If there is a big debate on what could be considered as one of the toughest and most competive high school football regions, Class 5A Region II certainly fits the bill for a debate on a nationwide scale. Through the various national polls, two of the region's teams are at or near the top of the rankings. Those two teams that are on the national radar are Dallas Skyline and Lake Travis. Lake Travis makes the jump from Class 4A to Class 5A after winning a state championship in each of the last five seasons, a feat no other program has accomplished in the 92 year history of Texas UIL State Championship competition. The big question for many is whether the Cavaliers can make that jump and grab a sixth straight title and whether the Skyline Raiders can get into the state championship game after a controversial ending to their playoff game against Southlake Carroll.
With all the headline-grabbing attention Dallas Skyline and Lake Travis are getting, there are a load of very impressive and hungry teams looking to knock them off the pedestal and write their own headlines. One of those teams will open with the Skyline Raiders in Frisco in Week Zero. That team is The Woodlands. Longview, which has come ever so close to making it into the title game over the last few years, is a team on a mission and they are a very dangerous team looking to prove they belong there. If Longview and The Woodlands is not enough to fill the line at the door, there is Allen, defending state champion Spring DeKaney, Lufkin and Dallas Jesuit.
Aside from the national rankings, the other big headline from within the region that has garnered the spotlight of the national media from not just the sports world, but general news media and throughout the entertainment and pop culture watch dogs is the opening of the big home of the Allen Eagles. The brand spanking new 18,000 seat stadium for Allen ISD, which opens its doors for a Week Zero contest against Southlake Carroll, came at a hefty price tag of $60 Million.
The Texas HS Football World lost a coaching legend during the off-season and that is longtime coach John Outlaw. Outlaw passed just two days short of Christmas and compiled a career record of 303-89-3. He coach the Panthers from 1995 until his death and collected three state championships in his coaching tenure with two of those as a coach at Arkadelphia, Ark. As Lufkin's coach, Outlaw placed over 170 into college programs including current NFL stars Rex Hadnot and Dez Bryant.
Looking at the schedule within region, there is no shortage of blockbuster games. Aside from the big Skyline-Woodlands showdown in Frisco in Week Zero and Allen-Southlake Carroll showdown opening The Birds Nest in Allen, another week zero match up that would have some eyes glaring is Dallas Jesuit game against Loyola Prep of Wilmette, Illinois in Dublin. Not Dublin, Texas, but Dublin, Ireland. The match up against the Chicago area power in Ireland is part of the Global Ireland Football Tournament featuring five high school games and two collegiate games including Notre Dame and Navy. If the district matchups are more to the liking, there is a big one in Week 4 featuring Klein Collins and Klein Oak, in what could possibly decide playoff positioning. And not to forget, the annual rivalry between the Lake Travis Cavaliers and Westlake Chaparrals is now a district contest in Week 9 at Westlake.
In terms of players to keep an eye on, everywhere you look from the top of the region to the bottom, quality and intriguing individual match ups are put to the test. Offensively, much has been made of Dallas Skyline with Devante Kincade and Reginald Samples
one of the nation's most dangerous QB-WR combos. Lake Travis also has a solid one of their own with Baker Mayfield and Zach Austin looking to connect a vast number of times. If there is a focus on potential breakout, headline grabbing sleepers on offense, look for players such as The Woodlands WR Jayme Taylor, Del Valle's Josh Cleveland, Spring DeKaney's D'Juan Hines and Austin High's Isaiah Jones. And because the talent pool is so loaded, here a offensive couple players off the radar that could be in for a big year, providing their teams show the support they need to succeed. The Woodlands College Park QB Brett Buckley and Round Rock Westwood QB Bear Feinmore.
The offensive trenches within the region has a solid amount of players to keep an eye on too. The dynamic duo at The Woodlands is John Huckins and Sam Kronshage. If the Highlanders are in the thick of the state championship picture in December, they will be a very big reason why. Another duo to watch is from Klein Collins with Tyler Tezeno and Chance Allen. Other offensive linemen to watch includes Plano's Joseph Noteboom, Allen's Brad North, Dallas Skyline's Ty Barrett and Klein Oak's Reid Navjar.
Much has been made about Lake Travis and Dallas Skyline on offense, but the big reason for their success comes to a very big focus on the defensive side of the ball. The Raiders have a load of talent that includes DT Kerrick Huggins, LB Isaiah Williams, DB Will Barrow and DB Cedric Collins. The Cavaliers counter with DT Spencer Staples, LB Luke Hutton and DB Brock Kenyon. Outside of the big two, Rockwall-Heath may be moving up in class, but with DE duo Jordan Points and Jay Armold the Hawks may be solid position to make a good playoff run much like Longview and Lake Travis have in years past moving up. Defensive sleepers are wide spread through the region and they come from teams that are not necessarily on the radar. They include players such as DB Wes Moore from RR Stony Point, LB Nick Horton of Garland and LB Jackson Garrey of Plano East. |
1 |
Dallas Skyline |
2 |
Lake Travis |
3 |
The Woodlands |
4 |
Longview |
5 |
Allen |
6 |
Spring DeKaney |
7 |
Austin Westlake |
8 |
Lufkin |
9 |
Dallas Jesuit |
10 |
RR Westwood |
11 |
Klein Collins |
12 |
Plano |
13 |
Mesquite |
14 |
RR Stony Point |
15 |
Klein Oak |
|
