SIX AREA high school football teams begin their bid to reach Arlington and the
state championships this weekend in bi-district action, while basketball begins
in earnest for those schools who did not advance to the postseason.
WEDNESDAY: Nothing huge on the schedule. It’s a good thing, considering
what the next three days have in store.
THURSDAY: Making their first playoff appearance since 2009, Santa Fe (5-
5) takes on state-ranked Fort Bend Marshall (10-0) in a Class 5A, Region III,
Division II bi-district matchup that will be played at Hall Stadium in Sugar Land
beginning at 7:00pm.
A majority of girls’ and boys’ basketball teams will participate in the McDonald’s
Texas Invitational, a three-day event that will see a host of the state’s top basketball
teams visit Pasadena. On the girls’ side, Clear Falls and state-ranked Clear
Springs will represent the area, with Clear Brook, Clear Falls and state-ranked
Dickinson are among the boys’ teams that will compete for the tourney crown.
Both Clear Creek and Friendswood will take part in the Fort Bend ISD Tournament,
which will also be a three-day event, while Santa Fe travels to compete in
the Nederland ISD Tournament.
For the first time since their Game Seven loss in the Western Conference Finals,
the Rockets will welcome the World Champion Warriors to Toyota Center starting
at 7:00pm. Houston is starting to find themselves as they enter the week with
a record of 5-7, while Golden State has jumped to an 11-2 start. TNT will have
the game nationally.
Houston will seek to snap a two-game losing streak as the Cougars (7-3) host
Tulane (5-5) in a game that will be aired on ESPN beginning at 7:00pm. Both
schools are tied with SMU with identical 4-2 records in the West Division in the
American Athletic Conference, with the winner moving one step closer to a possible
showdown against nationally-ranked Central Florida in the conference title
game next month.
FRIDAY: Four area teams will be in bi-district playoff games, beginning with
Clear Brook (3-7), who faces Strake Jesuit (9-1) in a 6A, Region III, Division II
matchup at Houston’s Clay Stadium beginning at 7:00pm. Clear Springs (7-3)
plays the role of guests as the District 24-6A champs welcome Alief Hastings
(6-4) to Challenger/Columbia Stadium at 7:00pm in a 6A, Region III, Division I
contest.
In what will be one of the biggest bi-district matchups in the Houston area, Dickinson
(9-1) visits The Rig in Pearland to square off against an Oilers team that
sports a perfect 10-0 record. The highly-anticipated 6A, Region III, D-1 showdown
kicks off at 7:00pm. Wrapping up the night’s high school football playoff
scene will be La Marque (3-7), which travels to West Columbia to meet Bellville
(6-4) in a 4A, Region III, Division II contest that begins at 7:30pm.
In girls’ basketball, La Marque is at state-ranked Hitchcock and Texas City at
Spring Westfield will each tip off at 7:00pm. The only boys’ game on the docket
will have Houston Kashmere at La Marque beginning at 7:00pm.
Weather won’t be a factor as Texas City High School welcomes a host of area
swimming teams at the annual Turkey Bowl that will be held at the Doyle Natatorium.
SATURDAY: Hitchcock will be the area’s final high school football team playing
its bi-district game when the 7-3 Bulldogs collide with Goliad (9-1) in El Campo.
The 3A, Region III, D-1 contest will start at 6:00pm.
The local college football schedule begins with Alabama State at Prairie View
at 1:00pm, followed by Sam Houston State at Houston Baptist at 2:00pm and
Lamar at McNeese State beginning at 3:00pm. Under the lights, Rice visits nationally-
ranked LSU at 6:00pm, while Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Texas Southern
starts at 7:30pm.
The Rockets host the Kings in their second of three straight home games at
Toyota Center beginning at 7:00pm. No longer a dormant franchise, the Kings
began the week with a 7-6 record as former Cy Lakes star De’Aaron Fox has
emerged as one of the league’s top young guards. AT&T Sportsnet Southwest
will have the game live starting with the pregame show at 6:30pm.
