Celina(6-3/4-1) @ Argyle(9-0/5-0) Rivalry Game

[regaleagle]

Celina scheduled their Bye Week for Week 10 right before playing Argyle in the last game of the regular season.  I wonder if that was by design or just the way the scheduling fell.  Regardless, they will use 2 weeks to prepare for this Rivalry Game matchup with Argyle. I'm certain they  scouted Argyle's game against Melissa and against Anna last week, but probably didn't get much more info out of it than they already knew about.  Argyle didn't even play their starting RB's and gave the backups plenty of minutes in the game.  I think Coach Rodgers is working on his depth for when the playoffs get here......some of the guys might be needed......you just never know.

[regaleagle]

I'm not sure what District 7 has formulated for any tie-breaker rules should ties occur.  If Celina wins this game(and Melissa should win this week against North Lamar), then Argyle, Celina, and Melissa will all have one loss in a round robin against each other. I guess that would mean a 3-way tie for the District Title, but not sure how the playoff spots would be determined.  Of course,  IF Argyle wins then they win the District Title and Melissa will get 2nd......barring a highly doubtful upset by North Lamar. Celina would get the #3 playoff spot and Paris is already assured of Spot #4.

[regaleagle]

Since Argyle has not lost a district game since 2008(against Celina) and has won 35 straight home games( and 55 straight district games), I'm fairly certain Celina will be coming in ready to put the kabash on those records and try to upset Argyle on their home turf.  They probably won't play it safe just because the playoffs  are around the corner.....they have a chance to improve their playoff seeding and to share in a District Title with a win.  Besides, it's a fiercely contested Rivalry game that Celina hasn't won in a while.  They would love nothing more than to beat Argyle Friday night and will pull out all the stops to do so.  I'm certain they will show some new looks come Friday night that nobody has seen them do yet this season. They will have had 2 weeks to put some plays in and practice them against Argyle's defensive alignment.

[regaleagle]

Argyle had their Bye Week in Week 4 and is a little banged up.......just not sure how badly banged up some of the starters are at this point.  They've got plenty of firepower in their backup RB's and receivers as long as the linemen are good to go and Bocephus also.  CJ Rogers as the #2 Qb is highly capable of leading this team if he has to relieve Hogeboom, but he ain't no Bocephus for sure.  But he'll have plenty of help around him and he's a running threat as well as a good thrower.  He's just not nearly as seasoned as Bo.

[regaleagle]

I think what Hogeboom does best is let go of the ball quickly and accurately on his throws.  And sometimes it's hard to tell if he will hand it off to a back or fake it and throw very quickly.  It helps that his receiving corps are very good at going after the ball and running their routes into openings the defenders allow. 

[regaleagle]

The O-line for Argyle is on the big side and has pretty much gelled into a very good unit at this juncture of the season.  They are not totally as dominant as last year's senior-laden offensive line,  but are pretty darn good against some very decent competition so far.  I'm not sure how good Celina's defense will be against the Argyle O-line, but I think they will be better than Melissa's and comparable to Paris's.  I think the Paris D is probably more athletic overall, but maybe not as disciplined as the Celina D.  

[regaleagle]

The Argyle offense doesn't do much in the way of counters or misdirection to throw off the defense.......they just try to outexecute the defense and pick their spots.

[regaleagle]

I noticed Argyle wasn't as sharp last week in the Anna game.......and neither was Bocephus.  The Eagles did rack up 266 yds rushing and only threw for 180.  But I think that was more by design from the coaching staff and not so much a lack from the passing game.  Bo did complete a few TD's that were wiped off, and threw some on the money that were just dropped.  He did throw a couple of interceptions.......one was an overthrown pass right into the gut of the dback behind the Argyle receiver.  It was his lowest yardage so far this season, but he sat all of the 4th and some of the 3rd.  I think the coaches wanted the RB's to get their work in......and the O-line to work on their run blocking more.

[regaleagle]

Paris finally gets a rest and enjoys their Bye Week this week......they are done with the regular season.  They whacked North Lamar last week 62-7, and Sanger the week before 54-7.  Melissa whacked Sanger last week 61-10 and gets North Lamar this week to finish the regular season.  Celina was off on their Bye Week while Argyle cruised to an easy 35-6 win in Anna.  It wasn't an impressive win, but more of a workaholic type win.

[wingtveer]

Are you kin to my main man Pax ?  You both put in a lot of time and research. Good stuff. Good luck to both teams. I will be pulling for Celina. 

[regaleagle]

Over in District 8,  the Alvarado Indians(7-2/5-0) have already clinched that district title regardless of this week's outcome against lowly Dallas Pinkston.  So it looks like Paris will be meeting up with the Indians in the Bidistrict Round of the playoffs.  The other 3 spots will be determined after this week's games because looks like there might be some ties.  Carrollton Ranchview(8-1/4-1) plays Dallas Carter(6-3/3-2) in Carrollton.  IF Carter wins, then Ranchview ends up with 2 losses in district play like Carter.  If Ranchview wins then they secure Spot #2 in District 8 and will play Spot #3 in Argyle's district.  Wilmer Hutchins(5-4/3-2) also has 2 losses in district play and will be playing Dallas Hillcrest(6-3/2-3) in a home game this week.  IF Hutchins wins they end up with 2 losses in district play and Hillcrest gets eliminated with 4 losses.  IF Hillcrest wins they could possibly still get a playoff spot because Hutchins will have 3 losses also......and maybe Carter will too if they lose to Ranchview.  So for the rest of Argyle's district it is still unsettled who will be playing whom in the bidistrict round except for Paris vs Alvarado.  

[Champ1000]

Taking the Eagles . Should be a decent matchup.

[regaleagle]

It's still unsettled in District 7 too......pending the outcome of Celina vs Argyle this week.  I think we can pretty much assume Melissa will win their game against North Lamar........and it would be stranger than fiction if they lost to North Lamar.  North Lamar is already eliminated, so they will be playing for pride.

[d0tc0m]

Good stuff, regal. Looking forward to Friday!

As for the game itself, this is a tough tough matchup for the Bobcats. There's no question Argyle will far-and-away be the best team Celina has faced this year. They present a multitude of matchup problems on both sides of the ball. The BYE week, I believe did help the Bobcats get some of their guys back healthy, although I heard most of the offensive linemen who have been out all year may not actually come back until next week. I could have been misinformed, because I'd think, if they were ready to go, the coaches would want to get them in now in a game that won't matter, in terms of the season continuing or coming to an end.

If those offensive linemen are back, that's going to be a huge, huge boost — literally and figuratively — for the Bobcats offense. It will largely change what the offense will run, in my opinion. Even so, the one thing Celina HAS to be able to do this week is throw the ball. They have to. It is absolutely imperative that they find a way to spread the field a little bit and get the ball out quickly and to some of our speedy guys on the edge/outside. We cannot let Argyle do what Melissa did flawlessly, and that's bring the house on every single play and make life very tough for Logan Point in the backfield.

If the Bobcats can find a way to be more balanced on offense, I think they can keep this game closer than almost anyone will pick. But it's going to take near perfect execution for four quarters. If they get too one dimensional, Argyle's defense will feast and this thing will get out of hand.

[d0tc0m]

Defensively, I think Celina matches up with Argyle better than anyone else in the district. And even with that in mind, you know the Eagles are still going to score a lot of points. You just look at the matchups they can create with their offense, and, as a defensive coordinator, you've got to just kinda shake your head.

Even if Byce is out — I'm not sure of the extent of his injury — the backup RBs (Farris and Scoggins?) have done a fantastic job. Still have speed. Still have athleticism. Still can beat you anytime they get the ball. And then you've got to deal with a bevy of really good receivers. I don't know that any of them are going to blow you away in appearance, but they run some of the cleanest routes you'll see HS receivers run, and they have good hands in traffic. They high point the ball. They win contested throws. They find holes in defense. It's a nightmare to cover. But you've got Kirkpatrick, who is good for at least one long TD reception per game, guaranteed. Then you throw in Alex Gonzales and Cade Merka, who don't appear to get as many targets as Kirkpatrick, but they make the most of the opportunities when they get the ball. And that's not to even mention that gargantuan TE Jasper Lott. He is a mismatch, no matter who you put on him. And in goal line type situations, he's nearly impossible to stop, just because he's such a good blocker, and does a good job selling those blocks then releasing on play action, bootleg looks.

And then, of course, all of these attacks are spearheaded by one of the best QBs Argyle has ever had in Hogenboom. The kid is a dude. Just on-the-money throws every single time. Has palpable chemistry with his receivers. Reads a defense really well. Doesn't need his receivers to be wide open to make the throws. There have been times he has thrown his receivers open. He's not a huge threat to beat you with his feet, but that's just because he hasn't had to this season. The kid can still run, and he won't be afraid to tuck the ball and go if the defense spreads too thin and gives him room in the box to pick up and easy 7-8 yards. He might be the best QB in 4A.

[d0tc0m]

Argyle won't have anyone nearly as otherworldly athletic as Melissa's Brandon Lewis. That kid is something else, man. But they'll have far more talent, overall, as a team than the Cardinals did. That's not a knock on Melissa at all, because they DO have some talent on that roster for sure. The point being, Celina won't have to deal with a DUDE like Lewis, but the defense will have to contend with more talent across the board.

And defensively for Celina, who knows, man. You can say the key is to get pressure on Hogenboom, but the kid releases the ball so quickly that it negates that almost every time. So when he does that, the key then becomes the secondary getting to those receivers quickly and making tackles in space. But you can't sit back in zone coverage because Bo and those receivers will feast. So, then what? You can try to blanket the receivers in press coverage and get pressure in the backfield. That sounds great. But if the pressure doesn't come, you're looking at a long score from Kirkpatrick and company. I have faith in the Celina defensive backs, I really do. They're athletic and quick and have grown up a ton this year. But when you're on an island against really talented receivers, it can be a lonely and unforgiving existence.

I think Celina will most assuredly try to bring pressure. They've got two pretty good guys on the edge that can cause matchup problems. And they've got some athletic linebackers who they will inevitably get into the mix. But with that pressure, you've got to shrink the pocket on Hogenboom quickly. You can't simply flush him out, because that's when his receivers can really shine. And he's good even throwing the ball on the run. So you have to get to him, and then bring him down. That's what Celina just could not do against Melissa. They got to Lewis in the backfield countless times, looking like a sack for a loss of 10+ yards, but Lewis would just go beast mode and shuck three guys off his back and scoot for a massive gain or score. Can't have that this week.

The Bobcats will need to play flawlessly on defense, and hopefully force a turnover or two. They'll need to consistently keep Argyle behind the chains, and make a handful of big plays on third down situations. And we've got to win the field position battle. Once Argyle reaches near midfield, they're in four-down territory. And it's a much different proposition at that point, having to stop that offense four times as opposed to only three times.

[d0tc0m]

For all the doom-and-gloom I just posted, I actually think Celina CAN matchup with Argyle. It's going to take everything they've got, but they can do it. They're good enough. They're athletic enough. They're talented enough.

That opening possession, for both teams, will say a lot about Celina's chances. If the defense can survive Argyle's first possession — force a three-and-out, or get a big stop, turnover, whatever, just keep them out of the end zone — then I think it'll give the Bobcats the juice they need to keep pace for four quarters. You know Argyle is going to get theirs. They are. You're not going to shut them out. But if Celina can survive the initial onslaught, give their offense a chance to do some damage early on and maybe even get an early lead, I think you could be looking at a great game.

[CrankyOldMan]

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Edited September 26, 2022 by CrankyOldMan

[Crawford]

Eagles

[Eaglesone]

1 hour ago, d0tc0m said:

For all the doom-and-gloom I just posted, I actually think Celina CAN matchup with Argyle. It's going to take everything they've got, but they can do it. They're good enough. They're athletic enough. They're talented enough.

That opening possession, for both teams, will say a lot about Celina's chances. If the defense can survive Argyle's first possession — force a three-and-out, or get a big stop, turnover, whatever, just keep them out of the end zone — then I think it'll give the Bobcats the juice they need to keep pace for four quarters. You know Argyle is going to get theirs. They are. You're not going to shut them out. But if Celina can survive the initial onslaught, give their offense a chance to do some damage early on and maybe even get an early lead, I think you could be looking at a great game.

No better example of the role momentum plays in football than the 2 match ups last year.  Argyle scores 64 in the first half, in Celina, during Celina's last game in their old stadium and 3 weeks later Argyle has to score to win with :30 seconds left.  64-21 and then 27-24ish.

[d0tc0m]

25 minutes ago, Eaglesone said:

No better example of the role momentum plays in football than the 2 match ups last year.  Argyle scores 64 in the first half, in Celina, during Celina's last game in their old stadium and 3 weeks later Argyle has to score to win with :30 seconds left.  64-21 and then 27-24ish.

Absolutely. Celina left that playoff game feeling like they should have won, without question. I know our defensive coordinator admitted to making things too complex in the first matchup with the Eagles last year. He said going into that playoff game he was going to simplify the scheme and let the boys play. I wonder what the mindset will be this week.

Also, I'm not sure how last year's Argyle squad ranks against this one, but I know this year's Celina team — overall — is more talented than last year's team. Hopefully, when that offensive line comes back healthy, it will start to show a little more.

[regaleagle]

Argyle's defense was more mature last season and had an outstanding All-State linebacker that caused havoc for every team Argyle faced.  I also think the defensive line was better.  This season's Argyle offense is much, much better and more productive overall than last year's offense......and Bo has QB'd both. Alot of the same skill players too with a very good tight end last season as well.  The defensive secondary this season has more potential to make the plays, but perhaps also more likely to be burned and fooled.  They play riskier back there this season for some reason. The overall team speed I would rate about the same......but has not hurt them because of the offense's ability to score often.  I think team speed and speed at the skill positions rates very highly in Class 4A for the talent level of the playoff contenders we have in the D-1 classification nowadays.  Not really sure how many D-1 contenders are running the Slot type offenses that are contenders.......I would say not many this season.

 

[regaleagle]

In last season's playoff matchup,  Celina drove 65 yds with 7 min. left and scored with 3 min. left on the clock to take the lead 22-19.  Argyle took the kickoff on their own 25 yd line and drove 75 yds for the final score with less than a minute left to win 26-22.  It was a very close and well-played, hard-fought battle by both teams.  Celina's team is most probably more seasoned at the skill positions this year and were it not for so many injuries to their linemen perhaps they would have been able to win a game or two that they lost this season. Celina will definitely be a much improved offense when they get those linemen back playing......and that will help their defense as well.  Argyle has had their share of injuries this season as well, but have been able to score enough on offense even without those players.  Now that the temperature is rising on the field  and dropping in the weather forecasts we will see how Argyle fares going forward.  Wet weather games do not favor predominant passing attacks or even balanced attacks over running games......so weather can become another factor in the playoffs.

[d0tc0m]

Last year's playoff matchup was something else! That was a classic, for sure.

Celina's team is actually much younger this year than last year. Much, much younger. Especially in the defensive secondary and two of the linebacker spots. That youth took some lumps early on, but they've grown up a ton. I don't know that I would call them seasoned just yet, but they've come a long way. It's true that the offense will be different with the proper offensive line personnel in. I don't know if it will happen this week, but we'll see. Not all injuries are created equal, and unfortunately, some personnel just simply cannot be replaced. Either way, injuries are part of the game, and everyone has to deal with them. Just hope both these teams have a clean, injury free game on Friday so that they can head into the postseason hitting on all cylinders.

[regaleagle]

A BIG AMEN to that d0tc0m.  I think everyone will be pumped up at the stadium this Friday night to see two really good teams that are traditional rivals go at it full throttle.  Both teams have talent and some speedy skill players too.  Both teams have seasoned QB's and good RB's.  And both teams have every reason they could possibly justify to win this game.  I just don't see a big margin of victory happening.  I know Celina will come loaded and ready to do battle from the opening kickoff to the final whistle.  I just hope Argyle is ready to be slapped in the face for another reality check......sometimes they play without enough passion.