NORTH SHORE VS. ATASCOCITA
2 p.m. today at Turner Stadium
If the end of an era looms with the graduation of North Shore’s 2021 class, then the Mustangs’ regular-season dominance since 2018 deserves some perspective. North Shore is outscoring opponents in the regular season 1,458295 over a three-year span. The run is buoyed by 2018’s 554-54 pace. The Mustangs are 41-1 in the regular season since 2018, with no shame in the one in the loss column being Katy in 2019. The end of the regular season nears for both North Shore and Atascocita. North Shore bested Atascocita 76-49 in last year’s regional final. Atascocita won’t be overlooked, nor should it. Inclement weather and the coronavirus prevented Atascocita fromhaving many chances to prove it, but the 4-1 Eagles are once again one of the Houston area’s best teams even amid a youth movement. The 28-24 win over C.E. King two weeks ago is the perfect midseason catapult. Is it enough to knock off the best team in the state?
CY-FAIR VS. BRIDGELAND
7 p.m. today at Cy-Fair FCU Stadium
No one had a de-facto Cypress-Fairbanks ISD championship game penciled on the schedule, but it’s here. The two 9-0 teams are state-ranked in the top 10 — Cy-Fair is sixth and Bridgeland eighth. Everything about the matchup on paper says it’s a high-stakes, late-season game, but with Cy-Fair already winning 17-6A and Bridgeland doing the same with 16-6A, it’s simply a warm-up with a lot of bragging rights on the line for fans. With Duncanville and DeSoto’s game being canceled, itmay be the state’s most high-profilematchup this week.
THEWOODLANDS VS. COLLEGE PARK 7 p.m. today atWoodforest Stadium
College Park is in the playoffs for the first time since 2015. The Cavaliers have never won a district title. Rival The Woodlands has nine district titles since 2006, College Park’s first year of varsity play. This game either signals a change at the top of Conroe ISD or TheWoodlands exerting its dominance as usual.
HUNTSVILLE VS. MONTGOMERY
7:30 p.m. today atMISD Stadium
Both teams have a win over district stalwart and stateranked A&M Consolidated this season. For Huntsville, it was validation the Hornets are still a contender no matter who they lost to graduation. For Montgomery, it was a wake-up call that the Bears should be taken more seriously. Now, Huntsville and Montgomery meet with the winner clinching a share of the District 10-5A Division II title and a top seed in the bracket.
ST. THOMAS VS. MIDLAND CHRISTIAN
5 p.m. Saturday at Fredericksburg High School
It’s unfair to place Houston’s hopes of capturing long evasive postseason success in TAPPS Division I on one team. The city hasn’t seen a TAPPS Division I state champion since St. Pius X won it all in 2007. It feels like everything is lined up for the Eagles to have a special year. QBMaddox Kopp is already having one. The UH pledge should surpass 3,000 yards and 29 TDs passing Saturday. Midland Christian took down St. Pius X 64-28 in last week’s area round.