Football Preview - Wise County Messenger

WISE COUNTY MESSENGER, Decatur, Texas, Thursday, August 28, 2008 29DISTRICT 9-2A PREDICTIONSBoyd is the team to beat until proven otherwiseBy ROBERT MORGANAccording to Dave Campbell’s FootballMagazine, Paradise High Schoolhas the football team to beat this yeareven though the 2A squad missed theplayoffs last year.Losing Cisco and Godley in districtplay certainly makes the odds better.However, is that enough for the Panthersto climb from fourth place to districtchampions in one season?Boyd, Alvord, Chico, Jacksboro andMillsap don’t think so.Paradise has the talent to come outon top. The group has speed, lots ofexperience and a good defense tomake it happen.The Panthers also have some thingsgoing against them. They are retoolingtheir offense which was decimatedin a scrimmage against Bridgeportand the roster is not very deep as theprogram has 20 less players than lastyear.Will Paradise make the playoffs?Sure, because anything less will bea disappointment for everyone involved,but a title might be a little outof reach.That’s because Boyd expects to bePreseason predictionsDistrict 9-2ATexas Football ........................................Coaches poll .............................Robert Morgan1. Paradise (294) ..................................... Boyd ........................................... Boyd2. Boyd (338.5) ........................................ Paradise ..................................... Paradise3. Alvord (236) ......................................... Alvord ......................................... Jacksboro4. Jacksboro (299) ................................... Jacksboro ................................... Alvord5. Millsap (291) ........................................ Millsap ........................................ Chico6. Chico (216) .......................................... Chico .......................................... Millsap( ) is high school enrollment. The largest enrollment to make the playoffs will go to the D-Iplayoffs, while the other two qualifi ers from each district will play in the D-II bracket.in the playoffs for a sixth straight year.After missing out on outright districttitles the last two years, head coachJ.G. Cartwright’s bunch is hungry.Boyd has playmakers all over thefi eld. In fact, the offense could be thebest it’s been in three years. However,the line is a huge question mark withno starters back on either side of theball.If history repeats itself then thecoaches will have the line playing beyondits potential by week six. That’swhy the Yellowjackets are the Messenger’spreseason favorite to win9-2A.The third place — and final playoffspot — could be tricky. Alvord willhave the talent to upset any team indistrict and Jacksboro will be better.The winner between those teams willlikely take the remaining playoff spot.The Bulldogs will be light on depthand — just like Boyd — will have toprove they can play well on the line.That is a must to get into the playoffsout of this district.Tailback Shane Watkins is amongthe best skilled players in the districtand will have to have the protection. Ithink he gets it.Chico has looked good through fourweeks of practice. The mighty Dragonseven beat up — seriously — onSanto in a scrimmage.But that was just a scrimmageagainst a very lackluster 1A school.Head coach Pete Hart knows thattougher times are ahead but nothinglike in recent years.Led by talented tailback DannyTolliver (yes, the nephew of Billy JoeTolliver), the offense is in good hands.Young quarterback Klent Selz alsohas a year of experience under hisbelt and is better. The question is howlong can this team stay healthy withthe abundance of two-way starters ona thin roster.The Dragons gave nearly every opponentproblems in the first half andfell apart in the second half when fatiguetook over. Expect a huge upsetfrom this team this year but it will takeseveral to squeak into the playoffs inthis league.Millsap and Jacksboro are both expectedto be better this year. That’s notsaying much since both have been farfrom impressive while limping throughthe last four seasons. The Tigers willbe good enough to knock off one ofthe top teams in this league.2008 CHICO DRAGONVARSITY FOOTBALL SCHEDULEDate........................Opponent .................. Site ....................... TimeAug. 29 ...................Perrin-Whitt ................ Away ..................... 7:30Sept. 5 ....................Valley View ................. Away ..................... 7:30Sept. 12 ..................Archer City ................. Away ..................... 7:30Sept. 19 ..................City View ..................... Homecoming ......... 7:30Sept. 26 ..................Henrietta..................... Home .................... 7:30Oct. 3 ......................ByeOct. 10 ....................Boyd ........................... Home .................... 7:30Oct. 17 ....................Paradise ..................... Away ..................... 7:30Oct. 24 ....................Alvord ......................... Home .................... 7:30Oct. 31 ....................Millsap ........................ Away ..................... 7:30Nov. 7 .....................Jacksboro ................... Home .................... 7:302008 ALVORD BULLDOGSVARSITY FOOTBALL SCHEDULEDate........................... Opponent .....................Site.................. TimeAug. 29 ...................... Electra...........................Away ................ 7:30Sept. 5 ....................... Petrolia ..........................Away ................ 7:30Sept. 12 ..................... Valley View ....................Home............... 7:30Sept. 19 ..................... Windthorst ....................Home............... 7:30Sept. 26 ..................... ByeOct. 3 ......................... Sacred Heart ................Home............... 7:30Oct. 10 ....................... Millsap ..........................Away ................ 7:30Oct. 17 ....................... Boyd ..............................Home............... 7:30Oct. 24 ....................... Chico ............................Away ................ 7:30Oct. 31 ....................... Jacksboro .....................Away ................ 7:30Nov. 7 ........................ Paradise ........................Home............... 7:30