GAMES
RANKINGS
Will Sunnyvale Win a Two-Horse Race Again?
District 5-4A DII
Sunnyvale
Caddo Mills
Farmersville
Nevada Community
Dallas Roosevelt
Dallas Lincoln
Will Sunnyvale Win a Two-Horse Race Again?
There are three tiers in District 8-4A Division II from last year that will most likely play out the same way in 2019.
In the first tier are Sunnyvale and Caddo Mills. They finished first and second, respectively, in district and were the only teams to finish with both winning records in district and winning records overall.
Sunnyvale finished 9-1, suffering its only loss in the first round of the playoffs to Gilmer. The Raiders will be led by quarterback Tripp McAda ,who led them to a 7-on-7 state championship in College Station during the summer. Winning the 7-on-7 state title usually bodes well for those teams the following fall high school season. Along with McAda and his 40 total TDs a year ago, running back Emmanuel Arinze is back to build on his 2018 campaign and 12 other starters from last year's team.
Caddo Mills struggled early last year, going 2-2 before a 4-1 record in district play. Tyler Townley is back at quarterback to lead the Foxes' offense after racking up more than 2,100 total yards and 26 touchdowns. Caddo Mills brings back 14 starters from a year ago and 21 lettermen overall, looking to continue its upward trend.
In the middle tier will be a three-way battle for the final two playoff spots between Farmersville, Nevada Community and Dallas Roosevelt.
Farmersville makes a jump into the playoff picture bringing back 14 starters from last year's young team and having 23 lettermen back overall. Farmersville will need wins over Nevada Community and Roosevelt to make that leap this year.
Nevada Community makes it back to the playoffs thanks to having 25 lettermen and 11 starters back from last year's team, led by two-way starter Kannon Morrow, who was all-district on both sides of the ball.
Unfortunately, that leaves Roosevelt on the outside looking in as it only brings back 10 lettermen from a year ago. Roosevelt is unproven at quarterback coming into the year, which could make it challenging to get the ball to its playmakers.
VYPE Preseason Awards
MVP: QB/LB Tripp McAda, Sunnyvale
Offensive MVP: QB Tyler Towney, Caddo Mills
Defensive MVP: LB Devin Sterling, Sunnyvale
Breakout Player of the Year: RB Jacquez Simpson, Farmersville
Sleeper Team: Nevada Community
How Far Can Midlothian Heritage Go in 2019?
District 9-4A DI
Midlothian Heritage
Crandall
Athens
Mabank
Waxahachie Life
Quinlan Ford
How Far Can Midlothian Heritage Go in 2019?
The stars are aligning for Midlothian Heritage in 2019 to make another run through district and a deep run through the playoffs. For the last two years, Midlothian Heritage has gone undefeated in district play only to be bounced in the regional semifinals - by Kennedale in 2017 and Carthage in overtime in 2018.
Lee Wiginton has seen his team go a combined 23-3 the last two seasons but 2019 is as good a team as ever to break through and make it to State with 11 starters and 22 lettermen returning. He'll have three-star senior wideout Jay Wilkerson - 1,287 receiving yards and 19 TDs - and junior running back Cullen Stone - 471 yards and four scores - back to carry the load for an offense that will have to figure out will lead them at quarterback.
Crandall will be light in returning starters with just eight, but have a number of two-ways players back to provide veteran leadership and easily secure a playoff spot for coach Zack Hudson. Calon Davis is the workhorse on the defensive line and will continue to cause chaos up the middle for a defense that will be the strong suit of this year's team.
The offense will be the unit to carry coach Zach Harrel's Athens team in 2019 as it returns eight starters from a year ago. The biggest question mark will be the defense that only has two coming back from last year's squad that gave up 41.5 points a game, which included giving up more than 50 three times (one being a 68-point performance by Heritage).
Mabank is a team slowly trending up each and every year since 2014 and with 17 starters returning from Zack Hudson's team last year, it's possible Mabank gets that all-important second or third win in district to make the playoffs. The swing game will most likely be against Waxahachie Life on October 25.
VYPE Preseason Awards
MVP: WR Jay Wilkerson, Midlothian Heritage
Offensive MVP: RB Nathan Sims, Athens
Defensive MVP: LB Konner Jones, Midlothian Heritage
Breakout Player of the Year: WR Tony Evans, Waxahachie Life
Sleeper Team: Mabank