The melding of the three closest 3A districts from the past two years has created District 3-3A, which brings with it five playoff teams out of the six, including the defending 4-3A champion.

Gone are four-team districts in 3A, resulting in a six-team league that includes district-champion Seminole, runners-up Andrews, Brownfield and Monahans and playoff team Midland Greenwood to go with Lamesa.

And it should make for an interesting district race with each team on a definite upswing, even the Golden Tornadoes, who suffered through injuries to finish winless.

Seminole

Despite losing 27 seniors, including 10 defensive starters, from last year’s District 3-3A championship squad, Seminole coach Chris Burtch feels the program is at a point that it can handle those kinds of losses and not be thrust into rebuilding mode.

“It’ll be interesting,” said Burtch, who is in his fifth season at Seminole. “Hopefully we’ve got to the point where maybe it’s just a reloading year. You’re never sure when that point in time will come, but we had a great year on our JV and they have high expectations for themselves.”
While the defense will have to be rebuilt, the offense should come back strong thanks to key returning starters. Leading that list is senior quarterback Cal Moring, who threw for 1,095 yards and 10 touchdowns and also rushed for 553 yards and three scores. Also back is senior running back Nicky Nave, who had 84 carries for 589 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Andrews

Andrews fans are hoping new coach Jeff Cordell can duplicate in the latter half of the decade what he was able to do in Gainesville in the first half of it.

Cordell, who spent the last two years at Greenville, led Gainesville to the 2003 Class 3A state championship and returned to the state title game with the Leopards two years later. Now, he takes on the duty of filling some big shoes as the Mustangs attempt to build upon last year’s success with only one offensive and two defensive starters from a 10-3 Division I regional finalist.

“We’ve got a long road ahead but we’re excited about the opportunity to go out there and play the games,” Cordell said.

Brownfield

The dilemma is such for Brownfield — the Cubs have one of the largest returning senior classes in recent history according to head coach Kevin Pittman. The problem is not many of them have experience.

“It’s going to be a work in progress,” said the Cubs’ sixth-year coach. “We’ve got to develop some linemen, and if we can find the kids that can do a decent job, we should be OK. We’re excited about the year and ready to get going.”

Fortunately for the Cubs, they are not bereft in the skill spots.

Leading the charge in 2008 will be seniors Chris Davis at quarterback and Kodey Dixon at running back. Davis, who broke onto the scene two years ago as a sophomore, rushed for 1,013 yards and 14 touchdowns and threw for another seven. Dixon rushed for 456 yards and five touchdowns in a backup role last year but will move to the front of the running game this year.

Lamesa

Third-year head coach Kent Torbert said the biggest positive coming out of an injury-plagued 2007 was the attitude the players went into the off-season with.

“It’s going to be interesting,” Torbert said. “Our young kids really have to grow up, but still with that, we’ve got eight starters back on offense, so we’ve got some experience back. It’s just young.”

Quarterback Daveonn Thomas, finished 2007 with 324 rushing yards 934 passing yards and three TDs. Junior inside linebacker Brent Sevedge anchors the defense.