Five weeks into the season the race for the District 14-6A title is starting to pick up steam. The second season -district games- begins Thursday and will consist of an entirely different ball game where every win, or loss will matter.
The thrill of an impressive start with non-district wins tends to quickly fade away at the realization that those triumphs amount to very little when it comes to making the playoffs. Teams that are fast out of the gate should tread lightly moving forward, because nothing can derail a season faster than a few demoralizing district losses.
Here are the rankings for 14-6A after 5 games.
Bowie (4-1)
Akins (2-2)
Del Valle (2-3)
San Marcos (2-3)
Anderson (1-4)
Manor (1-4)
From top to bottom the district looks the part when it comes to rankings in terms of record, but everyone will get a clean slate when the lights come on Thursday night.
Bowie Bulldogs
BOWIE
The season has started off well for the Bulldogs after reeling off three wins to begin the year. Their only loss was a 14 point defeat to a Westlake team who also happens to be ranked 6th in the state. On paper Bowie is the early favorite for 14-6A, but only time will tell if these expectations are met.
Akin Eagles
AKINS
After starting the season 2-0, the Eagles have dropped their last two contests. A sputtering offense is not a problem you want to have heading into the month of October. The Eagles will face off against San Marcos on the road October 6th.
Del Valle Cardinals
DEL VALLE
The Cardinals have had a shaky start to 2016 after relying heavily on the running game, but the defense has wavered. Their ability to move the ball on the ground will be put to the test next week against Bowie. Running the ball effectively will help the defense stay rested, and hopefully play better.
San Marcos Rattlers
SAN MARCOS
The Rattlers are atop the middle of the pack with a 2-3 record. The offense is there for this team but winning ball games is going to be a matter of whether the defense steps up and gets off the field or not.
Anderson Trojans
ANDERSON
Despite having the leading passer in the district, the Trojans have stumbled to a (1-4) start to 2016. One reason the Trojans might have the leading passer is due to their defense putting the offense in situations forcing them to pass. If the Trojans want a successful campaign this fall, they need to straighten out their defensive woes before they line up against Manor on October 6th.
Manor Mustangs
MANOR
Throwing the ball for the Mustangs isn’t the issue, however throwing the ball to Mustang receivers has been a problem. Throwing interceptions and allowing teams to convert on those turnovers has not been a successful recipe for winning games, and it usually isn’t. The Mustangs look to hit some kind of stride when district play opens up October 6th on the road at Anderson.
