We had a great turnout for Trib Photo Day 2026 at Waco ISD Stadium, with 49 Central Texas high school football teams in attendance. As always, we had hundreds of players fill out our Trib questionnaire, and one of the questions was ... what would you like for us to talk about on the Super Centex Podcast? So to kick off this all-request edition, by popular demand, we talk about the best Central Texas rivalries: What are your favorites, and what are the ingredients for a good one?
Apparently everyone's talking about "wet bulb glow temperature," or WBGT. What exactly is that? Let's get into it.
Another popular request was to "talk about small schools" — we'll leave six-man for another time, but we'll dive into Class 2A. Who has your attention going into this season? And what is it about 2A ball that makes it just a little more special?
There were plenty of funny, non-football suggestions for podcast topics. So here we go: The Trib sports guys weigh in on the epic Kendrick Lamar vs. Drake feud.

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Congrats to Jonesboro, winner of its third UIL softball title in a row and the only Centex team to take home a trophy this year. Of this trio of the Eagles, Midway and Bosqueville, who is best equpped to be right back here next year?
In baseball, the Robinson Rockets play for the state title Friday. Can they bring home the crown against Brock in Round Rock?
Brice wrote this week about a state champion he covered 30 years ago: the 1996 Brenham Cubettes, who beat Midway 1-0 in the softball state title game. But what are some of the other favorite teams we've covered?
It's June now, and we're finally post-graduation after a flurry of activity. We were all 18 once — even Chad. Let's dish out some life advice for these new graduates.

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We're joined by special guest Lathan Whisenton, the Midway running back star who's going to Notre Dame.

He talks with Brice, Chad and Michael about going to South Bend, his RB heroes, favorite plays of the year, track season, Midway's growth and state title ambitions, Coach Joe Gillespie, up-and-comer Jeyden Fields-Vaughn and more.

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Tying a bow on the UIL state track and field meet in Austin: What were the most memorable moments for Central Texas?
Bosqueville still has both softball and baseball teams alive in the playoffs (as of this recording, Wednesday, May 27). Can the Bulldogs become the latest Centex teams to win the double?
Make your predictions: How many of the 5 (3 softball, 2 baseball) teams will still be playing next week?
Taking a look back at the year, which Centex athletic program, boys or girls, would you say has had the best 2025-26?

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It's a crazy time of year, and we're always glad to see the UIL state track & field meet rolling out in Austin. Out of tons of kids competing, what Central Texas storylines are you most interested in?
We're deep into the UIL state softball playoffs, with 3 Centex teams still standing in the regional finals. Do you think there are good odds all 3 will win state? If not, who's most likely out of Midway, Bosqueville and Jonesboro?
We don't get too many football coaching changes in May, but Ty Robinson has left Crawford for Palestine, and the district quickly promoted Sam Moody to its HFC/AD role. For a program that traditionally has tons of stability, the Pirates now have 3 coaches in 3 seasons. Is Moody likely to be the guy for the long haul?
November and February tend to be our biggest signing months, but we've had a burst of activity lately with Bosqueville, Midway, Lorena and others. What would your advice be to these kids who are making decisions fairly late in the recruiting process?

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This week, Central Texas produced yet another state golf champion in Lorena sophomore Chase Horn. So, we're wondering: Which is harder — winning state in an individual sport, or in one of the team sports?
With split-division playoffs in UIL for all sports, it's created some interesting matchups: a district champion isn't guaranteed to play a fourth seed, for example. And some lower-seeded teams are going to catch a break. Axtell, Bosqueville, Crawford and others have some matchups that are either easier or tougher than you might expect. Is that fair?
The sports calendar is turning to May now, with about a month left of high school athletics happening. What are you most looking forward to over the next few weeks?

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This week, Robinson joined several other Centex schools and inducted its first school hall of fame class. Are you a fan of this trend?
One of the Robinson athletes honored this week was Ashley James, who was a standout in volleyball, basketball, cross country, track, powerlifting and soccer. A lot of small schools have kids like that. Who's the best you've come across that excelled across the board?
Let's tell some stories: What's something funny that happened after a game you were covering? At least something that you can share publicly?
Random run-ins: Where have you run into a Centex athlete, just randomly out of town or in the world?

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What does this mean for La Vega to finally make history — to win a state title in soccer after winning in so many other sports like football, basketball and track & field?
Let's talk softball, where the playoffs start next week. Central Texas always lots of contenders, and among those ranked in the polls are Bremond, West, China Spring, Lake Belton and Midway. Is it surprising not to see certain familiar names listed, like Robinson, Crawford, Jonesboro?
For softball teams in Texas, do you need more than one ace to win a state title? Or can you still roll one pitcher out there every game?
Over the next six weeks or so, we'll have UIL and TAPPS events in golf, tennis, track & field, softball and baseball. With those and all the other sports which have finished up their seasons so far, what's your favorite state championship event to cover during the school year?

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We recorded this before Thursday's state title match in Georgetown, but let's chat about the La Vega boys soccer team. Having seen this Pirates squad play, what's the most impressive part of its game? (The Pirates beat Lake Dallas 1-0 to become the first Centex soccer title in 13 years to win state.)
Waco ISD Stadium hosted La Vega's state semifinal match, which was a cool thing both for us and local fans. What sports do you think Waco should host for UIL state championships? Doesn't it make more sense than San Antonio?
The Centex NCAA transfer portal has been hot lately, with state title winners like La Vega's MiMi Willis and Angela Carroll, and Fairfield's Shadasia Brackens looking to make a move. Where do you think would be the best fit for these players?
Speaking of recruiting, Midway's Lathan Whisenton committed to Notre Dame recently. Was that a surprising move for a Centex player?

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One sport in which Central Texas has never produced a state champion is girls soccer. But now we have split divisions, and 5 teams left in this year's playoffs: Will we see a local state champ?
Without any solid data, it still seems like we have a lot more kids transferring from one school to another these days. Sometimes families move, sure, but do you see this as a growing trend — or a problem?
Let's play "draft everything" — best Central Texas gymnasium, best interviewee and the best Centex athletic department.

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The La Vega girls came up just short in their revenge tour, falling in overtime to Decatur in the state basketball semifinals. What made the difference in that one?
Defending boys' champ Rapoport returned to the state basketball tournament for the second straight year, but their feathers were plucked by Panhandle in the semifinals. How impressive is this historic run?
After a couple seasons in, what are your thoughts on the new UIL two-division setup for all team sports like basketball, soccer, baseball, softball, etc.?
Uni talk: If you were to pick a Centex team solely based on their basketball uniforms, who would you be a big fan of?

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Fresh off their TAPPS state championships, head coaches Kyle Combs and Steve Howard talk about the culture around Live Oak basketball, those "enjoy the ride" moments, the journey for these teams coming together off the court, the Falcons' crowd and community support, next year's teams and more.

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Live Oak's hoops teams are both playing for TAPPS state titles Thursday. How cool would it be for the Falcons to pull off the boys-girls double?

We waited to record this podcast until after the boys bi-district and girls area rounds, so let's dig into what we saw: Who has impressed you? Any Centex basketball teams that deserve a shout-out, win or lose?

Mexia's Kelan Collins kept doing Kelan Collins things, putting up 28 points against Academy in the bi-district round. At this point, is he or Live Oak's Duncan Ogden the frontrunner for Super Centex Player of the Year, or are we overlooking someone else?

Now for the girls — It seems like a race between Live Oak's Audrey Pahmieyer, La Vega's Rih Kinsey and probably Fairfield's Blayke Brackens. Where are you leaning currently?

For all the parents of high school athletes and non-athletes out there who are graduating this spring: What advice would you give your 18-year-old self?

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The basketball playoffs are here, and we've got first-round games to talk about. Any surprises that jumped out at you?

Big Shot Bob. Big Game James. Mr. Clutch. Mr. Big Shot. They all did it in the playoffs Other than Fairfield's Blayke Brackens, the most obvious answer, who are the clutch-est Centex hoops players, capable of being a big-game hero?

Basketball is the toughest sport to officiate because the fans are so close to the court — and that leads to the best atmospheres as well. What are some of the best high school basketball environments you've seen?

High school baseball season gets underway this week. After a great 2025 season that included Midway's hidden-ball-trick state championship, who are you excited to see this year?

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We're less than a week away from the basketball playoffs. What are the special ingredients you need to make a deep postseason run, and which Centex teams have them?

Is there a softball program out there that you think is flying under the radar and could be on a rise? Teams are just getting underway this season.

Hillsboro has a new head football coach in Leeland Hamilton, who boasts both D-I and NFL experience. Do you think he'll be able to turn the Eagles into a consistent winner?

It's the week after the Super Bowl: If you came up with an a team of all former Texas high school football players, how many Super Bowls would that team win? And who's your dream halftime performer?

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UIL realignment is over. What are our biggest takeaways? Did the Rapoport Ravens get a raw deal?
High school basketball coaches always have to roll with the punches. Which Centex coach do you think is doing the best job so far this season?
National Signing Day No. 2 for football is Wednesday. We still have some big D1-bound players moving on to the next level. Considering the transfer portal seems to hurt opportunities for high school kids, does that make these kinds of Signing Days even more special?
Bonus question: With early enrollment, are recruits missing our on something special with the last part of their high school years — friends, prom, graduation, etc.?

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Brice Cherry, Michael Haag and Chad Conine are back this week to dive into Centex hoops action:

Another crazy scoring performance: Live Oak's Duncan Ogden went off for 66 points, hitting 14 3-pointers. What impressed you the most about this explosive performance?
We've got to talk about that winter storm, which has wreaked havoc on teams everywhere, from soccer to basketball and more. But once the roads clear, what hoops matchups are the most intriguing this week?
If you had to put a friendly wager on one of our Centex teams to reach state, who are you banking on?

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La Vega basketball coaches Will Cartwright IV (boys) and Marcus Willis Sr. (girls) join Brice Cherry and Michael Haag this week for a lively conversation about all things Modoc.

What do they respect or appreciate about what the other guy has achieved with his respective group of Pirates?
How do you break down the differences between Marcus Jr. and Qwae, Coach Willis' sons?
What's it like when Will's boys team is missing a big chunk of its players through mid-December every year?
What's it been like for Marcus to achieve his vision for the girls program?
With La Vega's tradition, how much pressure is there to win, and do you hear about it from the Pirates community when you lose?
If you had to coach each other, who would be harder to deal with on the bench?

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Last Friday night in Mexia, Kelan Collins had a 58-point night for the ages. Where does that rank among greatest performances you've ever seen? Was Fairfield trying anything at all to stop him?
Of all the active Centex basketball players you've seen play, boys or girls, which two would you want on your team in a game of 3-on-3?
The high school football coaching carousel is already spinning in Central Texas. Of the schools which have made changes or have vacancies, what are you most intrigued by in terms of potential 2026 success?
The Super Centex teams are coming out later this week. What will you remember most about the 2025 Centex football season?

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Last season, the Rapoport Ravens shocked everyone with the first Centex boys basketball state title in 25 years. Is there a local 2026 state champion team quietly lurking under our noses?
La Vega picked up a big win over Brock at the AAC this weekend. What was that environment like in an NBA arena? Was it a surprising win at all, and do the Pirates have some staying power?
UIL realignment is coming up. What do you see as the winners and losers, in terms of movement? Lorena, Crawford, China Spring, Hamilton, or someone else?
February's college signing day is coming up. Who are some unsigned football seniors in our area who we can expect to have success on Saturdays in the future? How about Evan Moreno, Qwae Willis or even a local 6-man star in Londen Bickham?

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Hamilton is playing in its first-ever state championship and has had an underdog mentality all year, but they're facing another big underdog, a Joaquin team that went 6-4 in the regular season and knocked off No. 1 Refugio last week, a huge statewide upset. How do the Bulldogs keep their underdog mindset going when it's a David, not a Goliath, across the field?
Hamilton is really balanced overall on offense. Who would you say is their best player?
Going into Week 17, we've covered a lot of high school football. What are your most memorable games of the year?
High school basketball shout-outs: Who do you want to spotlight this week?

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Hamilton is back in the state semifinals for the second straight year after an impressive rematch win over the banged-up Axtell Longhorns last week, 24-3. They face the West Texas Comanches this week, a Panhandle team which hasn't played many close games this year. Do you think the Bulldogs can lean into that underdog role again and spring the upset?
Coaching changes are happening, and there's a bit of a surprise with Tyler Beatty leaving China Spring, we learned this weekend. The Cougars obviously won back-to-back state titles not that long ago, but have definitely fallen off from that level in the last couple of years, not withstanding a very impressive fourth-place playoff run this year including a massive upset of Bellville. How attractive is this job, and do you think the Cougars will get back to that level?
It's basketball season now, and several of the usual suspects, including Rapoport, Fairfield and La Vega, are state-ranked as we'd expect. Are there any other teams you've seen doing well that jump out as surprising?

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Chad witnesses some Texas high school football history with Kaegan Ash's huge night for Mount Enterprise against Bremond, plus La Vega's latest rematch with West Orange-Stark, Hamilton's dominant win and more — Trib sportswriters talk about what we saw in playoff action. #txshfb #TribFridayNight

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It's round 4 in the UIL playoffs. Once you're past Thanksgiving, the matchups are much more hotly contested with nothing but really good teams left. What matters most for these teams when you're talking about these matchups?
Bremond vs. Mount Enterprise has one of the best athletes in Texas history, the Wildcats' Kaegen Ash, who's chasing Kenneth Hall's all-time rushing record. Do you think the Tigers' tough defense will stop him from doing that?
An all-Centex matchup is on tap at Robinson with Axtell vs. Hamilton in the regional final. They've played several times before — is this turning into a low-key rivalry? And who wins?
TAPPS 6-man state title games: Vanguard Prep and Valor Prep play Thursday at Waco ISD Stadium. How big will that hometown advantage be for the Waco private schools? How will they react to their first-ever trips to the championship?

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Weather delays, a Bremond-Mart slugfest, Axtell moving on, La Vega rolling into the regional final and more — Trib sportswriters talk about what we saw in playoff action on Friday.

txshfb #TribFridayNight

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Which team should be most thankful they're still playing in the 3rd round of the playoffs? Or, if you prefer, who's the most surprising team left in the playoffs as we reach the third round?
The toughest game to pick this week may have been Whitney (10-2) vs. Pottsboro (11-1). How do you see this one coming out?
La Vega has been impressive all year. Is there anything the Pirates need to worry about vs. La Marque?
Let's talk turkey: Who is the turkey carver for our playoff teams? That is, whose hand do you trust to wield the knife to get the big job done when it counts?

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Week 2 of the playoffs in the books — What we saw from Chilton-Mount Enterprise, Fairfield-Yoakum, Crawford-Kenedy and more in the area around. Trib sportswriters react to all the scores and look ahead to next week, when we have at least 10 teams playing on Thanksgiving week.

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Who had the most impressive bi-district win? China Spring over Bellville, certainly, is an obvious one, but were there others?
We've got a lot of matchups between accomplished teams in round 2, teams with 9-2 and 10-1 type records. Which game was the toughest to pick this week?
We do a lot of predicting each week. But let's try to make one BOLD prediction for round 2 — doesn't have to be a result, could be a statistical performance, a parlay or what have you.
Three local teams are playing for state volleyball titles this week. Can Central Texas go 3-of-3 with Clifton, Crawford and Blum?

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Week 1 of the playoffs in the books — what did we see? La Vega just steamrolls, University is on to the second round, China Spring's huge upset, Rosebud-Lott wins its first playoff game since 2013 and more. Trib sportswriters react to all the scores and look ahead to next week.

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There are always lopsided matchups in bi-district, especially with 2-8 teams involved. But there are also some great matchups. Which game this week will be an absolute banger, do you think?
In Class 6A and 5A, teams now get to host in the first round. Is that a good idea, or do you like having neutral-site playoff matchups? And should it expand down to 4A and below?
Finally, we're going to brag on our photographers. Let's show some of our best photos and pit them head-to-head in a bracket game. We’ll do an eight-photo bracket, so three rounds to declare our favorite.

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It's officially playoff time — what happened with University? How good was that Crawford-Rosebud-Lott game? What else did we see around Central Texas in Week 11? Trib sportswriters react to all the scores and look ahead.

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We've reached Week 11, the final week of the regular season. We have some games that matter, and ones that definitely don't. If you're one of those teams without a hope of making the playoffs, what are you trying to get out of this last game?
Who are the hottest Centex teams, playing the best going into the postseason?
Crawford vs. Rosebud-Lott is one of the most interesting games this week. Who do you like, and could either of these teams make a deep run?
Let's talk realignment, with the UIL's Snapshot Day in the rear-view mirror now. What are you most interested to see going into February's realignment?

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Instant reactions to high school football action including double-overtime in China Spring-Lorena, Robinson-Gatesville, Midway-Bryan and more.

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Another district title showdown is here with 8-0 Brenham, ranked No. 6 in the state, facing University at Waco ISD Stadium. Both are undefeated in district. Do these types of high-profile matchups help teams get ready for the playoffs?
University's London Smith is just an athletic marvel who's going to excel at any position, playing any sport. Who are some other guys around Central Texas who are like that, past or present?
Let's break down 3 interesting games to watch this week: Gatesville-Robinson, Frost-Mart and West-Grandview. Plus, we'll sneak in a little Fairfield-Westwood, too.
Friday is Halloween. What's the spookiest Central Texas mascot, one you wouldn't want to see trick-or-treating at your door?

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Instant reactions to high school football action including Bremond-Chilton, Gatesville-China Spring, La Vega-Robinson, Midway-Killeen and more.

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La Vega is shaping up to be the state-ranked team we all expected, and there's likely the district title on the line vs. rapidly improving Robinson. Can the Rockets spring an upset here, or are they good enough for it not to be much of an upset?
The Chilton Pirates are back, and they've only given up 22 points all season. Meanwhile, Bremond and Tank Scott are on the other side. Who comes out on top in this state-ranked battle of unbeatens?
State-ranked La Vega, Robinson and Gatesville look like playoff teams. Who are you penciling in for the fourth spot between Connally, China Spring and Lorena? Cadets-Leopards is a huge game this week with both teams 0-2.
Who won the Super Centex fantasy league? It all came down to 1 point.

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For homecoming week at Waco ISD Stadium, we're welcoming in Trib sportswriters past and present for a special homecoming edition of the Super Centex podcast.

They include former assistant sports editor Jerry Hill; past high school writers Luke Gilliam, David G. Campbell, Jason Orts, Jim Barnes; plus current writers Chad Conine, Michael Haag and Trib sports editor Brice Cherry. (Note: We've tacked on our guests' introductions and "hey, where-have-you been" chat to the end of the podcast after the musical break — that way, we get straight into the football talk.)

Among the questions:

Have you ever climbed out of a locked football stadium? Let's hear your best postgame tales.
Playoff games at Waco ISD Stadium have a long and illustrious history over the last 25 years, including a time as the epicenter of postseason football in Texas. What are your favorite WISD stories, or some from the old Paul Tyson Field? We talk Louis Fite, LaDainian Tomlinson, Jordan Parcus, Quan Cosby and more.
Is there a high school football moment that still gives you goosebumps now, even all these years later?
Who are some of the favorite characters you've encountered around the high school football scene in Central Texas?
What did you love about covering high school football the most?

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Instant reactions to high school football action including Robinson-Connally, China Spring-La Vega, University-Belton, West-Mexia and more.

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Which teams had a tough go in non-district play but seem poised to play spoiler in their districts going forward? Some of them may start with M — like Mexia, Marlin, McGregor.
We've got several matchups of two 0-1 teams facing off this week. How big does it make these matchups for a bunch of teams trying to avoid starting out 0-2? We're looking at Gatesville-Lorena, Grandview-Groesbeck, Cameron-Troy, Marlin-Bruceville-Eddy, Temple and more.
It's fantasy football time: We're drafting an all-Centex, all-offense team for one week only. Who are your picks for QB, RB and WR? We'll crown a champion next week.

Scoring:

Non-PPR
1 point — for every 25 yards of rushing/receiving yardage
1 point — for every 50 yards of passing yardage
6 points — rushing/receiving TD
3 points — passing TD
2 points — rushing/receiving 2-point conversion
1 point — passing 2-point conversion
6 points — defense or special teams TD
no other defensive stats

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Instant reactions to high school football action including China Spring-Connally, Robinson-Lorena, La Vega-Gatesville, Midway-Temple and more.

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The very best edition of the Super Centex Podcast:

What will be the best game of the week as district play begins in earnest, and why?
What's best play you've seen so far this year?
Power rankings: Who is the pound-for-pound best team in Central Texas, i.e. who has the best shot to win state?
What's the best high school football game you've ever seen?

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Chilton looks pretty unbeatable on both sides of the ball; is it absurd to wonder if Mart makes the playoffs? Axtell was tenacious, hard and fast as they stampeded Valley Mills. And Midway put up 66 points to get past Shoemaker. Plus we talk Thursday's really entertaining Lorena-Lampasas game, Dawson's big win over Bosqueville and more.

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It's Week 2 of District 12-6A play, and Midway and Shoemaker both played 3-point games last week, though the Grey Wolves won while the Panthers fell. As they face off this week, do you expect another close one in 12-6A, and how much does Midway need this one?
We're all looking forward to Bremond-Chilton in Week 9, a state-ranked clash coming up. But before we get there, can the underdog in Mart-Chilton — that's Mart, to be clear — pull the upset at home?
Things can change, but at the halfway point of the season, who are your picks for the in-progress Super Centex Coach of the Year, Offensive POY and Defensive POY?
We all pick every Centex football game every week, and sometimes we go out on a limb. Do you get nervous when everyone else goes the other way?

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Instant reactions to some close 2A classics, a heartbreaking district opener for Midway and more as Trib sportswriters gather for their weekly late-night Super Centex After Dark session.

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Four districts start play this week: Which one seems the most wide-open? Who makes the playoffs in 7-2A behind Axtell, Bosqueville, Valley Mills? Is 10-2A Bremond's to lose? Where will Midway fall in 12-6A?
We have six Centex teams ranked in the DCTF rankings. But who deserves to be in the state's Top 10, but isn't? What about Gatesville or Fairfield?
We've got five private-school six-man teams in Waco, and they're all pretty good. Should they play a round-robin every year, with a trophy to the winner?
We know those offensive linemen don't get enough respect, so we're going to talk about them. Which group of big fellas is the best you've seen this year?

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UPDATED - Full episode now available! Sorry for the technical difficulties.

The #TribFridayNight crew looks at some great comeback wins like Robinson-Glen Rose and Midway-Mansfield, plus Bosqueville's triumph over Rosebud-Lott and more Centex action in Week 4. Read all about the games at go.wacotrib.com/hs.

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It's been a while since one of our 6A or 5A teams made a deep playoff run — that's Midway, University, Waco High, Temple, Belton and Lake Belton. Midway was the last one to make the third round, in 2019. Is it harder to make a run in the big divisions? And do we have a team this year that could do it?
The game of the week may very well be in Class 2A, as undefeated Bosqueville hosts undefeated Rosebud-Lott. Who do you like? What might we learn about these teams?
Which individual player has impressed you most this season after 3 weeks?
Let's talk nicknames: Which are the most memorable monikers you've heard in your sportswriting career?

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Trib sportswriters react to all the Week 3 action from Lorena-Franklin, West-McGregor, Crawford-Hamilton, Troy-Rogers and more.

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It's a low-key great slate in Week 3, with lots of all-Centex matchups. Which games will reveal the most about those teams going forward?
Is there an underdog you're riding this week, and why?
It's the 25th anniversary of Waco ISD Stadium. From state title games to playoff magic, how important has this venue been for Waco and Central Texas?
Brice recently unveiled the Super Centex All-Name Team. Who has the best moniker in Central Texas, past or present, and why?

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Trib sportswriters react to all the Week 2 action from Robinson-Caldwell, China Spring-Bastrop, Connally-Lago Vista, Fairfield-Mexia, Temple-Round Rock and more.

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Let's hype up La Vega-Celina, a No. 3 vs. No. 1 clash — one of the top matchups in the state. The Pirates dominated Kennedale 41-3 in Week 1, but Celina is a different beast. What does La Vega need to do to spring the upset? And how beneficial are these kinds of tough nondistrict games in the long run?
Now that we've had a moment, is there an outcome or a big stat performance from Week 1? China Spring RB Chrishon Gregory went off for 337 yards, Connally's Jamarion Vincent had a big game on both sides of the ball, plus some standouts from McGregor, Whitney and elsewhere.
We saw a lot of new coaches debut last night — some won, like at Robinson and Gatesville, but many didn't like at Mart, Waco High and University. How important is getting that first win?
Sportswriter talk: Where is your favorite spot to write, especially after you've gotten kicked out of the press box?

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Trib sportswriters react to all the Week 1 action and talk about what they saw from Whitney-Mart, Robinson-West and more.

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The Trib team is back to preview Week 1 of the 2025 Waco and Central Texas football season:

Who in Central Texas has the best shot to win state?
Predict a surprise team: Who might emerge out of nowhere this year?
Which Week 1 matchup are you most excited about?
After all's said and done, how much can you tell from just one week? Can you confidently predict a team's fortunes based off it?
It's a weird week with Baylor playing Auburn on Friday ('nuff said), but what are some other highlights you're excited about?

Join sportswriters Brice Cherry, Michael Haag and Chad Conine as they sit down to take stock of the season ahead and gear up for all of this week's action.

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Chad and DJ both got to see La Vega up close at The Pfield last week vs. Sealy in the regional final, a game it won 48-30. What impressed you guys most about the Pirates' performance?
Wimberley is a tough, tough team. The Texans have scored 60 or more points in 3 of their 4 playoff games. Will this be the toughest test yet for La Vega's defense on Friday night in Georgetown?
When you pull out a game like Hamilton did last week, 15-14 coming from behind vs. Axtell, how much does that boost a team's confidence? And how much will the No. 10 Bulldogs need that confidence this week vs. No. 1 Stamford?
Our other 2A team still alive is Bremond, which actually finished out of the top 10 in the final regular season poll. Yet many of those ranked teams are not playing anymore. Have people underestimated the Tigers this year?

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Great defense is just fun to watch, so of the seven Centex teams we have left in the playoffs — La Vega, Marlin, Hamilton, Axtell, Bremond, Abbott and Oglesby — who are some of your favorite guys to watch?
The Hamilton Bulldogs face the Axtell Longhorns in an enticing Friday-night matchup this week in the region final. These two teams met in the playoffs two years ago with a 35-21 Bulldogs win, and undefeated Hamilton is now having its best season in school history, while Axtell is no slouch with a 12-1 record. So who do you like in the "red dead redemption" matchup?
Our local six-man teams are just one game away from Jerryworld, with Abbott and Oglesby both playing for a trip to state. Who do you think is most likely to get there, the Panthers or the Tigers, and could we go two-for-two?
Let's give some eulogies to the dearly departed on Thanksgiving week: Gatesville, Live Oak, Aquilla, Jonesboro, Iredell and Valor Prep. Which of those talented third-round teams will you remember most this season?

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They say it's tough to beat a team twice in a season, and the La Vega Pirates will test that theory as they face off with West Orange-Stark on Friday in Magnolia. We've talked about the Pirates being a sleeper team for Jerryworld — what is it about the Pirates that suggests they could knock off the Mustangs this time?
We still have seven teams alive in the playoffs in Class 2A: Hamilton, Axtell, Crawford, Marlin, Bremond, Mart and Wortham. We know that one guy can make a lot of difference on a 2A team. So who would you say is the top difference maker among our seven local 2A teams playing this week?
One of the ways we judge how good a game might be is whether it was easy for us to pick it in our weekly predictions, or whether it was a tough call. So with that in mind, what was the hardest game to pick this week and why?
It's driving-long-distances-to-cover-sports season, but what's on the car stereo as you spend hours in the car each week? What's your go-to road trip song?

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The playoffs are finally here. And we get some really good matchups right out of the gate. What's the best local matchup this week in the first round?
Gatesville coach Aaron Hunter is fond of calling running back Rayshon Smith "the most underrated player in Central Texas," but he's probably not the only one. Who else is flying under radar, probably unfairly?
The playoffs are tons of fun, as we all know, with neutral-site games and traveling fanbases with high-stakes action every week. What's your favorite thing about the Texas high school football playoffs?

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• It took long enough, but La Vega has finally made it into the state rankings at No. 10. Obviously there are stout teams in Class 4A Div. II like Carthage, West Orange-Stark and Bellville, some of whom are in the Pirates' region. So what does a path to Jerryworld look like for La Vega?

• If it's Week 11, that means a lot of games have playoff implications, including West-Whitney, which is a longtime rivalry. Who you got in this one, and considering how tough this loaded district is, how far can the winner go in the postseason, even as a fourth-place team?

• This is the end of the regular season, which means there is a lot of football left to be played. But before we turn the page to postseason action, what's your most memorable thing that's happened so far in Centex football?

• New Midway quarterback Andrew McNair is nicknamed "Sunshine," which seems like a clear "Remember the Titans" reference. So let's come up with some movie-related nicknames for Centex players, and even give ourselves some nicknames, too.

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• It's been quite a painful season in Central Texas, as the Super Centex All-Injury Team includes Cash Pullin, Carlos Talton and Donovan Jones of the Midway Panthers; London Smith and JD Bell of the University Trojans; Whitney's Jontae Johnson, China Spring's Matthew Battles, West's Coy Klish and Axtell's Levi Leathers. Of the guys on the shelf, is there one who's most indispensible and if one of these guys were to return, would he immediately impact his team's playoff chances?

• Some pretty interesting district showdowns this week in La Vega-Connally, Fairfield-Palestine Westwood and University-Brenham — all of those game with clear underdogs, but those underdogs definitely have a puncher's chance. How close do you expect these game to be, and which underdog has the best shot?

• Many times this season, Gatesville head coach Aaron Hunter has called star running back Rayshon Smith "the most underrated player in Central Texas." So let's appreciate Rayshon Smith for a few minutes, as he currently leads the area in rushing.

• One prediction nobody saw coming is China Spring and Lorena being 3-13 coming into Week 10, both fighting for their playoff lives. So who wins this desperation matchup?

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• It's election time: That means stump speeches — but in this case, we're going to stump for the Super Centex awards. Yes, this is a bit premature — there's still a lot of football to play, including deep playoff runs on the horizon — but if the season ended today, who would get the nod for Offensive Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year and Coach of the Year?

• The Game of the Week, or maybe Game of the Year, is La Vega at Robinson for (presumably) the district title. This promises to be an instant classic, but would any outcome in this game actually surprise you at this point?

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• In the history of classic football rants, Dennis Green's reigns supreme: "They are who we thought they were! And we let them off the hook!" A lot of interesting scores came out of the first full week of district play last week. Who was who you thought they were? And were there any surprises?

• In the 21st century, there has been no more consistently good Centex rivalry than China Spring-La Vega. The Pirates are clearly the district favorites. But is this a rivalry game "anything can happen" cliche? Or is that even a possibility?

• Two years ago, University and Belton played an epic Week 11 matchup for the district title, won by the Tigers, 31-29. Last year, it was a 24-14 Belton win down south. So surely the Trojans are ready to break through and take revenge this week, right? And how badly do they need a bounce-back after that Rudder game?

• Helmet stickers are earned, not given. And we don't want to overlook any Centex teams. Several teams are quietly putting together some great seasons. Who's flying under the radar? How about Fairfield, Clifton, Axtell, Bremond, Aquilla or someone else?

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Quality games abound across the board this week as district play gets into full swing. Who can really elevate themselves as a contender if they were to win this week?
Right now we have 8 public schools ranked in the statewide polls: Robinson, Hamilton, Mart, Abbott, Jonesboro, Aquilla, Oglesby and Iredell. But which unranked team do you think is likely to go deepest in the playoffs?
Is there any district out there that's any more wide open than 13-2A D-I — Marlin, Crawford, Rosebud-Lott, Riesel, Bruceville-Eddy and Moody? Who's the favorite there, if anybody?
In honor of the Gatesville press box spread, we ask: What's your favorite food to eat at a high school football game?

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Brice Cherry, Chad Conine and DJ Ramirez are back for more #TribFridayNight football on the Super Centex podcast.

• Last year, three of our “C” schools – China Spring (8-4), Crawford (6-5) and Chilton (13-2) – combined to go 27-11. This year they’ve struggled to a 2-12 start to the season, including an 0-5 mark for the Pirates. But they’ve all got good coaches and some promising players, plus tough nondistrict scheduling, and the season isn’t over yet. Which of the three has the best chance to not just get in the playoffs, but maybe even win some games in the postseason?

• It’s a light week around Texas, with teams in six-team districts taking their bye weeks before district play begins. But there are still district games happening – in the likes of District 12-6A (Midway), District 7-2A Div. I (Axtell, Bosqueville and others) and District 10-2A Div. II (Mart, Bremond et al). Which of this week’s games in those districts will have the most impact on the district championship race — or perhaps the playoff race when it’s all said and done?

• Chad wants to do a music-themed edition of the podcast in honor of the late, great singer-songwriter Kris Kristofferson, who died last week. So here's a music-related question: If you could name the official musical artist of one of our Central Texas schools, who you would pick and why? And would that team have a particular theme song?

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• It's district time already for a few local loops, including 12-6A (Midway, Temple et al), 7-2A (Axtell, Bosqueville, Dawson, Valley Mills, Itasca, Italy, Rio Vista) and also 10-2A (Mart, Bremond, Chilton, Wortham, Frost, Hubbard, Meridian, Goldthwaite). Which of these districts do you expect to be most competitive?

• District play kicks off with a bang with No. 1 Mart facing No. 4 Bremond. This is seemingly the de facto district championship game between two state-ranked teams. Can the Tigers hope to win in Mart?

• Robinson shocked the state last week with a 49-42 win over then-No. 2 Glen Rose. Are the now-ranked Rockets the favorite in a stacked district that includes La Vega, China Spring, Connally, Gatesville, Lorena?

• We know how important O-line success is for teams, even if those guys don't get quite enough pub from newspapers and other media types. Who's the best overall best offensive line you've seen this year, or a specific O-lineman?

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• We have eight Centex 11-man teams who are undefeated: Midway, University, Connally, Groesbeck, Troy, Hamilton, Axtell and Bosqueville. Survivor draft time: Who would you take to be 10-0 at the end of the regular season?

• On the flip side, Crawford is in a very unusual 0-3 position, and the Pirates face Axtell this week, meaning 0-4 is a real possibility. Crawford has had 10 double-digit winning seasons since 2010 and are one of the area's most consistent programs. What's going on here?

• Our first edition of StatsPlus came out this week. Does anybody among the Centex statistical leaders jump off the page at you? Who would you like to see play?

• We had two new stadiums debut last week in Central Texas at Abbott and Live Oak. What do you think makes for a good Texas high school football stadium/venue? Do you have a favorite place to cover a game?

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Brice Cherry, Chad Conine and DJ Ramirez are back for more #TribFridayNight football on the Super Centex podcast.

• We've got a dream Centex matchup Thursday with China Spring playing University at Waco ISD Stadium. These are two teams that don't often meet, which makes us wonder: What face-off would you like to see in a "fantasy" matchup?

• Back to reality: Is China Spring capable of pulling off the upset? Or is it an upset? Debating the Trojans vs. the Cougars.

• Let's talk stats: We cover all classifications of football, and know not all performances are not created equal — not all 200-yard rushing games are the same. How do you differentiate these things, say with a kid from a 6A school vs. a 2A school?

• Brice loves fantasy football "punishments," even if nobody else does. So what would be a fun punishment for an 0-10 Central Texas team?

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Brice Cherry, Chad Conine and DJ Ramirez react to the opening-week action of 2024 on #TribFridayNight football on the Super Centex podcast.

• Mart, China Spring and Lorena all lost in Week 1. All three of these local programs are accustomed to deep playoff runs. Which of these 0-1 teams do you think is likely to go the deepest in 2024?

• It was a good start for first-year head coaches in Week 1, including at Midway's Joe Gillespie, Bosqueville's Reggie Patrick, Live Oak's Matt Hurst, Abbott's Kyle Crawford and Bruceville-Eddy's Marcial Chapa III. Who do you think has the best chance for long-term success?

• Another Week 1 game that wasn't a surprise was Axtell stampeding Milano 52-0 in the opener. Coming off a 10-1 season, how good is this team, and should the Longhorns be ranked in the top 10 statewide?

• Let's talk mascots: Which ones would you like to see face off?

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Brice Cherry, Chad Conine and DJ Ramirez are back for another action-packed season of #TribFridayNight football on the Super Centex podcast.

What questions do you have that you might learn the answers to in Week 1?
With a high-profile top 10-type matchup, China Spring-Franklin is one Week 1 highlight of two heavyweight teams who were denied 3-peats last year. Who is better equipped to go 1-0?
What other Week 1 games intrigue you as Centex teams kickoff? How about some all-local matchups like Mart-Whitney or Oglesby-Abbott?
Who's your ride-or-die team for 2024?

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We blinked, and here it is. We have two undefeated teams playing for state championships this week in Mart and Oglesby. Yet both are underdogs. Let's start with No. 2 Mart first, who will face No. 1 Albany again, just like last year. It was 41-21 Albany last year, viewed as a big upset. Will payback be the factor that pushes Mart over the hump?
Neither team has played a lot of close games this year, with the Panthers having to rally in the second half in their last two playoff games. So, if this does turn into a close game, does that favor one team over the other, since they haven't had much experience with that?
Oglesby is 13-0 and in their first title game in school history. The Tigers have scored at least 60 points in their last six games, and yet they're a 41-point underdog to No. 1 Benjamin. When you're doing something for the very first time, how do you avoid that "we're just happy to be here" feeling?
We are a little less than two months away from the UIL realignment announcement for the 2024-26 school year, and the cutoffs were announced last week. After a four-year run in Class 3A, Lorena will be moving back up to 4A, Division IIand, guess what, China Spring and La Vega also drop down to 4A Division II. One plausible projection out there has it aligned as China Spring, La Vega, Robinson, Connally, Gatesville, Lorena and Hillsboro.

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We asked Santa for an all-Centex matchup in the state semifinals, and we got it under the tree as Mart and Chilton face off in the state semifinals, just the fourth all-time among Central Texas teams. How special does this one have a chance to be?
Fill in the blank: Chilton wins if ...
Fill in the blank: Mart wins if ...
Oglesby is playing for a six-man state title for the first time in school history, but they're a 41-point underdog to defending state champ Benjamin, despite being undefeated and coming off a win over traditional power Richland Springs last week. What do the Tigers need to do to ensure the Jerryworld stage is not too big for them?
We had three teams bow out in the fourth round last week in Lorena, Marlin and Jonesboro. When you look back at these deep playoff runs, what will you remember most about the 2023 editions of the Leopards, Bulldogs and Eagles?

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There were no food comas after Thanksgiving for our Centex teams, as six local schools won going away in round 3 of the playoffs. But they won't all be advancing to the state championship game, presumably, so which local team has the earliest expiration date — i.e., who has has the toughest game in round 4?
The Lorena-Franklin rematch is one of the most enticing games in the state this week. The cliche is that it's hard to beat a team twice. What do the Leopards need to do to make it happen?
If Mart and Chilton both win this week, we'll get an all-Centex game in the state semifinals. It happens fairly often in the regional final around here, but how cool would that be? It would guarantee us at least one team at Jerryworld, too, obviously.
It's that time of year where coaching changes start bubbling up frequently. This week, it was Clint Zander at Bosqueville, who has spent the last 15 years with a successful run leading the Bulldogs in many sports, though the football team has fallen off in recent years. We talk about whether Bosqueville is poised for success, and about local small-school programs generally in Central Texas.

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It is Turkey Week, and let us give thanks because we have some tasty matchups. Every Central Texas team out there has a 9-3 record — all in the same gravy boat. So which of these Round 3 face-offs has the potential to produce the best game? Lorena-Columbus, Whitney-Winnsboro or Chilton-Granger?
There's one all-Centex matchup on the slate, with Oglesby vs. Iredell in the regional final in six-man 1A Div. II. Who would you take in this fight of Tigers and Dragons?
We have a real shot at three all-Centex matchups next week in the state quarterfinals (and semifinals in six-man): a Lorena-Franklin rematch, a Bremond-Chilton rematch or a slugfest in Jonesboro-Abbott. Which of those is most likely to happen, and which would you most like to see?
Let's pour one out for China Spring: The Cougars' 13-game win streak ends at the hands of Anna to thwart the title 3-peat. Let's reflect on how impressive this run has been, and do you feel like the Cougars will still be one of those elite Class 4A programs going forward?

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As we get to better matchups here in the second round of the playoffs, eight of our Centex teams are playing teams with 10 or more wins this week. But which Centex team with a single-digit win total has the best chance to knock off a double-digit win total team? (That's China Spring at 8-3, La Vega at 7-4, Gatesville at 7-4 or Teague at 8-3.)
Flipping this around, we have several Centex teams still alive with double-digit win totals. Which 10-plus win team has the toughest game in round 2 and might get upset? (Your options include Belton, Whitney, Mart, Chilton, Abbott, Jonesboro, Oglesby or Iredell.)
We do have one team playing for a state title this week in the TCAF six-man ranks. DJ went to Methodist Children's Home this week to write a feature and gives us the inside scoop on what makes the Bulldogs and head coach Matt Rodgers tick.
DJ got a little giddy last week watching Teague-West, so that prompts us to ask: What's your favorite thing about high school football or football in general? Like a play, a player a tradition, a game, or what aspect of the game?

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A whopping 43 teams made the playoffs in Central Texas, and there's certainly a case to be made that too many teams do — nobody wants to watch a 9-1 team play a 2-8 team, after all. But enough negativity: What first-round matchup has you intrigued among our Centex teams? How about West-Teague, La Vega-Dunbar, Midway-Waxahachie, Axtell-Valley Mills or Gatesville Gonzales?
Football's a physical game, and we've seen some injuries in recent weeks to big-time playmakers like Connally's Kiefer Sibley and University's Cade Bynnom. That has us wondering: Who is the most indispensable player in Central Texas? Who matters most to their team, and that team couldn't afford to lose him?
Fun fact time: Here are some nuggets about our playoff teams that might be interesting — Connally players' futures, the coaching fraternity in Central Texas, and shout-outs to Kopperl and Penelope breaking playoff droughts with first-year head coaches.

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We've reached Week 11 of the regular season, and it's time to talk playoffs. So let's go trick-or-treating: What's one Centex team that we expect to make a sweet run, and one team that could be sneaky trouble for its opponents?
Let's do the monster mash: What monster stat line impressed you the most this season?
If one of our Centex mascots showed up on your front porch on Halloween, which which would be the scariest?
A real trick-or-treat question: What candy classic do you want to see in your bag?

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It's Week 10, which means we have some showdowns for district championships, not least among them Pflugerville Weiss at Midway, Madisonville at Connally and Whitney at Grandview. Let's rank those in terms of most likely to win on Friday night. Is Connally an underdog? Is Midway the biggest longshot?
Lorena can clinch an outright district championship on Friday after last week's epic 52-49 toppling of No. 1 Franklin last week. So let's talk about Braylon Henry: He started out 2022 at linebacker, moved to safety and picked up some accolades, but now is shining as running back with 17 TDs and several 200-yard games in his last six contests. Henry seems to be one of those guys, wherever you put him, he's going to make an impact. But which other Centex players might fit into that category?
DJ recently spotlighted Hispanic kickers for Hispanic Heritage Month, and a good kicker is a real luxury at the high school level — we certainly have several superlative ones around Central Texas. Who's the best kicker you've seen this season around the area?
Do you know who the highest-ranked team in Central Texas is? It's Methodist Home, if you go by the sixmanfootball.com rankings in TCAF. Let's give some love to Coach Matt Rodgers' Bulldogs and do-it-all star Londen Bickham, who has some eye-popping numbers.

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Special guest David G. Campbell, former sportswriter with the Trib and The Eagle in Bryan, joins Trib sportswriter DJ Ramirez, non-Trib sportswriter Chad Conine and Trib sports editor Brice Cherry are back to talk some Centex football as we head into Week 9.

He's cash money: China Spring QB Cash McCollum now has a Centex-leading 2,300 yards passing, 35 TDs and just two picks on the season after last week's seven-TD effort against La Vega in an incredible 52-49 win, where he passed Shawn Bell on the all-time list. Only one player has won Super Centex Offensive Player of the Year twice: Lorena and Texas football legend John Henry. What's the likelihood Cash can be the second?
Speaking of legendary names, another big one is Mart's Quan Cosby, who's the only player to win the Super Centex Offensive/Defensive Player of the Year double — he was just that good. Dave, where does he rank among the players you've covered over the years?
Yet another storied name in Central Texas is David Haynes, where senior and junior did big things in the 1980s and 2000s, and now third generation Trey is leading the Whitney Wildcats as our reigning Super Centex Defensive Player of the Year. These are high times for undefeated Whitney: Can the Wildcats beat Grandview for the district crown, and just how far can Whitney go in the postseason?
Let's circle back to some Class 6A football, where Midway dusted Copperas Cove with ease last week, getting to 3-1 in district play, and now head to Merrill Green Stadium this week to face the Bryan Vikings, featuring the Voice of the Vikings, one David G. Campbell. At 2-1 in 12-6A play, Bryan has, like Midway, been better in district than non-district, beating Cove in overtime but struggling against Weiss last week. How does this one shake out?

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It's October, so that means we've reached some games of real consequence in the high school football scene, including some district-deciding clashes this week. On top of that list in China Spring at La Vega, the latest chapter in the storied history. China Spring is explosive, as both we and Alvarado know (after the Cougars put up 50 in a quarter against the Indians last week), but let's not sleep on La Vega, which dusted a good Waxahachie Life square 56-20 in Week 7. What are the odds of a Pirates upset in this one, and would it even really be that much of an upset?
The other game that sets up a district title game is Marlin at Riesel, the Indians being undefeated on the year and a plausible top-10 team. This feels a little bit like a toss-up, so we'll make the argument for each team to win this one.
Live Oak coach Brice Helton has announced his squad will be moving up from six-man to 11-man football next year. How tough a transition will that be for the Falcons, and which other growing schools in Central Texas can you see maybe moving up and being successful, regardless of classification? How about China Spring as a 5A team?
We cover some 70-odd schools around the area, so we inevitably give some good teams less attention than they deserve. So here's the shout-out segment: Which team is "quietly" doing big things and needs some podcast love?

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Maybe there aren't any huge marquee matchups this week, but there are some low-key ones that are definitely intriguing. Let's start with Connally hosting Gatesville, which opens district play for these teams. They've been heading in opposite directions, with the Cadets now 3-3 after a 3-0 start; meanwhile, the Hornets have won three in a row and have given up fewer points than anyone else in 11-4A. So, is Connally still the favorite in the district? And can the Cadets hold off Gatesville on Friday?
Down in Temple, Midway and Temple both have the same losing record (1-5) heading into their meeting, which is unprecedented. This is the eighth meeting between the pair in the all-time series, which only dates to 2012. One strange development is that Shane Anderson won't be coaching the Panthers due to a "personal situation." Who do you feel likely gets win No. 2 on Friday?
Beyond those games, what other games stand out in Week 7? How about Belton-Rouse, Chilton-Bremond, Crawford-Marlin, China Spring-Alvarado, Itasca-Italy or Teague-Malakoff?
We're getting into October and pretty much everyone is in district play. So it's time to project: Which local team is most likely to separate itself as the class team of its district? (Mart is NOT an acceptable answer, because it's too obvious.)

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Trib sportswriter DJ Ramirez, non-Trib sportswriter Chad Conine and Trib sports editor Brice Cherry are back to talk some Centex football as we head into Week 6.

We've got several first-year head coaches guiding their squads in the right direction with University at 4-1 (1-0), Lorena 3-2 (1-0) and Robinson also 4-1. Out of these first-year coaches — Kaeron Johnson, Kevin Johnson and Chris Lancaster — who has done the most impressive job so far? (And shout-out to Robert Little at Riesel, too, BTW.)
At least three Centex programs picked up their first wins of the year in big ways last week: Midway surviving Hutto by three points, 45-42; Rosebud-Lott upending Crawford, 28-27; and the Fairfield Eagles drubbing Eustace, 67-6. Out of these three programs who are all now 1-0 in district, who has the best shot of making the playoffs?
As always, there's an array of talented quarterback play in Central Texas. We're seeing really impressive seasons from China Spring's Cash McCollum, of course, but also Lake Belton's Eli Mascarenas and Cameron Yoe's Braylan Drake. If you had one play to win the state championship, and had to choose one of these QBs, who would you put under center?
In the 2A ranks, undefeated Mart and Chilton are both state-ranked and obviously very good teams, as anyone would have suspected. But we have some other 2A teams on the rise — we're talking about Axtell, Riesel and Itasca. Who has the best shot of playing deep into December?

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Welcome, special guests — All the District 8-2A Div. I coaches join the football conversation this week, with Bosqueville coach Clint Zander, Bruceville-Eddy coach Brian Ramsey, Crawford coach Greg Jacobs, Marlin coach Ruben Torres, Moody coach Matt Hurst, Riesel coach Robert Little, Rosebud-Lott coach Brandon Hicks and Valley Mills coach Bob Featherston on the Zoom to talk about district play getting going this week — and more.

What is it about this Central Texas district that makes it special? With 8 local teams, it's pretty much the Centex-iest one of all. Does it create a lot of good, fun rivalries?
Let's talk about what these teams learned during non-district play, the bye week and this matchups, which include Crawford facing Rosebud-Lott on the road, Moody traveling to Valley Mills, Riesel at Bruceville-Eddy and Bosqueville at Marlin.
It seems like Class 2A sports are really, really good all around Central Texas — all sports, all schools. What's that camaraderie like among coaches and districts around this area? What led some of you to take your current head coaching job?
How important is strength and conditioning for your squads? Coaches talk about their approach.
Community support is smaller towns seems like it's different than in bigger districts. What's that experience like and what does that mean to Centex teams?

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Instant reactions from Trib sportswriters and stringers from Friday's #txshfb action including Connally at China Spring, Centerville at Mart, Lorena at La Vega, Midlothian at Waco High, Midway at Rockwall-Heath, Clifton at McGregor as well as University's big Thursday night win.

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Trib sportswriter DJ Ramirez, non-Trib sportswriter Chad Conine and Trib sports editor Brice Cherry are back to talk some Centex football as we head into Week 4.

A few of our local districts have already started district play, like Waco High's district in 5A and the West-Whitney district in 3A. Crawford and Marlin's district will begin play next week after taking this one off, and soon we'll have games that actually matter for everyone every week. So here's an oldie but a goodie: What's the toughest district in Central Texas?
We've got two big-time top 10 matchups this week in Central Texas: No. 3 Centerville at No. 2 Mart in a battle of 2A unbeatens, and No. 3 China Spring hosting crosstown rival No. 7 Connally. Let's spend some time of them: Who you got?
While those are the obvious two big games this week, there are lots of intriguing battles on this week's tasty slate. What's the matchup you're most interested in?

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Trib sportswriter DJ Ramirez, non-Trib sportswriter Chad Conine and Trib sports editor Brice Cherry are back to talk some Centex football as we head into Week 3.

We saw several state-ranked teams in Central Texas lose last week in the likes of China Spring and Crawford, not to mention Bremond and Jonesboro. But, of course, they weren’t exactly playing nobodies. Do you think those teams will still have the stuff to make a deep playoff run later in the season?
The Connally Cadets continue to melt the scoreboard. Connally has scored 112 points in impressive wins over Mexia and La Vega. Kiefer Sibley is running all over the place, the new quarterback Jamarion Vincent seems to be fitting in fine as the replacement for Jelani McDonald, and of course Kobe Black is making plays on both sides of the ball. Can this Connally team be a contender to make Jerryworld?
Every season there’s an upstart. You know, that team we didn’t really expect much out of that puts together a historic season to remember. Now that we’re two weeks into this thing, can you identify that particular team? Would Axtell qualify? How about Itasca or Teague?
Years ago, we used to do some power rankings for our Centex football teams in our area regardless of classification. So who is the best "pound for pound" team in Central Texas?

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At long last, we have actual football games happening this week. Let’s talk first about the Game of the Week, China Spring at Lorena. Of course, the Cougars are aiming for a Class 4A state championship three-peat and open the season as the No. 1-ranked team in the state. Lorena, two years removed from its own 3A title, breaks in a new head coach in Kevin Johnson as the No. 6-ranked team in Class 3A Div. I. Last year China Spring won this matchup, 38-20. Any chance it’s closer this time around?
One of our regular football duties is to pick all the Central Texas games each week. A lot of times Week 1 can be the toughest of all, because while we think we might know who these teams are, we’re really still gathering first impressions. So, with that in mind, what was the hardest game for you to pick this week? Or to put it another way, what shapes up as the most competitive matchup, the biggest toss-up?
Since 2006, there has been only one season where our Central Texas coverage area didn’t produce at least one state champion. (That was 2020, a crazy year on a lot of fronts.) Last year we had one champ in China Spring, the year before we had three in China Spring, Lorena and Live Oak. Our area record came in 2017, with five state champs, if you include Rockdale, a school we covered at one time. That’s a long setup, but you see where I’m going: How many champs will the Super Centex area have in 2023, and who are they?
This week the Marlin-Itasca game was called off because Marlin ISD students failed to meet certain academic standards put in place by the school district. Obviously it’s unfortunate whenever you have to cancel a game, but what's the general take on this move by Marlin in the bigger picture?
Finally, in our Trib summer questionnaire that we always give to area players, the vast majority picked China Spring as the school with the coolest uniforms other than their own. Let's poll the Trib fashion police: Who would you pick?

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At long last, we have actual football games happening this week. Let’s talk first about the Game of the Week, China Spring at Lorena. Of course, the Cougars are aiming for a Class 4A state championship three-peat and open the season as the No. 1-ranked team in the state. Lorena, two years removed from its own 3A title, breaks in a new head coach in Kevin Johnson as the No. 6-ranked team in Class 3A Div. I. Last year China Spring won this matchup, 38-20. Any chance it’s closer this time around?
One of our regular football duties is to pick all the Central Texas games each week. A lot of times Week 1 can be the toughest of all, because while we think we might know who these teams are, we’re really still gathering first impressions. So, with that in mind, what was the hardest game for you to pick this week? Or to put it another way, what shapes up as the most competitive matchup, the biggest toss-up?
Since 2006, there has been only one season where our Central Texas coverage area didn’t produce at least one state champion. (That was 2020, a crazy year on a lot of fronts.) Last year we had one champ in China Spring, the year before we had three in China Spring, Lorena and Live Oak. Our area record came in 2017, with five state champs, if you include Rockdale, a school we covered at one time. That’s a long setup, but you see where I’m going: How many champs will the Super Centex area have in 2023, and who are they?
This week the Marlin-Itasca game was called off because Marlin ISD students failed to meet certain academic standards put in place by the school district. Obviously it’s unfortunate whenever you have to cancel a game, but what's the general take on this move by Marlin in the bigger picture?
Finally, in our Trib summer questionnaire that we always give to area players, the vast majority picked China Spring as the school with the coolest uniforms other than their own. Let's poll the Trib fashion police: Who would you pick?

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• Abbott plays Westbrook for a state championship at 2 p.m. on Wednesday: What has impressed you about Terry Crawford and the Panthers?

• The mighty Mart Panthers machine takes on Albany for the crown at 7 p.m. Wednesday: What does Mart need to do to finish this 16-0 season, and does Albany even stand a chance?

• On paper, China Spring probably has the best matchup of our three local teams this week: The Cougars were challenged by Decatur last week in the Fog Bowl of 2022 and now they get Boerne, which shut out its opponent last week in the state semifinals. Fill in the blank: China Spring wins this game and takes home back-to-back state titles if ... what?

Trib sportswriter D.J. Ramirez, non-Trib sportswriter Chad Conine and Trib sports editor Brice Cherry are back to talk some Centex football.

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• Central Texas went 4 for 4 last week in the fourth round of the playoffs, with Abbott advancing to the state title game and China Spring, Crawford and Mart all cruising into the state semifinals. Simple question: How many of those three 11-man squads join the Red-Headed Strangers at Jerryworld next week to play for a state championship?

• China Spring is no stranger to great quarterback play over the past couple of decades. But is this the greatest two-year run of quarterbacks that China Spring has ever had? Major Bowden won the statewide Mr. Texas Football award last year as a senior and junior Cash McCollum is a finalist for the honor this season.

• No. 1 China Spring gets three-loss and unranked Decatur, while No. 3 Crawford and No. 1 Mart get undefeated opponents in Hawley and Burton, respectively, both ranked No. 2. Which of those opponents is the potential biggest stumbling block for our Centex teams? Which one looks the toughest?

• Finally, there was an unbelievable catch last week in the Abbott-Irion County game that had many in local media buzzing. But what's the best highlight-reel play you've seen while covering games this year?

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We've got an impressive Centex Final Four — No. 1 China Spring, No. 3 Crawford, No. 1 Mart and No. 1 Abbott — playing in round four of the high school football playoffs — and it's finally December football weather, to boot.

We want to talk about X-factors this week. Here's a formal definition of that: "A variable in a given situation that could have the most significant impact on the outcome." So it could be a person, a phase of the game or something else entirely.

Who or what will be the X-factor for China Spring, Crawford, Mart and Abbott this weekend as they try to punch their ticket to the state semifinals, and the state title game for Abbott?

(Editor's note: We're talking about Tolar running back Peyton Brown in the second segment this week. Apologies for getting his surname wrong.)

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• Week 1 of the playoffs had some definite surprises: Fourth-seeded Riesel beat district champ Cayuga, along with a similar 4-over-1 win for Hamilton beating Tioga. But then there was also defending state champ Lorena going out in the bi-district round to Columbus with a last-second field goal to lose, 24-21. Which of those, or another game, was most surprising?

• Far less surprising were the steamrolling wins by the likes Crawford, China Spring and Mart. Which of our Centex area teams turned in the most impressive bi-district win?

• Let's talk about University: Not only did it make the playoffs for the first time in 13 years following an 0-10 season in 2021, they won on the road at Austin McCallum in the first round last week. The Trojans have showed plenty of explosiveness and moxie, but now they play No. 2 Fort Bend Marshall, a perennial power, in the area round. Is this where the storybook season ends?

• What are the best second-round game around Central Texas? What's the most enticing matchup? Could it be West-Mount Vernon, Axtell-Hamilton, or even a big time six-man clash?

Trib sportswriter D.J. Ramirez, non-Trib sportswriter Chad Conine and Trib sports editor Brice Cherry are back to talk some Centex football.

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• Well, it’s playoff time at last. In bi-district, we’re naturally going to get some of those lopsided scores, especially with the No. 1 vs. No. 4 seed matchups. But what’s a matchup, no matter the seeding, that you think has a chance to produce an exciting, competitive game? What about some of our 3A matchups, like Whitney-Teague or Lorena-Columbus or Cameron Yoe-Yoakum, or University's first-round test on the road at Austin McCallum?

• Many of the teams we expect to play for a while are those district champs, No. 1 seeds from their district. Teams like Mart, Crawford, China Spring and West. But every year, there are 3 seeds and sometimes even 4 seeds who win multiple games, usually based on the strength of their district. So, here are a few 3 seeds from our local districts: University, La Vega, Gatesville, Lorena, Fairfield, Whitney, Rosebud-Lott, Dawson and Bremond. Which of those teams has the best shot to play at least three more games?

• Finally, we all conduct a lot of interviews over the course of a season, talking to players and coaches. Certainly we’re sometimes going to get some “we’ve got to take them one game at a time” platitudes along the way. But if we were picking an All-Interview Team, who would you put on it? Who are the best talkers – either players or coaches?

Trib sportswriter D.J. Ramirez, non-Trib sportswriter Chad Conine and Trib sports editor Brice Cherry are back to talk some Centex football.

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• It's Week 11, and the intrigue doesn't stop: Playoff seeding and playoff spots are in the balance all over the place. Let's spotlight one very interesting district championship battle: Belton at University, which few would've predicted just 10 week ago. The Trojans were 0-10 last year, so just making the playoffs was already a huge step. But winning a district title is next-level stuff. He's got strong credentials already for Super Centex honors, but if head coach Kent Laster leads his Trojans to a district crown, would he be up for some statewide accolades?

• Another game with implications this week is in 8-2A Div. I: Crawford, Marlin and Rosebud-Lott have clinched playoff spots while Riesel (3-3) and Bosqueville (2-4) are fighting it out for the final berth. The Indians are in with a win, but the Bulldogs still have a shot, and this one could even end up in a four-way tie for fourth place if Valley Mills and Moody win. But forget all that: Who are you picking in Riesel-Bosqueville to likely sew up the final playoff spot?

• Touchdowns always draw more attention than tackles. But let's give some shout-outs to some guys on the defensive side of the ball: Who have you seen this year where you've walked away from a game and said "Man, I'm impressed with that guy"?

• The schedule is all messed up this week: Weather threats have totally scrambled the slate with tons of games being played Thursday. We've seen football games played in all conditions, including rain, sleet, snow, even fog — but what is your favorite kind of football weather?

Trib sportswriter D.J. Ramirez, non-Trib sportswriter Chad Conine and Trib sports editor Brice Cherry are back to talk some Centex football.

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• Week 9 lived up the hype: There was Thomas Barr's epic game-winning field goal winning goal for No. 2 China Spring to beat No. 1 Stephenville; or West's Easton Paxton, who kept the big-play Trojans going with some big plays against Grandview; and Connally's Kiefer Sibley, who posted crazy numbers of 426 yards and 7 TDs against Salado. But who impressed you most last week — one of those guys, or someone else?

• Speaking of Sibley, the Cadets are involved in our game of the week, with 2-0 Connally traveling to 2-0 Madisonville in a battle to determine the District 11-4A Div. II title. In a battle of two similar teams, what do the Cadets need to do to tame the Mustangs?

• Believe it or not, Midway still has a shot at the playoffs, even at 3-7 (if they win on Friday). The Panthers suffered a crucial, disappointing loss to Bryan last week that came as a surprise to many. If Midway can best Pflugerville Weiss on the road, they can still make the postseason. How huge would that be for Coach Shane Anderson and his program?

• We've got 9 Centex schools in the statewide DCTF rankings. But fully a third of those come from the six-man ranks, with No. 1 Abbott and No. 4 Jonesboro in Division I, and No. 4 Oglesby in Division II. Which of those three have the best shot to win state?

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• No. 10 Lorena vs. No. 1 Franklin, No. 2 China Spring vs. No. 1 Stephenville, West vs. No. 3 Grandview: No matter what happens on Friday, these Centex teams are all making deep playoff runs, right?

• Back to West for a second: The Trojans' 89-0 win last week not only featured a 55-yard first quarter — that's 12 minutes — and 7 non-offensive touchdowns in the game. Have you ever heard of anything so bananas?

• Best. Week. Ever. It's not just the big 3 this week: We've also a ridiculous slate of games as University tries to clinch its first playoff spot since 2009 vs. Leander Rouse; Midway playing a key district game vs. Bryan on homecoming as the Panthers are in the mix playoff spot; Salado-Connally; Madisonville-Gatesville; Crawford-Bosqueville; a state-ranked clash in Chilton-Granger; and Mart-Wortham, which is a regional final rematch. And that's not to even mention serious rivalry/district clashes in Temple-Harker Heights and Teague-Groesbeck. There are lot of intriguing matchups this week: Which of these others are you the most interested in?

New Trib sportswriter D.J. Ramirez, non-Trib sportswriter Chad Conine and Trib sports editor Brice Cherry are back to talk some Centex football.

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• One of the best feel-good stories of the seasons is the resurgence of the University Trojans. Head coach Kent Laster has the Trojans at 2-0 in district play. DJ and Chad have both seen them play this year — what's working for the U-Dawgs, and is it sustainable in the long term?

• The game of the week is China Spring at La Vega, arguably the best rivalry in Central Texas over the last couple of decades. You know what they say about rivalries and records — China Spring is clearly the favorite as No. 2 and a defending state champion. But the Pirates are no slouches, riding a three-game win streak where they've allowed only 23 points. Who wins this one?

• The most competitive district in our area is the Stone Age district with Groesbeck, Mexia, Teague and Fairfield (hailing from Limestone and Freestone counties). Malakoff seems like the top team in the district and Eustace and Kemp seem like they're in the cellar. That leaves three playoff spots for four local teams. Who do you see making the postseason?

• It's homecoming time in Central Texas. What's your take on the giant Texas mum? Great tradition, annoying tradition or just kind of meh?

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• The game of the week is obviously Marlin-Crawford, the de facto district championship game. But more than that, it's a rematch of last year's regional final, won by Marlin 26-6. Let's break it down: How do you see this one playing out for the undefeated Pirates vs. Marlin, which is 2-3 and 2-0 in district?

• Another really sensational 2A showdown is No. 8 Bremond at No. 5 Chilton this week. These two teams get overlooked — shame on us — but both are really, really good. Which has been more dominant to this point in the season ... and could either challenge No. 1 Mart?

• DJ wrote a great column Sunday reflecting in part on her article about the Torres coaches representing Hispanics in Texas high school football. Tell our readers about that story and what kind of impact it had on you as a sportswriter.

• Spotlight on Chad: What's one of your favorite stories that you've written for the Trib, or one of your books, or some other publication? Plus, Brice talks about one of his favorites: Groesbeck's Boo Barton.

• Picks talk: What is your strategy in picking these games, and what you do think when you see that you're out on a limb?

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• It's a bye week for something like a third of teams around the state, with those in six-team districts taking a breather before starting the meaningful games. Out of teams who are actually playing this week in Central Texas, who needs a win most? Midway, Waco High? How about Connally or Robinson?

• La Vega ended its tough skid with a blowout homecoming win over Dallas Roosevelt to move to 2-3 on the year. The Pirates are a historically tough, very physical outfit and so perhaps being backed into a corner is exactly what they need. Do you see the tradition-rich Pirates making a deep playoff run? Do they have that ind of capability?

• Surprisingly, Midway at Harker Heights may actually be the game of the week (on an admittedly weak week) given what we saw from the explosive Junior Thornton-led Panthers last week against Hutto as they actually won a game and got to 1-0 in district. Can the Panthers compete with the likes of the Knights and Temple, who they get in two weeks, and contend for the District 12-6A title?

• Mike Cadell, formerly of Axtell and now an assistant at La Vega, recently posited this: The Frito pie is the be-all, end-all greatest high school football concession food. Does the panel agree, and if not, what is?

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• China Spring is a pretty incredible story, winning state last year for the first time since 1978. That team produced nine first-team Super Centex players, seven of which are gone, including Texas Football and Super Centex POY Major Bowden. How have the No. 2-ranked Cougars, sitting 4-0, been able to maintain this championship-caliber team?

• Three "M" schools in Central Texas — Mexia, Marlin and Midway — are a collective 0-11 on the year. But aren't they all pretty good, despite their records? They all get to hit the reset button this week with district play starting after some brutal nondistrict scheduling. We lay out their paths to the playoffs.

• Who's one player that you've seen this season, among our weekly StatsPlus standouts, that deserves the hype of being one of the top statistical leaders in Central Texas?

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• A tweet from Greg Tepper at Texas Football this week says there are 31 matchups between undefeated teams (just 11-man, probably) in Texas this week: No. 10 Connally vs. No. 2 China Spring, Bartlett at Itasca and Blooming Grove at Wortham. Out of the four Centex teams in that mix, how many will still be undefeated going into next week?

• Let's talk about the University Trojans after a heartbreaking loss to Arlington Heights last week. Despite their 1-2 record, it seems like the Trojans are trending in the right direction. Do you think that's the case, and can they make a run at a playoff spot?

• One of the best stories of 2021 was Marlin, with an 11-4 record and run to the state semifinals. Now the Bulldogs are 0-3. Every year there are teams that start slowly and turn it around to make deep playoff runs. Does Marlin have that capability?

• We've already referenced "Friday Night Lights" a few times this season, so let's keep the streak going. Odessa Permian is the Panthers and everyone knows they have an alternate nickname, Mojo. Central Texas has a few of these as well in the U-Dawgs, Modoc and The Comma. Which of those is your favorite, and are we leaving any good ones out around the area?

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• Week 2 had some really great games — "absolute bangers," according to ultra-hip Brice Cherry — with close finishes, amazing comebacks and surprises. Which game do you wish you had seen — Connally's one-point win over La Vega, Waco High's streak-busting victory, China Spring's comeback or something else?

• Let's turn our attention to the Mart Panthers: They pummeled Marlin, 41-6, but everyone expected a much closer game. The rumor is that the Bulldogs may have had some players out, but still, this is a big statement win for the Panthers. Considering that Marlin was in the state semifinals last year, is this another case of Mart reloading for another run?

• Why isn't Connally ranked after their win over La Vega? DJ saw the Cadets up close last week in their 35-34 win. Is this a team that can make it to December?

• Let's talk about the great Texas officials shortage: Many Centex games have been moved to Thursday because there aren't enough refs. We've heard a lot of excuses as to why fewer people are signing up to officiate. Is it angry parents and fans, Gen Z laziness or some other theory?

• There's a lot of football left to be played. But Brice goes all DeSean Jackson and wants to know: Is the competition up to the challenge in the Trib's high school football picks, which he's dominating?

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• So, we’ve got a week of Central Texas football in the books. What was your biggest takeaway from Week 1? Who or what team impressed you the most?

• We’ve got 13 local teams in the state poll after a week. But of the Centex teams that aren’t currently ranked, which team do you think has the potential for the deepest playoff run?

• Two of those state-ranked teams we mentioned, No. 5 Lorena and No. 9 West, will meet in a Top 10 matchup Friday night. This was a matchup many local fans wanted to see last year in the state championship game, but it didn’t come to pass. How do you guys see it playing out?

• Chad is headed to Ratliff Stadium in Odessa this week to cover Midway against Odessa Permian. Obviously that’s an iconic high school football destination, made famous by “Friday Night Lights.” Which got us thinking: What’s your own bucket-list sports destination? Doesn’t have to be high school football-related. Where do you most want to go?

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We're at the end of the regular season, so here's a Week 11 hypothetical — What's worse: Missing the playoffs because of a tie in the final week of the season, or making the playoffs as the last-place team, only to get escorted quickly into basketball season via a first-round blowout? What's the story of this season so far? Mart's unbelievable dominance, the looming Lorena-West showdown (who's better, by the way?), or something else? What does a Super Centex Player the Year look like to you? Here's a glimpse at how we approach the question, plus talk about some front-runners. There's been a lot of marching band love on social media recently: If you were a band director, what would your halftime show be?

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Chad Conine and Brice Cherry are back to talk Centex football headed in Week 10 of the 2021 season: Home run, slam dunk or ... ? What's the best comparable moment on a football field? Let's draft a Centex 2021 playoff team, with three teams each — whoever has the best postseason record wins. A couple of decades ago, Texas high school football expanded its playoffs to allow the top three, and then four, teams to advance. How has that decision changed the high school football landscape? Has it sucked the drama out of the end of the regular season? One consequence is that it makes late-season games de facto elimination games, with a lot of teams playing for their season this week. Regardless, it doesn't take long to produce compelling matchups, with most teams having Thanksgiving practice as a goal. That didn't work out for Midway, though. There are a couple of big things that need to happen for the Panthers, as well as the Waco High Lions and University Trojans, to see the postseason again anytime soon.

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Maybe these aren't the biggest games of the week (e.g. Bosqueville-Crawford or Cameron Yoe-Lorena), but let's talk about three matchups that look especially competitive: Who would you take in a three-game parlay of Midlothian Heritage at La Vega, Groesbeck at Malakoff and Holland at Rosebud-Lott? After eight weeks, we only have (officially) one 1,000-yard rusher in the area, according to the stats of coaches who are willing to share them. What's going on out there in Centex high school football land? With three weeks to go in the regular season, what's the biggest storyline you're looking forward to the rest of the way? Brice goes with Centex state champions (including some China Spring-Carthage talk) while Chad's wondering about the playoff mix in the China Spring-Salado-Connally-Robinson-Gatesville-Jarrell district (aka 9-4A Div. II). This week's Rockets-Hornets matchup is a huge one for playoff hopes — can the Rockets get a boost into the postseason?

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Chad Conine and Brice Cherry are back to talk Centex football headed in Week 8 of the 2021 season: Does a game need to have meaningful context in order to be a great game? Can two winless teams play an instant classic? In a totally unrelated segue, Midway heads to Waco High this week, and either the Panthers or Lions will emerge with their first win of the season. But instead of focusing on the result, let's pick three of the all-time greats for each school to join the current roster, Madden-style. This week doesn't seem to have any "wow" games happening, but that doesn't mean there aren't teams under the radar who will wind up making a deep playoff run — despite their current records.

Like China Spring last year, which stumbled to a third-place district finish by losing to two good squads in Salado and Connally. Then the Cougars had to face Jasper in bi-district and pulled off a major upset, making a run all the way to the region final where only Carthage could stop them.

Do we see any teams with currently unimpressive records that could be the 2021 version of the Cougars? What about 2-5 Cameron Yoe, now 2-1 in district, or 3-3 La Vega, which is 0-1 in district? Speaking of China Spring, the Cougars travel to Gatesville this week, and so does Chad, for reasons well-known to every Centex sportswriter: the magnificent spread in the Hornets' press box. But for anyone not heading to Gatesville, the question is this: What is your perfect pregame meal?

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Chad Conine and Brice Cherry are back to talk Centex football headed in Week 7 of the 2021 season:

• The big week is here: District play begins with a bang for two of our top local teams with big state-ranked matchups for No. 2 Stephenville at No. 6 La Vega and No. 10 Chilton at No. 1 Mart. Which will be the better game?

• We're fully into Phase 2 of the season as district play gets into full swing — huge, season-defining games with playoff (and, for some, district title) implications are out there with Marlin-Italy, No. 4 Crawford-Hamilton and Cameron Yoe-Academy. Who do you like in these three great games?

• The Little Big Game of the Week: Undefeated No. 1 Live Oak hosts undefeated Vanguard in a crosstown showdown, hard by the Silos. What should we expect?

• Chad's very proud of being the customer of the month at his favorite unnamed coffee shop, and you can order a "Chad," which is an Americano with an extra shot of espresso. Brice, if you were going to have a particular item named after you at a local eatery or watering hole, what would it be?

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• Battle of the Bell: Cameron Yoe-Rockdale is a classic rivalry, and this should be a great one, too as the Yoemen may be starting to fire on all cylinders after demolishing Caldwell, 70-0, for their first win last week. We talk about the 11-3A Div. I race and how this one could be pivotal with Lorena, Academy and McGregor all vying for playoff spots.

• As many Centex teams have an off week heading into district play next week, Crawford's road trip to Tolar could definitely be one of the best games of the week. Harker Heights at Temple also rates highly on the slate.

• Returning to a favorite topic, what are some playoff matchups we'd like to see? Lorena vs. West would be a great game, as would Crawford-Bosqueville (again), La Vega-China Spring, Mart-Crawford, Abbott-Jonesboro and Live Oak-Vanguard. Not to mention the rising Chilton Pirates and a possible region final showdown with Mart.

• A few storylines heading into Week 6: Impressive Wortham RB Tanner Bean, Frost's scrappy play, plus looking ahead to Live Oak's possible 11-man future, girls playing football and more.

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He's in the nice guy Hall of Fame, and now the Waco ISD Athletic Hall of Fame: This Friday night at Waco ISD Stadium, they'll be inducting LeRoy Coleman. We swap stories and observations about the iconic University Trojans football coach. LeRoy Coleman was one of three Central Texas coaching icons who were mainstays of the football scene for decades locally, along with Waco High's Johnny Tusa and Midway's Kent Bachtel. What do we remember about these three beloved coaches? We're in a time now in which Mart and La Vega define the era for the high school football scene. But are there any other teams that we should include in that list? Let's digress into TV talk: It's fall season for football, but are there any fall TV shows that are appointment viewing?

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• The Chilton Pirates are one of the season's most surprising and most impressive teams after flattening No. 10 Normangee last week, 37-0. But are the Pirates the most impressive, or most surprising, team in the area so far? Where do Mart, Live Oak and Riesel rank?

• Midway and Waco High get underway with district play in one of the state's toughest loops — and both are winless so far on the year. Is it a make-or-break week for winless the Panthers and Lions?

• Has La Vega-Argyle lost its luster, or is this still a prime matchup after we've seen it several times and the Pirates are coming off a loss?

• Rounding up some of the best games of the week: China Spring-Lampasas, West-Rogers, Bosqueville-Riesel, Gatesville-Hillsboro

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Is Ray Biles the new Johnny Tusa? Lorena may be 0-2, but that's a result of playing state No. 1 Franklin and Class 4A China Spring, plus the Leopards are following it up with another 4A game this week. Is this the kind of scheduling that will pay dividends? It's conference, er, district expansion and realignment time — why not, everybody else is doing it. If you're the commissioner of any Centex football district, which teams would you invite to join your loop? What would the coaches at Mart and La Vega do? The NFL starts tonight after college football got underway this weekend, so that has Chad wondering: At what point do you feel like the football season is in full rhythm? Plus, a not-so-brief discussion of sportswriters and their love of food.

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Chad Conine and Brice Cherry are back to talk Centex football headed in Week 2 of the 2021 season:

• The matchup we all wanted to see, Connally vs. La Vega, is off due to a particularly tough week for the Cadets, after two teachers passed away due to COVID-19. Was calling the game the right idea?

• Midway faces a storied program like no other in the "Friday Night Lights" matchup against Odessa Permian. The Panthers didn't have a great first week, though, to put it mildly.

• Lorena vs. China Spring may be the game of the week — breaking down what makes this matchup worth watching.

• Plus, we've gotta talk about this Bishop Sycamore ESPN thing, at least to make a few jokes.

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There are a lot of issues flying around this week with COVID continuing to cause problems as several teams have forfeited playoff games statewide. Here's a controversial question: Do you think part of the decision making within these schools and programs has to do with “Is it worth it?” In other words, if a team thinks they have a chance to play for a while, they’re doing what they need to do to stay on the field. Whereas, elsewhere they’re saying, basically “Let’s punt.” Back in the good old days, the college football national champion was decided by the AP and Coaches polls. In certain cases this high school football season, should there be a declared state champion? That would fall to the good folks at Dave Campbell’s Texas Football. Is that too much power for them? Speaking of rankings, why aren't the Temple Wildcats aren’t the top 25 in 6A? They're 6-1 with a win over Longview and the only loss to Arlington Martin, while district mate Shoemaker (6-0) is in the poll at No. 24. Ok, finally, let’s talk a little on-the-field playoffs. Here's a district-versus-district bet: Either 11-3A D-I (Lorena, McGregor) or 7-2A D-I (Crawford, Bosqueville). Who you got?

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No politics, please (except the occasional hanging Chad) — as sportswriters, here's why we prefer high school football to politics.

Troy RB Zach Hrbacek is just 154 yards from catching Traion Smith of Cameron Yoe for the Central Texas career rushing record of 7,625. The Trojans play Academy on Friday in a game they need to win. Does the Zach Attack get it this week?

Super Centex team preview: Do you peg 2-way star Kavian Gaither of Connally as a better candidate for Offensive Player of the Year or Defensive POY?

Heading into the final week of the regular season, this might be the last week for the pound-for-pound power 5 rankings. Who's made a move this week?

For 1-win teams fighting to make the playoff this week, like Teague and Fairfield, are you enthused for this game? Or is it time for COVID basketball season?

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It's Texas, so of course we skipped fall and went directly to winter. But not many area football teams have indoor practice facilities — would you rather practice every day in the 90s-100s, or the 40s with a sharp wind?

It's Podcast Jeopardy! time: Chad gives the answers — but who are these teams? playing only for pride playing for second place playing for a playoff spot

The latest pound-for-pound power 5 Centex rankings: Any shakeup this week?

Finally, we lost a couple of Texas country legends in recent days in Billy Joe Shaver and Jerry Jeff Walker. But what country gets your motor running when you’re driving home from covering a high school football game for those lonely late-night journeys?

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Chad Conine and Brice Cherry are back to talk Centex football:

• Now that it's officially fall and district races are coming down to the wire in Week 9, does the COVID-19 season basically feel like normal — do you still get that same feeling like it’s flown by?

• One big thing happening locally is a big-time record chase out there: The Central Texas career rushing record holder is Traion Smith from Cameron Yoe with 7,625 yards. With 3 regular season games remaining, Troy RB Zach Hrbacek is sitting at 7,265. It looks like that record is going down, right?

• The Centex pound-for-pound power rankings: A slight shakeup after last week's top-10 clash in District 9-4A D-II.

• Speaking of rankings, there are a bunch of area games involving state-ranked teams this week, most notably No. 2 Duncanville coming into Waco ISD Stadium to face the Lions. Of course, Waco High had to pause all activities the last couple of weeks after a COVID-19 scare. That probably puts them at an even greater disadvantage, but what the heck, they’re gonna go play, right? So what would you tell the Lions if it were up to you to give the pep talk?

• Road trips and convenience store meccas: Sportswriters chow down on their favorite postgame snacks.

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• It's Week 8 already (if you're in 4A-1A), and cancellations have been a factor — Chad had to change the game he was covering twice between the podcast and sundown on Thursday. But overall, is this season's glass half empty or half full?

• The new pound-for-pound power rankings are out, and they've been pretty consistent all year. But we've got a new entry in the top 5 this week.

• What a fantastic lineup of games on Friday night: No. 6 China Spring at No. 10 Salado; No. 2 Grandview at West; McGregor at Lorena; Troy at Cameron Yoe. If you had your pick, which one would you cover and why?

• When Brice covers volleyball games, they go 5 sets and have strange schedule problems. What's the strangest way we've ever had to file a story remotely?

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First things first: Let's talk Eddie Van Halen — and who qualifies as a "virtuoso" in the sports world.

The new Centex rankings: Who are the top 5, pound for pound?

Chad tries to cause trouble at China Spring by asking if the Cougars think they'd match up well with Mart. Agree or disagree?

Along the same lines, what’s another cross-class matchup you’d like to see? How about La Vega-Midway?

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The new Power 5 pound-for-pound rankings: We've got a new team entering the discussion.

The biggest wins of the week were undoubtedly McGregor, over Rockdale, and Waco High, over West Mesquite.

Midway hosts Austin Westlake on Friday to open its 2020 slate, at long last. They'll be the last local team to play a real game: How do we think things are going in COVID-19-era football?

Chad's donned his Chiefs hat in tribute to Tribune-Herald reporter and Kansas native Kristin Hoppa, who we lost just last week. We all watched the Super Bowl last year as big Chiefs fans, but for Chad's it's all about Texas Tech alum Patrick Mahomes. But does it normally work that way? Can you think of a team you've ever followed just for one player?

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One Class 4A Waco team drops out of the Trib's pound-for-pound power 5 rankings and another moves up a spot. It's nostalgia time: Who were our favorite football players from junior high school years? And our favorite 80s-style songs? (No singing, we promise.) It's No. 1 vs. No. 2: Even though they're a hundred miles away, is Argyle the biggest rivalry for La Vega? How would you classify this grudge match, honed through meaningful games? Does it compare to Cavs-Warriors?

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Well, we've played two weeks of football. But if someone woke up from a sixth-month coma today, how would you describe to them the state of high school football in 2020?

Power rankings time: Who are the top 5 teams in Central Texas? We had a relatively full slate of games last week, but did any of the results cause a shakeup?

Chad's taking a look at local coaches who are in their second seasons at their schools for a story this week. Among them are candidates for the surprise team of 2020. Who fits that description best so far?

The TV game of the week, on The CW locally, is Troy at Robinson. That will give Central Texans the opportunity to see Trojans star RB Zach Hrbacek in action. So here's the question: Name the one player you’ve seen at the high school level that you think would make for good TV viewing.

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Chad Conine and Brice Cherry are back and primed after a week of HS football action: It's Week 2 of the COVID-19 season, and they're ready to tackle these topics:

• Is it surprising to be headed into a second actual week of actual football, actually, given the insanity of 2020?

• Centex power rankings: Pound for pound, who are the top 5 teams in Central Texas?

• Connally is at La Vega (and on The CW): What does this rivalry mean to the Waco area?

• Is it a good call for the COVID-19 era for the UIL to open up Friday night broadcasts?

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