Educated Guesses: 1A Division II
Educated Guesses: 1A Division II
We are getting closer to the kickoff of another season, and it’s time to reveal my picks for 2023.
I call them educated guesses, like your teachers used to, because I feel I have at least a little bit of knowledge about the upcoming season after speaking with area coaches for the 2023 edition of Big Country Blitz.
Aspermont was a tough luck 8-2 non-playoff squad in 2022, and they hope that’s not the case again in 2023.
Unfortunately for the Hornets, they are in a district with preseason #5 Jayton and preseason #12 Motley County.
Aspermont has to replace a solid group of seniors that helped them turn things around last year, while Jayton returns some studs (Ayden Salazar, Sean Stanaland, and Jayce Rivera, to name a few) and Motley County was a young team last year that beat the Hornets 64-14 in the season finale last season to nab the final playoff spot from the district.
I’d love to be wrong on this one, but that is my pick for 2023 as well, with Jayton and Motley County ending up in the postseason once again.
BIG COUNTRY BLITZ COACHES POLL
1. Jayton
2. Motley County
3. Aspermont
4. Guthrie
5. Patton Springs
BIG GAMES
8/25 Blackwell at Aspermont
9/22 Rule at Aspermont
10/6 Aspermont at Jayton
10/20 Motley County at Jayton
11/3 Motley County at Aspermont
BIG NAMES
Aspermont RB/S Carson Guidry
Aspermont C Devin Lopez
Aspermont TE/LB Jack Bell
Guthrie WR/DB Joseph Killebrew
Jayton RB/DL Ayden Salazar
Jayton QB/DB Sean Stanaland
Jayton TE/DB Jayce Rivera
Motley County RB Kadyn Roys
Motley County FB Aidan Fisk
Patton Springs SB Michael Garza
The main reason they are the pick is, of course, Grayson Rigdon. The Mustangs’ star athlete returns to help lead the team in 2023. He and fellow junior Tallon Hayes are the only two returning starters, however. Paducah returns four starters on offense and defense and is the team in the district most likely to give Benjamin a fight. Crowell is an experienced club as well, with five starters returning on offense and defense, while Chillicothe and Harrold hope to get on track after rough 2022 campaigns.
Look for the Mustangs to repeat, as long as Rigdon is in the backfield, with the Paducah/Crowell winner taking the second playoff spot from the district.
BIG COUNTRY BLITZ COACHES POLL
1. Benjamin
2. Paducah
3. Crowell
4. Chillicothe
5. Harrold
BIG GAMES
8/31 Paducah at Silverton
9/1 Loraine at Crowell
9/22 Crowell at Knox City
9/29 Loraine at Benjamin
10/6 Paducah at Benjamin
10/27 Crowell at Paducah
11/3 Benjamin at Crowell
BIG NAMES
Benjamin RB/LB Grayson Rigdon
Benjamin QB/LB Tallon Hayes
Benjamin RB/LB Weston Weatherford
Chillicothe SB Kadin Stone
Crowell OL/DL Clayton Alvarado
Crowell RB Austin Hernandez
Harrold QB/DB Kasen Ramsey
Paducah WR/S Jakyen Wright
Paducah LB Hagan Tucker
Throckmorton won the district last season and is the heavy favorite to do it again in 2023 as the preseason #13 team in Texas.
Rule earned the second playoff spot last year and is my pick to get back to the postseason again.
It won’t be easy, though, as Woodson is poised to make a big leap this year with five starters back on offense and six on defense. Paint Creek should be better in year two under Shannon Waters, and Lueders-Avoca hopes to improve under new head coach Reese Wilson.
The Bobcats shut out the Cowboys 50-0 in their 2022 matchup, but they do lose all-region selections Chris Pannel, Hunter Jaggers, Anthony Vista, Jaron Langford, and Bryson Silvas to graduation.
BIG COUNTRY BLITZ COACHES POLL
1. Throckmorton
2. Rule
3. Lueders-Avoca
4. Woodson
5. Paint Creek
BIG GAMES
8/25 Newcastle at Rule
8/25 Throckmorton at Gordon
9/21 Throckmorton vs. Whitharal (at Guthrie)
9/22 Rule at Aspermont
9/29 Woodson at Rising Star
9/29 Throckmorton at Hermleigh
10/6 Rule at Woodson
10/20 Throckmorton at Woodson
11/3 Rule at Throckmorton
11/3 Lueders-Avoca at Paint Creek
BIG NAMES
Lueders-Avoca RB/S Zae Mays
Lueders-Avoca RB/LB Keith Stewart
Paint Creek SB/RB Andrew Nunez
Rule RB/DL Kyleik Mason
Rule WR/DB Florencio Olivera
Rule QB/LB Zachary Campbell
Throckmorton TE/DL Landyn Sauceda
Throckmorton RB/LB Jacob Gaspar
Throckmorton FB/LB Whitehawk Jorgensen
Throckmorton FB/LB Hayden Macavoy
Woodson RB/LB Uatin Priddy
Woodson E/LB Sam Mills
Loraine enters 2023 as the sixth-ranked team in the state in the preseason polls and the big favorite to win another district championship.
The Bulldogs lost some big-time players to graduation, but the return of AJ Williams, among others, makes Loraine the team to beat in 14-1A Division II.
Blackwell gave the Bulldogs a good ballgame last season in a 28-8 defeat and will be the biggest threat to Loraine again this year.
Trent went winless in district play a year ago and hopes to continue building the program in year one under veteran six-man coach Troy Sparks. The Gorillas and Bronte, who return three starters on offense and defense after a 4-6 2022 season, look to be a step behind Loraine and Blackwell in the playoff chase.
BIG COUNTRY BLITZ COACHES POLL
1. Loraine
2. Blackwell
3. Bronte
4. Trent
BIG GAMES
8/25 Loraine at Highland
8/25 Blackwell at Aspermont
8/25 Zephyr at Bronte
9/8 Highland at Blackwell
10/20 Loraine at Blackwell
10/27 Blackwell at Bronte
11/3 Trent at Blackwell
BIG NAMES
Blackwell QB/CB Karter Cummings
Blackwell RB/LB Jesus Gonzalez
Bronte QB/DB Jayton Galvan
Bronte TB/LB Cole Knight
Loraine RB/DB AJ Williams
Loraine RB/LB Xander Ybarra
Loraine QB/DB Jadrian Limones
Loraine RB/TE/DL Josiah Lujan
Trent QB/LB Hayden Payne
Trent RB Michael Wallis
Trent WR/LB Brayden Cathey
Rising Star has a very good shot at going back-to-back in 14-1A Division II, but a veteran Panther Creek squad will be nipping at the Wildcats’ heels.
The Wildcats weren’t tested in district action last year, beating Paint Rock and Panther Creek by a combined 104-6 and getting a forfeit win over Moran.
The Panthers hope they’ve closed the gap, but their season finale at home against Paint Rock will likely decide the second playoff spot in the district once again.
Moran returns some key pieces and will need to pull off some upsets to be in playoff contention when November rolls around.
BIG COUNTRY BLITZ COACHES POLL
1. Rising Star
2. Panther Creek
3. Paint Rock
4. Moran
BIG GAMES
8/25 Rising Star at Blanket
9/22 Bluff Dale at Rising Star
9/29 Blackwell at Panther Creek
10/27 Panther Creek at Rising Star
10/27 Moran at Paint Creek
11/3 Paint Rock at Panther Creek
BIG NAMES
Moran QB/DB Ellis Hise
Moran RB/LB Connor Hail
Moran WR/DB Caleb York
Paint Rock OL/DL Eric Jefferson
Paint Rock QB/DB Jayden Hernandez
Panther Creek RB/LB Ethan Croft
Panther Creek RB Trevor Croft
Panther Creek E/DE Damian Patterson
Rising Star RB/DB Blake Wilson
Rising Star RB/DB Dathon Morris
Rising Star ATH Dakota Higgins
This district is a tough one to pick, as the top three teams are all likely going to be deserving of a playoff spot when the dust settles.
Zephyr came out of nowhere to win it last season, knocking off Blanket 38-30 in the season finale to claim the crown.
The Bulldogs will have a say in who wins it again, but Sidney, with six starters back on both sides of the ball, should be a whole lot better after going 4-5 a year ago.
Blanket will be in the postseason mix as well, looking to make it to the playoffs for the sixth year in a row and second straight under Michael Cherry.
BIG COUNTRY BLITZ COACHES POLL
1. Zephyr
2. Sidney
3. Blanket
4. Gustine
5. Mullin
BIG GAMES
8/25 Rising Star at Blanket
9/1 Rising Star at Sidney
10/20 Sidney at Zephyr
10/27 Sidney at Blanket
11/3 Zephyr at Blanket
BIG NAMES
Blanket RB/DE Kannon Kensing
Blanket G/K Adam McLaughlin
Blanket C/DE Isaac Smith
Gustine WR/LB Osyel Garcia
Gustine WR/DB Raphael Gonzalez
Mullin SB Wyatt Stevens
Mullin QB Vash Langford
Sidney RB/DB Cameron Grant
Sidney C Tanner Crawford
Sidney QB Lehman Lendeque
Sidney FB/LB Collin Grant
Zephyr RB/LB Tripp Ballard
Zephyr RB/S Karsen Floyd
Zephyr C/DL Ethan Byers
Cherokee did the just about unthinkable last season and handed Richland Springs its first district loss in 81 games on the way to winning the 16-1A Division II title.
The Coyotes and Indians will be back to battle for the championship again this season, with Rochelle, a very young Brookesmith squad, and Lohn likely on the outside looking in at the playoff picture.
Richland Springs went 8-2, a down season for their standards, but gained plenty of experience for a group of younger players that were forced into action because of injuries. Look for the Coyotes, #11 in the preseason poll, to return to the top and claim the crown over preseason #7 Cherokee.
BIG COUNTRY BLITZ COACHES POLL
1. Richland Springs
2. Cherokee
3. Rochelle
4. Brookesmith
5. Lohn
BIG GAMES
9/15 Bluff Dale at Cherokee
10/6 Richland Springs at Cherokee
10/13 Rochelle at Richland Springs
10/20 Cherokee at Rochelle
BIG NAMES
Brookesmith QB/S Vegas Gilliam
Brookesmith RB/S Adyn Ribble
Cherokee RB/DB Gunner Baugh
Cherokee SB/DB Joel Valdez
Lohn C/DL Kadin Reeves
Lohn RB/LB Fermin DeLaRosa
Richland Springs WR/DB Jayden Sutherland
Richland Springs RB Billy Perry
Rochelle QB Merek Howell
Rochelle SB Kelton Williams
Rochelle OL/DL Bobby Estes
Rochelle OL/DL Justin Lopez
UPCOMING EDUCATED GUESSES SCHEDULE
Monday, 8/14 - 1A DII Educated Guesses
Tuesday, 8/15 - 1A DI Educated Guesses
Wednesday, 8/16 - 2A DII Educated Guesses
Thursday, 8/17 - 2A DI Educated Guesses
Friday, 8/18 - 3A DII Educated Guesses
Saturday, 8/19 - 3A DI Educated Guesses
Sunday, 8/20 - 4A DII Educated Guesses
Monday, 8/21 - 4A DI Educated Guesses
Tuesday, 8/22 - 5A DII Educated Guesses
Wednesday, 8/23 - 5A DI Educated Guesses
Thursday, 8/24 - Week 1 Blitz Picks
Friday, 8/25 - College Football Educated Guesses
