Week 9 Games

[stevendub]

OFF: Shoemaker (6-2, 3-1)

Thursday game:

Belton (3-4, 1-2 district) @ Ellison (6-2, 2-2 district)

Friday games:

Copperas Cove (2-6, 2-2 district) @ Harker Heights (1-6, 0-3 district)

Killeen (2-5, 1-2 district) @ Waco Midway (4-3, 3-0 district)

[CenTexDave]

My predictions:
Belton over Ellison
Cove over Heights
Midway over Killeen

[JohnKilleen]

I think Daves predictions are right. I would watch Belton. They have been hot and cold. I could see an Ellison upset over belton then possibly a later Belton upset over Midway. The district is weak this year but balanced. The 11 6 A teams will probably massacre our teams in round 1.

[sojourner truth]

Well, I have tickets for the Ellison game, so I guess I'll see Thursday night how good the Eagles are against a relative unknown..

I think they can win if they keep the same defense they had last week, and do a little better on having their receivers hang on to easy catches.

[stevendub]

Ellison pretty much needs to win Thursday for a playoff spot. In fact they clinch with a win on Thursday and a Killeen loss Friday. Lose and even if they manage to upset Midway they have to hope Belton loses their last 2 and/or the Roos don't run the table.

So it's gonna be tough to beat Belton, they're gonna have to pull out all the stops pretty much. They are capable though.

[sickofpc]

I've been very proud of the Ellison Eagles this year. They have always played hard....and their losses have been close, ...but, I do not think they can beat either Belton or Midway,..both, very, very tough teams. This does not take away from their very successful year. They have been very, very good...and had a really good year.

[CenTexDave]

If Cove wins out against Heights and Shoemaker they will be in the playoffs.
With a 4-6 record!!!!
Ridiculous.
Save the state, districts and fans some money - stay at home. Will only be another 60-14 demolition anyway.

[stevendub]

If Cove wins out against Heights and Shoemaker they will be in the playoffs.
With a 4-6 record!!!!
Ridiculous.
Save the state, districts and fans some money - stay at home. Will only be another 60-14 demolition anyway.

Even if they win 1 of those 2 it's likely they'll still be in.

[CenTexDave]

Just shows how absolutely crappy 12-6A is.
I remember when the district we were all in had some power. Ever since we got put in Region 1 we've stunk it up.

[JohnKilleen]

Our district is actually in Region 2. Over the years I have noticed how much stronger the metro suburban districts have become. I believe it will be unusual for the old 6a power teams to make it far in the playoffs anymore. Hard to get past Allen, Cedar Hill, Southlake, the Houston area schools. Would be great if our Centex teams lost some enrollment and dropped to 5a. Teams are still tough but the numbers are more equal. It did Temple a world of good.

[fchafey]

Cove "lost" some enrollment a bunch of years back. it didnt work out too well for them. Oh it did at first, then got splattered in teh second round. Think it was DeSoto? it was in San Antonio. Alot of crying in the editorail about the lack of sportmanship of the part of the other team. It wasnt the points but the trash talking.

[CenTexDave]

Cove is still a small 6-A school.
Believe that was a 70 point shellacking they put on the Dawgs. And they (DeSoto) was ranked #1 at the time I believe.
Cove has just run out of the talent pool they had from 1998-2010 or so.
Haven't made it past the first round since then.

[JohnKilleen]

Cove did make it to the finals 2 years in a row when they were 4A (what is now 5a). The North Texas schools that do so well have a great pool of talent. They keep that line open by parents moving into areas that have great programs and their kids involved in football have an opportunity to succeed. Size maynot always count....the 3 Plano schools are huge, but Allen is larger and it looks like Plano has lost its former glory. For old school Texas HS football lovers, at least Mighty Mojo, Pemian, seems to be back on track some.

[CenTexDave]

Plano has now, what, 4 high schools? Maybe even 5. Definitely diluted the talent, but then again who wants their kid going to a high school with 15,000 kids? :))
Yep, Cove made two finals. Also the 5-A (now 6-A) semis in 2009. Regional finals in 2003 and 1998.

[JohnKilleen]

Plano has 3 senior high schools and I believe some others for lower levels. The UIL participation is for the 3 Plano Sr Highs. I think they are all near 4000 each and Allen is about 5000. Way too many kids to control in one school. One thing schools and their backers seem to forget, the good times don't last forever...unless you are Katy. Remember how Temple fell on bad times after years of being on top. They seem to be on an upward swing again and their fans have that obnoxious attitude, but they can fall back to reality with a few weak years. Sorry...I am old school Killeen and Temple was always our number 1 rival.

[CenTexDave]

It happens to most schools - Temple went through it, Odessa Permian, Midland Lee, even Cove. Allen will go through it too. Southlake Carroll ruled the roost for a few years. Now they just rate a B+.

[sojourner truth]

Looks like I am going to get wet Thursday night...

I am trying hard not to make any "I'm mellllting, I'm melllting" jokes to my wife.

[CenTexDave]

Don't wish to "put a damper" on your Thursday night, but hope we get a typhoon. :)

[sojourner truth]

Don't wish to "put a damper" on your Thursday night, but hope we get a typhoon. :)

We have rain coats and umbrellas....

And 20 plus years of getting used to living in the rain.

[CenTexDave]

Just so no thunderstorm and lightning. I spent more than a couple occasions at Bulldawg Stadium waiting out a lightning storm under the bleachers. Not a fun thing.

[sojourner truth]

Mrs. Truth has already said that if it is raining, we aren't going.... We'll see, since this is the last game here for the season.

She has a hankering for the Frito pies and chili dogs, so I will see if her desire to for junk stadium food outweighs her desire to stay dry.

[CenTexDave]

Ellison kicking butt at the half, 21-0, over Belton. Go Eagles.

[CenTexDave]

Final: Belton 28, Ellison 27.
You have got to be sh*tting me!!!!!!!!!

[stevendub]

Damn. Looks like it'll be the same 4 teams in the playoffs as last year, barring a large meltdown by one of the 4. Meh

[CenTexDave]

How can you blow a 21-0 halftime lead?

[fchafey]

Ever heard of the Music City Miracle? guess Belton has...

[CenTexDave]

Followed the game as much as I could on KDH Pressbox/Twitter. They had a first and goal and ended up having to settle for a FG. Really cost them.

[sojourner truth]

They don't have a good PAT kicker. He goes way too low on his kicks and gets blocked every time... They would have been better off going for the 2.

Tough loss, but a closer game than a lot of folks thought it would be.

The reason for the loss... Simple. The Tigers coaches took notes and made adjustments at halftime. Ellison didn't, and kept on doing the same thing over and over.

[CenTexDave]

Their kicker did make two FGs.

[cuatro]

We were there. Senior night...sniff, sniff! Ellison let a couple of big plays by Belton beat them, and it was really sad. It was a really good game, and I have really enjoyed watching the Eagles this season! (and those awesome Ellison Emeralds! :-))

[CenTexDave]

Good luck to the Roos - hope they knock off Midway.

[CenTexDave]

Cove trailed Heights at the half, 9-0, but came back to win 27-15.
Last I heard of Killeen and Midway it wasn't good - something like 48-3 blowout.

[stevendub]

The way both radio broadcasts were gushing about Harker Heights' defense last night, you would've thought the Dawgs didn't score that much. Those points must've been hard to come by.

[CenTexDave]

I didn't listen to it on radio, but did follow it through KDH Pressbox/Twitter.
The Dawgs ran their first kick return back for a TD, but it was negated for holding.
Then - don't know at what point - the QB got hurt. He returned for the second half and, voila, 25 points.

[johnwc]

Cove made adjustments at halftime and went back to their bread and butter on the ground. Outside of a big screen pass and a nice play for a TD on 4th down, there wasn't much going on through the air. To their credit, Cove wore down a really good defensive effort from Heights. Heights by the way has one of the best defensives in the district.

Their issue is on offense. After Cove went up 20-15, Heights next offensive series featured nothing but dives and counters between the tackles even as Cove stacked 9 in the box. Really unimaginative and predictable, not hard to defend. The offense unit was visibly frustrated coming off the field. The final score happened in the final minute or so when Heights sold out on third down to try and get the ball back, one missed tackle and a juke with a little speed sealed the deal.