DCTF predicting big things for area teams, players
by Mark Lube, Gonzales Cannon Sports Editor
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
Gonzales Cannon Article | Shiner Comanche Football
The leading resource on football in Texas has some great outlooks for local high school football teams.
Dave Campbell’s Texas Football 2013 Fall Edition is saying playoffs for most local football teams.
The Gonzales Apaches (6-4, 2-3) are predicted to finish runner up in District 26-3A. The Apaches return 13 lettermen and seven starters on offense and defense.
DCTF has La Grange winning district with Cuero and Yoakum rounding out the league’s playoff teams.
The Cuero Gobblers wrapped up 2012 with a 5-6 record and a bi-district round appearance. The Mean Green welcome back 13 lettermen and seven starters.
The Yoakum Bulldogs (6-5, 3-2) were bi-district finalists last year and will get 19 lettermen and nine starters back from that team.
The Hallettsville Brahmas lost just one game last year (12-1, 5-0) while going undefeated in the regular season for the first time since 1979.
The Brahmas get 24 lettermen and 15 starters back, and are predicted to win another District 14-2ADI title.
The Luling Eagles (7-5, 5-1) won their first playoff game since the 1980s under first-year head coach Colby Hensley.
Luling is predicted to finish first in District 15-2ADI as they will return 18 lettermen and 15 starters.
Nixon-Smiley (1-9, 1-6) had just one victory in 2012, but have 18 lettermen and nine starters on either side of the ball back. The Mustangs are picked to finish seventh in District 15-2ADII, ahead of only Bloomington.
Shiner Comanches
One of the keys to Shiner’s 12-2/4-0 season last year was the play of the defense. This year should not be that much different as the Comanches will welcome back four-year starter and preseason District 15-1ADI Defensive MVP Jacob Stafford.
Stafford, who made 150 tackles at linebacker last year, was also selected as an All- State player.
Shiner will welcome back 15 lettermen and 12 starters on a team predicted to finish atop their league ahead of Ganado and Three Rivers. The Comanches also come in at number five on the DCTF Preseason State Poll.
Flatonia had a very successful start to 2012 but then injuries came along to hamper the ‘Dogs and they finished 4-6 (1-3). Flatonia, who brings back 13 lettermen and 15 starters, is predicted to finish third in District 13-1ADI behind Thorndale and Weimar.
The Shiner St. Paul Cardinals have been to the TAPPS 3A title game three years in a row and have come away with a state title twice.
The 2012 champions (10-4, 4-1) have 17 lettermen but just eight starters back and are predicted for a second-place finish in Division III, District 5 behind Hallettsville Sacred Heart.
The Indians lost their first couple of games early in the season before rallying to win the district last year. Sacred Heart (9-4, 5-0) will return 13 lettermen and dozen starters.
Other area athletes were the recipients of some preseason honors by DCTF. Gonzales’ J.T. Miller is the magazine’s pick for All-State linebacker and District 26-3A Defensive MVP for 26-3A.
Dalton Herrington of Hallettsville was selected as District 14-2ADI Defensive MVP and Luling’s Trayden Staton was chosen as Offensive MVP for District 15-2ADI. Stafford was chosen for the Preseason All-State Team First Team Linebacker and the 15-1ADI Preseason Defensive MVP.
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