlash against the McDonald's, the lady got her job back. So the story's got a happy ending at least.

AD took to Twitter yesterday to voice his apologies about the situation here...and here

Like I said yesterday, at least McDonald's had the decency to give her the job back.

Thome stays in Minny...Now what?

2011-01-14T14:23:00.000-06:00

Earlier in the week, we talked here on the blog about the possibility of Jim Thome bringing his talents to North Texas. My buddy Kyle and I even talked about the move on the newest installment of the View From the Cheap Seats podcast.

But according to ESPN, Thome's talents are staying far, far north. The question is now, what are the Rangers' plans? One apparent possibility is that Manny Ramirez could bring his show to Arlington. The Rangers are apparently interested in the slugger along with a slew of other squads.

So, that's one possibility. Another is that the Rangers could just play the season with they had they already have, which would include "Mr. Texas Ranger"—as Kyle calls him in the podcast—Michael Young doing most of the DH work for Texas in 2011.

Personally, I'm in favor of just playing with Young. I really don't want to hurt the man's psyche anymore than it's already been hurt by not giving him all the at-bats we promised him when we decided to make this move.

That being said, I'm starting to get the feeling that this won't be the case. When news came out about the Rangers interest in Manny hours after the Thome signing, it made me think the Rangers don't feel like Young is the answer at DH. That means he'll have to take more 1B reps, or that he's possibly gone all together. With how Mitch Moreland performed late in the year and especially during the playoffs, I'd lean toward the latter if I was forced to choose.

Michael Young has been my favorite Ranger for almost a decade, and I'd hate to see him go, especially when I feel like he can still help the squad.

What do you think? How should Texas proceed at the DH position?

New Braunfels' school installs red turf field

2011-01-13T12:57:00.000-06:00

Yes, the headline is correct. At New Braunfels Canyon High School, the school's new red turf field debuted this past week during some soccer matches (via Yahoo's Prep Rally). The turf will be home to the football team in 2011 as well.

Much like Boise State's blue turf, the red turf leaves quite an impression, but whether or not that is a good or bad thing is up to personal taste I guess. Me personally, I'm a fan of the basic green turf. But that's just me, maybe I'm old school.

But, according to the above-linked article, Canyon may not even have the brightest turf within a 50 mile radius if UT-San Antonio gets its way. Apparently, the Roadrunners are hoping to have an orange field inside the Alamodome when the program begins play in 2011 under Larry Coker. I guess with Boise State moving to the Mountain West Conference and UTSA heading into the WAC soon, someone had to take the weird turf torch.

What do you think of the field? OK with random weird colors or just keep it green?

Some MLB updates, links

2011-01-13T11:34:00.000-06:00

Josh Hamilton is still recovering from his bout withe pneaumonia, but is expected to be out of the hospital by the weekend: via dallasnews.com's Ranger's Blog

Astro fans, welcome to Texas Ranger fan's world. Apparently, Drake McClane has "20-25" potential buyers for the 'Stros lined up: via the Houston Chronicle

But, that sale isn't stopping Astros general manager Ed Wade from taking on some New Year's resolutions. Wade is going to run the Houston Marathon, three years after completeing the Marine Corp. Marathon in an impressive 4:45. (Via Yahoo's Big League Stew)

"Golden-voiced" man headed to rehab

2011-01-13T11:00:00.002-06:00

I guess the story of Ted Williams, who went from homeless to Youtube sensation to celebrity in about 36 hours last week, couldn't turn out quite that Hollywood.

According to CNN, Williams is headed to rehab at the urgence of Dr. Phil. If you'll remember, Williams was offered voice-over work by the Cleveland Cavaliers, the NFL and more entities once the Cleveland Plain-Dealer's Web site discovered him in a video piece done by one of their reporters.

Here's CNN's full story

New Podcast available

2011-01-12T11:57:00.001-06:00

After a day of some technical difficulties that I could not fix nor even understand, we've gotten the very first "View From the Cheapseats" sports podcast up and running over at the paper's Website.

Head over, check it out and let me know what you guys think. We'll be doing more very soon, and hope to be adding guests including local coaches and players, as well as other media types from around the area and more.

Check it out here

RANGERS: Why is Texas chasing Jim Thome?

2011-01-11T13:36:00.001-06:00

According to multiple ESPN baseball sources, the Rangers are apparently in the hunt for the services of designated hitter and future Cooperstown resident Jim Thome.

I first heard this last night, and the first thing I said was "Huh?"

I mean, the club just signed Adrian Beltre to an almost $100 million dollar contract, and in the process said that Michael Young was going to be a "super-utility" player for the team, with most of his at-bats coming at DH, but also spelling others in the infield when they needed the rest.

So, if you've got the answer at DH (Young), why are you persuing a DH? Thome is going to command more money than the $1.5 million he earned in Minnesota this past year thanks to his 2010 production (.283 average, 25 HRs, 59 RBI). The move doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me.

Also, how is all this hot stove talk affecting Young? I would think that it's got to be hard for the guy to 1) Move postions for the third time in the last six years 2) be the subject of trade talks at the Winter Meetings and 3) now worry about his at-bats. Young has been very understanding through all of these moves the club has made recently, even seeming to embrace his role as "super-utility man." With this new hunt on for Thome, I really hope that Young is pushed to the brink of being tired of the antics and wanting out of town.

UPDATE: ESPNDallas' Richard Durrett weighs in on the ramifications

What do you think? Should Texas be pursuing Thome, or stand pat with Young and Co.?

New Year's Resolutions and such

2011-01-11T11:40:00.000-06:00

Everyone has their basic New Year's Resolutions. Get in shape, eat better, be better with money, etc. In fact, all three of those are my personal resolutions for 2011. Will I be able to do it? Who knows, but I'm going to try.

But, in addition to personal resolutions this year, I made a couple of professional ones as well. Namely, I'm going to be more out there. I'm going to get away from merely being on the sports page. So, my plan is to blog more as well as probably set up a dedicated Twitter account for the sports department here at the paper. We've also got a possible podcast in the works, where myself and others will get on and talk a little sports for people's listening pleasure. With the absence of any sports radio in the area outside of game broadcasts, I think that it'll be a good venture. At least I hope it will be.

So, as I said, I'm going to get back to being a better blogger along with a better writer, editor and the like. Not only will I tackle local topics here, but you can also get my take on national sports topics as well. Same goes for the potential podcast, which is tentatively titled 'View From the Cheap Seats.' (Note: Thanks to my buddy Kyle for that name suggestion, because I was stumped. You'll get to know Kyle, I plan on having him on the show).

Anyway, those are my goals or resolutions or whatever. I hope I can uphold them in for you guys. If not, keep me in check, will ya?

What are some of y'all's resolutions for 2011?

State semifinal time

2010-11-19T08:52:00.022-06:00

It's over. Cayuga falls, 28-26, in Game 3 and drop the match, 3-0.
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We're headed to extra points. Molly Griffey just hit an ace to give Cayuga an edge, 25-24.
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Wink has stormed back. Thanks to two Cayuga ball outs and an ace, Wink now trails by only one at 22-21 in Game 3.
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Wink just hit its third-straight ball out and Cayuga leads 22-17
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Cayuga was up by as many as five points at 17-12, but Wink has clawed back in and now Cayuga leads, 18-15. Timeout Cayuga.
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Taylor Wagner just smashed a kill off of a Molly Griffey set, and the Cats now lead Game 3 14-10. Time out Wink.

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It's been back-and-forth but Cayuga has made a small run, leading right now 10-8.
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Wink opened Game 3 with a 3-0 run, but Cayuga has responded with four of the last five points, and the match is tied at 4-4.
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For the second-straight match Cayuga finds itself down, 2-0, in a match that could end the Ladycats season.

In the regional final, Cayuga stormed back against Cross Roads to win the final three games and head to this very state tournament.

If that's to happen again, it has to start quick. Teams don't usually drop three-straight games at state tournaments, but stranger things are bound to have happened. Cayuga has to take in one game at a time, and that starts now in Game 3.
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Two straight-aces by Wink's Haley Shackleford end Game 2 here at Strahan Colesium, with Wink winning going away, 25-14.
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Cayuga takes another time out after a Wink kill makes the score 18-11 here in San Marcos. A lot of those points against the Ladycats have been self-inflicted, whether it be by missed serves or other errors.

If the Cats can calm their nerves, it seems like they have the talent to play with Wink in this match, but they've got to rebound soon.
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Another net serve by Cayuga puts Wink up 16-10 here in Game 2. That's at least the Ladycats fifth missed serve of the game so far.
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Cayuga tied the game back up at 5-5 on an ace by Kaitlyn Cornelius, but Wink has rolled off five of the last six points, taking an 11-6 lead here in Game 2.
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Cayuga opened Game 2 fast up 3-1, but Wink has answered with five-straight points to take a 5-3 lead.
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Heading into Game 2, these two teams look pretty evenly matched. The difference could easily just be state championship experience, which Wink possesses. If not for Wink's stretch of aces late in Game 1, it could've gone either way.

Let's see how Cayuga responds, Game 2 is about set to begin.
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Cayuga got back to within two points at 24-22 after a kill by Shawnta Knox, but a Ladycat double-hit gave the game to Wink, 25-22.

We're switching sides heading into Game 2 with Wink up early, 1-0.
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Wink trying to pull away on three-straight aces by Haley Shackleford. Timeout Cayuga with Wink up 22-17 in Game 1.
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18-17 Wink after a net violation by Danielle Anderson on a kill attempt. These two teams are very evenly matched right now. Cayuga timeout with Wink up 19-17.
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After another Wink run put them up 12-9, Cayuga responded, tying the game on a block by Jessica Blair and Knox, then taking the lead, 13-12, on a Knox kill.
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CHS up 8-7. Wink took a 7-5 lead, but Cayuga has rebounded. Anderson ace gives 'Cats the slim lead.
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Tied up at 3, with CHS kills by Shawnta Knox and Danielle Anderson.
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The introductions are finishing up here at the Strahan Colesium in San Marcos, and the Caygua volleyball team is about set to take on Wink in the first of two Class 1A state semifinals this morning.

The Ladycats come into this match at 35-12 on the year, while Wink comes in with a tournament-best mark of 35-8.

For what it's worth, the Texas Girls' Coaches Association (TGCA) ranked Wink No. 1 in their final poll entering the state tournament, while ranking the Ladycats No. 2.

It's time for first serve, so let's go!

UPDATE: Volleyball playoff clarification

2010-10-29T12:36:00.003-05:00

Apparently, I've gotten the playoff scenario wrong for District 20-3A's playoff situation, which will be resolved tonight and tomorrow in Fairfield.

Tonight, Palestine and Fairfield play for the chance to play Saturday. The winner of tonight's game moves on to Saturday at 3 p.m. to play Westwood for the district's second-place spot. The loser of the 3 p.m. match then moves on to play the loser of tonight's match for third place.

Sorry for the confusion, I just had the scenario re-explained to me today. I was under the impression that the loser of tonight's match is done. Not the case.

Also, still trying to gather any other volleyball playoff information anyone's got. I know that Cayuga and Grapeland both have byes because of district titles, and that Oakwood starts playoffs Tuesday. Also just found out from coach Katie Lankford that the Lady Elks will begin playoff volleyball Tuesday, most likely against either Woodville or Hemphill. She said she'd find out for sure tomorrow. We'll keep you posted.

In other news, no football previews for tonight's game here on the blog. I've got to get out early to go to Fairfield to watch the Ladycats and Lady Eagles at 4 p.m., then book it over to Frankston to catch the Indians take on Union Grove.

As always, check out www.fridaynightcentral.com when the games end for complete scores, then check out palestineherald.com for stories either about an hour or two after that (if you're still awake. If not, then check it out tomorrow).

Where's the Cayuga love?

2010-10-26T12:02:00.001-05:00

So, as I do every Tuesday when I get in from my weekend, I pulled up the Associated Press Top-10 High School poll today. And, as has been the case for the past nine weeks, there are still no local teams ranked. The closest thing to it is Cayuga, who's currently listed at No. 12 in 1A under the 'Others receiving votes' headings.

Which leads me to this question: What do the 'Cats have to do to crack the top-10?

Undefeated? Check.
Defending state champions? Check
Comparable schedule to other ranked teams? Check.

For instance, to keep it relatively local, let's compare Cayuga's schedule to Garrison, the No. 10 team in the poll, also at 8-0.

The combined record of the team's on Garrison's schedule is 22-42, 20 games below .500. Of those eight games, only two (Teneha and Alto) are above .500, both at 5-3. Both Teneha and Alto are good wins, as both have made appearances in polls this season. But, beyond that, there's not much there.

Also, Garrison has played three one-point games, with one coming against Alto, but with the other two coming against Lovelady (3-5) and Timpson (3-5).

Now, let's break down Cayuga's schedule. On the year, Cayuga's eight victories have come against teams with a combined record of 24-41, actually a tick or two better than the Garrison schedule. Three of Cayuga's victories came against teams with winning records, while a fourth came against a 4-4 Dawson team. The Dawson victory was also the lone victory for Cayuga that didn't come by double-digits.

So, in all actuality, there isn't much difference between Garrison and Cayuga on paper. Except the parts were Cayuga scores more points (278 to Garrison's 206) and give up less (78 to 144).

The Wildcats next two games should be a wake-up call to voters in the poll (Sports writers from the biggest 25 papers in Texas vote on the poll) when Cayuga takes on Kerens and No. 6 Mart to finish the season.

But, as the defending state champions, you'd think the boys off Hwy 287 would get a little more love than they're getting. Then again, maybe they don't want it. After all, it's worked this way so far.

Pre-game notes

2010-10-22T19:15:00.001-05:00

Both Terrance Simon and Ryan Pardue are in uniform tonight. With Fairfield's downhill style Pardue could play a huge role in a Wildcat win.
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Playoffs begin tonight in Fairfield, Groesbeck

2010-10-22T15:20:00.002-05:00

While the actual postseason for Texas High School football is still almost a month away, it starts in all earnest tonight for both teams residing inside the Palestine city limits.

Needless to say, both the Palestine Wildcats and Westwood Panthers have had disappointing seasons in 2010 that once began with promise, but all that can be forgotten--at least for a week--with victories tonight.

The situation is a little complicated, but it boils down to this: Both teams have to win to keep hope alive. Now, winning out doesn't guarantee anything for either team, but losing even a single game from here forward officially ends the playoff dream.

Now, lets get to some predictions:

Palestine at Fairfield
The Fairfield Eagles appear to be the epitome of "What you see is what you get." What they want to do is run the football, and they make no effort to hide that. They plan to run in, most of the time between the tackles. To illustrate that point, their quarterback attempted four passes last week against Westwood, but the team ran for almost 450 yards. Palestine has been a little better stopping the run than the pass this season, and the Eagles physical style plays directly into the Wildcats strength in the middle of their defense. But, Fairfield is undefeated for a reason, and from here on out I'm afraid all Wildcat fans have to look forward to is ending on a solid note, basketball and the promise for 2011.
Fairfield 31, Palestine 24

Westwood at Groesbeck
Much like the above game, what Groesbeck does well is the exact thing that Westwood is decent at stopping on defense. The rushing attack has killed the Panthers all season long, but after their defensive secondary got torched by Chapel Hill, Westwood has been better as a pass defense. Well, Groesbeck wants to air it out and it'll be up to that secondary to make the stops. Offensively, Westwood has to get back to racking up the kind of yards they compiled in early parts of the season, and will try to do it while rotating quarterbacks. Not always a good combination.
Groesbeck 43, Westwood 17

Elkhart at Crockett
After falling to Teague in a heartbreaker, the Elkhart Elks have to find a way to pick themselves back up and travel to Crockett to take on what might be the best team in the district. The Elkhart playoff hopes took a hit last Friday, but they are far from eliminated from playoff contention, and a victory tonight would do big things for that cause. Crockett brings a talented offense to the table, and it'll be up to Elkhart's vaunted defense to make the necessary stops. The question is, is the Elk defense good enough?
Crockett 38, Elkhart 21

Frankston at Joaquin
After the Indians worst loss of the season to No. 7 West Rusk, Frankston now has to bounce back. Winning out guarantees the Indians the No. 2-seed out of their district, while a slip up could seriously derail playoff chances. But, coach Sam Wells seems to think that his team will respond the right way from last Friday's blowout loss, and right the ship heading toward the finish line.
Frankston 42, Joaquin 13

Cross Roads at Cayuga
It's homecoming in Cayuga and the Wildcats will also be receiving their Lone Star Cup from the UIL. With a matchup with top-10 team Kerens on the horizon next week, the Wildcats are primed for a game that sees them looking ahead rather then directly on the field. But, don't expect that to happen, not with Cross Roads coming in to town. If it were any other team there might be cause to worry, but as coach Greg Jenkins put it, they've never had to tell a kid to get up for the Cross Roads game.
Cayuga 44, Cross Roads 14

Grapeland at Garrison
Congratulations Grapeland, after winning your first district game and boosting playoff hopes, you get rewarded by travelling to Garrison, home of 1A's No. 10-ranked team. The Sandies have been playing well of late, and Garrison has won both of its playoff games by one point each, including opening week against the very Timpson team Grapeland beat last week, but the Bulldogs are ranked for a reason. This one should be close, but being on the road really dampers the Sandies chances
Garrison 24, Grapeland 20

Apple Springs at Oakwood
Expect the scoreboard operator in Oakwood to be plenty tired when its all said and done tonight. Apple Springs averages more than 60 points a game, while Oakwood coach Mike Heckathorn thinks his team is the more athletic of the two. Should be lots of fun for anyone that likes points, and it just may come down to who has the ball last. But, I expect the Panthers to make a stop or two along with way.
Oakwood 64, Apple Springs 51

Cats lead at the half

2010-10-15T20:57:00.001-05:00

Despite having some big-time players out due to injuries, Palestine leads Mexia, 24-19, at the half here at Wildcat Stadium. Kenny Green has run for two touchdowns to lead the Wildcats.

Across town, Westwood trails Fairfield, 35-0, while Cayuga led Rice at the half, 28-3.
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Big players out tonight

2010-10-15T19:27:00.001-05:00

Ryan Pardue and Terrance Simon are both in street close as the game nears kickoff
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This is football weather

2010-10-15T19:18:00.001-05:00

It can't be more than 65 degrees here on the field at Wildcat Stadium. Great weather for football, which is set to kick off in less than 14 minutes.

Also, things have gotten under way in Arlington, with Rangers taking on the New York Yankees in the ALCS. My pick: Texas in 7

Let's play ball.
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Do or die time in Palestine

2010-10-15T16:11:00.002-05:00

With a couple of big games on the outskirts of the Dogwood Circe this week, things are a little more desperate inside the Palestine city limits, where both teams are looking to avoid 0-2 district holes. It won't get easier for either, as Palestine welcomes in preseason district favorite Mexia, while Westwood and new head coach Roger Mays host undefeated and unchallenged Fairfield.

Speaking of the outskirts, the Dogwood Circle Game of the Week has to be in Frankston, where the Indians (4-2, 1-0) welcome in the No. 7-ranked West Rusk Raiders (6-0, 1-0). Odds are, this ones for the district title.

In Elkhart, playoff positioning may very well be on the line when the Elks take on Teague. With a win, Elkhart will own wins over both the Lions and Trinity, the two other teams who seem to be able to fight for that third spot. Unfortunately for everyone in that district not Malakoff or Crockett, it seems third place is all that there is left to fight for.

Now, on to the predictions:

Mexia at PALESTINE
It's Week 2 of the new-look Wildcat offense helmed by new quarterback Caleb Cargill, and in the first full week (a 35-27 loss to Groesbeck) there were flashes of what could be. Because of those flashes, if it were anyone other than Mexia (or Fairfield) coming into Wildcat Stadium tonight, I'd pick the 'Cats, but unfortunately, it's not. Mexia probably is none to happy about losing to rival Fairfield, and the Blackcats were preseason picks for a reason.
Mexia 41, Palestine 27

Fairfield at WESTWOOD
To call this season at Westwood rough is really an understatement. It didn't get anything but tougher this week with the news that Westwood ousted Athletic Director Bryan Price and appointment offensive coordinator Roger Mays as the new head coach. All that, and Westwood still has to suit up tonight and take on Fairfield, a team that sports a shiny 6-0 record and has yet to even have a game decided by single digits in 2010.
Fairfield 56, Westwood 9

Teague at ELKHART
This one, at least for Elkhart, could turn out to be the biggest game of the year. With fellow 1-0 club member Malakoff and Crockett looking all kinds of unbeatable, the third spot in the district's playoff race may be the Elks only hope at the postseason. But, the fact that the postseason is even a discussion in Elkhart is a testament to what John Adair and his staff have done over there this year. Teague comes in having been pushed all over the field by Crockett in a 53-0 loss, and will either come out deflated or pumped up. Either way, with the stout Elkhart defense and a confident, Lane Grant-led offense, it won't matter.
Elkhart 37, Teague 17

West Rusk at FRANKSTON
It doesn't get much bigger than this. These two squads have already proved themselves to most likely be the class of this district, and a win tonight would give Frankston all sorts of legitimacy in the eyes of football fans statewide. West Rusk boasts a lot of athletes all over the ball, but, so do the Indians. Coach Sam Wells at Frankston seemed to think his squad could make the required stops to win, and I trust his judgement. It may only take one or two to derail what could be a track meet.
Frankston 54, West Rusk 48

Timpson at GRAPELAND
Both the Sandies and Timpson fell in the first week of district play, and neither was an easy loss. Grapeland fell, 31-27, to Shelbyville while Timpson suffered a 22-21 defeat to Garrison. This is a big week for both teams, as the winner stays in the hunt and the loser faces an almost impossible uphill climb to the playoffs. Last week was the second week in a row Grapeland's come close, and it's time to get over the hump.
Grapeland 26, Timpson 20

Blum at OAKWOOD
This one could be over early. In fact, Oakwood fans could probably catch second halves in other parts of the Dogwood Circle when this one ends. It's the 4-2 Panthers final tune-up before district begins, and 0-7 Blum doesn't seem to present much of a challenge. The Bobcats have been outscored in 2010 379-33, or, if you like averages, an average of 63-5 (give or take a point or two).
Oakwood 67, Blum 0

Well there you have it. I've been really close on my Oakwood predictions lately, so that's cool. Follow along as Palestine tries to keep it's playoff hopes alive at Wildcat Stadium here on the blog, and check out www.fridaynightcentral.com after the games for score updates and more.

Halftimes abound

2010-10-08T20:56:00.001-05:00

Here in Groesbeck, a late touchdown pass from Caleb Cargill to Kenny Green from five yards out cut the Goat lead in half headed into the locker room with PHS trailing, 14-7.

In Palestine, Madisonville jumped o Westwood early and often to the tune of a 29-0 Mustang lead.

In Cayuga, the Wildcats lead Riesel by a smidge, 7-6.
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Time to push for the playoffs

2010-10-08T15:44:00.001-05:00

After a week that saw only Oakwood hit the field for some Friday night action, all seven teams return to field tonight from the Dogwood Circle.

What makes tonight even more special is that for everyone except the Panthers of Oakwood, district play begins tonight. As I said in last Sunday's column, start winning now and no one will remember or care what happened in the first half of the season.

So, without further adieu, let's get to the games.

Palestine at Groesbeck
The Wildcats enter this game with a completely different look now that Caleb Cargill has taken over under center for Kenny Green. While Green did an admirable thing by offering to play quarterback for PHS when no one else stood out, his talent at both wide reciever and cornerback or better suited to help the Wildcats win. In Cargill, Palestine has a player who seems to be full of confidence and can throw the ball a mile. But, he's also a freshman. Luckily he got some solid reps in during the PHS loss to Athens before the bye week, meaning that his first snaps won't be on the road in a district game. Groesbeck comes in with a 3-2 mark and a high-powered passing game, but I think the QB move rejuvenates the Wildcats and kicks them into a new gear.
PHS 31, Groesbeck 24

Madisonville at Westwood
The Panthers desperately need a win to help instill some confidence in the team. While the players felt really good after the heartbreaking loss to Rusk, nothing feels quite like a win. Lucky for Westwood, the schedule makers did them a favor with Madisonville, a 1-4 team that can't seem to score very many points. If the Westwood defense, which has been shaky at times this year, can hold a time or two, the Panther's high-powered attack should be able to take over.
WHS 46, Madisonville 21

Elkhart at Trinity
While the Elks headed into the bye week with a loss AND face off against a 4-1 Trinity team this week, things aren't near as dire as they may seem for Elkhart fans. For instance, according to coach John Adair the Elks played well in the first half in the Mildred loss, only to see that play fade down the stretch. Second, Trinity doesn't really score, which plays into the Elkhart defense's hands. The strength of this EHS club, I look for them to make a difference tonight.
EHS 17, Trinity 10

Arp at Frankston
The tough road through a tough district begins tonight for Frankston, and expect a tired scoreboard operator when it's all said and done between the Indians and Arp. Both teams like to move the ball up and down the field, and I'm not sure if either defense can consistently make stops. This one may come down to who gets the ball last, but I'll take my chances with the first of Allen, Allen and Coleman for the Indians.
FHS 45, Arp 38

Riesel at Cayuga
If you're reading this, not planning on attending a game yet for whatever reason, do two things for me. First, finish reading. Thanks. Then, get up, get ready and head on out to Cayuga to watch the Wildcats take on the Riesel Indians. Get there early and enjoy the Fox Sports Southwest Road Tour's interactive village, then watch an uber-important game for District 8-A. With four teams currently at 4-1 or better, and only three playoff spots, this could be the strongest district in the state.
Cayuga 28, Riesel 19

Grapeland at Shelbyville
The good news for the Sandies is that the bye week came at a perfect time, and let quarterback Cameron Boyd heal up in time for the district opener. Even without Boyd, the Sandies went the distance and then some against Buffalo, a 2A team with playoff aspirations. But, Shelbyville isn't an easy to place to go and play, and while Boyd has been great for the Sandies, it's the defense the last three or four weeks that worries me.
Shelbyville 27, Grapeland 14

Karnack at Oakwood
Last time Oakwood lost, they came out the next game and lambasted Bloomburg, 60-13. That spells trouble for the 0-4 Wildcats, who give up an average of 62 points per game this season. It's homecoming in Oakwood, and the crowd should see a good one, and perhaps go home early.
Oakwood 63, Karnack 12

Returning to the rivalry conversation between the two schools here in Palestine, blog reader D. Carter added his idea to reader C.X.'s "Holy City Rivalry." D. thinks we should go with the "Dogwood Circle Rivalry", or some form of that. I'm telling you, I could go for the "Dogwood Duel."

What do you guys think?

Remember, check out the scores at www.fridaynightcentral.com after the games, and check back here occasionally tonight to see how Palestine is fairing in Groesbeck.

OHS leads at half

2010-10-01T20:27:00.001-05:00

On the strength of 127 yards rushing, the Oakwood Panthers lead Trinidad, 12-8, at the half.
The Oakwood defense has played a strong game, holding a high-powered Trojan offense to one score.

Also, they did find chain gang help.
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Time for six-man football

2010-10-01T19:22:00.000-05:00

We're about to kickoff here in Trinidad, and you've got to love small town football. The weather's perfect, the turkey legs are cooking at the concession stand and the PA announcer just asked for chain gan volunteers.
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Westwood, PHS trailing

2010-09-24T21:44:00.001-05:00

Athens tacked on two third quarter touchdowns as Athens leads Palestine, 35-7.

In Rusk, the Panthers still trail by three after three quarters.

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Same score in Athens

2010-09-24T21:02:00.001-05:00

The second quarter stayed mostly between the 30s with no team gsaining the upperhand. The score remained 21-7.

In Rusk, the Panthers are trailing 28-25 at the half.
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Shootout in Athens

2010-09-24T20:12:00.001-05:00

After a quarter of play, Palestine trails 21-7.
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One week until the abyss

2010-09-24T17:17:00.000-05:00

That's right, the title says it all. This is the final week of non-district play which is great, because that means district play is up next. Unfortunately, we've got to sit through next weekend first.
The dreaded "Bye" week.
All six 11-man football teams are off next week, leaving only Oakwood to take center stage.
Will I travel to Trinidad to watch the Panthers? Absolutely
Will it be fun, entertaining and a good time to cover? With out a doubt
Should you come too? Why not.
I mean, I'm not taking a carpool or anything, but what else will you do with your Friday night? If you can make the time, I strongly suggest taking in some six-man football. It'll change the way you view the game.
But to get there, we've got to play this weekend first. With the bye weeks coming, tonight's games take on extra importance. After all, teams have an extra week to think about how they played tonight (good or bad).
Now, on to the predictions:

PALESTINE at Athens
An old district rivalry gets renewed tonight as the Wildcats make the half-hour or so drive up Hwy 19 to Athens to take on the 1-3 Hornets. Don't think those returners on the PHS squad have forgotten last season, when Athens welcomed in the Wildcats and earned a 24-19 win, propelling them into the postseason with a 4-6 record and giving the 'Cats their only district blemish.
This isn't that same Athens team, except to say that is mostly is. The Hornets return eight defensive starters and a handful of offensive stars, including 6-foot, 2-inch Courtney Whitehead, a monster of a receiver. Add in to the mix former Westwood signal caller Tevin Watson, and you've got 3-1.
But, Athens has given up some yards this year and some points (just over 27/game) and the Wildcats have that winning taste still in their mouth. Saddle up the Simon and Chivers wagon and lets run.
Palestine 27, Athens 21

WESTWOOD at Rusk
It's got to happen this week for Bryan Price's squad. A loss to an 0-4 Rusk team could possibly deflate the Panthers headed into the bye week. But, a win could be just what the doctor ordered, followed by a district opener against another winless squad, Madisonville.
To get a win, however, against any team will require the young Panthers to cut out the mistakes and play within themselves. If they can do that tonight, it'll mean a much needed W.
Westwood 32, Rusk 17

Mildred at ELKHART
With convincing wins the past two weeks, the Elkhart Elks have re-emerged as a threat in a district that keeps getting tougher. Tonight, the Elks find out how far they've come when they host 3-1 Mildred. Last week the Elks had three backs rush for more than 50 yards, led as always by Lane Grant. Couple that with another stout defensive showing, and it spelled victory. Call it a formula, of sorts.
Mildred isn't Grapeland and is coming off a win against Buffalo, a team expected to make the playoffs. But, the Elks confidence is sky high, and the streak keeps rolling.
Elkhart 34, Mildred 23

Crockett at FRANKSTON
The brutal schedule continues for the Frankston Indians, who welcome in Crockett a week after travelling to state-power Alto. It's the second time this season the 3-1 Indians will have to rebound from a loss (the White Oak game wasn't awarded to Frankston until last week), but coach Sam Wells said his team is adjusting well. Jamal Allen had a rebound game against Alto, racking up more than 350 yards of total offense, and he'll go head to head with Crockett QB Dominique Wheeler who, like Allen, is his team's top runner and passer. Expect the scoreboard operators to get tired in this one.
Frankston 53, Crockett 44

Colmesneil at CAYUGA
After tough road games in Buffalo and Dawson, the Wildcats appear to get a break from the schedule makers, but it still won't be easy with the 'Cats having to fall back to their third and fourth options at running back thanks to injury. Had these injuries occurred a week or two earlier, we wouldn't be talking about an 18-game winning streak. Fortunately, they didn't, and with a three-plus year home winning streak on the line as well, don't expect any let-up from Cayuga tonight, despite the injuries.
Cayuga 41, Colmesneil 13

Buffalo at GRAPELAND
A week after hosting a much-improved Elkhart team, the task doesn't get any easier for the suddenly-struggling Sandies of Grapeland. Losers of their last three (The last two by a combined 56-12), the Sandies have to find a way to take something positive in to the bye. Unfortunately, the Bisons have lost two straight as well to some really good teams, and are probably looking for that same type of momentum. If the Sandies can get out of their own way their offense has a chance.
Buffalo 31, Grapeland 17

Bloomburg at OAKWOOD
Oakwood is a team coming off of a bye and a loss before that. Bloomburg is a school in its first year of football play. This one is easy and a great tuneup for the Panthers before next week's trip to Trinidad.
Oakwood 66, Bloomburg 7

Check out the blog from time to time tonight for score updates from Athens and around the Dogwood Circle, then head over to fridaynightcentral.com for all the finals when the final horn blows.

Idea for rivalry name

2010-09-23T14:32:00.000-05:00

We here at The Baseline received our first submission in the "Name the Palestine/Westwood rivalry contest" early this week.

Reader C.X. thinks either "The Holy City Crosstown Rivalry" or "The Holy City Rivalry" would fit, given that Palestine's nickname back in the days when CBs ruled the world was indeed, "The Holy City."

I think it could work, or we could also go with "Battle for the Holy City" or "The Holy War"

What are your thoughts? Any more ideas?

Also, found another wacky rivalry name from college sports. Turns out, SMU and TCU play for the Iron Skillet. Nothing like beating a rival for the right to properly prepare your bacon and eggs in the morning.

Cats win, 34-10

2010-09-17T22:55:00.000-05:00

Palestine has wrapped up its homecoming win over Mabank, 34-10. Terrance Simon capped off an impressive night with a 76-yard touchdown run early in the fourth, as well as setting up a one-yard Kenny Green touchdown with two big runs on the drive.

Look for a full story soon at palestineherald.com, and get all the final scores at fridaynightcentral.com

Cats lead but Mabank on the board

2010-09-17T21:48:00.001-05:00

PHS still leads here at Wildcat Stadium but Mabank did kick a field goal to make it 21-3 heading into the fourth quarter.
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Halftime at Wildcat Stadium

2010-09-17T20:45:00.000-05:00

The game has slowed down in the second quarter with neither team getting on the scoreboard. But, the Cats continue to look better than at any time this season so far. No word yet from any other games, but here it's 21-0 PHS at the half.
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Cats rolling

2010-09-17T20:07:00.000-05:00

After one quarter of play, Palestine leads Mabanks,21-0, on the heels od two terrance simon TD runs
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Time to get underway

2010-09-17T19:32:00.001-05:00

The Panthers of Mabank have won the toss and will receive, time to play some ball.
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Let's gear up for Week 3

2010-09-17T17:25:00.000-05:00

Alright, it's the fourth week of the season kicking off in a little more than 2 hours and 30 minutes or so from now. The only remaining winless teams in the Dogwood Circle reside inside the Palestine city limits, while two other local squads face tough tests to stay undefeated. Also, there's a battle for .500 and momentum out in Houston county.

Mabank at PALESTINE
While the Wildcats may sport an 0-3 record, the team certainly doesn't play--at time--like an 0-3 team. The 'Cats boast a boatload of talent and have show signs in each and every game this season that they're a team that could make noise once it's all put together. When that happens, watch out. Well, this week may be the week. With Mabank coming into town and a (hopefully) raucous homecoming crowd showing their PHS-support, the Wildcats should get into the win column and hopefully start their upward swing.
Palestine 41, Mabank 13

WESTWOOD at Arp
Heading into the season, Westwood was a young team whose coach had less than two months on the job, while Arp was a top-10 darling looking to continue its string of impressively dominant seasons. For Westwood, it's all held true and the Panthers have looked the part of an inexperienced squad, albeit a supremely talented one. For Arp, things haven't gone as planned. Don't get me wrong, a season-opening loss to Dangerfield is nothing to be ashamed of, but then the Tigers lost a two-point contest to Pewitt before being blown-out by Center last week. If Westwood can harness all of its available talent and play a complete game, it might catch Arp gripping a bit. After all, the Tigers aren't used to all this losing.
Westwood 27, Arp 22

ELKHART at GRAPELAND
In the second meeting between Dogwood Circle teams (Frankston topped Westwood, 34-25, in Week 1) Elkhart and Grapeland each look to reach the 2-2 mark on the season. But, the two squads are heading in different directions. Grapeland won its opener over Centerville, but has dropped its last two games to Trinity and Lovelady, respectively. The Lovelady loss saw four Sandies' turnovers as well as only 106 yards of total offense. Elkhart, on the other had, dropped its first two games before winning last week over that same Centerville squad. Led by quarterback Lane Grant's 231 yards of total offense and a strong defense, the Elks got John Adair his first win. The winner of this one may be well on its way up, while the loser my slide.
Elkhart 25, Grapeland 17

FRANKSTON at Alto
No local squad may face a tougher test than the Indians. Alto, the No. 5-ranked squad in 1A, has rolled this season most recently defeated Teneha, a top-10 team itself. Frankston, newly 3-0 after a UIL ruling that a White Oak player was ineligible for the opener, has been running--literally--through each opponent, led by Treston Coleman and Jamal Allen. Both Coleman and Allen are big, strong, fast runners, who may be too much for Alto to handle. If the Frankston defense can hold, its 4-0 and a top-10 win.
Frankston 34, Alto 28

CAYUGA at Dawson
Don't look now, but the Cayuga Wildcats are doing exactly what they did the last two seasons, and exactly what they feel like everyone thought they wouldn't do. Behind Jake Nash and C.J. Wagner, the Wildcat offense is running on all cylinders and the CHS defense has been up to the task each and every week. In the way of a 4-0 start is Dawson, a perennial playoff team in 1A, but the Bulldogs are off to a sluggish 1-2 start to 2010. With Cayuga rolling into Navarro County, it won't get any easier. At all
Cayuga 41, Dawson 13

I'll be heading out to Wildcat Stadium soon for the Palestine/Mabank game, but blogging will probably be a little lighter tonight as a try some new things on the sideline. But, I'll still get you quarterly scores, a little half-time analysis and all the scores after the games on www.fridaynightcentral.com.

Cats fall, 28-7

2010-09-10T22:37:00.001-05:00

We're final here at Wildcat Stadium, with the Cats falling, 28-7, to Van.
While Palestine was able to move the ball much of the game, mistakes and stalled drives doomed them in the end, dropping Palestine to 0-3 on the year.

Look for updated scores on fridaynightcentral.com and look for game stories at palestineherald.com
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Cayuga rolls on

2010-09-10T21:53:00.001-05:00

The Wildcats of Cayuga continued their hot start to 2010, topping previously undefeated Buffalo, 32-20
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Headed to the fourth

2010-09-10T21:46:00.001-05:00

We are headed to the final quarter here at Wildcat Stadium and the only difference is an early Van TD pass that went for 78 yards.
Its 28-7 Van
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