Sports Shorts - 11/1

3A Region III Playoff Projections

With just two weeks remaining on the regular season football schedule, the playoff picture is starting to become clear for three out of the four districts in the region. 10-3A (Cameron’s district), 11-3A and 12-3A are becoming more predictable while 9-3A could still play out in a variety of different ways.

9-3A projected finish: 1. West, 2. Grandview, 3. Teague, 4. Whitney

At this point, this is going to be the way I would have this playing out. West controls their own destiny for the number one spot as all they have to do is beat Teague in the season finale next week to secure that number one seed. However, if they were to lose that game, they could drop all the way down to fourth. Ideally, this is the way you want the district to play out if you’re a Yoemen fan. Even though West has defeated Grandview this season, I do believe you would want to play the Trojans before Grandview. With Grandview in the second slot, that would shift them over to the other side of the bracket with the likes of Franklin, Woodville, Rockdale and Troy. As of now, Franklin, Woodville and Grandview are all ranked inside the top 10 of the state according to DCTF.

10-3A projected finish: 1. Cameron Yoe, 2. Troy, 3. Rockdale, 4. Academy

The only thing actually up for grabs here is the third and fourth spots. Academy took care of business last week versus Jarrell and will be in the playoffs regardless if they lose to Rockdale or not next week. The Tigers still need to beat Jarrell, but I simply don’t see that being a problem, as do I see a win over Academy the following week to secure third. Troy has only one district loss, and even if they were to lose to Lago Vista, they would remain the two seed. The only way Cameron is not the one seed is if they lose to both Manor New Tech and Lago Vista, and that would be the most staggering collapse in program history.

11-3A projected finish: 1. Franklin, 2. Diboll, 3. Crockett, 4. Coldspring

Much like 10-3A, there is not much that is going to change here. Franklin and Diboll play this week with the winner taking the outright district championship and number one seed in the playoffs. Crockett and Coldspring both played Diboll close games and I simply don’t believe that bodes well for them against Franklin. Crockett has already taken down Coldspring and only needs to beat Palestine Westwood (1-7) to secure third. Meanwhile, Elkhart travels to Coldspring this week to decide the final playoff spot in the district. That game could potentially go either way.

12-3A projected finish: 1. Woodville, 2. East Chambers, 3. Buna, 4. Hardin

Much like Cameron, it would take an epic collapse by Woodville not to take the one seed in this district. Additionally, East Chambers has two easier games to end things and should also easily wrap up the two seed. Buna and Hardin will decide who takes third and fourth this week when they play each other. If Buna were to lose that game, there would be potential for a tie for fourth with a few other teams if they lose again next week to Kirbyville, but that is also unlikely.

Bi-District Projections

Top Side of Bracket

W9 West Vs. F10 Academy

R12 East Chambers Vs. T11 Crockett

W10 Cameron Yoe VS. F9 Whitney

R11 Diboll Vs. T12 Buna

Bottom Side of Bracket

W11 Franklin Vs. F12 Hardin

R10 Troy Vs. T9 Teague

W12 Woodville Vs. F11 Coldspring

R9 Grandview Vs. T10 Rockdale

Josh Pratt’s 3A DI Top 25 Rankings

1. Goliad - W 41-2 over Hallettsville; 2. Gladewater - W 49-0 over White Oak; 3. Franklin - W 75-0 over Trinity; 4. Brock - W 58-7 over Ponder; 5. Woodville - W 43-14 over Orangefield; 6. Yoakum - W 21-17 over Edna; 7. Cameron Yoe - W 33-14 over Rockdale; 8. Jefferson - W 56-21 over Atlanta; 9. Edna - L 21-17 to Yoakum; 10. Malakoff - W 40-18 over Dallas Madison; 11. Wall - W 41-21 over Eastland; 12. Diboll - W 69-0 over Westwood; 13. Shallowater - W 54-34 over Bushland; 14. East Chambers - W 42-20 over Buna; 15. Grandview - W 55-0 over McGregor; 16. Troy - W 56-14 over Troy; 17. Rockdale - L 33-14 to Cameron Yoe; 18. Whitesboro - OFF; 19. George West - W 57-16 over SGA; 20. Tatum - W 35-17 over West Rusk; 21. Atlanta - L 56-21 to Jefferson; 22. Altair Rice - W 48-14 over Hitchcock; 23. Marion - OFF; 24. Bushland - L 54-34 to Shallowater; T25. Eastland - L 41-21 to Wall; T25. West Rusk - L 35-17 to Tatum

Dave Campbell’s 3A DI Top 10 Rankings

1. Goliad (7-1), 2. Yoakum (7-1). 3. Brock (7-1), 4. Shallowater (8-0), 5. Franklin (6-1), 6. Cameron Yoe (7-1), 7. Gladewater (7-1), 8. Jefferson (8-0), 9. Woodville (8-0), 10. Grandview (6-2).

3A AP Poll Rankings

1. Newton (24), 2. Gunter, 3. Goliad, 4. Brock, 5. Canadian, 6. Childress, 7. Clifton, 8. Gladewater, 9. Franklin, 10. Jefferson

Other Receiving Votes: 11. Yoakum, 12. Cisco, 13. Shallowater. 14. Cameron Yoe, 15. Waskom, 16. Harmony, 17. Buffalo, 18. Abernathy, 19. Woodville, 20. Tatum