High School Football

The first-round football outlook

Seth Livingston
Matt Malatesta
Nov 16, 2017, 5:02 pm
Langham Creek could be a sleeper. Photo by Jerry Baker

Originally appeared on Vype.com.

Ding… Ding…

It’s Round 1 of the Texas High School Playoffs as the road to AT&T Stadium begins now. It’s a 6-week march to Jerry World and several Houston-area programs have dreams of playing on the biggest stage in Texas.

So let’s get the fearless predictions underway. The first-round has a few interesting match ups, but most games will go to the district champs.

There will be that one or two upsets and no team wants to fall victim of looking ahead.

CLASS 6A

DI

REGION III

No. 18 Cypress Ranch vs Bellaire

Ranch has too many playmakers for Cards to account for

Mustangs by 17

No. 1 Katy vs Travis

Travis offense will be GROUNDED

Katy by 24

No. 8 Atascocita vs Pasadena Memorial

Eagles soar over run-oriented Memorial

Atascocita by 21

No. 15 Hastings vs No. 20 Dickinson

Toughest Round 1 Matchup

Bears just get by 4 points

No. 7 Lamar vs Cy Falls

Can Goodwin outgun DIs of Lamar?

Lamar by 14

No. 6 Ridge Point vs No. 12 Cinco Ranch

Panthers are total package; Kuithe’s out

RP by 14

No. 17 Deer Park vs No. 14 North Shore

North Shore D too tough

‘Stangs by 10

No. 13 Clear Springs vs Pearland

Rematch of Last Year’s Oiler Upset?

Not this year, Springs by 17

…………………

CLASS 6A

DI

REGION II

Horn vs Oak Ridge

War Eagles had quick start, then sputtered

Horn by 10

No. 16 Klein Oak vs Aldine Davis

Oak is Peaking on Defense

Panthers by 21

No. 5 The Woodlands vs Rockwall

Can they get back to State Title Game?

Starts Now – Highlanders by 17

No. 9 Spring vs Klein

The District Originals

Spring by 10

……………….. 

CLASS 6A

DII

REGION III

No. 3 Cy-Fair vs Westside

Bobcats look like regional favs

Fair by 21

No. 19 Strake Jesuit vs Hightower

Crusaders a surprise?

Jesuit by 7

Summer Creek vs La Porte

SC has athletes everywhere

Creek by 3

Dawson vs Friendswood

Another battle down south

Dawson by 3

Heights vs No. 11 Langham Creek

Lobos O too much

Creek by 24

No. 10 Bush vs Katy Taylor

Broncos are legit

Bush by 21

South Houston vs Kingwood

Hmmmm. Head-scratcher

‘Stangs in a tight one

Clear Lake vs George Ranch

Both teams are Up and Down all Season

Lake by 10

……………..

CLASS 6A

DII

REGION II

No. 2 Klein Collins vs Dekaney

Collins on a mission

Tigers by 28

No. 4 Westfield vs Stratford

Mustangs are too Physical

Westfield by 12

CLASS 5A

DI

REGION III

No. 8 Magnolia vs Cedar Park

Bulldogs must make stops

Cedar Park by 21

No. 9 Porter vs Nederland

SETX squad is tough

Nederland by 10

No. 1 Manvel vs Madison

Mavs can score at will

Manvel by 30

No. 6 Magnolia West vs Rouse

Mag West has surprise season

Can’t hold on, falls by 3

Port Arthur Memorial vs Kingwood Park

Titans have overcome Harvey

PAM by 21

………………

CLASS 5A

DI

REGION IV 

No. 2 Angleton vs Highlands

Wildcats can reach state

Angleton by 28

No. 10 Foster vs Burbank

Falcons are playoff ready

Foster by 13

………….

CLASS 5A

DII

REGION III

No. 4 New Caney vs Vidor

SETX hasn’t seen this offense

Eagles by 14

No. 3 FB Marshall vs Houston Sterling

Buffs are super-fast

Marshall by 28

Port Neches vs No. 5 Crosby

Great game with Great Crown

PNG by 3

No. 7 Waltrip vs Texas City

Stings will Sting

Texas City by 14

……………………..

CLASS 5A

DII

REGION IV

Terry vs Houston

Rangers are athletic; must be two-dimensional

Terry by 1

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Houston drops the game to Arizona

D-backs outslug Greinke and Astros to take series opener

Photo by Stephen Brashear/Getty Images

With the series win over the Rangers by taking two of three games in the middle of the week, the Astros welcomed the Diamondbacks to Minute Maid Park for a three-game weekend series, Houston's final three regular-season home games. Here is how the opener unfolded:

Final Score: Diamondbacks 6, Astros 3.

Record: 25-26, second in the AL West.

Winning pitcher: Zac Gallen (2-2, 3.00 ERA).

Losing pitcher: Luis Garcia (0-1, 2.53 ERA).

Houston scores first, but Arizona grabs a lead against Greinke

Houston would get on the board first on Friday night, with George Springer reaching base in the bottom of the first on an error, moving to second on a walk, then to third on a single, as the Astros loaded the bases with no out to threaten a big inning. Instead, they would come away with just one run, with Springer taking home on a wild pitch, grabbing the 1-0 lead, but leaving runs on the table.

They doubled their lead in the bottom of the third, getting a two-out RBI-double by Kyle Tucker to make it a 2-0 Houston lead. The D-backs responded in the top of the fourth, getting back-to-back singles to lead off the inning before a three-run homer by Kole Calhoun off of Zack Greinke would put Arizona in front, 3-2. Greinke would finish one more inning before Houston would move to their bullpen, striking out the side to bring his total to nine on the night, making the bad fourth inning the one blemish on his night. His final line: 5.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 9 K, 1 HR, 89 P.

Astros tie it, but D-backs take the opener

George Springer would get Greinke off the hook in the bottom of the fifth, leading off the half-inning with a solo bomb to tie the game at 3-3. Luis Garcia was first out of Houston's bullpen and retired Arizona in order for a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the sixth. He returned for the top of the seventh but would allow a leadoff single, RBI-triple, and wild pitch to bring in two runs. He would face two more batters, allowing a double and getting a strikeout, before Dusty Baker would come out to get him, now down 5-3.

Blake Taylor would make his return from the IL after Garcia, getting back-to-back outs to finish the inning. He continued on in the 5-3 game in the top of the eighth, but allowed a one-out solo homer to Calhoun, his second of the night and fourth RBI. That made it a 6-3 D-backs lead, which would go final as Houston would go scoreless after Springer's home run back in the fifth.

Up Next: The middle game of this three-game set will start Saturday at 6:10 PM Central. The pitching matchup will be Luke Weaver (1-7, 6.70 ERA) for Arizona and Cristian Javier (4-2, 3.22 ERA) for Houston.

astros recap astros vs diamondbacks mlb mlb recap zack greinke george springer kyle tucker kole calhoun astros

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