When looking at Class 1A Division I Regions I & II, you will see some familiar names and familiar powers at the top of the pre-season rankings. The always tough Windthorst. State runner-up Stamford. The mighty Goldthwaite Eagles. The list goes on for a few more names. No matter where you look at the various levels, you will always find some very tough, hard nose football being played. Class 1A Division I Regions I & II are no exception to the rule.
Taking a look at the schedule, the highlight may be a Week 5 game between six man power Throckmorton and Windthorst on October 5 in Windthorst. They will play one half of six man ball and one half of eleven man ball under regular rules for each. Goldthwaite will play Mart in Week 4 and then will see the district title potentially being up for grabs at home against San Saba in Week 9. The big game in the Panhandle has to be the contest between Canadian and Stratford in Week 1.
The darkhorses in each region are a hot commodity and topic of debate in each level, 1A Division I is no different than any other. For Region I, while it may seem uncommon to see a power considered as a darkhorse, a team like Stratford is considered as one in 2012. RB Alex Chavoya comes off a 1,000 yard season with some extra movitivation as the Elks missed the playoffs in 2011. Over in Region II, the Italy Gladiators have a new coach in Hank Hollywood coming over from Red Oak and a team that has a 1,600+ yard rusher in Ryheem Walker coming back for his seniro season.
Looking at players to watch outside of Chavoya and Walker, big things are expected out of Division I prospect and Stamford QB Hagen Hutchinson. Over 3,400 yards passing and 1,300 yards rushing en route to a trip to the State Championship game should raise the bar for Hutchinson and his teammates. Others to keep an eye on offensively throughout 1A Division I Regions I & II includes the Quanah duo of sophomore QB Clay Robertson and senior WR Austin Williams.
Over on the defensive side of the ball, Regions I & II has a good number of talented players that will sell their souls each week to win and win big. A team like Clarendon, looking to surprise people by actually getting into the playoffs in a very tough district, will rely on LB Trevor Cobb and DT Tres Hommel to keep their defense off the field. Lindsay will return DB Hud Harrison, who could be better on the defensive side of the ball than he is offensively, where he has all the attention in the run game. And also don't forget about DB Brandon Stewart from the Hico Tigers. Stewart has the chance to blossom into one of the top defensive players in all of Class 1A Division I for the 2012 season. |
REGION I |
1 |
Stamford |
2 |
Windthorst |
3 |
Panhandle |
4 |
Sundown |
5 |
Stratford |
6 |
New Deal |
7 |
Quanah |
8 |
Sunray |
REGION II |
1 |
Goldthwaite |
2 |
Lindsay |
3 |
San Saba |
4 |
Italy |
5 |
Honey Grove |
6 |
Collinsville |
7 |
Kerens |
8 |
Quinlan Boles |
|
