GAMES
RANKINGS
VYPE/ESPN Austin Central Texas Game of the Week Preview: Vandegrift vs. Steele
Call it “Monochrome Bowl IV.”
The Vandegrift Vipers (school colors: black, silver and white) will face the Cibolo Steel Knights (school colors: black, silver and white) in a 6A D2 Region IV Semifinal showdown Friday (11/29) at The Alamodome.
Dig out the old-school 1950’s-era black and white tube TV from the attic.
Their school colors may be from a gray scale, but the fireworks these teams produce are in Technicolor. Coach Drew Sanders’ Vipers (11-1) have lit up the scoreboard for 42.5 points-per-game, often with the starters resting on the sidelines by early in the third quarter. Junior quarterback Miles Teodecki (141-211, 2,249 yds., 30 TDs, 8 INTs) has spread the ball around to an ever-increasing number of receivers, let by Brock Chilton and George Farley. Senior running back Brendan Fornier (137-831, 6.1 YPC, 13 TDs) has also come on strong since returning to the lineup full time from an early season injury.
The Vipers’ defense has gotten healthy and improved dramatically since giving up 49 points to Cedar Park in Week Two. Led by veterans Ian Witt, Daeshon Morgan, Adam Scott and Hollister Stephens, Vandegrift gives up just 11.4 points-per-game, with much of that surrendered by reserves.
Cibolo Steele’s offensive numbers are even gaudier. Senior quarterback Chad Warner (158-197, 3,009 Yds., 40 TDs, INT) and junior running back Jonathan Hatton (121-1,147, 9.5 YPC, 14 TDs) power an offense that has scored at least 49 points in every game since suffering their only loss against Westlake. The Knights have averaged 55.8 PPG over the course of the season.
Steele’s defense has excelled as well, allowing two scores or less in eight of their 12 games with two shutouts.
The Knights knocked the Vipers out of the playoffs in Vandegrift’s first two years as a 6A program before the Vipers returned the favor in 2021. Neither team has been challenged in a game since September, which will make mental toughness under adversity at least as much of a factor as anything else.
Toss a TV dinner onto the oven, throw some Jiffy Pop into the microwave and get ready for Monochrome Bowl IV.
What: 6A D2 Region IV SemifinalWhen: 2:40 Pregame, 3:00 Kickoff
Where: The Alamodome
Who: Merle Bertrand, Hank Hudson, Matt Sanders
Watch: https://www.vype.com/nfhs-6a-dii-football-reg-iv-semifinal-vandegrift-vs-cibolo-steele OR https://www.nfhsnetwork.com/events/uil/gam5afd5aac2b
THE POWER RANKINGS: Perennial Austin-area girls powers stake early claim to local basketball dominance
Ladies first. So says tradition and most of the etiquette books on the market. (And yes, there is an “Etiquette for Dummies” book, which is just about my speed.) But it’s also the case when it comes to Texas High School Girls Basketball, which always starts its season a week ahead of the guys.
As we’re still immersed in football, and volleyball has just wrapped up, we’re not quite ready to break out the Austin area Girls Basketball polls just yet – but they’re coming. In the meantime, quite a collection of teams are off to tremendous starts.
Vista Ridge (12-2) has virtually everyone back from last year’s young playoff team and figures to duel it out with Vandegrift (11-5) for the District 25-6A title. Bowie (11-4) and Westlake (8-2) seem to be the early cream of the 26-6A crop.
5A is where the serious action is. The top teams overall record-wise so far are Georgetown (10-1) from District 23-5A; Bastrop (12-1) and Crockett (10-2) in 24-5A -- and pick your team out of 25-5A.
Seriously.
Seven of the eight teams in that district are well over .500 in the early going, with traditional powers Liberty Hill (9-1), Rouse (8-2) and last year’s State semifinalist Cedar Park (8-2) leading the way.
It’s going to be fun watching these races all play out. And here’s a guarantee that just when we think we’ve got it all figured out and start cranking our Austin area Girls Basketball poll in the next week or two, the only experts who matter – the teams themselves – will cast the only votes that count from gyms across the CenTex area.