For a week that doesn't even merit a whole number, the opening three days of football season are packed with more than a few stellar matchups, including the Texas Football Classic.
It's as clear as mud, really. See, since not every team plays in the first week of the season, and since no team plays more than 10 regular-season games, the University Interscholastic League decreed that the football season would begin with Week 0. So it's 0-10 rather than 1-11.
Got it? To borrow from Spinal Tap, these don't go to 11.
Herschel Sims led Abilene to 5A-II state crown in 2009.
Photo by Kyle Dantzler
But enough about that. Let's talk about me.
I'm your new correspondent for the Austin/San Antonio/Region IV area. Thanks, it's nice to be here. I'll pop in each week and update the goings-on in the southern part of Texas, otherwise known as "an area still bigger than most states."
On to the Week Before Week 1:
Texas Football ClassicThis annual multi-game season-opening event at San Antonio's Alamodome begins tonight (Thursday) with
Uvalde taking on
Seguin at 7:30.
The marquee game comes Friday, when RB Herschel Sims and defending Class 5A Division II champion
Abilene square off against Texas-bound QB David Ash and
Belton at 7:30.
The games conclude Saturday with a tripleheader:
Foster (Richmond) vs.
Hanks (El Paso) at noon;
Gregory-Portland (Portland) vs.
Port Neches-Groves (Port Neches) at 3:45; and
Georgetown vs.
Harker Heights at 7:30. Of those, keep at eye on the middle game, matching two Coastal Bend teams that won 10 or more games last year.
Lake Travis vs. WestlakeNo pressure here — three-time defending Class 4A champion
Lake Travis (Austin), behind a new head coach and with a 46-game winning streak on the line, takes on its Austin suburban rival
Westlake (Austin), which itself reached the 5A Division I final last season and handed the Cavaliers their last loss, way back in 2007. Oh, and the game was moved to 7:30 Saturday night at 100,000-seat Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. But no pressure or anything.
LT, which promoted Hank Carter from defensive coordinator to head coach when Chad Morris left for the University of Tulsa, still has QB Michael Brewer running the show on offense, as well as the nucleus of an overlooked defense that was at its best during the Cavaliers' 4A Division I playoff games.
Malcolm Brown leads Steele against Madison and Green.
Photo by Jim Redman
Westlake must replace its quarterback, but will reload around RB Van Gramann and six other starters on offense. The Chaparrals' pass defense will need to improve if they are to have a shot Saturday: Brewer threw for 414 yards in last year's matchup.
Other notable games* Arguably the two top running backs in the state will meet Saturday, when
Steele (Cibolo) and
Madison (San Antonio) meet at 6 p.m. Saturday at Heroes Stadium in San Antonio on ESPN. Steele features Malcolm Brown, a Texas commit ranked No. 1 in the country at his position. Madison counters with Aaron Green, who also is considering Texas along with Cal, Nebraska and Florida State.
* The first of San Antonio's many "bowls" helps start the season tonight (Thursday), when
Clark (San Antonio) and
Churchill (San Antonio) meet at 7 at Heroes Stadium in the Gucci Bowl, so named before the centers of affluence moved outside Loop 1604.
* Tradition will be the buzzword Friday, when storied
Permian (Odessa) visits
Smithson Valley (Spring Branch), a regional and state power the past two decades, at 7:30.
Gaylon Krizak is, for now, a freelance sportswriter in San Antonio. You can reach him at grkinsa@gmail.com
