Texas Football' has its say

Forgive Henderson County area high school football teams if they head into the 2005 season with a giant chip on their shoulders. They aren't getting any respect.Well, except for the Trinidad Trojans, that is.According to Dave Campbell's 2005 Texas Football magazine, Trinidad is the lone HC area team expected to advance to the playoffs. The 352-page publication hit the newsstands last week for the 46th year.Trinidad, a playoff team last year in Kevin Ray's return has head coach, is the favorite to win District 14 six-man. The Trojans return 10 lettermen and five starters from an 8-2 district championship squad. Milford draws the second-place nod in the district.But after Trinidad, Texas Football's assessment of HC area teams drops off -- way off.The Mabank Panthers made strides last year in Jimmy Cantrell's first season as head coach, finishing fourth in District 14-AAAA. The Panthers, 4-6 last year, have six starters back on both sides of the ball in their attempt to crash the playoff party.Mabank is picked to finish behind defending state champion Ennis, Corsicana and Lancaster and head of Red Oak and Athens.Athens, which will debut under first-year head coach Jim Wommack (defensive coordinator the past two seasons), is predicted to bring up the rear in 14-AAAA, though the Hornets finished fifth a year ago. The Hornets return seven offensive and eight defensive starters.In District 15-AAA, Brownsboro is pegged to finish fifth in the six-team alignment. Third-year coach John Settle's Bears went 2-8 last year. Brownsboro returns 10 offensive starters and 11 on the defensive side.Canton is picked to take the district title ahead of Chapel Hill and Van.
District 12-AAA's favorite is the Kaufman Lions, who will debut with a new head coach. Bob Wager, formerly at Class A Groveton, takes over at the Kaufman County school and is expected to lead the Lions to the title over Wills Point and Crandall.Eustace and Kemp are predicted to finish fourth and fifth, respectively, in the five-team league.Brad Scoggin begins his second year at Eustace and has eight starters back on both sides of the ball in an attempt to improve on last year's 2-8 mark.Kemp begins anew with Walt Mangan as head coach. Mangan, formerly an assistant on former Kemp head coach Glen West's staff at Brenham, inherits a 3-7 squad with eight offensive and 10 defensive starters returning.Malakoff and Cross Roads are tagged to finish at the bottom of District 21-AA behind Alto, Elkhart, Grapeland, Kerens and Frankston.Ronny Reed assumes the helm of the program at Malakoff after serving two years as an assistant coach. The Tigers were 4-6 last year and bring back seven offensive and five defensive starters.At Cross Roads, David Stout returns for his second season as head coach and will try to lead the Bobcats back from a 0-10 campaign. Seven starters return on both sides of the ball.NOTES -- A preview of the Southwest Junior College Football Conference and the Trinity Valley Community College Cardinals begins on Page 160 ...University of Texas quarterback Vince Young and Texas A&M quarterback Reggie McNeal are featured on the cover ... Texas is predicted to unseat Oklahoma in the Big 12 South and Missouri is pegged to prevail in the Big 12 North ... Former Corsicana Daily Sun sports edtior Jake Shaw is now the managing editor of the publication ... In addition to newsstands, the magazine can also be purchased online at www.texasfootball.com.TEXAS FOOTBALL PREDICTIONSPredictions for districts involving Henderson County area schools by Dave Campbell's 2005 Texas Football magazine:
DISTRICT 14-AAAA -- 1. Ennis; 2. Corsicana; 3. Lancaster; 4. Mabank; 5. Red Oak; 6. AthensDISTRICT 15-AAA -- 1. Canton; 2. Chapel Hill; 3. Van; 4. Lndale; 5. Brownsboro; 6. BullardDISTRICT 12-AAA -- 1. Kaufman; 2. Wills Point; 3. Crandall; 4. Eustace; 5. KempDISTRICT 21-AA -- 1. Alto; 2. Elkhart; 3. Grapeland; 4. Kerens; 5. Frankston; 6. Malakoff; 7. Cross RoadsDISTRICT 14 SIX-MAN -- 1. Trinidad; 2. Milford; 3. Blum; 4. Dallas Gateway; 5. Ladonia Fanindel
By Benny Rogers