Announcement
2010 TABC Preseason Top 25 Statewide Rankings for 5A
1. Flower Mound Marcus
2. Fort Bend Bush
3. Garland Lakeview
4. Fort Bend Travis
5. Plano West
6. DeSoto
7. San Antonio Taft
8. Cedar Hill
9. Kingwood
10. North Crowley
11. Converse Judson
12. S.A. Wagner
13. Seven Lakes
14. Austin Akins
15. S.A. Reagan
16. Duncanville
17. Strake Jesuit
18. H. Bellaire
19. S.A. Churchill
20. Klein Forest
21. Bryan
22. Arlington Bowie
23. Edinburg
24. Laredo Nixon
25. Clear Creek
Three of the four final four teams in 2010 have plenty of reasons to be the favorites for a return trip in 2011. Flower Mound Marcus was a 37-3 state semi-finalist and all-state selection Marcus Smart returns to join two other starters, one of which was all-region. Thirteen Mauraders made the trip to Austin last year and give Coach Danny Henderson skill, depth and experience. Anthony Morgan welcomes back everyone except Jackson Jeffcoat so Plano West looks to improve on their 27-9 regional final. They will first fight it out with Marcus for the district 8 title. Cedar Hill and North Crowley will always be included in the hunt. Tim Thomas takes over the reins at Cedar Hill (28-5 area) and builds around all-state Thomas Gipson. Tommy Brakel has all-state Kyan Anderson at North Crowley (34-5 reg. semi.) and nine other lettermen, so this region is tough.Region III is the home of the defending state champs where Ronnie Courtney at Bush has seven lettermen back from their 35-4 gold medal year. Add to that a move in that makes the Broncos huge with two 6’10 players. District 23 is always tough, but Craig Brownson at Travis led a 21-10 regional semi-finalist that returns six lettermen and twin impact move ins that makes them eventougher. Dan Miller at Seven Lakes could surprise everyone with a 24-8 area finalist. They pushed Yates to the limit last year in an non-district game and return everyone.
Region II has another defending champ in Garland Lakeview and Tony Mauldin has all-state Chris Jones and another all-region selection among seven veterans to try and surpass a 33-4 state runner- up season. Among the challengers are two programs that are synonymous with success. Chris Dyer at DeSoto (33-5, reg. qtr.) and Royce Huseman at Kingwood (30-5, area) are always in the chase. S.A. Taft has all five starters and 11 lettermen to help Coach Joey Tate improve on a 27-8 playoff team.
Most of the region IV perennial powers have few returnees or a new coach. Look for Cliff Ellis at S.A. Wagner (39-2, final four) and Mike Wacker at Judson (33-7, reg. final) to duke it out in district 25 and compete for the regional title. Many other teams could emerge to claim the final four spot in this wide open region including S.A. Reagan, where John Hirst takes over a 23-11 playoff team.
