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By Christopher Lyke Texas HS Football Chief Editor With the UIL's realignment lingering in the spring, the Little SWC as we know it today, could be in its final season. The Abilene Eagles and Midland Lee Rebels, both having superb seasons last year, are looking to come out with a bang in 2005. Only this year, we could see a four team race for the battle of the bell with Midland High and Abilene Cooper joining the duo. But don't look for the Abilene Eagles to fall off as much as much over last year's squad. They are still very, very good with Taylor Potts and Lyle Leong handling the forts on offense. Abilene Cooper and Midland's entry into the title picture will largely depend on how well their key players perform on a regular basis. That being, Chris Hall, Baron Batch and Matt Donahue. The two teams that may prosper well in close game are Abilene and Midland Lee. Abilene's ability to storm back into the game against Southlake Carroll became a sign that should linger with the rest of the district in 2005. The Midland Lee Rebels have back kicker Aaron Esikhati for one more year. Esikhati is considered by many as one of the top kickers in the state. His kicking abilities will and could be the main difference between how far Midland Lee and go and how well they perform in the nail biter games. The interesting questions for the district doesn't just center around the players this season. Odessa Permian has a new coach in Darren Allman and Abilene Cooper's Marty Secord enters his second year with the program. Randy Quisenberry, who left Cooper to take the Midland Lee position in 2004, is also entering his second season with the Rebels. How will Secord and Quisenberry follow up 2005 with what they have accomplished in the first year at their respective schools? What will Darren Allman do with Permian in his first year as head coach for the Panthers? Projected Finish Abilene won the district in 2004 edging out Midland Lee. This year, we could see the pretty much the same senario. Only this year, the Eagles will be faced with a regular season road game at Midland Lee. Don't count out the Cooper Cougars and Midland Bulldogs to come in and make things rather interesting for intended purposes. Cooper being in the picture may depend on how much improvement they have under Secord and how well they play against Midland Lee. Midland could make things rather interesting if they can go beyond what's expected of them. Yes, the Bulldogs have Baron Batch. And yes, great running backs have carried some teams in deep territory. But is Batch ready to be that type of player? Top Players in District 3-5A When we look at this year's crop of talent in the Little SWC, we immediately begin to think of Taylor Potts and Lyle Leong of Abilene, Trent Hines and Leslie Ray of Midland Lee, Chris Hall of Abilene Cooper and Baron Batch of Midland. This year's Little SWC talent pool seems to be better than it has in recent years in large part because of the supporting cast in which these players perform with. What about the other super stars of 3-5A? Some potential sleeper players of the district are players like Abilene's Michael Reno, Permian's Josh Stephens, Midland Lee's Evan Frosch and Aaron Esikhati and Odessa's Marcus Cannon. It won't be the top players who will actually determine how well their teams do in district competition, but rather the role players such as Frosch, Reno and Esikhati.
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