The Follow-Through: What did we learn from Week 8 of Texas high school football?

Round Rock football (Photo by Charles Wilson)

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Week 8 is in the books. We picked every game and highlighted what we thought were some of the best. So, how’d we see it?

Top-ranked Lone Star Survives Slugfest at The Colony

What our Greg Tepper thought: Lone Star was the favorite

What our Matt Stepp thought: Lone Star was a 12-point favorite

What our computer thought: Lone Star was a 28-point favorite

What happened: Lone Star 41, The Colony 38

While our predictions rang true, we didn’t quite see The Colony putting up the fight that it did. Mikey Harrington torched top-ranked Lone Star’s defense for 335 yards and three touchdowns through the air, but it was running back Jake Bogdon who saved the say for Lone Star as quarterback Garrett Rangel struggled against The Colony’s secondary that features FBS commits Myles Price and Christian Gonzalez. Bogdon’s 55 yard touchdown midway through the fourth quarter gave Lone Star the come-from-behind win in a see-saw game. He finished with 193 yards.

Second-ranked Shadow Creek Swims Through Friendswood

What our Greg Tepper thought: Shadow Creek was the favorite

What our Matt Stepp thought: Shadow Creek was a 21-point favorite

What our computer thought: Shadow Creek was a 29-point favorite

What happened: Shadow Creek 51, Friendswood 6

Our experts felt the Sharks would swim out of Friendswood with a comfortable win, but the depth of the dominance was something we didn’t see coming. Kyron Drones led the way in what he called a “statement game” with 230 yards and 3 TDs through the air. Shadow Creek’s defense allowed just two first downs after halftime. The Mustangs didn’t muster much against the Sharks’ defense: their score came on a fumble return.

Decatur rallies to top Springtown, stay unbeaten

What our Greg Tepper thought: Springtown was the favorite

What our Matt Stepp thought: Decatur was a 5-point favorite

What our computer thought: Springtown was a 2-point favorite

What happened: Decatur 38, Springtown 31

Some slightly different opinions about who would win, but our experts foresaw a tight game befitting two unbeatens. Robert Webber’s fourth-down sack in the final minutes preserved Decatur’s win. A.J. Martinez’s short touchdown run midway through the fourth quarter put Decatur ahead to stay after Springtown had erased a 17-0 deficit to lead 31-30.

Wall too high for Jim Ned to climb in battle of unbeatens

What our Greg Tepper thought: Wall was the favorite

What our Matt Stepp thought: Wall was an 11-point favorite

What our computer thought: Wall was a 9-point favorite

What happened: Wall 14, Tuscola Jim Ned 7

Defense dominated the day as Wall held off Jim Ned, and while that may not have been exactly what we saw happening, we did think Wall would come out on top. In a defensive struggle, a special teams miscue proved the difference. Jim Ned muffed a punt at its own 24-yard line. Mason Fuchs found Kye Herbert with what proved to be the winning score just 12 seconds before halftime. The Hawks’ defense held Jim Ned to just 68 yards of offense, including 0 yards rushing.

Round Rock scores overtime win to hand Stony Point first loss

What our Greg Tepper thought: Round Rock was the favorite

What our Matt Stepp thought: Stony Point was a 6-point favorite

What our computer thought: Round Rock was a 4-point favorite

What happened: Round Rock 34, Stony Point 31 (overtime)

Score one for Tepper, though Stony Point didn’t fall from the unbeaten ranks quietly. The Tigers staged a fourth-quarter rally to tie the game on running back Kendall Thomas’ pass to Caezar Williams. In overtime, after the Tigers settled or a field goal, Dragons quarterback Seth Ford scampered for the winning score from 7-yards out.

Fort Bend Travis outlasts previously unbeaten Ridge Point

What our Greg Tepper thought: Travis was the favorite

What our Matt Stepp thought: Ridge Point was a 4-point favorite

What our computer thought: Travis was a 2-point favorite

What happened: Travis 27, Ridge Point 23

As expected, Travis and Ridge Point played a back-and-forth, one-possession game in a Fort Bend battle that played out (mostly) as we thought. Travis led 20-10 in the third quarter when Ridge Point scored 13 straight on a 65-yard kickoff return and Will Pendergast’s second 50-yard touchdown pass. But Travis bounced back, getting a 10-yard pass from Eric Rodriguez to Colin Mushinski.

Cedar Park gets heroic effort from Hernandez to knock off unbeaten Hutto

What our Greg Tepper thought: Cedar Park was the favorite

What our Matt Stepp thought: Cedar Park was a 1-point favorite

What our computer thought: Cedar Park was a 6-point favorite

What happened: Cedar Park 20, Hutto 16

Across the board, our experts thought the Timberwolves would avenge last year’s loss to the Hippos, in a tight game worthy of the District 11-5A-1 regular season title game. They were correct, thanks to the heroics from Cedar Park quarterback Ryder Hernandez, who nearly didn’t play after spending the night before the game in the hospital being treated for severe flu-like symptoms. His touchdown run late in the game was the winning score, and Cedar Park hasn’t lost since falling to Vandegrift to open the season.

Miller’s late score tops Flour Bluff in Corpus Christi showdown

What our Greg Tepper thought: Flour Bluff was the favorite

What our Matt Stepp thought: Flour Bluff was a 2-point favorite

What our computer thought: Miller was a 1-point favorite

What happened: Miller 34, Flour Mound 28

Miller quarterback Andrew Body proved our prognosticators right – and wrong. His 8-yard touchdown run with just 22 seconds left capped a comeback from a 28-14 deficit, kept the Buccaneers perfect on the season and gave them a leg up in the District 15-5A-1 race. Miller is off to its best start since 1970.

Denison gets defensive to end Frisco’s unbeaten start

What our Greg Tepper thought: NA

What our Matt Stepp thought: Frisco was a 6-point favorite

What our computer thought: Frisco by 7-point favorite

What happened: Denison 10, Frisco 7

With Frisco off to a perfect start, few expected the Raccoons to hit a bump in the road against Denison, but that’s what happened in a defensive battle that included six turnovers, four by the Yellow Jackets. Denison’s defense frustrated Frisco quarterback Caree Green, who completed just two of 18 passes for 10 yards.  

El Campo shuts out Sealy in I10 showdown

What our Greg Tepper thought: Sealy was the favorite

What our Matt Stepp thought: Sealy was a 3-point favorite

What our computer thought: El Campo was a 3-point favorite

What happened: El Campo 28, Sealy 0

What did our computer know that our experts didn’t? Unfortunately, it won’t tell. The Ricebirds became the first team in 11 years to keep Sealy off the scoreboard. In blanking the Tigers, El Campo’s defense has now posted two shutouts and held three teams to less than 10 points on the season. The Ricebirds have won three straight after dropping their district opener to Needville.

Troy Continues Impressive run with 66-point explosion against Rockdale

What our Greg Tepper thought: Rockdale was the favorite

What our Matt Stepp thought: Rockdale was a 4-point favorite

What our computer thought: Rockdale was a 2-point favorite

What happened: Troy 66, Rockdale 42

Readers have said we’ve slept on Troy, and once again the Trojans prove them correct. Facing Rockdale, the No. 5 team in 3A-D1, the Trojans scored time and again to knock the Tigers from the unbeaten ranks. Tied 28-28 at halftime, Troy pulled away in the third and fourth quarters. Sam Jones scored a pair of fourth quarter touchdowns and intercepted a pass to set up another score as the Trojans surged into first place in District 10-3A-1.

Pleasant Grove wins district showdown with Gilmer

What our Greg Tepper thought: Texarkana Pleasant Grove was the favorite

What our Matt Stepp thought: Texarkana Pleasant Grove was a 14-point favorite

What our computer thought: Texarkana Pleasant Grove was a 13-point favorite

What happened: Pleasant Grove 37, Gilmer 24

Our experts were right on the number as Pleasant Grove continues its rebound from a loss to Carthage three weeks ago. The Hawks took an early lead and methodically built on it. Ben Harmon hit enough big passes to keep Gilmer’s defense on its heels, and the Pleasant Grove wing-T bulled its way to 296 yards on the ground. Four different players ran for touchdowns, and the defense forced three Gilmer turnovers. Mason Hurt passed for 312 yards, but couldn’t get the Buckeyes closer than 35-24.

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