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[Game Traveler]

Since we are getting close to spring practices and slowly getting close to the best season of the year. Here are my preseason Top 10 for Division 3.

1) Heritage Christian- Powerhouse every year. Looks like they lose some key players but I am sure Coach Shipman will just reload with equally talented players that spot played each game. Team to Beat!

2) Seguin Lifegate- Lots of Talent and always in the mix late.

3) Granbury NCTA- Losing one of the best running backs in the state, but loaded with skill all over the place. Should make another run and should dominate District 2 next year.

4) Notre Dame- Got some good players returning for one final run at a title. Lets see if they can get over that hump in the 2nd or 3rd round this year.

5) San Marcos Hill Country- Will be a force with key players returning and I expect them to give Freddy and Seguin a run for the District Title.

6) Canyon Creek Christian- This is my sleeper team. They were young last year and have a stud returning. I think they should make some noise and have a dog fight like this past year with Granbury, but this time its for the District Title I believe.

7) Wichita Christian- Some success last year should prove to be the motivator for the 2015 season for the young stars. They have a one-two punch at Running Back that should give teams trouble.

8) FW Covenant- This is a final four team from last year that has an excellent coaching staff. I believe they are losing key players, but I do think they will be just fine and be back in the mix for District 2.

9) Kingdom Prep- The injury bug got the boys from Lubbock last year, but they should be back strong.

10) Longview Trinity- Losing their everything player will hurt the boys out east. I believe 2014 was Cinderella season for Trinity, but I do think they are a top 10 team.

I hope teams prove me wrong and I can't wait for things to get rolling.

 

[pup]

I'll play-

1) Seguin- These guys are for real. Losing two seniors, only one of which had an impact on the field. They are young but already battle tested. As always they are FAST, strong, and don't mind hitting you in the mouth. Although, they may need to work on keeping that attitude under control. I see them playing in Zephyr in December.

2) San Marcos- They have all the right puzzle pieces but it will come down to how they put everything together. Size, attitude (maybe too much?) and athleticism work in their favor. Depending on the bracket they will probably play Seguin (and lose) in the semis- too bad because they will be the best two teams in the state. The fight for the District 3 crown will be very tough this year with all three teams being fairly equal.

3) Freddy- Yep, all the way down to #3. District 3 will be the strongest in 2015 but, unfortunately, with a 12 team bracket, district rematches will knock two very strong teams out early. I'm hoping that either Freddy or San Marcos get sent up north so they can work their way to Zephyr. How will they deal with losing all those seniors? Play a TOUGH pre-district schedule.

4) Richardson Canyon Creek- Learned a lot last year in a tough district. Only lost three seniors so their underclassmen should be well seasoned. Will they have enough to get over the Longview hump?

5) Wichita Christian- Honestly, I have not seen them play. But from what I hear on the board here they have two studs. That should be good enough to get them through the season but come playoff time they will need to have learned defense. Seen it before, stud gets shut down or the defense can't stop the other team- exit playoffs. Should be a good district fight with Notre Dame and Lubbock.

6) Notre Dame- Have good numbers. Have lots of experience. Have NOT gotten over the "never by 2 again" mystique. Can they defend against Wichita Christian in what is shaping up to be a good rivalry?

7) Longview- I just don't think they can recover from the loss of their seniors, especially #15. They will come in second in District 2 this year. Had a great year in 2014 but how will they perform with a big target on their backs?

8) Granbury- District 2 has more teams that are equal, so it appears as if this is a strong district. Competition within this district will be more even than last year but when they face teams from District 3 their weaknesses will show. Granbury will suffer the loss of #14 and #6.

9) Lubbock- Have not seen this team in about 6 years. Small roster and a reputation of injuries don't favor them. Could be in the mix in District 1.

10) Brenham- My surprise pick of the year. Seems as if Coach Frey is putting something together in District 4. I see the winning the district but a playoff win is another year away.

As we all know, in Division III rosters fluctuate from year to year. With our small numbers if one or two key players do not return, or are gained, it can make a huge difference in a team. I expect the same this year.

 

[FreyBCA]

Pup, thanks for the support. I do hope to make some noise down in District 4, but I won't be doing it with BCA (I'm waiting on approval for my new username lol). I have accepted the head coaching position with Alvin Living Stones for next year. I think BCA will be in good hands, but I expect the offense to change from a run oriented team to a pass happy squad next year. Alvin vs. BCA is the last game of the season and is homecoming for the Eagles, so it should be a fun one!

 

[pup]

Wow! Congrats Coach Frey. So I'll switch my #10 pick from Brenham to Alvin. Won't be fighting the numbers game and a better legacy of winning the past few seasons will be more than enough to slot Alvin into the number 10 position. District Champs for sure. Although, I do miss the smash-mouth Brenham teams from the late 2000s.

 

[FreyLSCS]

Thanks pup! I'm looking forward to staying put for a while and building a program. Should be a fun year, Living Stones has a TOUGH schedule.

 

[coachbronk]

Pup, thanks for the support. I do hope to make some noise down in District 4, but I won't be doing it with BCA (I'm waiting on approval for my new username lol). I have accepted the head coaching position with Alvin Living Stones for next year. I think BCA will be in good hands, but I expect the offense to change from a run oriented team to a pass happy squad next year. Alvin vs. BCA is the last game of the season and is homecoming for the Eagles, so it should be a fun one!

Coach, congrats on the new position. You did a great job at BCA and can't wait to see what you do at Alvin.

 

[FreyLSCS]

Pup, thanks for the support. I do hope to make some noise down in District 4, but I won't be doing it with BCA (I'm waiting on approval for my new username lol). I have accepted the head coaching position with Alvin Living Stones for next year. I think BCA will be in good hands, but I expect the offense to change from a run oriented team to a pass happy squad next year. Alvin vs. BCA is the last game of the season and is homecoming for the Eagles, so it should be a fun one!

Coach, congrats on the new position. You did a great job at BCA and can't wait to see what you do at Alvin.

Thanks! I'm looking forward to the challenge. We are losing two phenomenal players at QB and WR, but I think we should still be able to make some noise. With Bellville bringing in good numbers, Conroe Lifestyle coming into the fold, and Brenham bringing back a very solid spreadback, I think District 4 is going to be a shootout!

 

[Dixon_Pattillo10]

Congrats to Coach Frey! Best of luck this year.

1. Fredericksburg Heritage - Shipman gets to mold a solid group of hungry underclasssmen. The dynasty isn't going to end anytime soon. On a side note, another Hoermann kid is hitting high school, and I'd take a good guess that he'll be just as good as his older brother.

2. Wichita Falls Notre Dame - I know they ended this year with that whole 2 point curse again, but they've got a lot of talent coming back, especially on defense. I see them easily capturing their little District 1 again, despite WF Christian.

3. Seguin Lifegate - I think District 3 is always a strong district. Coach Rabon consistently puts together successful teams and I don't see why he can't do it again. That southern defense will keep on shutting down offenses, but I don't see Seguin taking the district title from Freddy. I do see them headed north in the playoffs and wreaking havoc. Best of luck to our brothers at SL.

4. Longview Trinity - They still have a few stars, but one-man-shows rarely beat teams. That being said, I don't see any reason they can't take District 2 again. Good luck to the boys at Longview.

5. WF Christian - I think if there's a surprise team coming next season, it's these guys. I think these guys have a strong group coming back. But as lightning quick as that offense will be, I think WFND's powerful defense will stop them. But, look out for WF Christian in my opinion. They're my sleeper pick.

6. San Marcos Hill Country - It's unfortunate a team like San Marcos has to be in such a strong district when I feel they would dominate in say, District 4. I think San Marcos is almost interchangeable as number 5 with WF Christian, however, they are in the wrong district to make a move. But once they get sent north, beware. They're going to shred some people next year.

At this point, analyzing picks is pointless, I may as well choose at random:

7. Lubbock Kingdom Prep

8. Canyon Creek

9. FW Covenant

10. Granbury

 

[SWRaider]

What does "Never by 2" mean in regards to WF ND

 

[Dixon_Pattillo10]

WFND lost a back to back to back Playoff games to Freddy, the last two of which were by two. The first was 2012 Semi-Finals in Zephyr: Freddy 54 - WFND 52. The second was in the first round of 2013 Playoffs, played at Notre Dame: Freddy 60 - WFND 58. I believe these two games started their "Never by 2" motto. Yet again, WFND lost by two in 2014, falling to FW Covenant Classical 48-46. That makes for three seasons in a row...I'd start to be paranoid too.

 

[david9h]

I'll play:

1) Fredericksburg - In the words of the Nature Boy, Ric Flair, "To be the man, you gotta beat the man!" Until somebody takes it from Freddy, it's theirs to keep. This is a fundamentally sound team that is well coached, experienced and tough. They may have lost a few studs but they looked to have some talent remaining that will be "coached up." I think great coaching is very valuable and can carry a team.

2) Longview Trinity - All last year I listened to "This is the week Trinity goes down hard" and it never happened (until state). So I'm going to give them their due until someone comes along and proves me wrong (on the field, not on a message board). Yes, they lost a talented senior leader at quarterback and he will be missed. But they have talent on both sides of the ball. This is NOT a one man show. I think they'll be stronger on defense than they were last year and they have some good athletes coming up from middle school and a few kids returning to football after a few years off. The one drop-off offensively may be in the passing game but the running game will be just as strong if not stronger. We'll see!

3) Seguin Lifegate - Based on last year's results, this looks like a formidable team. If they played Freddy as close as the scoreboard indicated, this had to be a strong unit. It does not sound like there has been any major drop-off in talent so Seguin looks to contend.

4) San Marcos - I'll just have to go by what I read and take the "experts" at their word that this is a strong team. The bad news for Freddy, Seguin and San Marcos is that they are in the same district and only one will advance (without some help in where they're seeded for the playoffs).

5) Notre Dame - Over the years, this school has always had a strong athletic program and that generally produces good athletes. They ought to have something to work with and sounds like they have a defensive stud who could be a force if he plays under control.

6) Wichita Christian - I watched this team in the playoffs and while they looked young, they also looked like they had some talent. This looks like an up and coming team.

7) Alvin Living Stones - Again, I think great coaching can carry a team a long way. This is a strong athletic program and looks to be in capable hands. If they have any talent, they will make some noise.

8) Richardson Canyon Creek - They were young last year and had one guy who could really play. They'll only get better.

9) Lubbock Kingdom Prep - There's no way there's not talent coming out of West Texas. It sounded like they had some injuries that hampered them last year. I can't see where this program doesn't pull a major turn around.

10) Granbury - They are very well coached and played tough, hardnosed football. They had a strong defense and played with a lot of heart. That being said, they lost a running back who was, for all intents and purposes, their offense. THAT was a one man show - and it was a good one. If they've got any influx of talent, they'll be a force again. They've got some delusional supporters (not to mention real prickly, too) but other than that, this is a very strong program.

Good luck and have a great summer!

 

[SWRaider]

Any good non district games that feature any UIL or big time private schools? I know Freddy always plays FEAST, but am unfamiliar of any other good match-ups.

 

[Game Traveler]

"prickly"....i think i found my new screen name.

 

[SCONELBRO]

1) Heritage Christian- Remains the team to beat until someone proves otherwise

2) Seguin Lifegate- Would probably win any other district.

3) Granbury NCTA- Continuously hear they were a one-man team, but well coached and a recruiting monster.

4) Longview Trinity- Losing the top QB, but returning most everything else...missed their chance, but still have a great RB.

5) Wichita Christian- Returning most players. Defense gave up the farm whether they won or lost, but that was because defense was being called like someone playing a video game. That should change.

6) Notre Dame- Returning a lot of speed. Could go far or have a collapse at any time.

7) FW Covenant- Seemed up and down, so I'm not sure what we will get from them consistently.

8) San Marcos - might be the best team to miss the playoffs.

9) Canyon Creek Christian- Talented, but not good on defense.

10) Kingdom Prep- This team could jump up if they are healthy and all playing. They had injuries last year, but rumor is that, because of those injuries, a few of them might be going basketball only for a shot at the title there as they were a final four bball team with no seniors this year.

 

[Game Traveler]

I am sorry, actually I am not; but you can not tell me that every other school is not "recruiting" I saw some of the numbers on the sideline and I also believe that some schools fib a little on the numbers they are turning in.

Sincerely,

"Prickly" HAHAHAHA

 

[SCONELBRO]

If you are referring to my statement about Granbury, I don't mean anything about that in the illegal sense. I mean they are a boarding school that pulls from more than the 30 mile radius normal schools pull from, they have top notch facilities, good coaching, and a strong, especially recent, tradition of success. That makes them a recruiting monster in my eyes as in those things do the recruiting for them. Last time I was there, they were going to build a new football stadium leaving their current one as a practice field, which is already as good or better than most playing fields.

 

[FreyLSCS]

Not exactly sure what you are hinting at, but in my experience I have not found a team in our division that "recruits". The teams that consistently have a large group of boys (by large I mean maybe 15 or more) do so because they have very solid programs they have built over the years. From my perspective some schools have a hard enough time getting the boys at their own schools to play. When so many teams play with 7-10 boys I don't take "recruiting" talk too seriously. Just my perspective.

I am sorry, actually I am not; but you can not tell me that every other school is not "recruiting" I saw some of the numbers on the sideline and I also believe that some schools fib a little on the numbers they are turning in.

Sincerely,

"Prickly" HAHAHAHA

 

[FreyLSCS]

If you are referring to my statement about Granbury, I don't mean anything about that in the illegal sense. I mean they are a boarding school that pulls from more than the 30 mile radius normal schools pull from, they have top notch facilities, good coaching, and a strong, especially recent, tradition of success. That makes them a recruiting monster in my eyes as in those things do the recruiting for them. Last time I was there, they were going to build a new football stadium leaving their current one as a practice field, which is already as good or better than most playing fields.

Because of the broader area of draw, TAPPS should make all boarding schools move up one class or division...lol.

I've never seen the Granbury campus but I've heard the exact same thing. Good coaching and great facilities. And as shown by recent success, they are building a strong program.

 

[Dixon_Pattillo10]

I am sorry, actually I am not; but you can not tell me that every other school is not "recruiting" I saw some of the numbers on the sideline and I also believe that some schools fib a little on the numbers they are turning in.

Sincerely,

"Prickly" HAHAHAHA

Is this in reference to something in particular? Or just general prickliness?

 

[Game Traveler]

Nothing particular just what I think, take it how you want because I do the same with whatever you all post. I believe most schools recruit and that schools turn in false numbers....MY OPINION.

And yes it is Prickliness. LOL