Playoffs

So, we cover 15 football programs here on ETBlitz.com.

Of those 15, 10 of them made the postseason.

Unfortunately, here’s who didn’t: Henderson, Leverett’s Chapel, Sabine, Tatum and White Oak. Henderson and Tatum were both narrow misses; if Henderson had beaten Pine Tree a few weeks ago, the Lions likely would’ve gotten in. Tatum had a win-and-in game this past Friday night at Tatum, but Jefferson dealt the Eagles a season-ending loss.

Sabine, who had strung together a few good seasons, should be in better position to win next year after taking its lumps in a winless campaign this year. Leverett’s Chapel was in similar shape in a two-win season (six-man only takes two teams into the playoffs in each district). And White Oak got off to a great start, but finished 5-5 in a very difficult 3A district that began the season with three teams ranked in the Dave Campbell’s Texas Football state poll.

Now, here’s who did make the postseason, what classification they’re in and their first-round playoff games, and everything else we know.

Class 4A, Division I

Kilgore

Coach Clint Fuller and the Kilgore Bulldogs, winners of nine straight games and the District 9-4A, Division I championship, will open the UIL Class 4A-DI playoffs at home at R.E. St. John Memorial Stadium on Friday night.

Kilgore, 9-1, will face Little Cypress-Mauriceville (5-5), located in Orange, Friday at 7 p.m. in the first, or bi-district, round of the playoffs. The bracket isn’t completed at this writing, or we’d tell you the second-round opponent for either Kilgore or LC-M. Kilgore, of course, is the home team.

Kilgore comes off a 56-6 win at Mabank Thursday night; LC-M lost to Lumberton, 49-30.

The Kilgore-LC-M winner will play either Stafford (5-5) or Wheatley (5-5).

Pine Tree

Pine Tree’s Pirates (6-4) finished the season Friday night at home with a 43-21 win over Palestine, and will go into the 4A-DI playoffs as the third seed from 9-4A, Division I (behind Kilgore and Lindale).

Pine Tree will play Lumberton at Lumberton on Friday at 7:30 p.m. We’ll talk more about all of these games as they get closer, but the Raiders are 7-3, finished second in their district and have won six straight.

Pine Tree has won four of its last five, and wound up third because of a loss at Lindale. Obviously, Lumberton will be the home team.

The PT-Lumberton winner faces either Houston Yates (10-0) or Needville (5-5) in round two.

Class 4A, Division II

Carthage

Carthage, the defending UIL state 4A, Division II state champion and No. 1 team in the state poll, goes into the 4A-DII playoffs as the District 8-4A champion and an undefeated, 10-0 record. The 10-time state champions, all won under current head coach Scott Surratt, will play Pittsburg in Lindale on Thursday night at 7 p.m.

Carthage will be the home team. Tickets will be $8 for adults and $5 for students. The game will be streamed online on YouTube, on the KGAS broadcast, and we’ll post that link when we have it.

Sanger (7-3) or Quinlan Ford (8-2) will face the Carthage-Pittsburg winner in the second, or area, round.

Gilmer

The Buckeyes had one heck of a difficult non-district schedule, had to battle their way through District 7-4A, Division I, dropped a few games there, but did what they needed to do in District 7-4A, Division II to get into the playoffs as the third seed from the district.

Coach Alan Metzel’s Buckeyes finished 4-6 overall, and went 3-2 in district play after winning the last two games of the regular season. They’ll play Athens (8-2), the second-place team from 8-4A, DII, at Henderson ISD Lions Stadium on Friday, a 7:30 p.m. start. Tickets for adults are $8 each and for students $6 each.

Gilmer or Athens will take on either Krum (9-0) or Ferris (4-6) in the second round.

Again, more on this game as it gets closer as we do our previews.

Class 3A, Division I

Gladewater

The first-year coach isn’t supposed to make the playoffs, let alone win a district championship; that’s what the “rules” say, right?

Jermaine Lewis is re-writing the rules in that regard.

Lewis led the Bears to the District 8-3A, Division I championship in this, his first season, their only loss a 15-14 setback at home to West Rusk in non-district play. The biggest win of the season: a trip to Atlanta.

So, Gladewater (9-1), winners of seven straight, is going to open the UIL Class 3A, Division I playoffs at Mount Vernon (6-4) on Friday at 7 p.m.

Class 3A, Division II

Troup

Coach Sam Wells’ Tigers finished off their season without a single loss. The final game was a 28-6 win Friday night at Buffalo.

Troup has spent just about the entire season ranked in the top 10 in the DCTF state poll in 3A. The Tigers are the District 11-3A, Division II champions. And they’ll open the playoffs Friday against the same team they opened with last season: Anderson-Shiron(4-6), at Palestine ISD’s Wildcat Stadium on Friday night, a 7 p.m. kickoff.

There will be a community pep rally the night before (presumably at the school, the note on the Facebook post says the time, 6 p.m., and that food trucks will be there but doesn’t say where).

The Troup-Anderson-Shiro winner will meet either Hooks (7-3) or Lone Oak (7-3) in the area, or second, round).

Arp

Coach Wes Schminkey and the Tigers beat West Rusk, 33-21, this past Friday to earn second place in the district; Arp lost only once all season (to Troup).

Arp’s Tigers (9-1) will face Kountz (7-3) on Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Shelbyville ISD’s Dragon Stadium. Arp will be the home team.

Arp has won five straight games headed into the playoffs, the most recent that battle with West Rusk for second place in district.

Kountze is 7-3 and is 2-2 in its last four; the Lions lost to Woodville, 27-24, on Friday night.

The Arp-Kountze winner will meet either Daingerfield (7-3) or Harmony (4-6) in round two.

West Rusk

Speaking of those West Rusk Raiders, coach Rafe Mata’s team will play a day earlier than most. The 3A, Division II playoffs will start for West Rusk (8-2) on Thursday night a 7 p.m. kickoff against Woodville (7-3) at Nacogdoches ISD’s Dragon Stadium.

Edgewood (8-2) or New Boston (6-4) will see the West Rusk-Woodville winner in round two.

Class 2A, Division II

Overton

Coach Scotty Laymance and the Mustangs (6-4) are also a night earlier. Probably the best 6-4 team in the 2A playoffs will play on Thursday at 7 p.m. against West Sabine (8-2). The game is at Joaquin ISD Stadium. Tickets are $5 each and Texas High School Coaches Association passes, district passes, and other passes will be accepted, as noted on Overton Mustang Athletics Facebook page.

Overton had quite a playoff win last year, knocking longtime state champion and finalist Mart from the playoffs in round two. Can the Mustangs have another one this year?

The Overton-West Sabine winner will meet either Maud (5-5) or Goldthwaite (7-3) in round two.