SAVOR THE MOMENT, EVERY MOMENT.

Each year for the last 100 or so in mid August things start jumping around the football fields all over Texas. The dreaded workouts, usually two a day, start the new season. You are best off in you find your way to "camp" already in good shape. The old coach will sure smile if you do. Inside he is smiling if you don't cause he is going to put you through the paces to get you in shape. The work is hard and it is HOT! You decide right then and there what you are willing to put into it. This sounds cheesy but the more you are willing to put in the more you will get out of it in the long run. The more of your team puts into it the better the chances your team has of attaining goals you set team wise and as an individual.

Looking ahead from two a days, the season looks long. Two weeks later, WEEK ZERO rolls around. I can't explain it to you! You have to experience it yourself and then it is really too late. Savor the moment. Every moment. WEEK TEN comes before you know it. Looking back you realize what mid-August was all about. Ten weeks of games have been played and the season is over for lots of teams. Not only is the season but lots of careers are over. Savor the moment, every moment.

This is where we are. Playoff time. Those of you still playing this week deserve to be where you are no matter your record. More than circumstances dictated where you are. To be a playoff team it requires you win your district or you place second in your district. Sometimes it is better to be lucky than good. Now, it is apparent, WIN OR GO HOME.

The Lueders-Avoca Raiders have made the playoffs this year. DCTF projected L-A to finish second place. They were wrong. They won the district championship! Not many if any figured that the Raiders would have it in them with ten freshman making up the lion share of their roster. They finished their season with 5 wins and 5 losses. I guess if you figure in a forfeit from district foe Benjamin, they were 6-5 for the year. Regardless, they are district champions of D2 District 9 made up of Jayton, Rule, Benjamin, and of course L-A. The Raiders will compete against the Strawn Greyhounds in Bi-District Thursday November 10th at Throckmorton. Strawn enters the game 6-4 but a totally different story than the Raiders team. They happen to be ranked as the #12 team in the state by Granger. He has had Strawn ranked as high as #4. They have had many injuries all season. Strawn will be a 45 point favorite to end the Cinderella season of the Lueders-Avoca team. Strawn has been plagued with injuries all season looking like world beaters one game and struggling to compete the next week. I say to the Greyhounds and the Raiders, savor the moment. WIN OR GO HOME.

One would like to believe that the playoffs would have great match ups across the board. It doesn't work that way boys and girls. As a matter of fact, there will be considerably more games decided by 45 than ones that won't. It is the nature of the beast. A strong One against a weak Two from another district can be down right ugly.
Oughta ain't is. Sorry.





BREAKING DOWN THE REST OF THE PLAYOFFS"............
Team (record) Sir Granger Huntress SPREADS
D1

Valley (9-1) vs. Paducah (3-7) Valley 45+
Petersburg (9-1) vs. Ropes (7-3) Petersburg 45+
Meadow (6-3) vs. Spur (4-6) Meadow 14+
Crowell (8-2) vs. Follett (7-3) Crowell 17+

Borden County (9-1) vs. Aspermont(9-1) Borden County 45+
Rankin (8-2) vs. Robert Lee (6-4) Rankin 45+
Ira (10-0) vs. Sands (8-2) Ira 21+
Water Valley (10-0) vs. Fort Davis (7-2)

Throckmorton (9-0)vs. May (7-3) Throckmorton 45+
Irving Universal Academy (7-3) vs. Avalon (5-5) Avalon 31+
Zephyr ( 10-0) vs. Knox City (5-5) PICK 'EM
Walnut Springs (8-2) vs. Gold-Burg (3-7) Walnut Springs 45+

Oakwood (10-0) vs. Aquilla (9-1) Oakwood 5+
Lometa (7-3) vs. BYE Lometa advances to round two to play winner of Oakwood/Aquilla
Abbott (8-2) vs. Leverett's Chapel (8-2) Abbott 45+
Rochelle (6-4) vs. BYE Rochelle advances round 2 to play winner of Abbott/ L. Chapel

D2

Miami (8-2) vs. Hedley (4-6) Miami 45+
Amherst (9-1) vs. Guthrie (6-3) Amherst 31+
Motley County (8-1) vs. Whitharral (7-3) Mötley County 36+
Groom (8-2) vs. Lefors (7-2) Groom 2+

Dawson (6-4) vs. Balmorhea (5-5) Dawson 31+
Sterling City (8-2) vs. Panther Creek (6-4) Sterling City 45+
Grandfalls-Royalty (10-1) vs. Loop (4-6) Grandfalls-Royalty 37+
Paint Rock (8-2) vs. Loraine (7-3) Loraine 24+

Lueders-Avoca (6-5) vs. Strawn (6-4) Strawn 45+
Bryson (5-5) vs. Fannindel (6-4) Bryson 16+
Newcastle (9-1) vs. Jayton (2-7) Newcastle 45+
Milford (6-4) vs.Forestburg (7-3) Milford 45+

Jonesboro (10-0) vs. Rising Star (5-5) Jonesboro 45+
Richland Springs (10-0) vs. Buckholts (6-4) Richland Springs 45+
Gustine (6-4) vs. Cranfills Gap (6-4) Gustine 15+
Calvert (5-4) vs. Cherokee (6-4) Calvert 16+
SAVOR THE MOMENT, EVERY MOMENT. WIN OR GO HOME.