DCTF says Roscoe, Blackwell are county’s only playoff teams in 2022
Football season is nearly here, but it has arrived already for many fans with the 2022 arrival of Dave Campbell’s legendary publication.
Texas Football magazine, however, says only a pair of Nolan County teams will be in the playoffs after the regular season comes to an end in early November, with the other two staying home.
Roscoe is the only area football team to receive a top-25 preseason ranking from TF. The Plowboys are No. 24 in Class 2A, Division II after finishing last season with a 10-2 record, their most wins in 13 years and first district title since the 2015 season. The Plowboys, though, are picked to finish second to Albany — ranked No. 1 in Class 2A DII — in their new district despite the return of six offensive and nine defensive starters.
Roscoe’s Trace Guelker is preseason defensive MVP of District 6-2A DII at linebacker. The Plowboys begin play Aug. 26, when they entertain Colorado City.
Ivan McCann, Jax Watts, Seth Wilcox, Parker Gleaton, Peyton Friedman, Jacob Kiser and Gaven Martinez are other “players to watch” for the Plowboys.
Blackwell, 4-7 a year ago, is picked to finish second in District 13-1A DII and get to the playoffs for the sixth straight year. TF is picking Loraine, which is ranked No. 14 in Class 1A DII, to win the district title. Blackwell returns four offensive and three defensive starters, and Kyler Cummings is preseason offensive MVP at wide receiver.
The Hornets’ season opener Aug. 26 will be a home game with Aspermont.
Dylan Taylor and Matthew Shipman are the other “players to watch.”
Highland, 5-5 last year, is picked this season to finish fourth in District 8-1A DI out of six teams. The Hornets are in the same district again with Westbrook, No. 1 in 1A DI, which won the state title in 2021. Highland has three offensive and four defensive starters back this year. Brandon Barkley, Kason Wehba, Cooper Bowen, Bubba Byrne, Josh Hale, Tate Cain, Blayne Bankhead, Braxton Lopez, Tristen Harding, Tylan Balthrop and Braxten Smith are “players to watch” for the Hornets, who last made the playoffs in 2017. Highland begins its 2022 season on Aug. 26 by hosting Loraine.
So what about 4A Sweetwater? The Mustangs, who are coming off back-to-back years when they won their district title, are picked to finish fifth and last in their new District 3-4A DII. Only one offensive and two defensive starters return, with 27 seniors lost to graduation. Noel Mekogue, Malik Brown, Jacob Gonzalez, Jamarian Amos, Kannon Weise, Korda Moore, Max Alvarado, Demarrius Walker, Roman Caballero, Lucian
Aguilar, Roman Camacho, Ryan Alvarez, Elvis Gonzalez and Ethan Mendoza are “players to watch” for the Mustangs.
Wichita Falls Hirschi — No. 3 in 4A DII — is picked to win the district title by beating out Greenwood (No. 22) and Graham (No. 23) with Snyder picked to be in fourth place to get the last playoff spot. Sweetwater, which opens its season on Aug. 26 at Idalou, will have plenty of motivation to upset Texas Football’s forecast in its second year under coach Russell Lucas.