Seven Teams Who Missed The Playoffs In D-II Of TAIAO

Photo via hudl.com

Eight teams appeared in the Division two bracket of the 2016 TAIAO playoffs. Seven teams from the same division missed the playoff bracket. Here is a list of those teams and what happened to them.

Austin Achieve had three wins in 2016, one which came against Hidden Valley HomeSchool and two wins came against McDade. Those three were non playoff teams and the Polar Bears also lost to Summit Christian Academy and Fayette County HomeSchool, who were also non playoff teams. The two playoffs teams the Polar Bears lost to were Williamson County HomeSchool and Lifegate Christian. They were outscored in the two games 144-22 and allowed an average of 72 points. The Polar Bears were a young team and they’ll be returning all of their players, including quarterback and leading rusher Jose Flores, leading tackler Josmar Gaona and Speedy Lopez, who led the team in all purpose yards and touchdowns.

Capital Christian HomeSchool had two wins over non playoff teams in Hidden Valley HomeSchool and Corpus Christi WINGS HomeSchool. The Cougars did have a win over a playoff team in Annapolis Christian Academy. The playoff teams they lost to were Bastrop Tribe Consolidated, Lifegate Christian, Stephenville FAITH, FEAST HomeSchool, Arlington Heights Christian, Williamson County HomeSchool and BVCHEA HomeSchool. They were outscored by playoff teams 406-174 and allowed an average of 50 points. The Cougars will lose Jacob Critz, who led the team in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns, but will return two quarterbacks in Payton Hart and Laron Ables. They will also have a young running back in Joseph Cook, leading tackler Joshua Miller and Owen Simpson, who led the team in receiving yards, all purpose yards and touchdowns.

Corpus Christi WINGS HomeSchool had two wins, which came against Hidden Valley HomeSchool and Victoria Cobra HomeSchool. Two losses came against non playoff teams in Faith Academy and Capital Christian HomeSchool. Six losses came against playoff teams in CHANT HomeSchool, NYOS Charter, Annapolis Christian Academy, Arlington Heights Christian, Fort Bend Chargers HomeSchool and Victory and Praise Christian Academy. They were outscored by playoff teams 332-104 and allowed an average of 55 points. Jack Wandel will return as the quarterback as will leading tackler Caleb Wilson and Daniel Sprinkle, who led the team in rushing yards, receiving yards, all purpose yards, touchdowns and was second in tackles.

Exel HomeSchool went 2-2 in their last four games of 2016. The two wins came against Tyler HEAT and East Texas Storm and they lost to Trinidad and Full Armor Christian Academy. Outside of losses to Fruitvale and Apple Springs, four of the Lions’ first six games were against playoff teams. They lost to Leverett’s Chapel, NYOS Charter, Union Hill and Fort Bend HomeSchool Chargers. They were outscored by playoff teams 246-26 and allowed an average of 61 points in those game. The Lions will lose their quarterback James Lawrence who had 22 touchdown passes and led the team in carries, rushing yards and rushing touchdowns. He also had 59 tackles as a corner back. But the Lions’ best player Travis Abel will be returning. Abel was the leading receiver with 1,158 yards and 13 touchdowns, and led the team with 89 tackles, five sacks and 11 passes defended.

West Texas HomeSchool played the junior varsity squads of Sands and Loraine and won both games. The Oilers lost to a third junior varsity squad from Borden County. Otherwise the Oilers lost to non playoff teams in Sanderson and Trent. They also came up empty against playoff teams in Grandfalls-Royalty, Buena Vista, Plainview Christian, the Lubbock Titans and Faith Christian. The Oilers were outscored by playoff teams 339-90 and allowed an average of 67 points against them. Tyler Jones succeeded as a versatile running back and wide receiver with 78 carries and seven rushing touchdowns and 53 catches and seven touchdown catches. Caleb Ballard will be a tough loss on the line of scrimmage as he had 51 tackles. Braden Cavender will return as the quarterback after 24 touchdown passes and 2,372 passing yards and so will Logan La Croix, who led the team with nine touchdowns, receiving yards and kickoff return yards.

Hidden Valley HomeSchool had one win, which came in their last game of the season against Great Hearts Monte Vista. The other non playoff teams the Panthers lost to were Capital Christian HomeSchool, Austin Achieve and Corpus Christi WINGS HomeSchool. The playoff teams they lost to were Williamson County HomeSchool, Victory and Praise Christian Academy, Winston and Calvary Baptist Academy. They were outscored in those games 168-67 and allowed an average of 56 points. They’ll lose one senior in James Benefield.

Victoria Cobra HomeSchool had two wins against playoff teams in Calvary Baptist Academy and Gospel Lighthouse Christian. The playoff teams they lost to were BVCHEA HomeSchool, Sunnybrook Christian, Winston, NYOS Charter, Arlington Heights Christian and Bastrop Tribe Consolidated. They Cobra were outscored by playoff teams 444-223 and they allowed an average of 55 points in those eight games. They also lost to two non playoff teams in Fayette County HomeSchool and Corpus Christi WINGS HomeSchool. Brandon Fojt was a one-man show as he had 1,590 rushing yards and 31 rushing touchdowns. He averaged 201.4 all purpose yards per game.