By Scott Hansen
MaxPreps.com
Mansfield Timberview (Arlington, Texas) vs. Buford (Ga.) – Saturday, Aug. 30, 11 a.m., Texas Stadium – Irving Texas
Mansfield Timberview
2007 Record: 9-4, lost in 5A Division II regional final
Head Coach: Terry Cron
Herbstreit History: First appearance
Program Prestige: After two seasons in 5A (Texas’ large-school classification), Timberview drops back down to 4A. While in 5A, the Wolves qualified for the postseason on two occasions. The school opened its doors in 2004 and has steadily improved in each and every football season since.
Who to Watch: The Wolves appear to be in pretty good shape entering the 2008 season. Seven starters are back on offense and defense. Running back Eric Stephens rushed for 1,906 yards and 23 touchdowns last season for the Wolves. Linebacker Patrick Houston-Cathey recorded 80 tackles and four sacks as a junior in 2007 and returns to lead the defense. Sophomore safety Derrick Anderson is a player to watch on defense.
Key to Victory: As Stephens goes, so does Timberview. Quarterback Donte Parker is a year wiser. His top target is wide receiver Raymond Scott. But there is no doubt that Stephens will need to have a performance similar to the ones he gave as a junior when he was named the Offensive Most Valuable Player in his district.
Buford (Ga.)
2007 Record: 15-0, Georgia AA state champion
Head Coach: Jess Simpson
Herbstreit History: Last season in Canton, the Wolves blasted Grove City (Ohio) 34-7. Buford was led by linebacker T.J. Pridemore and defensive tackle Omar Hunter, both eventual Florida signees. Pridemore and Hunter were just two of Buford’s six Division I signees last season.
Program Prestige: In 2007, Buford won its fifth state title and fourth since 2001. Last season en route to a 15-0 record, the Wolves posted seven shutouts – including a 50-0 rout over Lovett in the state championship game. Buford outscored its opponents by an average of 45-4 last season.
Who to Watch: The Wolves lose 15 starters off of last season’s dominant team. Offensive/defensive lineman Dallas Lee, linebacker Landon Anderson, and defensive end Andrew Sachais are the main returnees in 2008. Lee is already verbally committed to Georgia. Cody Getz could be a star at running back this season. A retooling project may be needed, but don’t expect a total overhaul.
Key to Victory: Expect the holdovers on defense to make it difficult for Stephens to find a crease. Getz could have a breakout game for the Wolves. He is a 4.4 guy and a potential gamebreaker for the Wolves.
Cedar Hill (Texas) vs. La Salle (Cincinnati, Ohio) – 2 p.m.
Cedar Hill
2007 Summary: 8-4, 5A-Division II area finalist
Head Coach: Joey McGuire
Herbstreit History: First appearance
Program Prestige: In 2006, the Longhorns rolled to the 5A-Division II state championship. Cedar Hill finished 16-0 that season and knocked off Cypress Falls in the state final. Quarterback William Cole posted ridiculous numbers that season, rushing for 3,013 yards and 41 touchdowns while averaging 10.4 yards per carry. Cole threw for 1,623 yards and 21 touchdowns to go along with his freakish rushing statistics.
Who to Watch: Despite returning just seven total starters from last season’s 8-4 squad, Cedar Hill was picked by Dave Campbell’s Texas Football to win District 7-5A. Offensive tackle Thomas Ashcraft (6-5, 290) is verbally committed to Texas. Junior running back Ben Malena rushed for 563 yards and five touchdowns last season for the Longhorns. Sophomore quarterback Driphus Jackson enters the season with rave reviews and could be a dandy. Junior linebacker Aaron Benson is one of the best Texas has to offer in the class of 2010.
Key to Victory: Defense will hold the key to Cedar Hill’s season potentially. Along with Benson is fellow linebacker Tyler Smith, a returning starter. On offense, Malena will need to have a huge impact following Ashcraft’s lead.
La Salle
2007 Summary: 5-5
Head Coach: Tom Grippa
Herbstreit History: In 2007 in Cincinnati, LaSalle dropped a heartbreaker to Indianapolis (Ind.) Cathedral, 7-6.
Program Prestige: When Tom Grippa took over as head coach of the Lancers in 2003, he inherited a program that went 15-25 over the four previous seasons. Since its first season of football in 1962, La Salle has won the Greater Catholic League one time (1995). Last season, the Lancers finished tied for second behind St. Xavier.
Who to Watch: Tim Edmond, a 220-pound senior, is the leading returning rusher for the Lancers after running for 321 yards and three touchdowns last season. Linebacker Ryan Luggen recorded 27 tackles and four sacks last season and is the leading returnee on defense.
Key to Victory: La Salle is no stranger to the showcase game after playing against Cathedral last season in Ohio. They must use its experience to its advantage despite the long travel time to Texas.
Justin Northwest (Justin, Texas) vs. Woodland Hills (Pittsburgh, Pa.) – 5 p.m.
Justin Northwest
2007 Summary: 3-7, missed playoffs
Head Coach: Leonard McAngus
Herbstreit History: First appearance
Program Prestige: In 2006, Justin Northwest made a trip to the playoffs after having not been involved in the postseason for quite some time. This season, Northwest inherits a brutal district slate that includes defending 5A-I state champion Euless Trinity.
Who to Watch: Two starters are back on offense. Quarterback Brysen Curb gives the Texans some experience after throwing for 1,943 yards and 12 touchdowns as a junior. It is on defense where Northwest plans to make a huge impact in 2008 with seven starters back. Linebacker Lee Taylor posted 71 tackles last season and was an all-district selection, as was safety Lars Huizenga after recording 119 tackles and one interception. Linebacker Jacob Knickerbocker had 89 tackles last season and cornerback Thomas Swift led the Texans with four interceptions.
Key to Victory: Northwest must rely on its defense this season, especially in a district loaded with offensive talent. On offense, having Curb a year wiser gives Northwest a huge boost heading into the game with Woodland Hills.
Woodland Hills
2007 Summary: 3-7, WPIAL AAAA first round
Head Coach: George Novak
Herbstreit History: First appearance
Program Prestige: Woodland Hills has been a program that has received national recognition over the years. The Wolverines have won four Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League AAAA state championships since 1996. Its last WPIAL title came in 2002. In 2001 and 2002, the Wolverines finished in the national top 25.
Who to Watch: Wide receiver Cameron Contreras posted 556 receiving yards last season and is a Division I prospect. His big-play ability will be required after the Wolverines offense averaged just over 11 points per game last season. On defense, three players are getting looks by Division I institutions. Defensive end Jon Carter will anchor the defensive line while cornerbacks Hausaan Burton and Edgar Folks lead the secondary for the Wolverines as players receiving college interest.
Key to Victory: A 3-7 record would not have sat well with the players and coaching staff at Woodland Hills. Over the past dozen years, Woodland Hills has been one of the top programs in western Pennsylvania. They will be ready to roll against Justin Northwest.
Arlington Bowie (Arlington, Texas) vs. Trotwood-Madison (Trotwood, Ohio) – 8 p.m.
Arlington Bowie
2007 Summary: 12-2, 5A-I state quarterfinalists
Head Coach: Kenny Perry
Herbstreit History: First appearance
Program Prestige: Bowie has come up short on winning a regional or state championship in its history. Last season, the Volunteers reached the state quarterfinals and lost to eventual 5A-I champion Euless Trinity, 21-14. This could be the year where Bowie takes the next step.
Who to Watch: Six starters are back from a year ago for Bowie, but all were named to the all-district team after 2007. A good place to start is quarterback Christian Matthews, who is committed to Kansas. Matthews threw for 2,806 yards and 26 touchdowns as a junior and added nine rushing touchdowns. Trae Hawkins is the go-to receiver for Matthews. On defense, linebacker Chris Hank and defensive back Dexter Linton are both prime-time performers for the Volunteers. Hank recorded 79 tackles last season while Linton returned one of his two picks for a touchdown.
Key to Victory: Keeping the ball in Matthews’ hands is important for the Volunteers. Matthews sometimes gets lost in the shuffle with all the Division I quarterbacking talent in Texas, but he is a star.
Trotwood-Madison
2007 Summary: 8-4, Division II regional semifinalists
Head Coach: Maurice Douglass
Herbstreit History: Lost to Highlands (Ky.), 24-20, in 2007.
Program Prestige: Trotwood-Madison had seven players from last season’s 8-4 team sign Division I letters of intent, most prominently Brandon Moore, Doug Roundtree (Michigan), and Doug Rippy (Colorado).
Who to Watch: Trotwood-Madison lost a host of players from last season. Junior quarterback Will Ballard looks set to inherit the signal calling duties in 2008 after seeing time in four games as a sophomore. Other than Ballard, the only other skill position players with experience are junior wide receiver Kryshawna Pierce and sophomore wide out A.J. Jordan. On the offensive line, Chris Freeman and Terry Johnson both tip the scales at over 325 pounds. Defensive back Jordan Paschal is back after intercepting one pass last season as a sophomore. Keshawn Woods is another player in the secondary to keep an eye on.
Key to Victory: Finally, Trotwood-Madison can concentrate on football after a tough off-season where the program was the subject of several negative media reports. The Rams opened their season last week with a loss, but getting an eight-day jumpstart on Bowie could pay dividends.