REGIONAL OUTLOOK

Tyler Chapel Hill has taken home the Region III crown the past two seasons, each time having gone through district rival Kilgore. and they’ve had to go through district rival Kilgore. It may come down to an East Texas showdown once again in 2023 unless someone from the Houston area can rise up and make some noise.

Diistrict 9-4A Division I will be tough once again, but Chapel Hill remains the team to beat with their 15 starters returning. Is this the year the Bulldogs make a run to AT&T Stadium? Kilgore, which has played Chapel Hill four times over the past two years, is familiar with their rivals down the road and always plays them tough. But KHS has some questions to answer, primarily up front on both sides of the ball. Lindale is a solid bet for the third slot, while Palestine and Jacksonville again expect to battle for the final playoff spot with the edge going to Palestine.

It looks to be a two-horse race between Lumberton and Little Cypress-Mauriceville down in the Golden Triangle. Both teams have made deep playoff runs the past two seasons and both return solid casts. LCM brings a bit more back, but Lumberton had a decent edge over the Bears a year ago. Vidor and its Slot-T should have enough for the third spot, while Livingston will hold off improved Huffman and Splendora squads for the last playoff spot.

In Houston ISD, it could be the return of Jack Yates to the top of the district standings as a combination of key players returning and question marks for some of the other teams in the loop puts Yates as the pre-season favorite. Five teams will battle for the final three playoff spots with last year’s district champion Booker T. Washington expected to take a step back after losing a stellar senior class and its coach. Worthing expects to be a real a sleeper, keep an eye on the Colts.

No district in the state in Class 4A is as deep as 12-4A Division I where the seventh place team is likely good enough to be a playoff team in most districts. With the coaching change at El Campo, I’m giving the edge to a veteran Bay City squad for the district title. But if you want to dream on a sleeper, Iowa Colony is going to be a team that challenges as well in its second year as a varsity program. Stafford, which made the area playoffs, gets the edge over veteran squads in Navasota, Brazosport and Needville.

DISTRICT PREDICTIONS

District 9-4A Division I

1. Tyler Chapel Hill
2. Kilgore
3. Lindale
4. Palestine
5. Jacksonville
6. Athens
7. Henderson

District 10-4A Division I

1. Lumberton
2. Little Cypress-Mauriceville
3. Vidor
4. Livingston
5. Huffman-Hargrave
6. Splendora

District 11-4A Division I

1. Houston Yates
2. Houston Furr
3. Houston Worthing
4. Houston Washington
5. Houston North Forest
6. Houston Wheatley
7. Houston Kashmere
8. Houston Scarborough

District 12-4A Division I

1. Bay City
2. El Campo
3. Iowa Colony
4. Stafford
5. Navasota
6. Brazosport
7. Needville

PROJECTED BI-DISTRICT MATCHUPS

W9 Tyler Chapel Hill vs F10 Livingston

R12 El Campo vs T11 Houston Worthing

W10 Lumberton vs F9 Palestine

R11 Houston Furr vs T12 Iowa Colony

W11 Houston Yates vs F12 Stafford

R10 Little Cypress-Mauriceville vs T9 Lindale

W12 Bay City vs F11 Houston Washington

R9 Kilgore vs T10 Vidor

REGIONAL CHAMPION

Tyler Chapel Hill over Kilgore