Stepp's 6A Region III Picks: District Projections and Playoff Outlook

Cy Falls rolled in their new district in 2024 after the UIL moved them to Region III and the Golden Eagles combination of speed and physicality puts them at the top of the heap in 2025. The best battle in the district could be the race for the two seed between Stratford and Cy-Fair, Stratford’s strong offensive line and big group of returning seniors should put them over the top. Another dead heat could be the battle for fourth where Jersey Village going into year two of Levelle Norris’ tenure gets the nod over Memorial who has a first-year head coach. Cy Creek is still in a rebuild, but with fifteen starters back should be greatly improved.

Houston Lamar has been the team of record in Houston ISD in recent years and the Texans enter 2025 with a lot of excitement with some eye-popping talent. They are the prohibitive favorites in 18-6A, but a real battle could be in play for second place between Heights and Bellaire. Heights has a lot back on offense, but they’ll be young on defense, while Bellaire brings a lot back but the Cardinals went through a very late coaching change. Westside is the clear pick for the final playoff spot as Wisdom, Chavez and Sam Houston expect to struggle.

One thing we always watch in the Katy ISD district is if Katy will be going the Division I or Division II route, if two of these three out of Paetow, Seven Lakes and Cinco Ranch get into the playoffs that will send Katy Division II. Odds are with Jordan and Tompkins likely getting into the playoffs is that Katy goes the Division I route, where they’ll be a force with eight starters back on defense. The big question is Katy must break in a new signal caller. Katy Jordan has some big-time talent and has emerged as the top contender against Katy, but Tompkins expects to be in the mix. Fast rising Mayde Creek is the selection for the fourth spot, but Cinco Ranch and Paetow will be in contention as well.

Strake Jesuit with the exploits of RB John Hebert made a surprise run to the regional semifinals a year ago and the Crusaders may be primed to win the district crown this year with Fulshear going through a major transition with a young defense, a new coach and a totally new offensive system. Foster brings back fifteen starters from a playoff team and the Falcons could be ready to contend for a district title. Elsik was able to slip into the playoffs a year ago and the Rams are the pick to secure that spot once again.

Fort Bend ISD again looks like it’ll come down to a battle between Ridge Point and Hightower for the title, but the edge is definitely to a loaded Ridge Point bunch in 2025. The Panthers feature a loaded roster that’s good enough to win a state title in 2025, while Hightower is talented but very young. Travis returns seven on both sides of the ball and expects to be improved, while Elkins fresh off a trip to the area playoffs will look to repeat 2024’s success. Austin with thirteen starters will challenge for a playoff spot, while Bush and Clements both look to be improved.

It's a two-team race in 22-6A with contenders in both the Division I and Division II brackets in Region III. Last year’s district champion Shadow Creek rolled to the district title and then suffered a shocking first-round playoff exit to unheralded Fort Bend Elkins. The Sharks have the pieces to go on a run in Division II, but the playoff success has been lacking at the 6A level thus far. Pearland is the more proven commodity in 6A and the Oilers have thirteen starters back, the keys will be developing a feature running back and overcoming youth in the secondary, if they can do that they are a sleeper to do some damage on the Division I side. Manvel looks like the best bet for the three seed, while Dobie may not need a last second hail mary to make the playoffs this season.

23-6A absolutely dominated Region III last year with all four playoff teams advancing to the regional finals, but North Shore and Summer Creek failed to get to the state title games falling in the state semifinals to Austin area opponents. North Shore gets the title as favorite but the Mustangs lost a lot of front-line talent. The nuts and bolts return, but who is the star that will emerge in 2025? Summer Creek’s offense is scary loaded, the Bulldogs will score in bunches, but can their young defense grow up enough to get them back to a title game? Atascocita has more questions than usual on offense going into 2025, while Kingwood after a surprise regional final run a year ago could be even better this season. CE King should be improved but it may be too much to ask to see them in the playoffs.

A year ago we had a three-way tie at the top of the district between Dickinson, Deer Park and Clear Springs, indicating how close the competition was in 24-6A. Dickinson at least on paper has separated themselves from the pack, while Clear Falls who finished fourth last year could make a move into the top part of the standings behind the Gators. Clear Creek and Brazoswood may be best suited to crash the party, while a late coaching change has a lot of questions at Clear Lake heading into 2025.

DISTRICT PREDICTIONS

• Division I Teams In BOLD
• District enrollment rank in parenthesis

District 17-6A

1. Cypress Falls (4)
2. Houston Stratford (8)
3. Cy-Fair (2)
4. Jersey Village (1)
5. Houston Memorial (7)
6. Cypress Creek (3)
7. Cypress Ridge (5)
8. Houston Northbrook (6)

District 18-6A

1. Houston Lamar (2)
2. Houston Bellaire (1)
3. Houston Heights (5)
4. Houston Westside (3)
5. Houston Wisdom (6)
6. Houston Chavez (7)
7. Houston Sam Houston (4)

District 19-6A

1. Katy (4)
2. Katy Jordan (6)
3. Katy Tompkins (7)
4. Katy Mayde Creek (8)
5. Katy Cinco Ranch (1)
6. Katy Paetow (2)
7. Katy Seven Lakes (3)
8. Katy Morton Ranch (9)
9. Katy Taylor (5)

District 20-6A

1. Houston Strake Jesuit (5)
2. Fulshear (3)
3. Richmond Foster (6)
4. Alief Elsik (1)
5. Richmond George Ranch (7)
6. Alief Hastings (2)
7. Alief Taylor (4)

District 21-6A

1. Fort Bend Ridge Point (2)
2. Fort Bend Hightower (6)
3. Fort Bend Travis (1)
4. Fort Bend Elkins (3)
5. Fort Bend Bush (7)
6. Fort Bend Austin (5)
7. Fort Bend Clements (4)
8. Fort Bend Dulles (8)

District 22-6A

1. Alvin Shadow Creek (7)
2. Pearland (2)
3. Manvel (8)
4. Pasadena Dobie (1)
5. Pearland Dawson (6)
6. South Houston (9)
7. Alvin (4)
8. Pasadena Rayburn (5)
9. Pasadena Memorial (3)

District 23-6A

1. Galena Park North Shore (1)
2. Humble Summer Creek (3)
3. Humble Atascocita (2)
4. Humble Kingwood (6)
5. Sheldon King (4)
6. Humble (5)
7. Channelview (7)
8. Goose Creek Memorial (8)

District 24-6A

1. Dickinson (2)
2. Clear Falls (4)
3. Clear Springs (3)
4. Deer Park (1)
5. Clear Creek (6)
6. Clute Brazoswood (8)
7. Clear Lake (5)
8. Clear Brook (7)

PROJECTED DIVISION I BI-DISTRICT MATCHUPS

W17 Cy-Fair vs R18 Houston Bellaire

W19 Katy vs R20 Alief Elsik

W21 Fort Bend Ridge Point vs R22 Pasadena Dobie

W23 Galena Park North Shore vs R24 Deer Park

W18 Houston Lamar vs R17 Jersey Village

W20 Fulshear vs R19 Katy Jordan

W22 Pearland vs R21 Fort Bend Travis

W24 Dickinson vs R23 Humble Atascocita

DIVISION I REGIONAL CHAMPION

Fort Bend Ridge Point over Pearland

PROJECTED DIVISION II BI-DISTRICT MATCHUPS

W17 Cypress Falls vs R18 Houston Westside

W19 Katy Tompkins vs R20 Richmond Foster

W21 Fort Bend Hightower vs R22 Manvel

W23 Humble Summer Creek vs R24 Clear Springs

W18 Houston Heights vs R17 Houston Stratford

W20 Houston Strake Jesuit vs R19 Katy Mayde Creek

W22 Alvin Shadow Creek vs R21 Fort Bend Elkins

W24 Clear Falls vs R23 Humble Kingwood

DIVISION II REGIONAL CHAMPION

Humble Summer Creek over Alvin Shadow Creek