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Playoff Matchups Include District Foes

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There are four games in this weeks Quarterfinals where district foes will match up against each other once again.   These teams knocked heads once in district play and now after defeating all the other teams in the region, line up against each other with more on the line this time.  This time, the winner will be the region champion and move on to the state Semifinals.   The loser.....well, they get to start playing basketball.

25-3A
Bellville Brahmas vs EGiddings Buffaloes

Lets start our re-match trip in 25-3A where #22 Bellville Brahmas (12-1) will play #16 Giddings Buffaloes (10-3), 7:30 p.m. Friday night at  The Woodlands’ Woodforest Stadium.   Bellville won their district matchup 20-14.  Both teams finished with 4-1 district records (Bellville lost to Sealy) and were officially district co-champions.  Everyone knows that Lone Star does not like ties and co-champions, so with Bellville's victory over Giddings they were our district 25-3A district champions.  In the playoffs, Giddings has beaten #47 Sweeny (41-9), #63 Yoakum (41-27) and #20 Rio Hondo (42-28).   Bellville has beaten #68 Wharton (31-6), #9 La Vernia (35-16) and #28 Sinton (43-36).   Bellville should be the favorite here but this might be a higher scoring game than their regular season matchup with each averaging well over 30 points each per game in the playoffs.  (Bellville -- 36.33,   Giddings -- 41.33)

8-4A
Stephenville Yellow Jackets vs Everman Bulldogs

The next matchup may also be a revenge matchup.  8-4A will have the #26 Stephenville Yellow Jackets (10-3) playing the top ranked  Everman Bulldogs (13-0),  1 p.m. Saturday at Waco ISD Stadium.  The Yellow Jackets have a chance to prove their 56-3 loss to the Bulldogs was just a bad night for them.    Everman won district 8-4A with a 7-0 district record and Stephenville (6-1) was the runner up.  In the playoffs, Stephenville has beaten Fort Worth Dunbar (47-41 in 2 OT's), Wichita Falls Rider (31-6) and El Paso Parkland (51-13).  Everman has beaten Fort Worth Eastern Hills (59-14), Aledo (24-7) and Big Spring (55-15).   Both teams traveled similar roads to get here.  Big wins in bi-district, tough wins over great opponents in the Area round and then big wins over easier opponents in the regional round.  Stephenville will be out to prove that they are not 53 points worse than Everman but the Bulldogs are just too good.  Everman should win again......not by 53 points though.   The  Yellow Jackets were the 1998 4A Division II Champions and the  1999 4A Division II Champions.   The Bulldogs were the 2001 3A Division I Champions and the 2002 3A Division I Champions.

25-4A
Austin Lake Travis Cavaliers vs Killeen Kangaroos

We stay in 4A for the next matchup.  Here we have a 25-4A game where #2 Austin Lake Travis Cavaliers (13-0) playing #68  Killeen Kangaroos (9-4), 2 p.m. Saturday at Darrell K. Royal-Memorial Stadium.  Something strange about this game.  This is the first playoff game since Midland Lee with Cedric Benson played at this stadium.  I wonder if it has something to do with Garrett Gilbert going to Texas next year.   Lake Travis won the regular season contest with a convincing 50-9 victory.  In the playoffs, Killeen has beaten #116 Austin Crockett (34-21), #24 San Antonio Alamo Heights (19-16) and #11 Gregory-Portland (42-21).   Lake Travis has beaten #115 Austin LBJ (55-14), #12 Schertz Cibolo Steele (38-21) and #15 Alice (55-32).    The Cavaliers were the district champions while Killeen finished in 4th place.   Killeen has been shocking everyone especially in the last two rounds while Lake Travis has taken care of business as expect even though some thought Cibolo would give them a scare.    This should be a little closer than the 41 point margin earlier in the season but everyone expects Lake Travis to continue on with their defense of their 4A Division II Championship.

26-5A
Smithson Valley Rangers vs San Antonio Reagan Ratters

Now on to one of Lone Star Gridiron's favorite districts.  Of course that is 26-5A where the #10 Smithson Valley Rangers (12-1) will play #26 San Antonio Reagan Rattlers(11-2) 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Alamodome.  Reagan handed Valley their only loss of the season way back in week #3 10-7.   Both teams finished with 7-1 district records (Reagan later lost to Roosevelt) to finish as co-champions.  Once again, Lone Star Gridiron does not like ties or co-champions, so with Reagans victory over Valley they were our 26-5A district champions.   In the playoffs, the Rangers beat #33 Pflugerville (14-7), #65 San Antonio O' Connor (38-14) and #48 San Antonio Southwest (30-14).   The Rattlers beat #69 Austin High (24-20), #22 San Antonio Warren (31-21) and #20 Los Fresnos (28-11).    Neither team has played a top team in the state to get here but both are battle tested.  This one will be a war and will probably end up at 10-7 again.

Enjoy the games!!!

By: Michael Wright
Lone Star Gridiron
www.lonestargridiron.com

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