August 2, 2024 • 19 mins
Greg Tepper joins the program! Greg and Craig go over all things High School football in the great state of Texas and preview key matchups throughout the season!
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
You have a few copies. Level give away for the
(00:01):
show is done. But it's like, what do you anticipate
the most? And I'm pleased to report as our next
guest joins us, he's Great Tapper, managing editor of Day
Camill's Texas Football magazine.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Now, Tip, I.
Speaker 1 (00:14):
Listen, you're the managing editor, so you're overseeing all elements
of it. So you were perusing Mike Craven's breakdown of
SMU and looking at that, Corey Hoag's piece on Steven
f Austin or the United Athletic Conference and all that.
But we know which child you favor the most, and
(00:37):
that's going to be what takes up virtually half of
the magazine, and that is the high school football section.
And I'm pleased to tell you that the I would
say it was more than a plurality. It was definitely
the majority of the folks who have left us these
messages on our talkback feature said I enjoy it for
the high school section. Somebody called in, so they want
(00:59):
to see how the l pass those schools we're going
to do this year. Somebody yesterday called in and said
they were curious to see how they're all the modern.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
Weslico would do.
Speaker 1 (01:09):
We've had other people ask us about Permian, you know,
and all over.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
So neither of us are surprised by this revelation, are.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
We No, I would say not so, And certainly I
appreciate you guys doing our market research for us. This
is but but yeah, I think that, you know, one
of the great things about this magazine is that it
really is a kind of an all you can eat
football to say, it's got a little bit of everything.
So if you're a Mary Hart and Baylor fan, we
got you covered.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (01:35):
You know, if you are a hard and Hornets fan,
We've got you covered and everything in between. That's that's
the good thing. But I would say that, you know,
I think what we would probably be best known for
if you were to ask people, hey, what what what
does Dave campbells Sex's football do? Uh, they probably see
high school fotball simply and and and that's a responsibility
would take very seriously. You know, I think that there
(01:58):
had been you can go back to our founding. You know,
there were other football college football magazines. This was essentially
the first high school football magazine, and I think that
that has carried over and has become kind of the
impression that most people have.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (02:12):
And by the way, somebody else today on the talk
back said, the the reason that they look look forward
to it was because they lived in sam Marcus. When
sam Marcus High was being covered by a young sports
writer named ish Johnson, he said, and and and now
that he goes I know he works for the magazine. Now,
(02:33):
I was just looking at Ishmael's preview of Texas State
this year. So I guess in some ways, the more
things change, the more they remain the same.
Speaker 3 (02:41):
Yeah, exactly. You know, Ishmael's got that close tie to
sam Marcus, spending time there at the Daily Record before
he came to slumt with us here at Dave Campbell's.
But but yeah, he's he's an integral part of our
social media platform. He's an integral part of our college
football podcasts as well as all the stuff we do
in high school space. He still keeps very closely tied
(03:02):
to San Marcus. And that's kind of what we've tried
to build as a team that's got different expertises from
all over the state.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
And I hope we've done that, no question about that.
Speaker 1 (03:13):
Greg Tapper, managing editor, Dave Campbell's Texas Football Magazine, our
guest during this portion of program. Okay, before we jump
to the four A preview, because like I said, each
week we're previewing in the run up to state or
the run up to the start of football season, we're
previewing different classifications, and we've already done six A and
five A. But before we get to four A, I
(03:33):
wanted to ask you about this because you have a
very unique take on this. Our good friend Jerry Forrest
has come out with this first set of the computer rankings.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
I think it's the first set I got mine today.
Speaker 1 (03:46):
You know, I was thinking it was a first set
to come out today, So I was looking at this
and for folks who don't know, I mean, we quote
the computer quite often, not only because of what we
think we'll do and what the project one team to
defeat another team by. And I always say these are
for entertainment purposes, only your FEPO line. Although our good
(04:10):
friend Jeff House said there was definitely people out at
d Boons and Florence in the back room there who
were who were probably saying I'll take so and so
in the points. But I'm always intrigued by the preseason
rankings and the computer formulae that goes into this, and
so we talk about it quite a bit.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
Now.
Speaker 1 (04:31):
His computer rankings are not that much different, certainly from
what you guys have in terms of peaking to Soto
and Duncanville is the favorites to repeat and in fact
making a three peat in six A. But the rest
of the top ten, he's got North Shore three, West
Lake four, North Crowley five, Summer Creek six, South Lake
Carol seven, Lake Travis eight, a task to see to
(04:52):
nine and similar still rounding out the top ten, whether
it was the top ten or anything below that did anything,
you know, arch your eyebrows or take it a little
bit by surprise, you know.
Speaker 3 (05:06):
Certainly he's he's very bullish obviously on the two kind
of the Austin area powerhouses there where the Lake trouts
and West like and the computer is actually not Sree,
although he would tell you that they are one and
the same. But but this is very bullish on the
aus On District twenty six. I don't think there's necessarily
any doubt.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (05:26):
The North Crowley one is very interesting that the computer's
really buying in on North Crowley simply because you know
from a you know what's what this one? You look
at that top ten and these are perennial powers, right,
I mean Duncanville, North Shore, Uh you know, you know
South Lake, carrol Sivil of Steel programs that you expect
(05:46):
to be.
Speaker 2 (05:46):
In the mix every single year.
Speaker 3 (05:48):
North Crowley is the relative newcomer here. You know, a
team that under Ray Gates has really risen in the
past couple of years. But they are I mean to
be clear, I think the computer's got a pegg. I
think we think it might be very very good, but
a very difficult district they've got to go through in
a very difficult, you know, bracket that they will have
to navigate as well. The other one is Umble Summer Creek,
(06:08):
and Umble Summer Creek is the interesting squawed here. They're
at number six simply because what do you do with
a team like Humble Summer Creek, which was a team
that played for state championship last year, was really impressive
on their run through there. I think we can also
be honest and say that Division two, and especially the
right side of the bracket in Division two, was the
(06:32):
more manageable bracket last year. And then they get into
the state championship game and DeSoto dispatches them with a
fervor of a religious you know, a religious you know cult.
This is a So now you've got a Summer Creek
team that all the numbers there fourteen and two. Last
year they were six and one. Their one loss last
(06:52):
year was to North Shore. But they also lose guys
like Lloyd Devant, who was their star running back. They
lose a number of other key pieces. That is the
team that I would say is probably the biggest mystery there.
And I think that six feels like the computers paying
homage to what they did last year, but also saying
don't be necessarily surprised if they take a step back.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (07:12):
I think it's a good point for folks who didn't
remember the final score of that state championship game was
seventy four to fourteen.
Speaker 2 (07:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
I think I just called another touchdown for Desoda there
a moment ago. It's so the reason and that's why
I wanted to ask, and you make up you make
a good point about twenty six six A because in
the magazine matches this, you know, not only do you
have your Westlake, Foreign Lake Travis eight. You then follow
(07:40):
up with Van der Griv twenty four and Dripping Springs
twenty nine. To have half of that district in the
top thirty, says an awful lot about that district, doesn't it.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (07:52):
Absolutely, it's a depth, right, and that I think is
going to going to be what we're really paying attention to.
Is the depth that they've got a lot of is
going to be spilled about the about west Lake and
Lake Travis, and understandably so, but that I think would
then tell you, Okay, don't don't take your eye off
the ball here as far as the other teams that
are going to be there in that area, you know,
(08:13):
whether it's Vandergrifft the favorite out of District twenty five,
or Dripping Springs out of District twenty six, those are
there's a great depth there that I think is really
is really worth celebrating as well. That's one of the
things that I'm going to keep my eye on is again,
especially a team like Dripping Springs, which I think is
is obviously kind of kind of slots themselves behind Lake
(08:33):
Travis and Westlake, but also is within what I would
call striking distance that give them give them, you know,
go out there and stub your toe in the first
quarter and they can give you, they can give you
some trouble. So that's that's what makes twenty six District twenty.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
Six particularly interesting.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
All right, let's jump to four A since we want
to have a four A preview, and I find four
A to be intriguing almost on an annual basis, and
I find it intriguing for these reasons. And Division War one,
it does look like Stevenville would have a chance, and
you've got them number one on the computer asm number one,
(09:07):
you know. And this was a year coming off the
season last year where it was was amazing to watch
what happened in four AD one with Anna, who's now
moved up to five A.
Speaker 2 (09:18):
And then there's Division two.
Speaker 1 (09:20):
Now you and I are both guilty of this for
a year after year after year saying on high school
Scoreboard live on Friday nights, Ah yeah, we'll check back
in with Carthage around week thirteen or fourteen. Because they
were just basically, to use your phrase, launching all of
their opponents into the sun. They were just just trending.
(09:41):
And then we come off a year where it was
man Bite's Dog Carthage got knocked out. They got beat
by Gilmour, and they got knocked out, and they finished
thirteen and one, and yet they are back in the
saddle and back in the what's expected to be the
state championship contending seat. But it's still intriguing because how
(10:05):
does Scott's Trat's team respond to what was.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
Such an odd and unusual ending last year for them?
Speaker 3 (10:12):
Yeah? Yeah, I think that that is what's super interesting
about four A Division two is is because of what
happened last year, falling to gilmur in such you know,
shocking fashion, you know, in overtime, how does Carthage respond
because quite simply, they just don't have a ton of
playoff losses. That's something that Scott Surrat has really ultimately.
Speaker 2 (10:32):
Not had to deal with.
Speaker 3 (10:33):
But over here at Dave Campbell's Second Football I'll just
tell you we are already calling it the Scott Surrat
revenge Tour of coming into twenty twenty four because we
do think that that really last year was the year
to get them. They were really young last year, working
in a new quarterback in their and Jets. Surrat he
is back as a junior. I think he really grew
into the role as the season went on. Of course
(10:55):
the son of Scott Serrat and also they bring back
oh yeah, let me count fourteen other starters from last
year's ball club, including eight on a defense that was
pretty darn good and guy I think got better as
the season went along, and so in my opinion, I
look at this as Carthage kind of returning to form
and having to be the favorite there. You know, Gilmer
is going to hear me say this, and they're always
(11:15):
listening to what I say. Hi to my friends and
ups your county. But Gilmer is going to be of
course in the mix as well. They have a couple
of pieces to replace from last year's state championship run.
But I also don't think that they're going to go away.
I think that they're going to be a challenger and
that got Gilmer Carthage playoff matchup is going to be
musty to the TV.
Speaker 2 (11:33):
It's going to be fantastic.
Speaker 3 (11:34):
But I do think that when you take a look
at the power Nexus out east, you know, I think
for Carthage, with what they've got coming back, they have
to start the year as a favorite, especially with the
pedigree they've got as they're going for state championship number ten.
Speaker 2 (11:47):
Yeah, I agree with that.
Speaker 1 (11:48):
Okay, So let me jump back to for a D
one where Stevenville is a is a logical choice to
be the preseason number one. They got all those starters
back on offense and defense, fourteen that played fourteen weeks
last year. And then there's other teams like the Chapelo
Hill program that stepped up in such a big.
Speaker 2 (12:05):
Way last year.
Speaker 1 (12:08):
And I am also kind of curious in your thoughts
on three schools and two are in the area and
one just south of the year. The one just south
of the area is the preseason number six, Davenport, which
is on the north side of the San Antonio area
for folks who don't know that, and at Davenport is
right off of that. And then the two from the
(12:29):
area in D one, LBJ dropping back into Division one,
and then Lamb Passes, which seemed to be an annual player.
Speaker 3 (12:37):
Yeah, you know, whereas I think in four A Division two,
you've got a pretty clear set of contenders. You know,
Carthage Gilmour going to be on that shortlist, Belleville where
big on, glen Rose, Wimberley as well. Kind of kind
of round out that kind of upper crust for US
in four A Division two. In four Division one, I
think it's really wide open. And Stevenville starts the year
(12:59):
at number one one, I think because of pedigree, because
of what they've got coming back, especially at the quarterback spot.
But ultimately, I think you take a look at what
realignment did to this, especially with state champion Anna moving
up to five A Division two, that really opens things up,
and I think you look at a regent or a
classification rather where you could see any of the top
eleven twelve teams winning a state championship, because it is
(13:23):
I think that it is for the first time in
quite a while, really wide open. A team like Chapel
Hill out East, a team that made to a state
championship game last year and you know, couldn't kind of
get off the bus really in that title game. They're
gonna be in the mix. We're big on Frisco Panther Creek,
a team that was a big surprise last year, but
think that they're gonna be right back in the mix.
(13:43):
Gave Anna a run all the way in the regional semifinals.
You mentioned Davenport. Davenport, This is really I think the
first big test as a program for Davenport, as they're
able to have to like move, you know, kind of
kind of recycle the roster kind of for the first
time a young program has had great success. What happens
when they graduate some key pieces. I think Austin LBJ
as far as a realignment winner. We knew it was
(14:04):
going to happen, But I think they're a big winner
in realignment simply because they don't have to opt up
as Austin I s had asked them to do in
the past. But I look at at LBJ as a
team that's ready to come back in and contend immediately.
You know, you mentioned the lamp passes. They fall in
that sleeper category for me. I think that that offense
really has an opportunity to be to be special. You know,
we remember some of the great offensive that they've had
(14:26):
in the past, guys like Ace Whitehead leading the way.
They bring like nine starters from an offense last year
that was really good. Read Jerome their quarterback, and jet
Walker looked like they're ready to take that step. I
just look at four A division Division one as really
wide open, much more wide open than it's been in
the past Hey.
Speaker 1 (14:42):
The biggest question about Ace Whitehead is whether Jim Schlostegle
is going to use him out of the pen or
as a starter this year for the long points.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (14:49):
Every time I see every time I hear you call
a baseball game and you mentioned Ace Whitehead, I'm like,
that's not right. He's the quarterback for lamp passes, which
is probably just just proof that I'm getting.
Speaker 1 (14:58):
Old Boogie as everybody knows him. That's the nickname Boogie,
It's Boogie Whitehead. Yeah, down here, all right. So a
quick word about Wimberley. You mentioned it's dar an annual contender,
and when you have the quarterback of the caliber of
a Cody Stover, you're going to have the type of
season that the Texans seem to be in position to have.
Speaker 2 (15:22):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (15:23):
I think that Wimberley once again will be one of
those teams on that short list, and especially when you
take a look I think at Region four it's their
to lose. I think that they're the clear favorite in
Region four. They've been the dominant force in Region four
for quite some time. And when you've got a guy
like Cody Stover back for his third season at the Helm,
I mean, I think he's one of the more underrated
players in the state, a guy that I think is underappreciated,
(15:45):
you know. For Wimberley, I think we think, oh, they're
going to roll out of that and have a quarterback.
But it's tough. It's tough to go out there and
play for that play run that offensive way that Cody
Stover does. But I think he's really really special in
a guy who I think could help take them to
the next level. Beyond that, I just think that Region
four is probably the weakest of the regions. Now Sinton
and Cuero are going to have something to say about it,
probably the chief challengers. But I think that that that
(16:07):
trio is probably about the elite depth that you have
in Region three or Region four as opposed to places,
you know, like Region two with Carthage and Gilmour and
Pleasant Grove. You know, you look at a region like three,
Region three with Belleville in that mix, wake O La
Vega moving in China Spring. I think that the for Wimberley,
the road is really open for them to make a
semi final and then at that point they see, you know,
(16:29):
a team from South Texas that would be or rather
likely from Southeast Texas, maybe a team like Belleville that
could challenge them. But ultimately I think that for Doug
Warren's ball club, I think Wimberley's got to feel really
good heading into twenty twenty four.
Speaker 2 (16:43):
All right, we'll conclude with this. I here's the disclaimer.
Speaker 1 (16:49):
I have not given a heavy duty look at every
specific week of district play across the state. I'll start
doing that year over the next twenty four to forty
eight hours. But I got it, admit, could we, at
least on the surface right now, say that November one,
Stevenville Brownwood would be about as good as it might
(17:09):
get in the next to the last week of the
regular season.
Speaker 3 (17:12):
Oh yeah, that is going to be I think really
must see stuff Stephenville and brown would. Of course, you know,
you don't need this to be a district game, but
I think that it's going to be one of the
most one of the most anticipated district games in quite
some time.
Speaker 2 (17:26):
You know, two.
Speaker 3 (17:27):
Teams that you know they're going to link up for
I believe it is the seventy ninth time in their
program history, and two teams that that there's no love
loss between Stevenville and Brownwood. That is going to be
fantastic stuff. It's at Stevenville this year and there's a
real chance that those two teams come in undefeated, and
that is straight up for a district crown. By the way,
November first, there's other games.
Speaker 2 (17:47):
You got to mark your calendar for.
Speaker 3 (17:49):
Garrison and Timpson is November one. Brock and Graham. You
want to talk about Brock move up to four A
and their first real district test is on November. And
then when I run on Texas football dot com, was
a real was real Texas high school football? Like sicko,
like heat check Cooper and Honey Grove is no November first. Yeah,
(18:10):
that's that's just really good football. But it's also like
it's not brand name football. So that's exactly my.
Speaker 2 (18:16):
Kind of thing. Yeah, no doubt about it. Mine too.
Speaker 1 (18:19):
He is Greg Tapper, Managing editor Dave Campbell's Texas Texas
Football Magazine. You good with a three eight preview next week?
Speaker 3 (18:26):
I can't wait.
Speaker 2 (18:28):
We'll be on board with that. Thanks Tap, appreciate it.
All right, Take guys, all.
Speaker 1 (18:32):
Right, that's Greg Tapper, Managing editor Dave Campbell's Texas Football Magazine.
Speaker 2 (18:36):
Like I said, I got to get a.
Speaker 1 (18:37):
Little more of a perusal of some of those other
games on that week. But that's Stephenville Brownwood thing. That's
that's kind of hard to say no to because those
are two of the hallmark programs in the state. There
are two teams that don't like each other, that have
had rivalry, that were district rivals for years and years,
and then they were apart for a while. They were
even in the different classifications for a while, and then
(18:59):
back and the different divisions and now it's a district
game again in week nine.
Speaker 2 (19:04):
It'll be fun, all right.
Speaker 1 (19:05):
Well more coming up when we continue on sports Radio
AM thirteen under the Zone and the iHeartRadio app.
You have a few copies. Level give away for the
(00:01):
show is done. But it's like, what do you anticipate
the most? And I'm pleased to report as our next
guest joins us, he's Great Tapper, managing editor of Day
Camill's Texas Football magazine.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Now, Tip, I.
Speaker 1 (00:14):
Listen, you're the managing editor, so you're overseeing all elements
of it. So you were perusing Mike Craven's breakdown of
SMU and looking at that, Corey Hoag's piece on Steven
f Austin or the United Athletic Conference and all that.
But we know which child you favor the most, and
(00:37):
that's going to be what takes up virtually half of
the magazine, and that is the high school football section.
And I'm pleased to tell you that the I would
say it was more than a plurality. It was definitely
the majority of the folks who have left us these
messages on our talkback feature said I enjoy it for
the high school section. Somebody called in, so they want
(00:59):
to see how the l pass those schools we're going
to do this year. Somebody yesterday called in and said
they were curious to see how they're all the modern.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
Weslico would do.
Speaker 1 (01:09):
We've had other people ask us about Permian, you know,
and all over.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
So neither of us are surprised by this revelation, are.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
We No, I would say not so, And certainly I
appreciate you guys doing our market research for us. This
is but but yeah, I think that, you know, one
of the great things about this magazine is that it
really is a kind of an all you can eat
football to say, it's got a little bit of everything.
So if you're a Mary Hart and Baylor fan, we
got you covered.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (01:35):
You know, if you are a hard and Hornets fan,
We've got you covered and everything in between. That's that's
the good thing. But I would say that, you know,
I think what we would probably be best known for
if you were to ask people, hey, what what what
does Dave campbells Sex's football do? Uh, they probably see
high school fotball simply and and and that's a responsibility
would take very seriously. You know, I think that there
(01:58):
had been you can go back to our founding. You know,
there were other football college football magazines. This was essentially
the first high school football magazine, and I think that
that has carried over and has become kind of the
impression that most people have.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (02:12):
And by the way, somebody else today on the talk
back said, the the reason that they look look forward
to it was because they lived in sam Marcus. When
sam Marcus High was being covered by a young sports
writer named ish Johnson, he said, and and and now
that he goes I know he works for the magazine. Now,
(02:33):
I was just looking at Ishmael's preview of Texas State
this year. So I guess in some ways, the more
things change, the more they remain the same.
Speaker 3 (02:41):
Yeah, exactly. You know, Ishmael's got that close tie to
sam Marcus, spending time there at the Daily Record before
he came to slumt with us here at Dave Campbell's.
But but yeah, he's he's an integral part of our
social media platform. He's an integral part of our college
football podcasts as well as all the stuff we do
in high school space. He still keeps very closely tied
(03:02):
to San Marcus. And that's kind of what we've tried
to build as a team that's got different expertises from
all over the state.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
And I hope we've done that, no question about that.
Speaker 1 (03:13):
Greg Tapper, managing editor, Dave Campbell's Texas Football Magazine, our
guest during this portion of program. Okay, before we jump
to the four A preview, because like I said, each
week we're previewing in the run up to state or
the run up to the start of football season, we're
previewing different classifications, and we've already done six A and
five A. But before we get to four A, I
(03:33):
wanted to ask you about this because you have a
very unique take on this. Our good friend Jerry Forrest
has come out with this first set of the computer rankings.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
I think it's the first set I got mine today.
Speaker 1 (03:46):
You know, I was thinking it was a first set
to come out today, So I was looking at this
and for folks who don't know, I mean, we quote
the computer quite often, not only because of what we
think we'll do and what the project one team to
defeat another team by. And I always say these are
for entertainment purposes, only your FEPO line. Although our good
(04:10):
friend Jeff House said there was definitely people out at
d Boons and Florence in the back room there who
were who were probably saying I'll take so and so
in the points. But I'm always intrigued by the preseason
rankings and the computer formulae that goes into this, and
so we talk about it quite a bit.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
Now.
Speaker 1 (04:31):
His computer rankings are not that much different, certainly from
what you guys have in terms of peaking to Soto
and Duncanville is the favorites to repeat and in fact
making a three peat in six A. But the rest
of the top ten, he's got North Shore three, West
Lake four, North Crowley five, Summer Creek six, South Lake
Carol seven, Lake Travis eight, a task to see to
(04:52):
nine and similar still rounding out the top ten, whether
it was the top ten or anything below that did anything,
you know, arch your eyebrows or take it a little
bit by surprise, you know.
Speaker 3 (05:06):
Certainly he's he's very bullish obviously on the two kind
of the Austin area powerhouses there where the Lake trouts
and West like and the computer is actually not Sree,
although he would tell you that they are one and
the same. But but this is very bullish on the
aus On District twenty six. I don't think there's necessarily
any doubt.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (05:26):
The North Crowley one is very interesting that the computer's
really buying in on North Crowley simply because you know
from a you know what's what this one? You look
at that top ten and these are perennial powers, right,
I mean Duncanville, North Shore, Uh you know, you know
South Lake, carrol Sivil of Steel programs that you expect
(05:46):
to be.
Speaker 2 (05:46):
In the mix every single year.
Speaker 3 (05:48):
North Crowley is the relative newcomer here. You know, a
team that under Ray Gates has really risen in the
past couple of years. But they are I mean to
be clear, I think the computer's got a pegg. I
think we think it might be very very good, but
a very difficult district they've got to go through in
a very difficult, you know, bracket that they will have
to navigate as well. The other one is Umble Summer Creek,
(06:08):
and Umble Summer Creek is the interesting squawed here. They're
at number six simply because what do you do with
a team like Humble Summer Creek, which was a team
that played for state championship last year, was really impressive
on their run through there. I think we can also
be honest and say that Division two, and especially the
right side of the bracket in Division two, was the
(06:32):
more manageable bracket last year. And then they get into
the state championship game and DeSoto dispatches them with a
fervor of a religious you know, a religious you know cult.
This is a So now you've got a Summer Creek
team that all the numbers there fourteen and two. Last
year they were six and one. Their one loss last
(06:52):
year was to North Shore. But they also lose guys
like Lloyd Devant, who was their star running back. They
lose a number of other key pieces. That is the
team that I would say is probably the biggest mystery there.
And I think that six feels like the computers paying
homage to what they did last year, but also saying
don't be necessarily surprised if they take a step back.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (07:12):
I think it's a good point for folks who didn't
remember the final score of that state championship game was
seventy four to fourteen.
Speaker 2 (07:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
I think I just called another touchdown for Desoda there
a moment ago. It's so the reason and that's why
I wanted to ask, and you make up you make
a good point about twenty six six A because in
the magazine matches this, you know, not only do you
have your Westlake, Foreign Lake Travis eight. You then follow
(07:40):
up with Van der Griv twenty four and Dripping Springs
twenty nine. To have half of that district in the
top thirty, says an awful lot about that district, doesn't it.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (07:52):
Absolutely, it's a depth, right, and that I think is
going to going to be what we're really paying attention to.
Is the depth that they've got a lot of is
going to be spilled about the about west Lake and
Lake Travis, and understandably so, but that I think would
then tell you, Okay, don't don't take your eye off
the ball here as far as the other teams that
are going to be there in that area, you know,
(08:13):
whether it's Vandergrifft the favorite out of District twenty five,
or Dripping Springs out of District twenty six, those are
there's a great depth there that I think is really
is really worth celebrating as well. That's one of the
things that I'm going to keep my eye on is again,
especially a team like Dripping Springs, which I think is
is obviously kind of kind of slots themselves behind Lake
(08:33):
Travis and Westlake, but also is within what I would
call striking distance that give them give them, you know,
go out there and stub your toe in the first
quarter and they can give you, they can give you
some trouble. So that's that's what makes twenty six District twenty.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
Six particularly interesting.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
All right, let's jump to four A since we want
to have a four A preview, and I find four
A to be intriguing almost on an annual basis, and
I find it intriguing for these reasons. And Division War one,
it does look like Stevenville would have a chance, and
you've got them number one on the computer asm number one,
(09:07):
you know. And this was a year coming off the
season last year where it was was amazing to watch
what happened in four AD one with Anna, who's now
moved up to five A.
Speaker 2 (09:18):
And then there's Division two.
Speaker 1 (09:20):
Now you and I are both guilty of this for
a year after year after year saying on high school
Scoreboard live on Friday nights, Ah yeah, we'll check back
in with Carthage around week thirteen or fourteen. Because they
were just basically, to use your phrase, launching all of
their opponents into the sun. They were just just trending.
(09:41):
And then we come off a year where it was
man Bite's Dog Carthage got knocked out. They got beat
by Gilmour, and they got knocked out, and they finished
thirteen and one, and yet they are back in the
saddle and back in the what's expected to be the
state championship contending seat. But it's still intriguing because how
(10:05):
does Scott's Trat's team respond to what was.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
Such an odd and unusual ending last year for them?
Speaker 3 (10:12):
Yeah? Yeah, I think that that is what's super interesting
about four A Division two is is because of what
happened last year, falling to gilmur in such you know,
shocking fashion, you know, in overtime, how does Carthage respond
because quite simply, they just don't have a ton of
playoff losses. That's something that Scott Surrat has really ultimately.
Speaker 2 (10:32):
Not had to deal with.
Speaker 3 (10:33):
But over here at Dave Campbell's Second Football I'll just
tell you we are already calling it the Scott Surrat
revenge Tour of coming into twenty twenty four because we
do think that that really last year was the year
to get them. They were really young last year, working
in a new quarterback in their and Jets. Surrat he
is back as a junior. I think he really grew
into the role as the season went on. Of course
(10:55):
the son of Scott Serrat and also they bring back
oh yeah, let me count fourteen other starters from last
year's ball club, including eight on a defense that was
pretty darn good and guy I think got better as
the season went along, and so in my opinion, I
look at this as Carthage kind of returning to form
and having to be the favorite there. You know, Gilmer
is going to hear me say this, and they're always
(11:15):
listening to what I say. Hi to my friends and
ups your county. But Gilmer is going to be of
course in the mix as well. They have a couple
of pieces to replace from last year's state championship run.
But I also don't think that they're going to go away.
I think that they're going to be a challenger and
that got Gilmer Carthage playoff matchup is going to be
musty to the TV.
Speaker 2 (11:33):
It's going to be fantastic.
Speaker 3 (11:34):
But I do think that when you take a look
at the power Nexus out east, you know, I think
for Carthage, with what they've got coming back, they have
to start the year as a favorite, especially with the
pedigree they've got as they're going for state championship number ten.
Speaker 2 (11:47):
Yeah, I agree with that.
Speaker 1 (11:48):
Okay, So let me jump back to for a D
one where Stevenville is a is a logical choice to
be the preseason number one. They got all those starters
back on offense and defense, fourteen that played fourteen weeks
last year. And then there's other teams like the Chapelo
Hill program that stepped up in such a big.
Speaker 2 (12:05):
Way last year.
Speaker 1 (12:08):
And I am also kind of curious in your thoughts
on three schools and two are in the area and
one just south of the year. The one just south
of the area is the preseason number six, Davenport, which
is on the north side of the San Antonio area
for folks who don't know that, and at Davenport is
right off of that. And then the two from the
(12:29):
area in D one, LBJ dropping back into Division one,
and then Lamb Passes, which seemed to be an annual player.
Speaker 3 (12:37):
Yeah, you know, whereas I think in four A Division two,
you've got a pretty clear set of contenders. You know,
Carthage Gilmour going to be on that shortlist, Belleville where
big on, glen Rose, Wimberley as well. Kind of kind
of round out that kind of upper crust for US
in four A Division two. In four Division one, I
think it's really wide open. And Stevenville starts the year
(12:59):
at number one one, I think because of pedigree, because
of what they've got coming back, especially at the quarterback spot.
But ultimately, I think you take a look at what
realignment did to this, especially with state champion Anna moving
up to five A Division two, that really opens things up,
and I think you look at a regent or a
classification rather where you could see any of the top
eleven twelve teams winning a state championship, because it is
(13:23):
I think that it is for the first time in
quite a while, really wide open. A team like Chapel
Hill out East, a team that made to a state
championship game last year and you know, couldn't kind of
get off the bus really in that title game. They're
gonna be in the mix. We're big on Frisco Panther Creek,
a team that was a big surprise last year, but
think that they're gonna be right back in the mix.
(13:43):
Gave Anna a run all the way in the regional semifinals.
You mentioned Davenport. Davenport, This is really I think the
first big test as a program for Davenport, as they're
able to have to like move, you know, kind of
kind of recycle the roster kind of for the first
time a young program has had great success. What happens
when they graduate some key pieces. I think Austin LBJ
as far as a realignment winner. We knew it was
(14:04):
going to happen, But I think they're a big winner
in realignment simply because they don't have to opt up
as Austin I s had asked them to do in
the past. But I look at at LBJ as a
team that's ready to come back in and contend immediately.
You know, you mentioned the lamp passes. They fall in
that sleeper category for me. I think that that offense
really has an opportunity to be to be special. You know,
we remember some of the great offensive that they've had
(14:26):
in the past, guys like Ace Whitehead leading the way.
They bring like nine starters from an offense last year
that was really good. Read Jerome their quarterback, and jet
Walker looked like they're ready to take that step. I
just look at four A division Division one as really
wide open, much more wide open than it's been in
the past Hey.
Speaker 1 (14:42):
The biggest question about Ace Whitehead is whether Jim Schlostegle
is going to use him out of the pen or
as a starter this year for the long points.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (14:49):
Every time I see every time I hear you call
a baseball game and you mentioned Ace Whitehead, I'm like,
that's not right. He's the quarterback for lamp passes, which
is probably just just proof that I'm getting.
Speaker 1 (14:58):
Old Boogie as everybody knows him. That's the nickname Boogie,
It's Boogie Whitehead. Yeah, down here, all right. So a
quick word about Wimberley. You mentioned it's dar an annual contender,
and when you have the quarterback of the caliber of
a Cody Stover, you're going to have the type of
season that the Texans seem to be in position to have.
Speaker 2 (15:22):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (15:23):
I think that Wimberley once again will be one of
those teams on that short list, and especially when you
take a look I think at Region four it's their
to lose. I think that they're the clear favorite in
Region four. They've been the dominant force in Region four
for quite some time. And when you've got a guy
like Cody Stover back for his third season at the Helm,
I mean, I think he's one of the more underrated
players in the state, a guy that I think is underappreciated,
(15:45):
you know. For Wimberley, I think we think, oh, they're
going to roll out of that and have a quarterback.
But it's tough. It's tough to go out there and
play for that play run that offensive way that Cody
Stover does. But I think he's really really special in
a guy who I think could help take them to
the next level. Beyond that, I just think that Region
four is probably the weakest of the regions. Now Sinton
and Cuero are going to have something to say about it,
probably the chief challengers. But I think that that that
(16:07):
trio is probably about the elite depth that you have
in Region three or Region four as opposed to places,
you know, like Region two with Carthage and Gilmour and
Pleasant Grove. You know, you look at a region like three,
Region three with Belleville in that mix, wake O La
Vega moving in China Spring. I think that the for Wimberley,
the road is really open for them to make a
semi final and then at that point they see, you know,
(16:29):
a team from South Texas that would be or rather
likely from Southeast Texas, maybe a team like Belleville that
could challenge them. But ultimately I think that for Doug
Warren's ball club, I think Wimberley's got to feel really
good heading into twenty twenty four.
Speaker 2 (16:43):
All right, we'll conclude with this. I here's the disclaimer.
Speaker 1 (16:49):
I have not given a heavy duty look at every
specific week of district play across the state. I'll start
doing that year over the next twenty four to forty
eight hours. But I got it, admit, could we, at
least on the surface right now, say that November one,
Stevenville Brownwood would be about as good as it might
(17:09):
get in the next to the last week of the
regular season.
Speaker 3 (17:12):
Oh yeah, that is going to be I think really
must see stuff Stephenville and brown would. Of course, you know,
you don't need this to be a district game, but
I think that it's going to be one of the
most one of the most anticipated district games in quite
some time.
Speaker 2 (17:26):
You know, two.
Speaker 3 (17:27):
Teams that you know they're going to link up for
I believe it is the seventy ninth time in their
program history, and two teams that that there's no love
loss between Stevenville and Brownwood. That is going to be
fantastic stuff. It's at Stevenville this year and there's a
real chance that those two teams come in undefeated, and
that is straight up for a district crown. By the way,
November first, there's other games.
Speaker 2 (17:47):
You got to mark your calendar for.
Speaker 3 (17:49):
Garrison and Timpson is November one. Brock and Graham. You
want to talk about Brock move up to four A
and their first real district test is on November. And
then when I run on Texas football dot com, was
a real was real Texas high school football? Like sicko,
like heat check Cooper and Honey Grove is no November first. Yeah,
(18:10):
that's that's just really good football. But it's also like
it's not brand name football. So that's exactly my.
Speaker 2 (18:16):
Kind of thing. Yeah, no doubt about it. Mine too.
Speaker 1 (18:19):
He is Greg Tapper, Managing editor Dave Campbell's Texas Texas
Football Magazine. You good with a three eight preview next week?
Speaker 3 (18:26):
I can't wait.
Speaker 2 (18:28):
We'll be on board with that. Thanks Tap, appreciate it.
All right, Take guys, all.
Speaker 1 (18:32):
Right, that's Greg Tapper, Managing editor Dave Campbell's Texas Football Magazine.
Speaker 2 (18:36):
Like I said, I got to get a.
Speaker 1 (18:37):
Little more of a perusal of some of those other
games on that week. But that's Stephenville Brownwood thing. That's
that's kind of hard to say no to because those
are two of the hallmark programs in the state. There
are two teams that don't like each other, that have
had rivalry, that were district rivals for years and years,
and then they were apart for a while. They were
even in the different classifications for a while, and then
(18:59):
back and the different divisions and now it's a district
game again in week nine.
Speaker 2 (19:04):
It'll be fun, all right.
Speaker 1 (19:05):
Well more coming up when we continue on sports Radio
AM thirteen under the Zone and the iHeartRadio app.
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