High School Football Playoffs: What you need to know about the Wichita Falls-area regions

More than 20 area high school football teams begin their postseason this week with the goal of playing December football.

Benjamin has a state title to defend, while a few are certainly among the favorites to compete for a regional title. Others enter this week as heavy underdogs, but it’s not uncommon to see a handful of upsets this time of year.

Here’s a look at the outlook for every region featuring Wichita Falls area programs along with potential future matchups and how pigskinprep.com ranks the regional teams.

REGION I-5A DIVISION II

Rider has never lost to an El Paso squad in 11 previous playoff meetings – in fact, the Raiders’ closest margin in those games is 21 points. But their playoff road gets substantially tougher after this week.

Defending regional champion Argyle is on the other half of the bracket, but Rider’s potential second-round foe is Lake Dallas, which pulled off a 36-35 upset of Frisco Emerson two weeks ago.

Emerson, which was ranked No. 1 for part of the year, could be a potential third-round opponent, while either Argyle or Colleyville Heritage could be waiting in the state quarterfinals. Rider’s season ended last year with a 7-0 loss to Argyle in the second round.

Pigskinprep.com’s Top 5: 1. Argyle; 2. Frisco Emerson; 3. Colleyville Heritage; 4. Rider; 5. Lake Dallas.

REGION I-4A DIVISION I

Wichita Falls High School and Burkburnett will be underdogs this week against Canyon and Canyon Randall, respectively. Even if the Wichita County schools pull off upsets, it wouldn’t get any easier in the second round.

That’s because the Coyotes would probably see an athletic team in Lubbock Estacado, while the Bulldogs would get Brownwood.

Decatur is the defending regional champ, and the Eagles wouldn’t see Brownwood or Springtown until the fourth round.

Pigskinprep.com’s Top 5: 1. Decatur; 2. Brownwood; 3. Springtown; 4. Lubbock Estacado; 5. Canyon; 13. Burkburnett; 15. WFHS.

REGION I-4A DIVISION II

Hirschi knocking off Graham last month and finishing as the top district seed had major playoff implications for the Huskies and Steers.

Graham’s road is significantly harder as the 3-4A’s second seed because No. 9 Canyon West Plains should be waiting in the second round. If the Steers can slip past that battle-tested team, then No. 7 Monahans awaits after Thanksgiving.

The Huskies will also head west if they get by Benbrook with nine-win Seminole a likely area round opponent. Hirschi could very well get a shot at avenging last year’s playoff loss to Glen Rose in the third round.

Pigskinprep.com’s Top 5: 1. Canyon West Plains; 2. Monahans; 3. Graham; 4. Glen Rose; 5. Seminole; 6. Hirschi. 

REGION I-3A DIVISION I

Iowa Park was a couple minutes away from a district championship, while Vernon nearly had Jim Ned beat. But because the Hawks and Lions couldn’t prevail in those recent district matchups, they finished as the bottom 3-3A playoff seeds and face two of the regional favorites in the first round.

Iowa Park draws No. 4 Brock for the second straight year (they lost 48-0 in 2022), while Vernon gets No. 9 Paradise. If either can pull off a bi-district upset, they can play with anyone in the region.

Vernon’s half of the draw has more depth as No. 5 Bushland or Jim Ned would be waiting in the third round if the Lions survive Paradise and then beat either Dalhart or Denver City.

Pigskinprep.com’s Top 5: 1. Brock; 2. Paradise; 3. Bushland; 4. Jim Ned; 5. Clyde; 6. Vernon; 8. Iowa Park. 

REGION II-3A DIVISION II

Out of every bracket broken down, Gunter is probably the biggest lock to win its region. It’d mark the eighth straight Region II-3A Division II title for the top-ranked Tigers.

But area teams are still projected to make some noise. In the top half of the bracket, there’s the potential for a third-round matchup between No. 7 Holliday and No. 9 Jacksboro. The Eagles will be favored to beat both Eastland and either Palmer or Leonard, while the Tigers will have a toss-up game against Bells if they get past Callisburg.

The argument could be made that Friday’s Henrietta-Comanche matchup is the most intriguing bi-district game among area teams. Scurry-Rosser would await the Bearcats after that.

If City View does knock off Millsap, the Mustangs would run into Gunter, which is outscoring opponents by a 58-6 average and destroyed Bells by 58 points.

Pigskinprep.com’s Top 5: 1. Gunter; 2. Holliday; 3. Jacksboro; 4. Bells; 5. Comanche; 7. Henrietta; 8. City View. 

REGION II-2A DIVISION I

Nocona is looking to regroup after suffering its first loss last week against Alvord, but DeLeon isn’t your average four seed. The Bearcats finished with a 3-3 record in battle-tested 5-2A Division II, which swept Nocona’s district last year and could possibly do the same again in 2023.

If the Indians win the first-round tossup, they’ll get either Crawford or Italy in the second round. No. 3 Tolar, which looks to be an overwhelming regional favorite on paper, would be waiting for Nocona in the third round.

Pigskinprep.com’s Top 5: 1. Tolar; 2. Axtell; 3. Marlin; 4. Coleman; 5. Crawford; 12. Nocona. 

REGION II-2A DIVISION II

This is traditionally the deepest region in 2A Division II, and that holds true once again as four teams are ranked — No. 1 Albany, No. 4 Collinsville, No. 6 Wink and No. 9 Windthorst.

Albany is the defending state champion, and the Lions will be favored again. That’s who Seymour gets if it beats Celeste this week — Albany won a non-district matchup 41-14.

Windthorst-Roscoe is a likely second-round matchup, and if the Trojans get past the Plowboys, then a rematch with Collinsville is a strong possibility. Collinsville, which takes on Archer City on Thursday, edged Windthorst 32-28 last year.

While Albany-Wink and Windthorst-Collinsville regional semifinals could happen once again, this region has plenty of darkhorses like Muenster and Roscoe that could stir things up.

Pigskinprep.com’s Top 5: 1. Albany; 2. Collinsville; 3. Wink; 4. Windthorst; 5. Muenster; 8. Seymour; 10. Archer City. 

REGION I-A DIVISION I

Fresh off its first 10-0 season as a six-man program, Knox City will be the favorite to win the region. But the Greyhounds still have their work cut out for them.

Either Happy or Follett will await Knox City in the regional round, while No. 8 Miami is also unbeaten and is a likely state quarterfinal foe. Happy mercy-ruled Knox City in the second round last year so it’s doubtful the Greyhounds will overlook anybody.

Pigskinprep.com’s Top 5: 1. Knox City; 2. Miami; 3. Happy; 4. Follett; 5. Springlake-Earth.

REGION III-A DIVISION II

Bryson squeezed its way into the playoffs by beating Baird in Week 11, but its reward is a first-round matchup against unbeaten Union Hill. Even if the Cowboys pull off that upset, state powerhouse Abbott would be waiting. An Abbott-Gordon state quarterfinal would feature two of the best teams in the state.

Pigskinprep.com’s Top 5: 1. Abbott; 2. Gordon; 3. Union Hill; 4. Coolidge; 5. Aquilla; 8. Bryson. 

REGION II-A DIVISION III

Benjamin’s title defense begins this week, and the Mustangs will face a couple key tests to get out of the region. No. 7 Newcastle is a likely second-round matchup, and No. 3 Jayton — which takes on Crowell this week — likely is waiting in the third round. If Throckmorton gets past Strawn, the Greyhounds would see Jayton in a second-round rematch (Throckmorton pulled a 30-24 upset last year).

Pigskinprep.com’s Top 5: 1. Jayton; 2. Benjamin; 3. Newcastle; 4. Crowell; 5. Strawn; 7. Throckmorton. 

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This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Breaking down Wichita Falls-area regions for high school football playoffs