Bev

Bryian was named 1st Team All-State for 2012 earlier this week.

Not being able to cover long passes also took its toll!

From the El Campo Leader News: El Campo has fired on all cylinders in the first half of each playoff game as it has scored at least 30 points or more before halftime. How important will it be for the Ricebirds to come out of the gates early against Carthage? "We really hope to do that and score often,' (El Campo coach Bob) Gillis said. "They are really good and our goal is to focus on making first downs." "They do different things than what we have seen all season," ...Gillis said. Ricebird fans will flock to Beaumont in full force. The Ricebird Booster Club already has three charter busses for fans with a fourth one nearly booked. And, Eddie Moreno from the El Campo Bowling Center has two busses ready to go with a third ready if needed. That is what high school football is all about. Towns rallying behind their teams. Especially at the Class 3A level. Like Gillis told the El Campo Rotary Club a few weeks into the season, this year will be different because they will be playing towns and not just schools. And this town seems poised for a history-making run.

The only reason I can think of to have gone to the Huntington game was to see if the Dawgs were going to tie a world's record. And they did - fewest 1st downs allowed in a game (0).

From lunch-time reading: El Campo QB Bryce Brandl has more impreesive rushing statisitics than Silsbee QB Patrick Reed: Brandl - 137 carries - 1,133 yards - 8.27 yards per carry - 17 TDs Reed - 141 carries - 1,087 yards - 7.71 yards per carry - 7 TDs El Campo has thrown 4 passes in each of its 3 playoff games (compared to over 6 passes a game during the regular season). In the first one, a 35-21 win over LaGrange, the Ricebirds didn't complete a pass. That was the second game this season in which the semi-finalist had zero completions. The Ricebirds' average yards per carry has increased during the playoffs. The regular season average was 7.6. Over the last 3 games, the average has been 8.2. El Campo's second round opponent was the Somerset Bulldogs. Their QB threw for more than 200 yards and 2 TDs in a losing effort. He has a familiar name: Koy Detmer, Jr. .

One can argue about the strength of Region 4, but it would be hard to argue that El Campo had a tough schedule this year. Six of the Ricebird's ten regular-season games were against teams that finished their seasons with losing records. These included Bay City & Needville (both 0-10) & Brookshire Royal (1-9). The 1-win team had 245 yards passing against the semi-finalists.

El Campo led Ingleside by only 3 points (17-14) going into the 4th quarter. Although they have won a lot of football games in recent years, El Campo hasn't been this far in the playoffs in 45 years.

To my knowledge, the last team the Dawgs played that had two players who had already committed to play college football at Rice was the only team to which a Scott Surratt-coached Carthage squad has ever lost a district game - last year's Gilmer Buckeyes.

From what I saw, the Dawgs should have lined up and run for 2 points after every TD.

From pre-season Dave Campbell's 2012 Texas Football: 2011: 7-4 4A DII bi-district finalist/4-2 District 23-4A. Starters returning Offense/Defense: 5/5. Players to watch: TE Cole Hunt (6-7, 235, 4.7), T Trey Martin (6-3, 260, 4.9), FB Montray Johnson (5-9, 200, 4.7). Top juniors: RB Bobby Joe Flagg, (6-1, 210, 4.7), C/OT Zeke Tsika (6-1, 225, 4.8). 2012 notes: El Campo is blessed with size up front in the form of TE Hunt (15-312, 2 TDs receiving in 2011), whom Coach Bob Gillis called a very good receiver and blocker, and T Martin. Tsika will transition into an OT position after starting at C last year. FB Johnson (160-922, 12 TDs rushing in 2011) is a tough runner, Gillis said...As usual, this team should be physical and well-coached. The magazine included TE Hunt in its 2012 Texas Top 300 Recruits. He was the only 3A player listed among the top 10 tight ends. My understanding is that he and Martin have both verbally committed to play their college football at Rice.

El Campo Ricebirds (13-0) statistics from the Houston Chronicle website: Offense: Yards rushing per game - 354 Yards passing per game - 56 Total yards per game - 410 Points per game - 39.5 Defense: Yards rushing allowed per game - 99 Yards passing allowed per game - 133 Total yards allowed per game - 231 Points allowed per game - 14.3 Offensive leaders: Rushing: Jack Davis - 128 carries / 1,347 yards / 10.52 yards per carry / 16 TDs Montray Johnson - 166 carries / 1,167 yards / 7.03 yards per carry / 14 TDs Bryce Brandle - 137 carries / 1,133 yards / 8.27 yards per carry / 17 TDs Passing: Bryce Brandle - 41 completions / 80 attempts / 51% / 724 yards / 4 TDs / 3 INTs Receiving: Cole Hunt - 13 catches / 304 yards / 23 yards per catch / 3 TDs Jack Davis - 13 catches / 209 yards / 16 yards per catch / 0 TDs

Stafford was 9 of 10 passing for approximately 180 yards. Although it didn't look to me like much of that came against 2nd-team Tigers, I'll concede that you're probably a lot more familiar with the players than I am.

I've seen both Carthage and Silsbee play, and I think your analysis is right on the money. The wild card is turnovers, as it almost always is when two quality teams meet. If the Dawgs turn the ball over tonight as much as they did against Jacksonville and Palestine, the result might be as unfortunate for them as it was against the former and almost was against the latter. BTW, despite the success Stafford had throwing the ball last week, they didn't have a sophisticated passing game. Their 3 TD passes came from 3 different players, and they only threw 10 times in the game. Given the sophistication of the Dawgs' passing game and their likelihood to throw 20+ times a game...you get the picture.

I hope you're correct and the Dawgs successfully run the football tomorrow night. I saw Silsbee play last week, and it appeared to me that their best defensive player is their 260-lb. nose guard, a junior who some of the Silsbee fans say will be a Division I player. He is a "hoss".

Stafford had success passing against Silsbee last week with 3 TD passes. Given this fact and Carthage's success throwing the ball this year - not to mention the 5 years prior to this one - why do you think Carthage will only have "just enough of a passing game to keep Silsbee guessing"?

Faster than Palestine? And Whitehouse? I've seen both Palestine and Silsbee; I vote Palestine. I didn't see Whitehouse, but I find it hard to believe Silsbee is faster than they were either.

Has Gainesville been prone to turning the ball over this season?

The 6'2" 175 lb. junior QB has more than 1,000 yards rushing and more than 2,000 yards passing this season. He leads the team in number of carries and rushing yardage. The 2nd leading rusher, RB Floyd Spearman, is a 6'0" 185 lb. junior who has approximately 400 yards. Reed started 7 of Sllsbee's 11 games his sophomore year.

According to the Beaumont Enterprise, Silsbee has returned at least 5 kicks for touchdowns this season. Their leading wide receiver, Jordan Holmes, has returned 3 punts for TDs. WR Elam returned both a kickoff & a punt for TDs in the same game.

With two good offenses involved, it may be the most entertaining, but it shouldn't be the closest.

It would be the finals, not the semis.

I agree. This is obviously the approach they take this time of the year when one bad night will end your season. "Obviously" refers to their having successfully gotten through the single elimination tournament 3 years in a row.

How effectively has Palestine passed the football this year?

The Jacksonville game showed that if Carthage isn't focused and gives their opponent some help, there are several teams on their schedule who could beat them.