Judson-Lewisville, Grapevine-Hays Consolidated vie for titles

By JAIME ARON / Associated Press

DALLAS - When Class 4A was split into two divisions before this season, critics screamed it was a sham, merely another way to get 5A schools into the playoffs without really helping teams already in 4A.

The argument could be settled on the field Saturday as the first 4A Division I championship pits a team from each side of the debate: 4A mainstay Hays Consolidated (13-0) and Grapevine (14-0), one of the 5A schools dropped down for the 4A expansion.

Coming off a 5-5 season, Hays seemed like the type of team that would need the extra playoff berth that came with the new system just to make the postseason.

"I didn't really think about it in those terms," Rebels coach Bob Shelton said. "We went to the quarterfinals in '94, then last year we had a lot of injuries. So I felt if things broke right for us we would have a good ballclub."

A few good breaks, plus a backfield boasting three 1,000-yard rushers, has helped Hays reach its first title game.

The new system has affected the Rebels' route - the last two weeks, they've played former 5A playoff teams Texas City and Alice.

Now, they must get by one more: Grapevine, a 5A playoff team two of the last three years and the overwhelming favorite for this crown since realignment was announced in February.

"All I know is we've held up our end of the prognostications," Mustangs coach Mike Sneed said. "Basically, we've had a bullseye on us all year, but the kids have stood up to it all year."

In a way, the pressure is finally off Grapevine because it has advanced as far as possible. Still, Sneed said that's not enough.

"A lot of teams that make it this far are just glad they got there and winning is secondary," he said. "Not us."

Grapevine-Hays is one of four title games this weekend. The others feature defending 5A Division I champion Converse Judson (13-1) against Lewisville (14-0); Class A's seasonlong No. 1 Windthorst (14-0) against Tenaha (14-0); and Whitharral (14-0) against Gordon (14-0) in the game Six-Man fans have waited all year to see.

Judson may be running out of room in its trophy case as the Rockets seek their fourth crown in five years.

Lewisville has been here before, too. The Farmers were the 1993 5A Division II champions.

"Early in the year I kind of got ticked because people were trying to compare us to (the '93 team) and I thought that was unfair to these kids," Lewisville coach Ronnie Gage said. "That team was more talented; it had several Division I prospects. They were bigger and more physical, too.

"But now I see they're similar in a lot of ways. The chemistry is the same with both groups and they both found a way to win. This team, though, has been more consistent from day one to this point."

The Farmers may have an edge in that the Rockets aren't used to seeing a wishbone offense. The closest they've come is four straight years against Corpus Christi Carroll, which uses the formation but passes a lot.

"The last time we've seen it in the playoffs was against Houston Stratford," Judson coach D.W. Rutledge said, "in 1988."

The last time Windthorst was in a football title game was 1972, when it lost 6-0 to Chilton for the Class B crown.

Now, the Trojans are one of the up-and-coming programs in the state. They went 6-4 in 1994, coach Bill Green's first year, then were 10-2 area finalists last year.

"People have had trouble stopping us because we play real physical, real strong," Green said. Then he laughs and says, "But we can't run a sweep because we're not that fast."

Tenaha, a playoff perennial making its championship game debut, is Windthorst's opposite: small and fast.

The Tigers have a quick-strike offense led by sophomore quarterback Chavis McCallister and a flock of speedy receivers.

"We've got to utilize our speed against their strength," coach Raymond Jackson said. "If our speed doesn't win out, then we're in for a long night."

Elsewhere, the other four championship races - 5A and 4A Division II, 3A and 2A - move into the semifinals.

Highlighting those games is the fourth straight semifinal meeting between La Marque (12-2) and Corpus Christi Calallen (14-0). La Marque has won the last three, losing two title games to Stephenville before beating Denison for the crown last year.

Despite the streak, La Marque isn't taking Calallen lightly.

"They're offense is more diversified this year, so they're harder to prepare for," La Marque coach Alan Weddell said. "This is probably the best defense they've had."

Calallen coach Phil Danaher - seeking his first title in his 25 season, 13 with the Wildcats - said he wouldn't want to be playing anyone else.

"Really, if we're going to go on and win a state championship, we'd want to play La Marque," Danaher said. "We wouldn't want anyone to say we sidestepped them."

Other playoff notes: two-time defending 3A champion Sealy (13-1) can break Austin Reagan's state record of 16 straight playoff wins by beating Coldspring (13-1), while 2A Ganado's 18 straight wins are the state's best right now.