Preview Week 11: Who’s Out, Who’s In?

Playoff Teams Set with One Week Left

By Will Johnson

Messenger Reporter

EAST TEXAS – The last week of the regular season is upon us. Some teams have finished their season and await their district playoff opponent while others have one game left to determine who they will face first in the postseason. Some will just have to wait until next year.

Grapeland Sandies (6-4, 2-3) – BYE. The Sandies have a bye week and it couldn’t come at a better time. Injuries have decimated the Sandies on both sides of the ball and derailed Grapeland’s chances of a third straight district title.

The next time the Sandies take the field, it will be as the number four seed out of District 11-2A DI. They will face the Hearne Eagles, the number one seed from District 12-2A DI.

If Grapeland can get healthy between now and the Bi-District kickoff, the Sandies might just be one of the most dangerous four seeds in all of Class 2A. If the health issues linger, it might be a one-and-done playoff campaign.

Trinity Tigers (5-4, 3-2) vs. Crockett Bulldogs (5-4, 3-2) – Simply put, this game is for third place. Both teams have identical 5-4 overall and 3-2 district records. Whoever wins heads into the playoffs as the third seed from District 9-3A DI.

The Bulldogs have shown they can play with anyone but still need to learn how to finish. The Tigers, on the other hand, are a team on the rise. These two factors could loom large if the game is close. Trinity will test Crockett, but in the end, look for the Bulldogs to pull away and secure the third seed.

Provided Crockett gets by Trinity, the Bulldogs will likely face the Anahuac Panthers or Woodville Eagles in the Bi-District round of the playoffs.  

Overton Mustangs (1-7, 0-5) vs. Lovelady Lions (5-4, 4-1) – The Lovelady Lions have already secured the second seed out of District 11-2A DII. They will face the Overton Mustangs in their regular season finale and should dominate the Mustangs.

Lovelady comes into the game on a four game winning streak while Overton has dropped six straight. Look for the Lions to control the clock and expect to see some back-ups in the game by the middle of the third quarter.

Elkhart Elks (1-9, 1-5) – BYE. It was a tough year for the Elks that mercifully came to a close last week as they picked up their only win of the 2020 season.

Palestine Wildcats (6-4, 4-2) – BYE. The hopes of a District 9-4A DI championship went by the way side last week as the Wildcats fell to Lindale. The loss knocked Palestine to the third seed, from where they will enter the playoffs. 

The Wildcats will face the loser of the Hargrave vs. Livingston contest in the first round of the postseason.

Huntington Red Devils (3-5, 1-4) vs. Westwood Panthers (3-6, 1-4) – The Westwood Panthers will have to wait another year before they return to the playoffs, but the program is looking up. In 2015, the panthers went 9-3. Since then, they have won a total of eight games. 

The Panthers had a shot at the playoffs up until last week when they fell to Trinity. A win this week against Huntington will go a long way for the program.

Huntington beat the Coldspring-Oakhurst Trojans early in district play and have shown flashes of being a really good team. Still, with the Panthers at home, look for Westwood to close out their season on a positive note. 

Will Johnson may be contacted via e-mail at [email protected].    

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