Holliday, Jacksboro picked to win district titles

DISTRICT 6-3A DIVISION II POLL

There were 12 ballots cast by TRN Sports writers, local TV sports anchors, writers from other publications who cover teams in the district and district coaches. Scoring was done in a 10-8-6-4-2-1 format. First-place votes are in parenthesis.

1. Holliday 118 (11)

The surprising part here is that Holliday isn’t a unanimous selection to win the district, considering the Eagles open the season ranked sixth in the state and have won at least 10 games in five straight years. Holliday also went undefeated in district last season and return 18 lettermen from that 13-1 team.

This is a team very capable of navigating a tough non-district schedule, sweeping 6-3A DII again and finishing the regular season 10-0 for a second straight year.

The one voter who didn’t rank Holliday No. 1 in the district predicted a second-place finish.

2. Callisburg 92

The Wildcats continue to hold the respect of this voting panel, picking up 10 second-place and two third-place votes.

This program is on its best streak in recent memory with a goal to win their first playoff game since 2015.

Callisburg represent Holliday’s biggest challenge to the district title last year, and it’s reasonable to give them the same designation in 2022.

3. Henrietta 68 (1)

It was the rival Bearcats stealing a first-place vote from the Eagles. And before you scoff too loudly, keep in mind Henrietta does tend to play Holliday close even when it looks like a mismatch on paper. Last season was more of an exception than the norm in the rivalry.

But there’s no question Henrietta has some big holes to fill at its skill positions on offense. But the team still has 18 returning lettermen ready to continue Henrietta’s streak of nine consecutive postseason berths.

The Bearcats were picked to make the playoffs by all 12 voters, including a second-place nod to go with the first-place tally. Five picked the Bearcats to finish third and five others chose them fourth.

4. City View 56

No one returns more lettermen and starters in this district than City View. The Mustangs have 23 returning starters, but they lost some huge pieces on this team, most notably four-time Red River 22 honoree Jourdain Durham.

This program just qualified for the postseason in three straight years for the first time ever. A fourth postseason berth seems likely, with all but one of this panel choosing the Mustangs to make the playoffs.

5. S&S Consolidated 21

There’s a perceived drop off after the first four teams listed in this poll. The voters don’t take S&S and Valley View as serious playoff contenders.

S&S received one playoff nod from the pollsters, and it was for fourth place. In the past, S&S hasn’t fared well when in a district that pulls them west toward Wichita Falls, going 1-19 in the last two-year span it spent with similar district mates.

6. Valley View 17

A move to Class 3A has not been kind to Valley View. The Eagles are a combined 1-19 in the classification the last two seasons.

And it’s going to be difficult to get much better than that despite nine starters returning on each side of the ball. Those nine starters are a lot of two-way players, considering the team has just 13 returning lettermen.

No one in the panel projected a playoff berth for the Eagles.

DISTRICT 6-3A DIVISION II BREAKDOWN

FIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH

Parker Jones, RB/LB, Holliday – Jones had an incredible freshman season, finishing second on the team with 149 tackles. He could see an uptick in carries on offense, too.

Jeremiah Durham, RB, City View – Durham rushed for a respectable 795 yards and 11 TDs as a sophomore, but coaches felt the game started to slow down for him during the offseason. That’s the only thing slowing down for Durham. He finished second in the 100 meters at the Class 3A state track meet in May.

Jaxx Johnson, FB/LB, Holliday – The son of Holliday head coach Frank Johnson, Jaxx led the Eagles balanced wing-T rushing attack last season with 686 yards and 12 TDs. He was also an all-state linebacker with 130 tackles. He and Jones team with Collin Hays to form an impressive linebacking corps.

Garrett Blevins, QB, Henrietta – Blevins had a strong sophomore campaign playing running back, rushing for 849 yards and 11 TDs.  He slides over to quarterback as a junior, needing to fill a big void left by graduating Braden Bell.

Colton Montgomery, QB/LB, Callisburg – Callisburg has never made the playoffs in three straight seasons. The Wildcats expect to achieve that feat for the first time this season, and Montgomery is a key reason why, providing experience and production behind center.

FIVE VITAL GAMES

City View at Henrietta (Oct. 7) – There’s a clear top game for each of the five weeks of the District 6-3A Division II season. And it opens with this matchup that contains serious playoff implications.

Henrietta at Holliday (Oct. 14) – Henrietta has been the underdog in this rivalry for years, but the Bearcats tend to play the Eagles closer than expected, excluding last year’s result.

Callisburg at Henrietta (Oct. 21) – Other than Holliday, Callisburg blew out everyone else in the district last season. Henrietta hopes it has closed that gap.

City View at Holliday (Oct. 28) – City View was the last team to hand Holliday a district loss. The Mustangs have at least turned this game into one of the more intriguing matchups in the area.

Holliday at Callisburg (Nov. 4) – Final week of the season and the projected top two teams in the district are playing. That’s quality scheduling.

DISTRICT 5-3A DIVISION II POLL

There were seven ballots cast by TRN Sports writers, local TV sports anchors, writers from other publications who cover teams in the district and district coaches. Scoring was done in a 10-8-6-4-2-1 format. First-place votes are in parenthesis.

1. Jacksboro 62 (3)

The Tigers narrowly take first place, earning three first-place votes and four second place.

Despite new head coach Casey Hubble bringing in a new offensive system, pollsters haven’t lost faith in the Tigers’ ability to push for a district title. Much of that has to do with a belief that the new spread system better fits the Tigers’ current personnel than the previous wing-T scheme.

Jacksboro is returning 18 lettermen, including nine starters on each side of the ball.

2. Eastland 60 (4)

The Mavericks received the most first-place votes but were also delegated to a pair of third-place predictions, allowing Jacksboro to edge them by a nose in the voting.

At this point, Eastland’s tradition is earning it first-place votes as much as anything. There are serious voids to fill at the skill positions. This team must discover who its big playmaker will be on offense.

The Mavericks lost more lettermen (14) than they’re returning (12), but coach James Morton among the most respected in the state.

3. Dublin 44

The Lions quietly won more games than any other team in the district and finished the season with its only winning record at 9-4. Some of that is due easier non-district scheduling. The Lions went 3-2 in district last year, but so did Jacksboro and Millsap.

Graduation may have hit the Lions harder than anyone else in the district, but they return a leading candidate for MVP in quarterback Chris Teten. That earns a lot of faith from voters.

All seven have the Lions in the playoffs with two picking Dublin to finish second.

4. Millsap 26

Millsap won its first playoff game since 1999 last season, and most of this panel believes the Bulldogs will return to the postseason, with five giving them a playoff nod.

This program has never advanced to the postseason in three consecutive seasons. But the Bulldogs had never made the playoffs in back-to-back years before 2021.

There is enough starting experience back to get them playing deeper into November.

5. Comanche 17

Comanche had an eight-year playoff berth streak end last season thanks to a 1-9 record. The young Indians return more varsity experience than any other program in the district and should be back in postseason contention.

These pollsters have their doubts, though. Only two pick Comanche to make the playoffs in fourth place.

6. Merkel 8

It’s looking like a rough season in Merkel. The Badgers haven’t made the playoffs since 2018 and will be hard-pressed to end that streak in this competitive district.

The Badgers were picked last on six of the seven ballots.

They do return 15 lettermen, including seven offensive starters, but every other team in this district notes strong varsity experience, too.

DISTRICT 5-3A DIVISION II BREAKDOWN

FIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH

Lando Belcher, QB, Jacksboro – Belcher’s first full season as a starter had its highs and lows. The highs included 2,275 and 16 TDs. The lows were 14 interceptions. But Jacksboro is moving to a spread offense, meaning Belcher won’t be trying to throw out of a traditional power-run offense like the wing-T.

Chris Teten, QB, Dublin – Teten threw for 4,066 yards, 42 TDs and 15 interceptions as a junior. He led the Lions to the third round of the postseason and is a main reason they have to be taken seriously as a district title contender in 2022.

Kaleem Howard, WR/DB, Jacksboro – Howard is Jacksboro’s best overall athlete who made bigger news on the baseball diamond and track during his sophomore season. Howard has the potential to be one of the area’s top receivers this year.

Kyler Beaty, WR/DB, Comanche – Beaty was the Indians’ top receiver and second leading tackler as a sophomore. He’s one of the best players in the district and a key reason to take the Indians’ serious after a 1-9 season.

Billy Bottorf, OL/DL, Millsap – Bottorf makes this list for one significant reason – he’s listed at 6-5, 380 pounds. That’s a lot of mass in the trenches for the Bulldogs. Try not watching this behemoth.

FIVE VITAL GAMES

Eastland at Jacksboro (Oct. 7) – Last season’s matchup between these two was epi c with Jacksboro prevailing with a 51-48 victory in the final minute. These two have been the favorites in this district since it was formed in 2018.

Millsap at Comanche (Oct. 7) – Comanche is hoping for a bounce back season after going 1-9. Millsap won its first playoff game since 1999 last year and wants to build off that success. These are two legit playoff contenders in 2022.

Dublin at Comanche (Oct. 21) – Comanche had a lengthy streak of playoff appearances ended last season. But the Indians return a lot of talent and are expected to be back in contention.

Dublin at Eastland (Oct. 28) – Eastland gets a lot of respect from media and outsiders based on the program’s tradition. But Dublin may have fewer holes to fill and have the formula to knock off the Mavericks, who won this matchup 40-39 last season.

Jacksboro at Dublin (Nov. 4) – This is a potential district title game in the final week of the season. That’s just good scheduling.

This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: District 6-3A DII and District 5-3A DII preseason football polls