The area round of the playoffs will certainly bring some great matchups.
One of the weekend’s best in the Dallas-Fort Worth area will be between Ennis and Burleson Centennial.
Each enters with a 10-1 record and both come in hot after dominating in the bi-district round. Centennial beat Seagoville 53-6, while Ennis defeated Frisco Reedy 34-0.
What will give?
Centennial is averaging 41 points per game, while Ennis is averaging 37 points per game.
Additionally, both schools have good defenses to match the high-scoring offensive units.
Ennis’ defense has only allowed 15 points a game in 2019, which includes a first-round shutout of a Reedy unit that went deep into the playoffs last year and quarterback Jalen Kitna is committed to Boston College.
Meanwhile, the Spartans’ defense has allowed 25 points per game, which includes an overtime shootout against Cleburne in which they gave up 55 points. Also, against No. 1 Aledo early on in the year, they surrendered 63 points.
Many throughout the state are projecting Aledo to win it all as they continue to reload year after year.
The difference maker
For this week’s matchup, the difference might just rest on the shoulders of a head coach that is no stranger to big games. Of course, a long history of state championships doesn’t hurt either.
Sam Harrell is back at the helm, and he has the Lions vying for another run toward state.
Since returning in 2018, and after a disappointing 5-5 season just a year ago, it hasn’t taken long for Harrell to get back to his winning ways. He enjoyed multiple state titles in the early 2000s, and that experience may very well be the difference against a young program in Centennial, which is just starting to get that taste of winning.
Burleson Centennial head coach Kyle Geller has seen success in recent years with a pair of 10-win seasons, and sitting at 10-1 heading into the area round, the Spartans are looking for more.
Only the game is left to be played, and experience in these big moments is hard to overlook.
Prediction
Ennis 38, Centennial 35
