I know you said not to tell you, but they suit up their JV team. I think the number is closer to 40, but 25 of those kids will never see the field in a meaningful game, so it’s really not the advantage you think it is. Nobody on the PCAN side thinks it’s a good idea. The JV parents feel like they have to travel to the games because their son is in uniform. The varsity parents could do w/out the distraction on the sideline. They’re moving up to division II next year. They’ll eventually go 11 man, but the program is only 3 years old.
I don’t think there’s any question Baytown is the underdog. Baytown’s spread back looks really good, but Prestonwood is so athletic and deep. The only team in the state who comes close to matching their athleticism is Nazarene. Baytown doesn’t appear to have a defense that can slow down Prestonwood’s offense (assuming PCAN coaches decide to use their offense next week and not try to reinvent the wheel again). They have so many weapons all over the field.
I agree with a lot of this. Having played PCA once and NCA twice, talent wise, NCA was the best chance for anyone to upset them. Both teams had premier talent, and NCA played a great game. However, this is PCA’s year, as well as it should be. This is a 3 year mission coming to fruition. However, I disagree with the roster size advantage. When you roll out 30+ kids on the sideline, it’s an advantage, regardless if they ever sniff the field or not. Even still, PCA is so deep, those kids that wouldn’t sniff the field there, would on other teams. I’d take them! I joked with Coach Purcell that they could probably win the Division IV 11 man state title this year with his Juco team he’s built!
It’ll be a dogfight. IMO no way Baytown goes down by 30 or the Merced rule. It’ll be a 1-2 score game. If I’m wrong I’ll gladly admit I am after Thursday.
Good to see a Coach actually post their spreads on here. That doesn’t happen much.
What are the school enrollment numbers for participation in 6Man Football? Are you sure these schools are small enough to do TAPPS 6 Man? Could Pestonwood shuffle players from their main campus to the smaller campus for athletics?
Baytown is a smaller school. Prestonwood seems to be a bit bigger.
No. Completely separate campuses. Before North had athletics, North kids could play in Plano, but now there’s no mixing. North just had their first graduating class in 2023 w/ 9 kids. Class of 24 has 17 kids. Enrollment numbers are growing, but their success isn’t because of move ins. Only one starter on either side of the ball moved in after they started varsity athletics.
How do they have 40 players on their football team with JV and varsity. When most Div3 have about 40 in their entire school boys and girls???
It’s based on enrollment from two years ago. At the time they had no senior class, 9 in the junior class and 17 in sophomore class. Next year they move up to division II.
Oftentimes, especially in 6 man, it’s not the starters that make the difference, it’s the “reserves”. It’s a huge advantage to have a kid come in and give a starter a breather and there is no drop off in talent. Every AD in the district gets alerted when a school received transfers, and in our district PCA was double digits, followed by NCA. Again, that’s part of it and good for them! That’s the nature of the game, grow!
Sounds like great strategy from school officials keep it low numbers till alignment then open flow gates. Very flawed system to allow this to happen. Have to give them credit very well played.
It’s not a strategy. The numbers were the numbers. Prestonwood is a new school in an area experiencing an explosion in population. The plan was never to keep it small. All estimates are that the north campus will exceed the Plano campus eventually.
It’s not an entire group. There are two players who never come off the field on offense. We do have different blocking packages based on down and distance. I agree that part is an advantage smaller schools don’t have.
