It's actually kinda weird -- not that the Wildcats are still playing, but that there is only one team remaining.

At this time last year, we had six teams still alive. Rider, Vernon, Seymour, Munday, Windthorst and Grandfield were all playing ball.

In fact, I am even playing golf this Saturday, enjoying the day off (as a holdover Thanksgiving holiday). For this time of year, that is uncharted territory.

A couple other quick thoughts:

* Talked to Windthorst coach Bill Green this week -- he has played both Archer City and Albany -- and he thinks Friday's state quarterfinal is a toss-up. I tend to agree with him.

* Think about it. We were one fluky last-second screen pass away from having a Windthorst-Archer City regional final this weekend. That would have been fun.

* Starting to work on my Red River 22 team. Still need to talk to several coaches, but I have a good idea on who I like for most of the positions. Since only one team is still playing, that makes it easier to sort out.

* If you have nothing to do Saturday, go to Memorial Stadium to watch Canadian-Quinlan Boles at 2 p.m. in the state semifinals. Should be entertaining (I won't be there, will be golfing instead. Plus, if I told my wife I had a rare Saturday off but that I was still going to a football game NOT involving area teams, she would not be happy).

* I will write more about the Archer City-Albany game tomorrow, but let me say this much now. Should be one heck of a game.

Both emerged from the always-tough District 9-A. And both play tonight in win-or-go-home matchups.

Let's wipe the turkey off our faces and take a look:

First, the Wildcats are peaking right now and are coming off a huge win last week against Roscoe. And Sam Smith will be the best player on the field at Memorial Stadium.

AC is particularly strong against the run, which is what Lindsay likes to do.

And I do not think AC is looking past Lindsay, either. The Knights were actually up on the Wildcats for a half, so they know what Lindsay is capable of.

It sounds like the Knights have improved since these two teams met in late September (AC won 28-7), but so have the Wildcats. If Archer City doesn't turn the ball over, it should win by at least 17.

* Seymour vs. Quinlan Boles: I picked Seymour in the paper, but this is why I think the Panthers' season might end tonight.

Seymour really needs to find some offense. It is hard to believe no Panther has rushed or passed for 500 yards. Meanwhile, the Hornets are averaging about 420 rushing yards a game.

Two quick things: It doesn't look like Quinlan Boles played a lot of tough teams in the regular season, so even though it killed some people, it wasn't often tested.

Seymour may be the best defense it faced. Also, the Panthers went up against some tough teams.

But Quinlan Boles has a couple studly backs, and coach Castles has already told me the Hornets will get their points. So Seymour's offense will need to come up with some big plays. And if the special teams wants to chip in with a TD (it has done so in two straight games), then that will help.

If it's a shootout, Seymour loses. If it is low-scoring, Seymour has a pretty good chance of winning. I think the Panthers keep it close, but not close enough. Boles by nine.

There are probably some people who were surprised the Trojans almost pulled off the upset; or that the Wildcats downed the Plowboys; or that Rider is not moving on.

With the exception off one 6-Man score (I thought Throckmorton would have beaten Garden City), nothing really surprised me this weekend.

And here is the deal with Windthorst. When it wasn't shooting itself in the foot -- 35 turnovers in 10 games is doing just that -- the Trojans were a pretty solid team.

So I thought, if they played well, they could have a chance. And if a screen pass does not go for 77 yards in the closing seconds, I think we would have been looking at an AC-Windthorst regional final in two weeks.

Against Albany, Windthorst turned the ball over only once. I was listening to the first part of the game on the radio, and the Lions fumbled the opening kickoff and Windthorst recovered, then scored a few plays later.

I thought to myself then, this was a game the Trojans could win if Albany wasn't playing its best.

Some other thoughts from the weekend:

* I saw two great games -- both Archer City-Roscoe and China Spring-Burkburnett lived up to the hype.

The Bulldogs gave China Spring everything they wanted, and they had a legit chance to win. Unfortunately, Burk failed to cash in on some early scoring chances. Leaving an explosive team like the Cougars hanging around ended up costing them.

* Speaking of Burkburnett, I was a little surprised by the amount of fans (or lack thereof) that showed up in Aledo.

Sure, Burkburnett was sitting on the home side, which seats a lot more people. But China Spring packed its stands nearly full. The Bulldog supporters that were there were loud, but there wasn't enough of them for a game of this magnitude.

* If you would have told me before the season that Rider would be knocked out in the second round, I would have scoffed. But considering everything that team went through, I am not that surprised.

* There are only two area teams left, which is quite a surprise. And think about this: No area 3A, 2A or 6-Man team won a playoff game.

That's a big 0-10 for the area non-private schools. Not sure the last time that happened, but I bet it has been a long while (if ever).

*Pigskinprep.com just released its predictions for this week. Seymour is an 8-point underdog to Quinlan Boles, while Archer City is favored by 24. It also predicts the Wildcats beating Albany in the next round by 3, then losing to Stratford by 5.

Here are some quick hits on the area's other playoff games:

* Burkburnett vs. China Spring: This should be a really great game. I am interested in seeing how Burkburnett's defense fares against China Spring's offense. I think the Bulldogs are capable of an upset, but I think they have to play an almost-perfect game to do so. They cannot get off to the kind of start they had after their last bye -- when Bridgeport came out and took the game over. My pick: Burkburnett loses valiantly by seven.

* Vernon vs. Liberty Hill: The two-time defending state champs are averaging 444 rushing yards a game. Vernon's defense has been solid, but the Lions just do not have the firepower to hang around in this one.

* Seymour vs. Stamford: I like the Panthers to pull out a close one this time around. They are playing some pretty quality defense, and the offense scores enough in a tight one.

There are plenty of reasons why the No. 3 Plowboys should win. Playoff experience is one of them. And Roscoe, which has an abundance of skill players, is favored nearly everywhere you look.

I'm going to tell you why I picked Archer City to pull off a mini-upset. It may not happen, but here are my thoughts on why it could:

And Munday forced seven turnovers. I am not sure if the Wildcats' defensive line is as good as Munday's was, but it is the backbone of their defense. Kolby Rowe is a force, and if those guys can generate pressure, then they will have a chance.

* Another mention of history: I am not going to pretend to know exactly how many starters return on Roscoe's defense, but I do know this.

Munday ran for 299 yards against them last year. I remember at least three of four pretty bug runs by the Moguls. Archer City's Sam Smith is averaging 12 yards per carry, so he could have a big night. And he will probably need to.

* A third mention of history: Our Wichita Falls area teams at the Class A level have fared pretty well against Abilene teams through the years in the playoffs.

Last year, Munday took down Roscoe while a 4-6 Windthorst team beat Gorman and Goldthwaite.

In 2006, Windthorst edged an unbeaten Goldthwaite (a huge early-playoff game kind of like this one) and Electra knocked off Albany.

Windthorst also beat Haskell in 2004 and 2005; very good Albany teams in 2003 and 2004; and Roscoe in 2003. Petrolia also knocked off a couple of Abilene schools en route to a state title in 2002.

* The elements: Not sure if it is supposed to be real windy or raining, but I would rather have an offense running out of the I-Formation than a spread attack in bad conditions. And it seems like the weather does a lot of crazy things in the playoffs.

* Quick start: One of the reasons Munday won last year was because it scored two touchdowns before Roscoe's offense took the field (an accidental onsides kick helped the cause).

If AC can get off to a quick lead, there it can stay run-oriented and not have to worry about playing catch-up. If Roscoe scores the first couple touchdowns, then the Wildcats may have to throw the ball more than they would like.

* Week off: Archer City did not play last week, which helped them get rid of some bumps and bruises. It might mean they come out rusty too, but at least they will be at full strength.

* Aren't I due: While I am leading the high school periscope picks at the paper, I haven't really gone on a limb and been right this whole year.

I picked Windthorst over Archer City, and that obviously did not work out. I was wrong on Lake Dallas over Rider. Basically, I have been playing it a little somewhat safe and have yet to be correct on an upset selection.

So aren't I due?

Sure, Rider expectedly won. But the other four schools in action (all 2A programs) bowed out in different circumstances.

It was not surprising Bowie and Henrietta lost to Clyde and Cisco, respectively. Both of those schools played pretty competitive games, too. And Jacksboro was a double-digit underdog to Pottsboro.

They did so against Bowie, forcing six turnovers. They kept Henrietta bottled up. They came through late against Windthorst and Iowa Park.

But Holliday never could force Merkel out of its rhythm. The Badgers had four second-half possessions and scored on all four. The last one had to be the most frustrating, as Merkel ran it down their throats.

So now it's up to the Wichita Falls area 3A and A schools to keep the playoffs going. And it won't be easy.

Burkburnett and Vernon play the state's top two ranked teams this Saturday.

Archer City is the area's best squad, but it will have its hands full against Roscoe. If the Wildcats win, they could go a ways, but this might be an early exit, too.

I think the Seymour-Stamford game is a toss-up, and Windthorst enters its Area round contest against an unbeaten Albany team is a decent-sized underdog.

So if we are going to have more than one area team still playing football next week, then there will need to be a couple surprising scores.

Jacksboro takes on Pottsboro tonight, and the three District 5-2A playoff representatives square off against 6-2A tomorrow.

Here is what I think about all four of those matchups, starting with the game that I am covering:

Still, I think the Eagles have a chip still on their shoulders, and I think the players who were on varsity last year have not forgotten how their season ended quickly against Boyd in bi-district.

Merkel has a really good QB, but I have been majorly impressed with Tyler Cole (probably because he rushed for about 400 yards in the two games I saw him play). The Eagles can hurt you in many ways -- don't forget they can throw the ball -- and Holliday does a pretty good job avoiding the turnover bug.

Merkel is a solid squad, and in most districts, it would be 8-2. This will not be an easy game for Holliday, but I think they win by a touchdown.

Henrietta vs. Cisco: I was right when I said last week that Henrietta would come out and play everybody in a season-ending game against Nocona.

I was wrong when I said if the Bearcats did that, they would win. Coach West told me the team was flat all week after a crushing loss to Holliday. I am sure they will not be hanging their heads as the playoffs loom, but I think Cisco is too much to handle.

For Henrietta to win, its defense will have to force some turnovers, and somebody besides QB Seth Crumpton will have to step up. The Bearcats' second-leading rusher has a little over 200 yards.

I saw Cisco blast Olney two years ago in the playoffs, and the Loboes whipped Nocona even worse the year after. It is just too tough a matchup for Henrietta, although I could definitely see the Bearcats keeping it close for a while.

Bowie vs. Clyde: Congrats to Bowie for making the playoffs. Unfortunately, I do not see its playoff ride lasting real long.

Clyde lost to a very good Sweetwater squad, then ran the table, including beating Cisco. It has a multiple of weapons on offense, and plays well defensively, too.

Bowie's offense can move the ball with most schools it faces, but here is my concern. Against Holliday, the Jackrabbits allowed 400 rushing yards. They also gave up several big plays to Henrietta and Olney. Bowie has a pretty big defensive line, but there are some holes to be found in the defense.

Plus, Bowie seems to turn it over a lot in some games (ex. Look at any loss this year). If it keeps control of the ball, then Bowie can make it a close one. If the Jackrabbits turn it over, then it may get ugly.

Either way, I like Clyde to advance.

Jacksboro vs. Pottsboro: Full disclosure here. I am usually one of the first to pick games in the TRN periscopes.

A couple of days after making my picks, I opened up the page again and saw everyone chose Pottsboro. So I thought, "What the heck. Let's go out on a limb here."

Jacksboro is a solid team, but it lost to all three of the area teams mentioned above (so it would not have made the playoffs in 5-2A). The Tigers are on a roll now, and I think they have a chance in this one.

That being said, Pottsboro has the better team on paper and better stats. So Pottsboro is probably the safe pick here, but since I picked the Tigers in the paper, I will stick with them.

But for some reason, I am not feeling the playoffs yet. I think there is a reason for this.

I cover our area schools (not Rider) and excluding the Raiders, Oklahoma and private schools in the TRN coverage area, we had 13 area teams make the playoffs.

Of those 13, nine are off this week. Basically it is our 3A, A and 6-Man schools. That leaves four area playoff games (which I will preview later in the day) going on.

I usually cover at least 2-3 games during the first weekend of the playoffs, and last year I covered four in a 48-hour span. This week, I am only doing one -- Holliday and Merkel in Breckenridge.

I was even able to get a rare Tuesday off so my wife and I could do some baby registering in the Dallas area. Down time in the playoffs is absurd for me.

This week should go by quickly though, and next week will provide a couple of tantalizing matchups: Roscoe vs. Archer City and Burkburnett vs. China Spring.

By then, I really think I'll be in the playoff mindset.

There are endless possibilities on every Friday night. You begin to expect the unexpected.

But the principle is still there that no team should ever be counted out. Which is why I will be traveling to Olney on Friday night.

If you would have told me that I would be covering Olney during its six-loss stretch in seven games, I would have given you a crazy look.

In fact, Olney had some pretty good (on paper) non-district matchups against area teams that I thought I would probably cover, like Windthorst and Munday.

But they lost their best two players, and it took a long time for things to get going. When they opened district with a 42-6 loss to Holliday (the Eagles were up 35-0 at the half and the second half was played with a fast clock), I thought the Cubs were totally done.

But then they hung with Henrietta, beat Nocona and trounced City View. And now is a big-time showdown with Bowie for the last 5-2A playoff spot.

I would think Olney making the playoffs would be the second-biggest surprise turnaround in the last five years (Hirschi making it in 2006 is first), but in my opinion, Bowie has too many weapons on offense. I am not sure Olney can keep up with them. The Jackrabbits are going to the playoffs after a seven-point win.

Here are the area's other games this week:

Rider vs. WFHS: You have to give Coach Ponder credit for winning six straight, the majority of which came with most of his skill players hurt. The Raiders have too much depth for the Coyotes, who are thin at some positions. Rider by 28.

Hirschi at Burkburnett: The Bulldogs in a big, big way. At least five touchdowns.

Iowa Park at Vernon: The Lions really proved their mettle by shutting out Decatur in the second half last week. If they can do that, then they should be able to slow down the Hawks. This is a game Vernon could lose, but I think they get the job done.

Breckenridge at Graham: The Steers will be rooting hard for Brownwood to beat Snyder, but they also need to win this game. I think they will, but it may be closer than you think.

Henrietta at Nocona: The Bearcats have nothing to play for, but after the loss last week, I just got the feeling from Coach West that they were going to come out and play everybody and enter the playoffs on a winning note. If they do that, then they will win.

City View-Holliday: Eagles win huge.

Archer City-Electra: Ditto.

Windthorst at Seymour: Another pretty good matchup, but it has no importance except second in the district. Windthorst has a couple of good freshmen that have really come on strong. It seems like I say this every week, but if the Trojans can not turn the football over, they win by 10.

Munday-Petrolia: The Moguls are not going to the playoffs, but they end on a good note.

Before I break down some district scenarios, it is worth noting the possibility on several unanimous district championships.

In 5-2A and 9-A, Holliday and Archer City play the last-place teams (City View and Electra) so they should win.

Maybe the biggest chance of a tie atop the standings is if Throckmorton beats Northside. Other than that, every 6-Man district and fringe district (ones like 2-3A, where Graham is the only area school) should have one perfect team.

Here is what's up for grabs in every district this weekend:

5-4A: All the teams have been decided, and Rider has won the title. All that matters is the Denton Guyer-Denton Ryan winner will be the top seed in Div. I, while the loser will be the second seed.

2-3A: Abilene Wylie and Sweetwater will play for the district title. For Graham to get in, the Steers need to beat Breckenridge and have Brownwood beat Snyder. That would create a three-way tie for third, and Graham would advance on points. But if Snyder beats Brownwood, it will take third.

5-3A: Bridgeport and Burkburnett are in. Vernon can get third if it beats Iowa Park or loses a close one. Iowa Park needs to beat Vernon by 11 points and if that happens, the Hawks will emerge from the third-place tie.

5-2A: The Bowie/Olney winner gets in. The loser is breaking out the basketballs.

9-A: Everything has been decided.

6-Man 5-A Div. I: This is copied straight from what will appear in the paper Wednesday that I worked on. Northside is in no matter what, while Crowell is out no matter what. Throckmorton and Paducah are the other teams vying for a spot. The two big games are Throckmorton-Northside and Crowell-Paducah.

If Northside and Paducah win: Northside wins district and Paducah takes second. No tiebreaker is needed.

If Northside and Crowell win: Northside wins district and Throckmorton takes second based on most points in the three-way tiebreaker.

If Throckmorton and Paducah win: Northside and Throckmorton are in. If Throckmorton beats Northside by 11 or more, then it is the champion. If the margin is 10 or less, then Northside gets the top seed.

If Throckmorton and Crowell win: Throckmorton wins district and Northside is second.

And there were many reasons why Holliday-Henrietta was greatness. For starters, the intensity of both defenses was incredible. There were tons of hitters on the field. You knew yards were not going to come easy. You knew big plays were going to be at a premium.

Tyler Cole is a stud, and not many people rush for 170 yards against the Bearcats. I have seen him play twice, and he has about 400 rushing yards in those games. He is not only lightning quick, but he does not go down easy, either. And he has two more years of varsity left -- that is scary.

I heard a lot of people question Coach West's decision to kick a field goal when it was tied at 7-7 with about seven minutes left and 4-and-1 on the 19.

The call is a hard one to make, and obviously it did not work out. I am not saying it was the right or wrong call, but these are the reasons I can see why he did it:

1) The previous two plays got zero yards. If it had been 3-and-6 and Seth Crumpton rushed for five yards, then I think going for it becomes an easier decision to make. But Holliday had stopped them twice.

2) For most schools, a 36-yard field goal is way too risky. But Blake Wiest is a very, very good kicker. I bet he makes 8-of-10 from that range in practice.

3) At 7-7 with that little time left and considering how great the defenses were playing, it was obvious that probably only one more score wins the game. So why not take that chance?

4) Holliday had not moved the ball very well after halftime. So West could not have foreseen Holliday having its best drive of the night immediately afterward.

5) Missing the field goal was a momentum swing, no doubt. But an even more devastating momentum swing would have come if Holliday had stopped Henrietta for no gain on a third straight play.

I do not know what I would have done had I been in Coach West's shoes. But I hope people around town don't second-guess that one to death.

And I really like how Coach West has kept the program going strong the past few years. After the loss, there were a handful of distraught Henrietta players hanging their heads.

West tells them to head to the locker room. Don't worry, he says -- y'all will see this field again on Saturday, and at practice on Monday. His message was basically that life goes on.

Also, a huge thanks again to the Henrietta All Sports Club. The nice people over there hooked me up with some ridiculously good food. Shrimp, pork tenderloin, ribs, I could go on forever. It was some very good dining.

Ricardo from KFDX has been rating concession stands at the games he goes to, and it seems like we have crossed each other's paths a lot lately. And I have noticed that when Ricardo shows up, some of these places have gone all-out. It works out well for me.

Here are some other thoughts from the weekend:

* West beat Gatesville. Why is that relevant? It means No. 2 China Spring will go Division I now, and that Burkburnett will face them after the Bulldogs have a bi-district bye.

* No District 9-A playoff spots or even division seeding up for grabs this next week. That is kinda weird, although Windthorst-Seymour should be a good game. And I am looking forward to Archer City-Roscoe already.

* I had apprehensions about Nocona at the start of the year (I picked them to finish fifth -- if you do not believe me, check my August District 5-2A blog), but the Indians got off to a hot start, so I gave them the benefit of the doubt.

But the fact remains, Nocona lost its top three players last year, and for whatever reason, it could not get it going when it mattered most in district. I like what Coach McElroy has going over there, but I also thought the Indians should have finished at worst fourth in 5-2A.

* If Bowie and Vernon make the playoffs, then I would have been right on forecasting the 5-3A and 5-2A playoff teams. I did miss Seymour in 9-A. And the order for those districts wasn't exactly right.

This will decide the 5-2A title, and if Bowie makes the playoffs, then the winner will also avoid Cisco too.

Henrietta can too, but will QB Seth Crumpton? Coach West told me today "as far as he knew" Crumpton would play. It sounded like Crumpton had done some light practicing.

So is Crumpton a game-time decision? Or is it one of those things they'll start him and see if he can go? Or is he fully healed? I really don't know. Guess we will wait and see.

If Crumpton cannot go, I don't foresee a Henrietta win. The Henrietta defense is staunch, and QB Chase Darnell looked great last week (albeit against City View) but Crumpton makes Henrietta go.

While this is arguably the best area district rivalry right now (I would have said Vernon-Graham, but they no longer play. Burk-IP is pretty good too, but both teams have not played at a playoff level consistently), Holliday has had Henrietta's number four of the last five years.

Even in 2005, when Henrietta won district and Holliday missed the playoffs, the Eagles won. I remember the last Bearcat win, a 10-0 decision in 2004.

That year, Holliday had the best player on the field (Colin Leggett) but Henrietta had more weapons (a passing game, Matt Key and a powerful fullback who I think was named Heath Moore).

That is why I like the Eagles. Crumpton may be the best player on the field (and hopefully he plays) but the Eagles are deeper with home-run threats.

Some other games to look at:

*Little Elm at Rider: The Raiders have not lost a 5-4A game. Little Elm is winless all year. Rider by four touchdowns, and it would be more but the Raiders are resting some guys in preparation for the playoffs.

*WFHS at Denton Guyer: Can the Coyotes make one last stand? Unless they have found some more defense, I think they lose in a scorefest.

*Bridgeport at Hirschi: I cringe when I think of this game. The Huskies lost last week to Iowa Park, 37-0. IP trailed Bridgeport 49-0 at the half a week before. The Bulls will name the score.

*Burkburnett at Iowa Park: The Hawks are getting better, but they are not quite good enough to hang with Burk, which does a great job at stuffing the run. Bulldogs by 10-14.

*Graham at Abilene Wylie: The Steers pulled a huge upset off last week, but I think two in a row is a little too much to ask.

*Vernon at Decatur: I saw a little tape on Burk-Decatur last week, and the Eagles really struggled stopping the run. Holes were huge. And once a back got through, often there was not a second line of defense.

That said, Decatur scored 41 points more than Vernon did against Burkburnett. QB Tim Metts is a good player, although he is capable of throwing some interceptions.

Still, I expect Vernon to run wild in a high-scoring win. If not, then the 5-3A playoff spots will be set.

*Nocona at Bowie: I think the Indians will come out playing very desperate. Assuming RB Bear Treadway plays, I think Bowie should win, but the Jackrabbits have to cut down on turnovers (10 in two 5-2A losses).

*Olney vs. City View: The Cubs will win easily and have a shot at the playoffs going into the final week. Two weeks ago, I would have thought the last part of that sentence is crazy.

*Munday at Archer City: I think this game could be closer than the AC-Seymour or AC-Windthorst games. The Moguls are hanging on by a thread.

Maybe Rob Dillard comes back to play offense (he played defense last week), but the Wildcats are the deeper team. They win by 10.

*Seymour at Petrolia: The Pirates would be atop 9-A in games were only half as long. I think this game could be pretty lose, and it seems like Petrolia always play the Panthers hard (like last year).

But Seymour has been on a mission to get back to the playoffs. The only thing I find weird about these Panthers: they used their third QB of the season last week (Cade Williamson), and I never got ahold of Coach Castles to find out why.

*Electra at Windthorst: Trojans win handily, making their 14th straight playoff appearance.

Here is a look at several different scenarios and possibilities for each district, and what I think will happen:

Who can get in with a win Friday: Burkburnett, Decatur

Who is also still alive: Vernon, Iowa Park

Who is out: Hirschi

Scenarios: Burk should beat IP this weekend, and in doing that will take up the Div. I spot, leaving one still up for grabs. I think Vernon has a pretty good shot at beating Decatur. If that happens, then the Lions will need to down the Hawks in the last week of the season. We are going to assume Bridgeport beats Decatur in Week 10. So if IP can beat Vernon, then those two teams and the Eagles will be tied for third at 2-3. Then it comes down to points. However, all of this is rendered moot if Decatur takes down Vernon because then it would wind up 3-2 and would have beaten both IP and Vernon.

What I think will happen: Vernon wins out and takes the last spot.

DISTRICT 5-2A

Who is in: Henrietta, Holliday

Who can get in with a win Friday: No one

Who is also still alive: Bowie, Nocona and surprisingly, Olney

Who is out: City View

Scenarios: Henrietta-Holliday will be for the district title and, if Bowie makes it, the easier road to the playoffs (more on that in a column in Thursday's paper). The Bowie-Nocona game offers different stakes for different teams. If Bowie wins, and we will assume Olney beats City View, then Bowie-City View that last week is for the last playoff spot. A Nocona loss this week puts them out of the playoffs. If Nocona wins, Bowie is still alive. That is because the Jackrabbits could beat Olney the next week, and if Henrietta beat Nocona in Week 10, then all three teams would be 2-3 and it would go down to points. If Nocona won out, the Indians would get in if Olney lost. Olney wins out, and they are in.

What I think will happen: Bowie beats Nocona, ending the Indians' chances. Then Bowie beats Olney for the last playoff spot.

District 9-2A

Who is in: Technically nobody, although Paradise is really close.

Who can get in with a win Friday: Paradise, Jacksboro, Boyd

Who is also still alive: Alvord

Who is out: Millsap, Chico

Scenarios: Paradise will probably win its last two games, so we will assume it goes 5-0. If Jacksboro beats Alvord this weekend, then they will get second in district. Boyd would lose to Paradise this week, but then beat Millsap to get in on Week 10. Now if Alvord beats Jacksboro, there is a pretty good chance those two and Boyd all finish at 3-2. Then it comes down to points. Right now, Boyd is done at a +4. Jacksboro is a +7 and Alvord is a -11. So the Tigers could suffer an 8-point loss to Alvord, beat Chico and then get in anyway.

What I think will happen: Jacksboro beats Alvord, rendering the math moot. And Boyd gets in as well.

District 9-A

Who is in: Archer City

Who can get in with a win Friday: Seymour, Windthorst

Who is also still alive: Munday, Petrolia

Who is out: Electra

Scenarios: There are still a lot of them. For Munday to get in, they would need to upset Archer City, win out and then have Seymour or Windthorst lose out (they play each other in Week 10). Windthorst should beat Electra, so I do not think that will happen. Petrolia needs to beat Seymour to have a chance, but even then the Pirates would probably need to take down Munday too. If Seymour were to lose out, Petrolia beats Seymour and loses to Munday, and Munday loses to AC and beats Petrolia, then all three would be 2-3 and it would go down to points.

What I think will happen: A lot of crazy things can still happen, but I do not see it. Windthorst and Seymour win this weekend, and Week 10 offers no uncertainty.

Sometimes, a couple of huge upsets happen in the district openers.

Or like last year -- when Petrolia surprised AC to help Windthorst get into the playoffs (or three years ago, when all three District 5-3A playoff spots were up for grabs in the same night) -- it happens the final weekend of the season.

The first two district weeks, we barely heard a peep. Not one outcome really surprised me. And then Friday night came.

Then I got back to the office and discovered Graham had run away from Brownwood. And Paducah topping Throckmorton should not be classified as an "upset" but it definitely caught my eye. The Greyhounds now are in a little trouble.

It didn't turn into an upset but Petrolia was beating Archer City for a half. Burkburnett gave up 47 points and still won. Wow.

Just lots of crazy outcomes that really messed up (or sorted out) some district races.

Some other thoughts from the weekend:

* Saw Holliday for the first time and came away really impressed. Tyler Cole is so fast. Tyler Jolly is so tough to bring down between the tackles. And the defense forces so many turnovers.

Two non-related game stories I have to tell real quick. One - I am writing my story in Coach Wolf's office afterward and a couple of coaches, including Wolf, are watching some of the video.

Wolf, who was real happy with the outcome, asked me how many rushing yards the Eagles had. I told him 395, but they would have cracked the 400-barrier if not for a 10-yard loss on a bad pitch late in the game.

You could see a little disappointment cross his face. It was one little mistake, but without that, they get to 400. I would not be surprised if he reminds his players of that this week before the big game against Henrietta.

Two - I have had great experiences at almost every place I have ever covered a game. Some places treat the media to pizza, sandwiches or maybe a Coke. Some don't do anything at all, and that does not bother me. I never expect anything when I go to games. As long as people are courteous and I have room to work, I am a happy camper.

That said, Holliday (I believe it is the Booster Club) really hooks you up. In the past, nice ladies have come to the people up in the press box and taken your order (hamburgers, BBQ sandwich, chips, etc).

Nothing probably will ever top Friday, though. The halftime grub consisted of steak fajitas worthy of any Mexican restaurant in town, with peppers, shredded cheese, hot sauce and guacamole on the side, plus chips.

And for dessert. A hot piece of apple pie, with caramel and nuts sprinkled on top. They also gave you a side of ice cream to eat with the pie, which was one of the best I have ever had. All I can say is WOW!

* Olney beat Nocona without throwing a pass. Think about that. In this day and age, to be able to run for 444 yards without even trying to throw. That is really impressive.

And Nocona is really in trouble. The Indians need to win out against Bowie and Nocona to make the playoff now. They have lost three of four games, and who knows how they will respond.

Coach McElroy told me earlier in the year that this squad was better that last year's playoff team. Well, now they better prove it. Another loss will mean a Bowie-Olney showdown the last weekend of the season for 5-2A's final playoff spot.

* Munday, a Class A state champion a year ago, is now on life support. The Moguls have to beat Archer City this week to have a chance at the playoffs, and even then it might not be enough.

* Was just talking to Burkburnett coach Bill Dalke and he said Tucker McDaniel, who was carted off on a stretcher, is going to be OK. They had to cut off his jersey when he got a concussion, so when the Bulldogs play at home in two weeks, McDaniel (if he plays) will be wearing another number.

* The 9-A playoff spots should be completed this week provided Seymour and Windthorst beat Petrolia and Electra, respectively.

And 5-3A's spots could be closed as well. Bridgeport is already in, Burkburnett will be if it takes down Iowa Park and Decatur gets in by beating Vernon. Also, Graham is still alive, although it probably needs to pull another upset against Abilene Wylie this week.

In a couple of days, I will dish out a complete breakdown of teams in, out and still alive.

And I know putting up 448 rushing yards against Hirschi is not the same things as beating a strong team. But it is still not out of the question the 1-7 Hawks can get in.

First, Vernon needs to beat Decatur next week. I think that has a pretty good shot at happening. If the Eagles win, they will clinch the last playoff spot.

Then IP would need to beat Vernon. Right now, they are the underdog, but the Hawks have looked pretty good in their Wing-T set.

If all this plays out, there would be a three-way tie for third at 2-3. Currently, IP is a -7 and Decatur is a +7. Vernon is a 0. So IP would need to beat Vernon by at least probably 10 points to make things interesting.

Is it a long shot? Yes. Is it still possible? It sure is.

* A couple more things about Friday's games:

Seymour will be rooting for Windthorst to beat Munday tonight. Because if the Trojans win, then the Panthers should be real close to locking up a playoff berth.

That's because Seymour (providing it beats Electra) will be 2-1 and if it beats Petrolia, will be 3-1. If AC wins out (topping Munday in the process) then the Moguls would be 2-3.

It is still possible three teams end up tied for two playoff spots at 3-2 if Munday beats Windthorst and Windthorst beats Seymour in the season finale.

* The Lake Dallas-Rider game is way bigger than a 5-4A title. Let's assume Denton Ryan, Denton Guyer, Rider and Lake Dallas make the playoffs.

The first two schools are going Division I. So basically, whoever wins tonight's game gets the top seed in Division II.

A Raiders' win means a bi-district opponent like Birdville. A loss and Aledo, ranked in the Top 10, would be Rider's first playoff foe. Not good.