Stepp's 5A DII Region II Picks: District Projections and Playoff Outlook

DISTRICT PREDICTIONS

District 5-5A Division II

1. South Oak Cliff
2. Mesquite Poteet
3. Dallas Samuell
4. Dallas Wilson
5. Seagoville
6. Dallas Hillcrest
7. Dallas Molina
8. Dallas Adamson
9. Dallas Jefferson

When you’ve been to five straight state title games - won three of those games - and are defending champions, it’s just understood that SOC is getting the pick in this district. That’s not to say the Golden Bears don’t have some questions going into the season, primarily at the offensive skill spots. But the bones of a title contender are still in place, most notably at QB, in the trenches and in the secondary. Mesquite Poteet moves into this district and looks ready to take a major leap forward in Year 2 under Terrance Orr. The Pirates look to be ready not only to make the playoffs but host a first-round game as well. A veteran Samuell squad that finished 7-3 a year ago and missed out on the playoffs is a good bet for the three-seed, while Woodrow Wilson, Seagoville and Hillcrest will be a tight race for the four-seed.

District 6-5A Division II

1. Terrell
2. Texarkana Texas
3. Mount Pleasant
4. Marshall
5. Whitehouse
6. Nacogdoches
7. Hallsville
8. Greenville

We had a pretty big shakeup in East Texas this alignment as Jacksonville moves down to 4A and in comes two teams from the Eastern fringes of the DFW area in Terrell and Greenville. While Greenville is recovering from an 0-10 season with a new head coach, Terrell is fresh off their best season quite some time as the Tigers posted a 12-1 mark a year ago. Terrell brings back plenty of offensive firepower, but Marvin Sedberry’s bunch has a lot of questions on the defensive side of the ball. Texas High, who has dominated out in East Texas at the 5A-Division II level in recent years, will be in the mix, but Gerry Stanford’s squad was also hit really hard by graduation. They still get the edge for the two-seed because the other contenders have questions as well. Mount Pleasant broke through and got to the area playoffs a year ago. The Tigers were elite on the defensive side of the ball a year ago, but at times struggled on offense. If they can improve on offense they could potentially contend for a district title. Marshall, like Texas High, was hit hard by graduation. The Mavericks will lean on tradition, toughness and athleticism to hold off a fast-rising Whitehouse squad that could be ready to contend for a playoff spot with an uber-talented group of sophomores who were 10-0 a year ago.

District 7-5A Division II

1. Mansfield Timberview
2. Midlothian Heritage
3. Ennis
4. Arlington Seguin
5. Joshua
6. Burleson
7. Corsicana
8. Everman

There was some moving and shaking in this district as we see several programs from the old district 3-5A Division II sliding into Region II, most notably Mansfield Timberview, which looks to contend for a district title with 30 returning lettermen and 17 starters back. If the Wolves offensive line can mature this is a team ready to challenge for a run into potentially December. Midlothian Heritage is as consistent as the day is long. They’ve won 27 of their last 28 district games and have made the playoffs every year since the school opened. The Jaguars will have to replace 35 graduated seniors so there will be new faces, but expect them compete for the district title along with Timberview as those two appear to have separated themselves from the rest of the pack. The battle for the last two spots in the playoffs will be an absolute rock-fight as Ennis, Arlington Seguin, Joshua, Burleson and Corsicana will make a case for being a contender. Joshua is one of the state’s most difficult matchups to prepare for because of their flexbone offense and ability to shorten the game; it’s almost like playing a service academy in how they really constrict a game and make those margins slim. The edge for me goes to Ennis and Seguin to get into the playoffs as both have that postseason pedigree under their belts.

District 8-5A Division II

1. Brenham
2. Waco University
3. Belton
4. Killeen Ellison
5. Waco
6. Bryan Rudder

I think the UIL got this right as this district moves back into Region II, while the Golden Triangle district moves back to their more familiar spot in Region III. Brenham enters the season as the heavy favorite as 24 lettermen return from an 11-2 squad. The Cubs also return Oklahoma RB commit Jakoby Dixon, who, after excelling as a sophomore, transferred out in mysterious fashion and basically didn’t play much at all his junior season. Things get murkier after that. A young Waco University team that’s made the area playoffs in two of the last three years gets the nod for the two-seed, but Charles Foster’s squad has some big questions to answer. Belton has a new coach, but the Tigers have some solid pieces to build around, while Killeen Ellison expects to be much-improved as Danny Servance welcomes back eight starters on the defensive side of the ball.

PROJECTED BI-DISTRICT MATCHUPS AND PLAYOFF OUTLOOK

W5 South Oak Cliff vs F6 Marshall

R8 Waco University vs T7 Ennis

W6 Terrell vs F5 Dallas Wilson

R7 Midlothian Heritage vs T8 Belton

W7 Mansfield Timberview vs F8 Killeen Ellison

R6 Texarkana Texas High vs T5 Dallas Samuell

W8 Brenham vs F7 Arlington Seguin

R5 Mesquite Poteet vs T6 Mount Pleasant

Plain and simple, this region runs through SOC. They’ve been the standard and, though, challenged, have come out of it with five straight regional titles. I don’t expect SOC to get pushed much in the first three rounds and there may not be much drama. Things gets really interesting in the bottom of the bracket with two fascinating possible area round games in Timberview vs. Texas High and Brenham vs. the winner of Mesquite Poteet/Mt Pleasant. My eyes go right there when looking at this bracket. Expect a lot of close and competitive games in this part of the bracket.

REGIONAL CHAMPION

South Oak Cliff over Brenham