GAMES
RANKINGS
Battle-Tested: All of District 21-6A still standing entering Regional Semis
HOUSTON – The Texas high school football playoffs could be best compared to a heavy-weight championship boxing match.
Whichever teams are still standing after six brutal rounds are the champions. That's it.
With the first two rounds in the books, every District 21-6A team – North Shore, Atascocita, C.E. King and Summer Creek – has taken their punches but are all still standing entering the Regional Semifinals.
"It just shows the competition in the district, and I think a lot of people realize that it was one of the toughest districts," Atascocita coach Craig Stump said. "Even though West Brook didn't make it, they would've probably made it in a lot of districts.
"It's hard to tell while you're in it because you're in the middle of it. But when you get out and start seeing other districts it says a lot about it. I think it's real important who you play."
As the playoffs push into the third round, District 21-6A is the only Class 6A District in the State of Texas that has all four playoff teams still in.
There are four districts that have three teams each (5-6A, 11-6A, 19-6A and 26-6A) and four with just two teams left (4-6A, 10-6A, 14-6A and 31-6A).
But none with four.
"It speaks volumes of the level of competition in our district," Summer Creek coach Kenny Harrison told VYPE via text. "Labeled as the toughest district in the state before the season began, and this district has prepared you to be sound in all three phases. It has prepared the four of us to be able to play at a very high level the first two rounds."
If you take the time and look at the history of the teams in District 21-6A, there is a reason many believe it is one of the toughest in the state.
North Shore has won three state championships since 2015; Atascocita is into the Regional Semis for a seventh-straight season and were State Semifinalists in 2016; and Beaumont West Brook – which finished 5th and out of the playoffs – was a state runner-up back in 2018.
District of Doom is a fair name.
"You don't have any weeks off," C.E. King coach Derek Fitzhenry said about the competition level of 21-6A play. "All the teams are capable of beating you with the slightest margin of error. A mistake here or there and the game is out of reach.
"You have to continually grow each week to keep up."
That experience has shown in the first two rounds.
In the Bi-District Round, every team scored 49 or more points – North Shore scoring the most beating Pasadena Dobie 62-14. In the Area Round, three of the four teams scored 35 or more points. With the wins, District 21-6A now boasts three 10-win teams (North Shore at 11-1), and a nine-win squad.
In 12 games played, every playoff team is averaging 39 or more points – Summer Creek leading with 45.416 per game.
"It says a lot about the quality of coaching and athletes we have in District 21-6A," Fitzhenry said.
With the way the bracket is set up, if every District 21-6A team wins this week, that will set up all-District 21-6A State Quarterfinals in Class 6A Division I – Atascocita vs North Shore – and Division II – C.E. King vs Summer Creek – in Region III.
"I've had the opportunity to watch these 21-6A teams play throughout the entire year. I can't say that I'm surprised by their success, and I truly hope it continues," North Shore coach Jon Kay said. "I think it's testament to the quality of football on the Eastside. I'm looking forward to seeing all of us compete this weekend against some incredible opponents."
THE SCOOP: La Porte's Regis draws motivation from anime
Some high school football prospects don't have much to say. Chalk it up to just being teen-age boys, right?
La Porte's Albert Regis is not that guy. He's thoughtful and has plenty to say.
Regis' family is of Caribbean descent but the 6-foot-2, 260-pound hybrid athlete was born in the United States. He's from a soccer family, he's very spiritual, he's competitive and he has a pretty unique hobby.
"My parents moved from St. Lucia," he said. "My dad worked for Exxon and played soccer on the side. He could have played for the Dynamo but went to work instead. My brother was really good at soccer and I just had God-given talent in the sport. I knew early though, that my talent was going to be in football."
"When I was four-years old, my goal was to make it to the league and get drafted by the Texans," he said. "That's still my goal."
Regis was the District 21-6A Sophomore of the Year in 2018 and the first-team, all-district tight end as a junior.
Because of his size and athletic ability, Regis was used on both sides of the ball.
"I had to learn to play defense during games," he said. "It was very confusing and the coaches thought they were putting too much on me. I had no choice -- I wanted to help my team win. It took a lot of studying but it all came together by the later part of the season. I was proud of how I played."
By season's end, he had game-film playing tight end, wide receiver, fullback, defensive end and outside linebacker.
"My goal this summer is to work on my defensive line craft," he said. "This year I'll be playing even more both ways. I'm working on shooting my hands, getting stronger and faster."
Baylor was first to offer Regis during his sophomore year. More have followed to include TCU, SMU, Minnesota, UH, Texas Tech, Tennessee and Virginia Tech to name a few.
"No one in my family has been through the recruiting process," he said. "I've just trusted my gut. If it weren't for my mom and God, I couldn't get through the process."
"I never thought I was going to get an offer and would get so discouraged," he said. "My mom would keep saying… 'have faith and talk to God.' That's what I did. I could feel him responding to me. It was a different voice than the one usually in your head saying, 'be patient, your time will come.'"
The offers have come and will continue to roll in, but here's a tip for potential suitors.
"I really hate partying, drinking and smoking," the honor roll student said. "I can't be around it. I'm either at the gym or hanging out with my family of a small group of friends. I can never see myself at a big party school, regardless of how good the school is."
"I have bigger things I'm striving for. I'm spending a lot of time on this decision...it's the next four years of my life away from home. You better believe it's going to get my full attention."
When he's not focusing on football, he's watching Anime.
"I've been watching Anime since I was young," he laughed. "If you really pay attention to it, there are so many motivational quotes to apply to your everyday life. I don't know what people are going through, but if I feel like someone is struggling, I will send some videos to them."
"For example, when 'Goku' is training, he is giving full effort. You can see their passion and grit. If that doesn't motivate you, I don't know what will."
Regis has put that motivation to good work as he has become one of more highly-recruited athletes to come out of La Porte.
"On a day I get an offer, my mom tells me to celebrate and take the day off," he said. "After about two hours, I gotta get back to work to improve myself physically or spiritually."
Sounds like Goku to me...