Ballinger favored, Wylie seeks respect in tough District 6-3A

DISTRICT 6-3A

By Justin Jones
Special to the Reporter-News
August 24, 2003

The Wylie High School football team enters this season as a four-time defending district champion.

However, the Bulldogs will not enter the season as the preseason favorite to win the District 6-3A title.

That honor goes to Ballinger High School, a team that hasn’t won a district title since 1985.

With two new coaches and six evenly matched teams, league coaches are predicting an extremely tight race.

“District this year probably will be as tough as it has ever been, from top to bottom,” said Ballinger coach Mickey Owens, whose squad advanced to the third round of the playoffs last year, falling, 42-21, to Greenwood. “You can’t look ahead in this district because if you do, you’ll get your head beat.”

Ballinger, which finished 7-3 overall and 4-1 in district play last season, enters this year without a lot of depth. However, Owens said the Bearcats should go far with their senior leadership.

Of the Bearcats 26 varsity players, 20 are seniors, including all-state honorable mention running back Antonio Posey.

Posey, who also was named to the All-Big Country and West Texas teams, finished last season with 1,600 yards rushing.

“Our running game has to get it going,” said Owens, who enters his third year as Ballinger’s head coach. “Antonio is important to that, but it will take a team effort to be successful this year.”

Running also should be key for Wylie, which enters the season with just two returning starters — one on each side of the ball. Eric Wilson returns on the offensive line, while Tyler Crump is at defensive tackle.

“On paper, Ballinger is the overwhelming favorite, but everybody in the district will be better,” Wylie coach Hugh Sandifer said.

And to better prepare his team for the district play, the 17-year Bulldog coach loaded his non-district schedule. Four of Wylie’s first five opponents are state-ranked.

“We take a lot of pride in having won the last four district titles,” Sandifer said. “Our kids have worked very hard to put themselves at the top of the district. This team will do the same thing.”

Wylie is coming off a 9-3 overall record and perfect 5-0 league mark. The Bulldogs lost to Everman in the regional round of the playoffs last season.

“Our kids expect to be at the top, fighting for the district title,” Sandifer said. “They know what’s expected of them. But there is a lot to get done before all of that happens.”
Comanche also expects to be at the top of the district, despite what the preseason polls say.

“We are kind of being overlooked,” said Comanche coach Malcom Moerbe, whose squad lost to Iowa Park, 28-12, in the first round of the playoffs last year. “But that has motivated the guys. We will just have to earn some respect by playing well and winning games.”

Offensively, Comanche will be led by its senior veterans Brady Tyson (quarterback) and Weston Franco (running back). Both are four-year letterman and will provide experience for a team that doesn’t have a ton of depth.

“Anytime you have guys with that much experience you are going to count on them,” said Moerbe, whose Indians have made the playoffs three straight years.

Clyde and Early high schools will rely on new coaches to lead them to the postseason.
Slagle, who served as Clyde’s offensive coordinator for the past three seasons, takes over for a team that finished 5-5 overall and just missed a playoff spot with a 2-3 league mark.

“Being with the program for the past few years and seeing how close we’ve come, we will have high expectations this year,” Slage said. “District will be very competitive and we will have to play on a high level every week.”

Clyde learned that lesson last year after suffering three tough district losses — each coming from the league’s playoff teams. Clyde fell to Ballinger (17-14), Wylie (17-7) and Comanche (13-7).

“We felt like last year we could have been a playoff team. We knew even at the end of the season we had our opportunities to win,” Slagle said.

Headlining the returnees for Clyde are seniors Kolby Rowley at quarterback and Nick Rhodes at linebacker.

With a proven winner in Tindol, Early hopes to sneak up on the pack despite the Longhorns’ last-place finish in 2002.

“Our goal is to make the playoffs this year,” said Tindol, who coached Roscoe in 1995 to a Class A state runner-up finish. “We are going to make it fun to where the players can pick up on the excitement. I want the players to dream big and realize that anybody can do it if they work hard enough.”

Early, which finished 2-8 overall last season and 0-5 in district, hasn’t made the playoffs since 1958.

The Longhorns will be solid at the quarterback spot, where juniors Tim Everett and Cody Lilley vie for playing time. The defensive secondary will be led by seniors Brandon Walters and Skyler Middleton.

“There will be some good ballgames week in and week out in this district,” Tindol said.

“With a six-team district you will have to beat some teams in your district.”
Brady High School completes the district’s six-team list. Brady finished 4-6 overall, struggling in district with a 1-4 record.

With an older team and a system his players are starting to adopt, Brady coach Todd Bandy believes his team will be able to compete better this season.

“We are a better football team this year and look forward to the season,” Bandy said. “As for the district, Ballinger is going to be tough again and Wylie will reload, again. The rest of us also have a shot to get in, if one of us beat one of those guys.”

6-3A SCHEDULE