Prognosticators peg Apaches as playoff contenders

DCTF Magazine has mixed feelings on other area football teams

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For the first time since the 2015 season, the Gonzales Apaches are predicted as playoff contenders in the massive summer annual Dave Campbell’s Texas Football 2019 magazine. 

With two-a-days a month away, DCTF’s annual predictions has unofficially kicked off the Texas high school football season.

Despite a new head coach in Gonzales, DCTF believes the Apaches will place third in District 15-4A DI behind La Vernia and Boerne. The magazine touted Gonzales’ offensive line as well as the return of Lion Williamson to the defensive line as strong points. Williamson was named the preseason defensive MVP.

Beeville Jones is predicted to go fourth while Pleasanton was predicted to miss the playoffs at fifth place.

The Nixon-Smiley Mustangs struggled last year under first-year head coach Pablo Ybarro. DCTF predicts the team will struggle again, placing last in the six-team District 15-3A DII behind state-ranked Poth, Natalia, Skidmore-Tynan, Stockdale and Dilley, in that order.

Speaking of tough districts, the Luling Eagles are in a district with three teams that reached at least the third round of playoffs. The Eagles struggled under first-year head coach Stacey Martin, going 0-10 due to injuries. DCTF predicts Luling will place sixth behind juggernauts Yoakum, Goliad and Edna, with Vanderbilt Industrial placing fourth and Hallettsville taking fifth.

State-ranked Shiner is now under new head coach Daniel Boedeker, who was the team’s defensive coordinator. Boedeker replaces longtime coach Steven Cerney who retired. DCTF has the Comanches as the District 15-2A favorite with running back Donyai Taylor listed as the preseason offensive MVP. Behind them, DCTF has the district going the way of Weimar in second, Wallis Brazos third, Yorktown fourth and Kenedy fifth.

The state-champion Shiner St. Paul Cardinals are expected to top TAPPS District 3 – Div. IV over their rival Hallettsville Sacred Heart Indians, Temple Central Texas Christian and San Antonio St. Gerard. The Cardinals return many players on defense, though DCTF did not name any offensive or defensive MVPs for this district.

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