The first round of the Texas high school football playoffs are set, with some familiar faces dotting the schedule and some all-too familiar matchups to open up.

Here are some tidbits to ponder during the week.

Barrio

Class 4A

• Frenship (6-4) vs. Palo Duro (4-6), 1 p.m. Saturday at Tiger Stadium in Wolfforth.

This is a return match from last year when the Tigers lost the home-and-home coin flip and had to play at Dick Bivins Stadium in Amarillo. It really didn’t matter much last year as the Tigers put on a showing in the second half both offensively and defensively to pull away with a 29-7 win.

In fact, this will be the fifth meeting between the Dons and Tigers since 2002, with Frenship having won three of the four previous meetings.

But this year’s Frenship team is different than the dominant ones of years past. The Tigers struggled in district play this season, breaking a three-year district-championship string, and they had to beat San Angelo Lake View on Friday just to get into the playoffs. The Dons, however, aren’t dominant, either, finishing third in a district in which only one team – Canyon – finished with an overall winning record.

Class 3A

• Estacado (6-4) vs. No. 8 Abilene Wylie (9-1), 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Grande Communications Stadium, Midland

Another rematch from last season when the Bulldogs beat the Matadors 21-10. Same day of the week, same time, same venue as last year.

Given how the Mats struggled down the stretch last year, not many expected them to hang with the Bulldogs. This year, Wylie has been a solid program again, but the difference is Estacado goes into the 2009 playoffs on a roll, having won four straight since a district-opening loss to Perryton, which failed to make the postseason.

The Mats are getting it done on the ground, averaging 270.5 rushing yards per game during their four-game winning streak. And adding to the interest in the game is Wylie’s star quarterback, Matt Preston, missed last week’s season finale against Sweetwater with a grade two sprain of the medial collateral ligament in his left knee. Early reports were he could also miss the playoff opener against the Matadors, which would be a big blow. He has rushed for nine touchdowns this year and thrown for more than 1,000 yards and six scores.

Class 2A

• River Road (7-3) vs. No. 4 Muleshoe (10-0), 7 p.m. Friday, Greg Sherwood Memorial Bulldog Stadium, Plainview

Not that the Mules would want to duck anybody, but Division I of Class 2A caught a big break when River Road beat Sanford-Fritch. That knocked the No. 2 team in the state, Bushland, to Division II.

Had that not happened, Muleshoe’s state-title defense would have been seriously threatened in the first round by a rematch of last year’s thrilling 34-20 Muleshoe rally in the final moments.

Now, the Mules face a River Road team which qualified for the playoffs for the first time in a decade, last making the postseason in 1999. Muleshoe, meanwhile, is hitting on all cylinders behind an offense that leads all area 2A teams at 460.1 yards per game.

• Littlefield (9-1) vs. Alpine (9-1), 7:30 p.m. Friday, Ratliff Stadium, Odessa

• Post (7-3) vs. Sonora (7-3), 7:30 p.m. Friday, Mustang Bowl, Sweetwater

• Idalou (7-3) vs. Crane (9-1), 7:30 p.m. Friday, Wig Wam Stadium, Seminole

The reason to bunch these three together is simple. Last year, District 3-2A swept District 4-2A right out of the first round with a couple of blowouts and the beginning of the playoff run of the year in 2008 for Roosevelt.

This year could be very similar. Crane and Alpine are back but will switch opponents. Alpine was crushed by Idalou 56-7 last year, while Crane was upset by Roosevelt, which advanced two more rounds. The newcomer is Sonora, which finished third in 4-2A but gets a Post team that was just six points from winning the 3-2A crown.

Littlefield will likely be without starting running back Patric Barrio for the first round of the playoffs. Barrio suffered a sprained knee and bone bruise from a hit two weeks ago against Denver City and missed the Wildcats’ district-clinching win over Post on Friday.

Class 1A

• Farwell (5-5) vs. No. 4 New Deal (10-0), 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Tiger Stadium, Wolfforth

Yet another rematch from 2008 when the Lions crushed the Steers 38-9 in the bi-district round.

But bi-district is not where the Lions have trouble. In fact, since dropping to 1A in 2004, New Deal has two wins and two byes in five playoff appearances, losing in 2004. The roadblock has come in the area round, where the Lions have fallen in three of the last four years.

• Seagraves (9-1) vs. McCamey (2-8), 2 p.m. Saturday, Grande Communications Stadium, Midland

For the fourth time in the last five years, the Eagles and Badgers will clash, and each time before, McCamey has gotten the best of Seagraves, winning in 2005 (45-20), 2006 (35-14) and 2007 (21-3).

This year, however, may be different. The Badgers backed into the playoffs in a down league, going 0-6 in non-district and then beating two teams in district that were a combined 8-12. Seagraves’ only loss on the entire year was to state-ranked New Deal, and the Eagles have one of the top rushing attacks in the area in Class 1A, averaging almost 320 yards per game going into the final week of the regular season.

Nominations sought

With the end of the regular season, it’s time for area coaches to nominate players for the Avalanche-Journal All-City and All-South Plains teams and The Associated Press all-state team.

Nominations should be sent to A-J assistant sports editor George Watson with the player(s)’ name, height, weight, classification, position and any and all pertinent statistics (regular season only).

Nominations should be made as soon as possible and can be sent by fax at (806) 766-2166 or e-mail to george.watson@lubbockonline.com. If you have any questions, call (806) 766-2166.

To comment on this story:

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