2 Centex title games: Will Mart get revenge on Albany? Can Oglesby overcome No. 1 Benjamin?

1. We blinked, and here it is. We have two undefeated teams playing for state championships this week in Mart and Oglesby. Yet both are underdogs. Let's start with No. 2 Mart first, who will face No. 1 Albany again, just like last year. It was 41-21 Albany last year, viewed as a big upset. Will pay…

Mart vs. Chilton is Christmas come early; Oglesby a 41-point underdog; Lorena/Marlin reflections

1. We asked Santa for an all-Centex matchup in the state semifinals, and we got it under the tree as Mart and Chilton face off in the state semifinals, just the fourth all-time among Central Texas teams. How special does this one have a chance to be? 2. Fill in the blank: Chilton wins if ... 3. F…

Round 4: Debating Lorena-Franklin, Marlin-Tolar, Chilton and Mart, plus Centex coaching changes

1. There were no food comas after Thanksgiving for our Centex teams, as six local schools won going away in round 3 of the playoffs. But they won't all be advancing to the state championship game, presumably, so which local team has the earliest expiration date — i.e., who has has the toughest game…

Round 3's best Centex game: Lorena, Whitney or Chilton? Plus China Spring's swan song, Oglesby-Iredell and more 6-man talk

1. It is Turkey Week, and let us give thanks because we have some tasty matchups. Every Central Texas team out there has a 9-3 record — all in the same gravy boat. So which of these Round 3 face-offs has the potential to produce the best game? Lorena-Columbus, Whitney-Winnsboro or Chilton-Granger? …

Playoff predictions: Round 2 upsets, Methodist Home in state title game and more

1. As we get to better matchups here in the second round of the playoffs, eight of our Centex teams are playing teams with 10 or more wins this week. But which Centex team with a single-digit win total has the best chance to knock off a double-digit win total team? (That's China Spring at 8-3, La V…

The best playoff matchups; most indispensable players in Central Texas; fun facts

1. A whopping 43 teams made the playoffs in Central Texas, and there's certainly a case to be made that too many teams do — nobody wants to watch a 9-1 team play a 2-8 team, after all. But enough negativity: What first-round matchup has you intrigued among our Centex teams? How about West-Teague, L…

Centex tricks & treats in the playoffs, spookiest mascots, monster stat lines and more in our Halloween edition

1. We've reached Week 11 of the regular season, and it's time to talk playoffs. So let's go trick-or-treating: What's one Centex team that we expect to make a sweet run, and one team that could be sneaky trouble for its opponents? 2. Let's do the monster mash: What monster stat line impressed you …

Is Connally an underdog? Is Midway a longshot? Can Whitney stay undefeated? Plus great Centex kickers and love for Methodist Home

1. It's Week 10, which means we have some showdowns for district championships, not least among them Pflugerville Weiss at Midway, Madisonville at Connally and Whitney at Grandview. Let's rank those in terms of most likely to win on Friday night. Is Connally an underdog? Is Midway the biggest longs…

Cash McCollum is rewriting Centex history; undefeated Whitney's Haynes legacy; Midway-Bryan breakdown

Special guest David G. Campbell, former sportswriter with the Trib and The Eagle in Bryan, joins Trib sportswriter DJ Ramirez, non-Trib sportswriter Chad Conine and Trib sports editor Brice Cherry are back to talk some Centex football as we head into Week 9.  1. He's cash money: China Spring QB Ca…

China Spring shouldn't sleep on La Vega. Is Marlin-Riesel a toss-up? Plus shout-outs and Live Oak's big news

1. It's October, so that means we've reached some games of real consequence in the high school football scene, including some district-deciding clashes this week. On top of that list in China Spring at La Vega, the latest chapter in the storied history. China Spring is explosive, as both we and Alv…