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AP preseason poll

The Associated Press preseason poll is out today and no Wichita Falls area teams made the top 10. I gave Graham, a finalist a year ago, a No. 8 vote in Class 3A. No one else gave them a vote. I also gave a vote to Archer City, my surpise pick in a tough-to-call district.

Here is how I voted:

5A
1st Place: Euless Trinity High School
2nd Place: Austin Westlake High School
3rd Place: Abilene High School
4th Place: Katy High School
5th Place: Round Rock Stony Point High School
6th Place: Lufkin High School
7th Place: Allen High School
8th Place: Cedar Hill High School
9th Place: Beaumont West Brook High School
10th Place: Coppell High School

CLASS 4A
1st Place: Lake Travis High School (Austin)
2nd Place: Aledo High School
3rd Place: Denton Ryan High School
4th Place: Brenham High School
5th Place: Stephenville High School
6th Place: Angleton High School
7th Place: Tyler John Tyler High School
8th Place: Highland Park (Dallas)
9th Place: Kerrville Tivy High School
10th Place: Cedar Park High School

CLASS 3A
1st Place: Brownwood High School
2nd Place: Lucas Lovejoy High School
3rd Place: Carthage High School
4th Place: Cuero High School
5th Place: Celina High School
6th Place: Kirbyville High School
7th Place: Abilene Wylie High School
8th Place: Graham High School
9th Place: Pittsburg High School
10th Place: Wimberley High School
CLASS 2A
1st Place: Daingerfield High School
2nd Place: Littlefield High School
3rd Place: Newton High School
4th Place: Refugio High School
5th Place: Gunter High School
6th Place: Blanco High School
7th Place: Arp High School
8th Place: New London West Rusk High School
9th Place: Lexington High School
10th Place: Bushland High School

CLASS A
1st Place: Goldthwaite High School
2nd Place: Stratford High School
3rd Place: Mart High School
4th Place: Tenaha High School
5th Place: Canadian High School
6th Place: Falls City High School
7th Place: Albany High School
8th Place: Kerens High School
9th Place: Collinsville High School
10th Place: Archer City High School

So who is going to be great that I'm leaving out? The first few weeks may change my mind on quite a few teams.

Posted by Andy Newberry at 4:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Chaffin to La. Tech

Devontay Chaffin is planning on going to Lousiana Tech as the Old High wideout/kick returner told coach Jayson Lavender on Thursday night that he has committed to the Bulldogs.
That doesn't mean he has to go there, the athletes sign next February, and we have seen over the past few years many of our athletes use that right to change their minds.
But going Division I is quite an accomplishment for Chaffin. He's always one of the smallest guys on the field, but just about always the fastest man out there, too. He didn't grow up playing with the pigskin all the time. He wasn't envisioning himself as the next Dave Meggett or Mel Gray or Deion Sanders.
He played basketball. Maybe he was shooting for being the next Spud Webb or Mugsy Bogues.
Chaffin's speed helps him on the basketball court, but he's electric to watch on the football field.

Here's wishing him a happy and complete senior year and a great future as he has a chance at a free education. Like Chaffin's returns, a senior year really goes by in a blink.

Posted by Andy Newberry at 11:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Angels try to get more athletic

You can blame the Texas Rangers, specifically Nelson Cruz, Josh Hamilton and Julio Bourbon for the latest move by the Angels.
The LA Angels of Anaheim and their traveling media all noted how athletic the Ranger outfielders were in series in Texas a couple of weeks ago. While Hamilton and Cruz are better than any set of corner OFers in the busines, the Angels had the aging Bobby Abreu and below average Juan Rivera. Sometimes it's an extra base hit here and there. Sometimes a step can be the difference between an out and a two-run double.
The Angels praised the Rangers for their defensive work.
And on Tuesday they did something no one would have forecasted at the beginning of the season -- move Torri Hunter to right field.
Hunter, a nine-time Gold Glover, slid over from his customary center field spot for 23-year-old rookie Peter Bourjos, who was called up after hitting .314 with 13 HR and 27 steals at Triple A.
The Angels will certainly be more athletic. And they'll have a good pinch-hitter available as Juan Rivera, Abreu or Hidecki Matsui will find theirselves sitting.
Those vets can blame it on Texas.

Posted by Andy Newberry at 10:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)