We saw a lot of success from our Big Country teams in 2A during the 2018 season, and that success is sure to roll over this year.
Starting in 2A Division I, District 3-2A brings the heat again this season. District champion Hawley and runner up Stamford are both ranked in the Dave Campbell’s Texas Football Magazine top 20, with the Bearcats punching in at 11 and the Bulldogs at 19. Hawley returns 15 starters from 2018, including running back Colton Marshall who ran for over 19 hundred yards with 27 touchdowns. The Stamford Bulldogs return 10 starters from their 9-3 team last season, but the biggest hole the Bulldogs will have to fill is that of 2018 BCH Sports Player of the Year Peyton Bevel. Another big player in District 3-2A will be the Winters Blizzards, who are coming off their best season since 2014. 15 lettermen return from the 8-4 Blizzards who made it to the Area Round of the playoffs. Expect another fantastic matchup between Hawley and Stamford for the district championship this season, as Texas Football predicts the Bearcats to finish first in the district, with Stamford second and Winters third.
There will be some new faces on the sidelines of District 7-2A this season. Andrew Dickson is the new head coach of the DeLeon Bearcats, and Keith Virdell is the new coach of the Goldthwaite Eagles. The Bearcats are coming off a fantastic 2018 season where they made it to the 2A D-I Region Finals, and they return 13 starters on both sides of the ball, including running back and defensive back Jorge Gonzales, who recorded 931 yards and 7 touchdowns on the ground, as well as 86 tackles on the season. DeLeon is slated to finish third in the district behind San Saba and Crawford. Goldthwaite is predicted to finish 6th in the district, and are looking to get back on track in 2019.
In 2A Division II, District 7-2A packs quite the punch with Albany and Hamlin both ranked in the top 10. After falling to Albany in both matchups last season, third-ranked Hamlin is predicted to end Albany’s 11 year district championship streak as they bring back 16 starters on both sides of the ball. The now junior duo of quarterback Braydin Warner and running back Jackson Sepeda highlight the offense as they combined for over 38 hundred yards and 56 touchdowns in 2018, while defensive back Jevon Williams returns to the Pipers’ shutdown defense with 90 tackles and 5 interceptions. But Hamlin’s toughest opponent will again be Albany, as the State Semifinal team returns their stud quarterback Ben West, who threw for 2679 yards and 37 TDs in his first season as a Lion. After advancing to the Area Round for the first time since 2009, the Haskell Indians are predicted to finish third in District 7-2A. The sophomore dominated Indians from 2018 are a year older with more wins under their belt, and they’re ready for more. Cross Plains is the final playoff team from the district. After finishing 7-4 in 2018, the Buffaloes have to replace their entire offensive line this season. Roscoe is predicted to finish fifth in district, but returns 16 lettermen from their young 2018 team. A shortage of numbers in the school forces the Baird Bears to play 6-man football this season.
The Munday Moguls are slated to finish 6th in District 5-2A, and the Ranger Bulldogs are predicted to finish 5th in District 6-2A.
