Denton RC High School

4Q: 3:10-- Aubrey gets in the end zone again. Wurster scores from three yards out. A little too late for Aubrey, though.

4Q: 8:22-- Johnson does it again. He breaks about 300 tackles and scores on a awesome 19-yard run.

4Q: 9:30-- Wurster just threw his 4th interception.

4Q: 10:41- Aubrey's D stops PP on 4th and long. First down Chaps own 29.

3Q: 1:18. Justin Chambers just picked off his second pass of the night for PP. Bearcat ball.

3Q:2:20- PP gets two first downs but a holding call hurst them and they punt. Aubrey ball.

3Q: 4:39- Levi Birdson just dropped a pass in his hands in the end zone. 1st down PP.

3Q: 4:45- Timeout Aubrey. Chaps have the ball 4th and goal on the five. This is a big play.

3Q: 7:13- Big play for Aubrey. Justin Chambers just fumbled the kickoff. Aubre ball inside the red zone.

3Q: 7:15: Aubrey shows some life and gets on the board after Billy Feathers dove in from one yard out. Feathers has a nice drive. He rushed for 38 yards on the drive. Let's see how Aubrey's D responds.

3Q: 12:00- I just talked to some Aubrey coaches and they informed me that Justin Griffin's ankle is badly hurt. Too bad because they need him. He also might not play next week during Aubrey's bi-district playoff game. AUBREY will get the ball to start the half.

2Q: 0:02- Wurster just threw his second interception to end the half. This is not what I expected. Aubrey has its heads down as they walk of the field. PP fans are having a fiesta.

2Q: 0:28- Well this game might be over. PP just drove 79 yards in 13 plays in a little under six minutes. The TD was a pass from Tilley to Mason Guthrie.

2Q: 6:00- PP defensive end Carter Street just picked up his second sack of the night. AUbrey punts again. The Chaps have just 23 yards of offense.

2Q: 8:00-- We have a blowout in the making. Seth Tilley just made a Johnson impression and juked and jived for a 40-yard score.

2Q: 8:37- PP's defense is fired up. Two big sacks for a loss. Aubrey punts. It's Jarman Johnson time.

2Q: 10:58- Johnson just made another specatular run for a 13-yard TD. This kid is amazing. The play capped a 12 play drive. Johnson rushed for 54 yards on eight carries during the drive.

2Q: 12:00- Quick first quarter. Pilot Point is driving again behind the legs of pinball Jarman Johnson. They have 2ns and 7 at Aubrey's 28. One thing the point out is Aubrey star RB/DB Justin Griffin has not stepped on the field. I can't even find him on the sideline.UPDATE: I found Griffin. His is on the sidelines in uniform. I don't know why he isn't playing. I'll try and find out.

1Q: 4:30- More bad news for Aubrey. Justin Chambers just intercepted a pass. First down PP>

1Q: 6:19- Aubrey is driving. 1st and 10 PP 45.

1Q: 9:37-- Jarman Johnson and PP strike first. The senior star just made an amazing run for a 61-yard TD.
<
strong>1Q:12:00 -- This place is rocking and rolling. A few fans have already told me this is the biggest crowd they have ever seen at Massey Stadium. And these fans have been going to Pilot Point games for more than 30 years. People are still trying to get inside the gates. Cars are still lining up looking for parking. They are guessing about 5,000, maybe 6,000 people will be here. This place usually sits 2,500, but extra bleachers are up and fans are also circling around the gates. This is just a huge party. If you are reading this that means you are missing out. This is by far the best atmosphere I have ever been apart of at a high school football game. I'm waiting for the Goodyear blimp to showup.
--PILOT POINT wins the toss. The Bearcats want the ball. It's go time at Massey.

We are a little less than three hours from kickoff between Pilot Point and Aubrey and this place is already a madhouse. The gates have yet to open for the fans, but 100s of them are outside the gate waiting in line for tickets. 100s of them are tailigating. The parking lot is already full. Heck, even I had to park across the street from the stadium.

The weather is perfect. Folks, I don't know if it gets any better than this. If you have nothing to do tonight I strrongly suggest you get to Pilot Point. THIS is what Texas high school football is all about. Two great teams. Two great coaches. And a great atmosphere.

Now to the game. If you saw in the paper this week I was the only writer to pick Aubrey to win this game. I still will stick with my pick. G.A. Moore and Aubrey have something special going on. I think the Chaps will do just enough to slow star Jarman Johnson down.

Well, the fans are starting to pile in now to the tune of their respective school chants. This is absolutley awesome. This place will proably be full before 6 p.m. But plenty of standing room looks to be available.

IF you decide to stay home, remember this is the Coming atcha LIVE blog. I'll be back before kickoff. Now time to watch fans fight for seats,

Well, well, well. Excuse me if I take almost as much pride in picking the outcome of last night's game as did the actual players and coaches for winning the thing. I'm a gloater. I gloat. It's what I do.

Now, Boedeker said he wanted his crow medium rare. What say the rest of you? I'm a pretty good cook. EAT IT.

First of all, I have to back my boy up on all the John Walsh comments. You people are insane. You're football parents, I know. It comes with the territory. But that does not excuse maligning a decent man because he lost a football game.

Second, Scotty Young. Say it with me now, SCOTTY YOUNG. This is a kid who has unfairly taken so much heat on this board, and he shoved a stinky football sock deep down the throat of any and all HATERS last night. Five touchdowns against the best defense in 4A speaks louder than any comment on the DRC high school blog.

Y'all really do crack us up with some of the ridiculous thoughts put forth on this blog. After what was a great game in a great atmosphere last night, I get on to read the 100-plus comments made since game time yesterday and there are a few things that just make me laugh, along with some insightful football discussion.

First off, let's address a couple of things: Comparing Guyer to Dallas Carter is hilarious. You need to do your research about what Dallas Carter did back in the 80s. Second, let's just stop the "John Walsh is a kid batterer" talk right now. That's the most ridiculous idea that I think has ever been posted on this blog and clearly comes from people who have never been in any kind of competitive situation with their backs against the wall in their lives. Walsh is a quality coach and a quality guy. In fact, if you want to talk about the state's best in HS coaches, you won't find two better than were on the sidelines last night at Collins. It's really comical that some people actually look at what Walsh did as "assault." I'm hoping it's just a joke, if not, you have issues. So if a player does that to another player, would that be assault in the eyes of the law? Just curious.

Anyway, on to the important, relevant stuff:

1:18 4Q: I'm heading down to the field to talk to folks.

5:20 4Q: Guyer had four straight first downs to the Ryan 12-yard line but then couldn't punch it in after a big sack from Paramore. Ryan takes over at its 10 and this game is over, folks.

7:34 4Q: Guyer will start this drive at its 23. It's going to take a miracle for the Wildcats to go 10-0 now.

7:39 4Q: That could be church for Guyer. It sure would appear that way. The interception in the end zone hurt, but Kaylon Alexander just killed the Wildcats with a 39-yard touchdown run on 3rd-1. That is Ryan's fourth straight TD.

The game started unquestionably in Guyer's favor. The Wildcats got a big punt return that set up a one-play scoring drive and Guyer's defense pitched two straight three-and-outs to open the game with sacks on each of the drives.

Then everything turned around. Ryan scored on three straight drives and Guyer went on an offensive drought thanks to some uncharacteristically sloppy play and punted three straight times. Then at the end of the half, Guyer got on track with two scoring drives and picked off Scotty Young in the end zone to close the half, so we have a 22-21 Ryan lead at the break.

I think both teams are settled in now, so the second half should be very entertaining, as if the first half wasn't. I think what stands out most to me is you have to give Ryan a ton of credit for the way they bounced back after the first two offensive drives, that could have killed their confidence, but it didn't. And now they have a halftime lead.

0:00 2Q: On 1st-10 from the Guyer 31, Scotty Young went for Cudd again in the right corner of the end zone but it was picked by Orabuchi to end the half. John Walsh is on the telecast talking about all of the negative plays on the Wildcats' first two real offensive drives, when they ran six plays for -17 yards thanks to some fumbles and general ugliness. He vowed that wouldn't return in the second half. If Guyer is to win this game, they can't.

0:10 2Q: Michael Cudd just burned Orabuchi again down the right sideline but the ball was overthrown. Still Ryan ball at the 50.

1:03 2Q: Ryan starts at its 35 after a pooch kickoff.

And this place is jam-packed -- at least the press box is. It's full. They're sending scouts upstairs to the film deck, and this place is a big one and hard to fill up.

So even though some people might say this game isn't that big of a deal, that proves otherwise. I'll tell you what else proves otherwise -- the players who were getting pretty fired up during pregame warmups. The Ryan players had a cool little display where they walked toward the Guyer side in a big group all slow and warrior-like chanting.

About all that can be said about this game has probably already been said. I still say if both teams play to their full potential, Guyer wins by 2-3 scores. In order for Ryan to have a chance, they have to play perfectly and hope Guyer makes a couple of mistakes. That could all very well happen, but once again I'm making my prediction at Guyer 45, Ryan 27. My colleague, Matt Martinez, is predicting a score of : Ryan 45, Guyer 42.

I also got word from John Walsh that wide receiver/punt returner extraordinare Cameron Hunter will indeed play tonight after getting hurt in the waning minutes of last week's win over Wichita Falls.

We're a little less than seven hours from kickoff at C.H. Collins in a game that has been circled on my calendar since the summer. Literally, it was circled, I had to scratch it out and circle the 5th after the change. Stupid UIL rule that prohibits live TV games on Friday nights...

Anyway, this game has lost a bit of its luster as both teams aren't undefeated like we'd all hoped to see, but make no mistake, and don't listen to what some folks out of the Ryan camp are saying, this is a big game -- to all involved.

I'm going to highlight two of many matchups on the field tonight that I think will play a big part in deciding the game, and will end with my official prediction.

The Ryan linebackers have been a strength for the Raiders this season, even after sophomore Jordan Richmond went down for the season with a shoulder injury, in part due to the rise of another sophomore, Jerrick Harvey.

Alex De La Torre continues to shine and lead the unit, but after Harvey's injury last week against The Colony, he will not play against Guyer, either. He suffered a pretty unusual injury, which ultimately equates to having a stinger from the lower back all the way down one leg. He won Ryan Player of the Week after the Little Elm game after going for 15 tackles and a recovered fumble.

With Richmond out since the Little Elm game, the linebacking corps has changed lately and will continue to be in flux going into the Guyer game tomorrow. De La Torre and rover Colby Boliver will be the ones Flo & Co. need to step up to provide the unit with the stability they have given the defense in the middle all year.

Well, it's your favorite time of the week -- time to post the lines supplied by our friends at HuddleUpTexas.com.

Ryan vs. Guyer (-16): I've been saying for weeks now, I think Guyer wins the game by 2-3 scores, so the line is set just about where I thought it would be. I honestly believe Ryan will have to play the perfect game to be able to pull this one out. There's no doubt the Raiders are a great team and actually are set up to make a nice postseason run. I just think this Guyer team is better than great, and the way the teams match up favors Guyer pretty convincingly. I say Guyer wins by 17.

Little Elm (-15) at Denton: Yay. The Broncos have another game at Bronco Field. That should be extra incentive to win, but it won't matter. Look, there's been a lot of talk of disrespect toward Little Elm recently. The fact of the matter is, the Lobos are 3-6. Yes, they made the playoffs and almost beat Ryan and should be commended for that. Next, they will beat an 0-for-district team in Denton. Little Elm covers.

Lake Dallas at The Colony (+35): The Colony has beaten the Falcons the past two seasons. The Falcons are all cheering for Ryan to beat Guyer to give them a chance at a three-way district title, but Lake Dallas can't forget to take care of business against the Cougars. I think they will, but I think it might be surprisingly close (like three scores). Cougars with the points.

Rider (-8) vs. Old High: Who really cares anymore? It's a sad day when neither Rider nor Old High will be in the playoffs, especially when that fate is decided before Week 10. I've been saying all year I thought Rider was clear fourth-best team in this district. I was wrong. I think Rider covers, but then again, like I said, who really cares?

Good thing I brought my five favorite books and movies to the deserted island real estate on which I currently find myself standing.

Let it be known, I have not officially picked Ryan to win the game.... but I still could change my mind. I have and will once again, for purposes of this post only, predict a Guyer win by one touchdown. My esteemed colleague Matthew Muench has muenchioned his 4-touchdown blowout theory time and time again, but who is even listening to that guy anymore?

Everywhere I go around town, I get this general feeling from people who want to talk about the game that if Ryan shows up and plays one if its best games, like it did against Rider oh so long ago, the Raiders could keep the game close.

This is the week we have all been waiting for. At the beginning of the season everyone marked their calendar to this week only for one game - District 5-4A's battle between Ryan and Guyer.
However, there is a lot more excitement in the area than what we thought. In Class 3A Argyle will be at home against traditional powerhouse Celina for a chance to win the district title. And in Class 2A, undefeated teams Aubrey and Pilot Point will square off for the District 10-2A title.
Plus, by the end of Friday night we all should know who is in the playoffs and who is out. And we will know who will be facing who in the postseason.
Raise your hand if you're ready for Friday.

FIXED

As some of you might heard, there will be a playoff quadrupleheader at JerryWorld next weekend involving teams from 6-5A and 5-5A. So while no area schools will be involved in that zoo, I do have the sites and days for the three 5-4A area schools.

If Lake Dallas ends up playing Aledo in the first round, it will be on Friday the 13th at Justin Northwest. If the Falcons draw Birdville, it will be the same day at Saginaw HS, both are TBA on time.

Guyer will play on Thursday the 12th, following John Walsh's favored schedule of playing Thursday in the first round, Friday in the second and Saturday in the third and on. The Wildcats will return to Southlake's Dragon Stadium, where they won their first two playoff games last year.

Ryan will also be opening the playoffs on Thursday at Justin Northwest. We won't know who plays who until Thursday night. The winner of Thursday night's game gets Saginaw in the first round, who Guyer already beat this season, 35-8. The loser will get Saginaw Boswell.

Make your plans!

It was no secret last year that Guyer's defense was the edge the Wildcats had over the rest of the district. Yeah, the Wildcats finished third in district play, but one can definitely argue they had a better season than the two teams who finished ahead of them and had they met those teams in the 14th week of the season, they would've likely been favored.

So, after losing some key contributors like DT Spencer Wilson (61 tackles, 4.5 sacks, 34 QB hurries), DE Garrett Talburt (60 tackles, 21 hurries, 2.5 sacks) and MLB Cody Marley (87 tackles, 4 forced fumbles) and the "Death Row" moniker given to the Front 4 for the affinity for run stuffing, who would've thought the 2009 edition could be better?

While I wouldn't have ruled it out, I certainly didn't see it as a forgone conclusion though Guyer coaches kept telling me they'd be fine. Judging by the numbers alone, they were right, and it's not even close.

Follow the jump for a numbers comparison from 2008 to 2009. Keep in mind, the competition this year hasn't been as good as District 5-4A, aside from three teams, is one big cakewalk. But the numbers slant so heavily to 2009, it's hard to use that as an argument.

First off, there was the "call-a-timeout-to-ask-a-team-to-not-kneel-the-ball-and-give-up-a-long-TD-run" tactic by Little Elm coach Donald Stowers, who I confirmed was not upset with Guyer coach John Walsh for going to a "victory formation" with more than three minutes left last week but simply wanted work for his defense.

Then, in Friday's win 54-21 win over Wichita Falls, in which Guyer scored all 54 of its points in the first half -- all on 32 offensive snaps -- Walsh and Old High coach Jayson Lavender met with officials at halftime and decided to go with a "quick clock", which means the clock didn't stop on out-of-bounds plays or incomplete passes. It was a great thing for sports writers, but shortened the amount of time Guyer backups were able to play, as they played the entire second half.

Walsh doesn't normally like pulling starters before at least allowing them to run one series in the third quarter to go through the routine of making halftime adjustments, but Friday's game was different. For one, the game was well in Guyer's hands. Secondly, with Guyer's big showdown with Ryan looming on Thursday in a short week, Walsh was trying to stop from having more injuries.

Quiet end to the game, but Ryan's 48 unanswered points told the tale. 50 cents tomorrow, folks.

9:54 Q4: Will Clark runs hard on his first carry of the night, weaving through the TC defense for a 41-yard TD.

:19 Q3: Ryan is officially rolling. Anderson's third TD reception, this time from 22 yards out, means 41 unanswered for the Raiders. Completions to everyone along the way, including Bud's first catch of the night, which went for 18 yards.

3:34 Q3: Tony Edberg just took an INT return back off a totally wrong route or offensive breakdown 77 yards to the end zone. PAT good.

7:10: Q3: Johnny Paramore jumps on a Garrett Simpson fumble as he was stretching for a score near the Ryan goal line, and five plays later, the Raiders were in the end zone after a quick 99-yard drive. 70-yard touchdown bomb to Michael big-play Cudd. Burned his defender. Burned.

11:57 Q3: The Colony with a surprise onside kick and TC's Jordan Downing recovers near midfield. Ryan obviously will not get the ball first.

12:00 Q3: Ryan will get the ball first to start the third quarter. They already have the momentum. Keep it locked, folks, let's see if this gets any prettier (or uglier). Halftime seems like it went a little long, let's see if that hampers anyone's mojo.

2:22 4Q: Guyer starts at its 32 after a punt.

5:25 4Q: Guyer turned over on downs at the WF 21. This running clock is a God send.

8:24 4Q: An offensive lineman for Guyer is hurt.

10:20 4Q: Cameron Hunter just was helped off the field with a leg injury of some sort. That's bad news for Guyer.

10:49 4Q: Guyer starts from its 12 and it's still mostly backups.

10:58 4Q: After a blocked punt, Wichita Falls got the ball at the Guyer 12 and two plays later scored on an option keeper by Dylan Sheffield. I'm just hoping they keep up that running clock.

3:05 3Q: Walsh usually leaves his starters in for at least one series in the third no matter the score. Not tonight. I wonder if playing Ryan on a short week has something to do with that. Old High went on a 12-play drive after Wilhite's fumble to score. And there is a beautiful thing going on here -- a RUNNING CLOCK. I guess the coaches agreed on it. That. Is. Awesome.

8:35 3Q: Wichita Falls turns it over on downs and J.W. Walsh is out with some other offensive starters. Jaimaine Wilhite just fumbled after a 12-yard run and WF recovered at the Guyer 43.

11:51 3Q: Old High starts on the Guyer 46. And Guyer has mostly backups in on defense.

We're gonna give this another go.

0:50 3Q: Franklin just threw his secdond TD pass of teh game, a 18-yard connection with Jake BAine.

5:02- 3Q: Franklin still in the game.

7:29- 3Q: Tyler McGee just blew this game wide open with a 60 yard punt return for a touchdown. Wow. That kid is fast.

9:24- 3Q: Lake Dallas scores quickly again. Dontonio Jordan just raced untouched 68 yards on a reverse play.

9:42- 3Q: Denton goes three-and out. Franklin still in at QB for LD.

12:00 - 3Q: Denton will get the ball first.