Wildcats are expected to compete, but not picked for playoffs

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STANTON - Dave Campbell’s Texas Football magazine has been the talk around the water cooler for a couple weeks as football season draws closer.

After the UIL realignment, the Grady Wildcats will now compete in District 6-A Division I for the 2020-2021 season.

Other members of the District will be the Rankin Red Devils, Garden City Bearkats, and Midland Texas Leadership Charter Academy Eagles.

The District’s Preseason Offensive MVP is running back De’shon Goodley of Rankin and the Preseason Defensive MVP is linebacker Braxxton Kirkland also of Rankin.

Rankin is picked to win the district following a very deep playoff run in 2019 that ended in the state semifinals.

Joining Goodley as Preseason All-State is wide receiver Benjamin Rios.

The huge amount of returning talent has coach Garret Avalos’ No. 1 Red Devils picked to win the Region II title over No. 10 Ira and move on the beat No. 2 Jonesboro for the state crown.

Standing in the way Red Devil’s way is No. 13 Garden City which is picked to be district runner-up.

Coach Jeff Jones will field a completely new team as he returns zero starters on either side of the ball. Along with losing all 12 starters to graduation, Jones also lost three key reserve players to graduation.

The Bearkats were District champs last season going 4-0 in district and finished 8-3 overall.

Their season ended in the first round of the playoffs.

Picked third in the district is the Grady Wildcats.

With one of the smallest enrollments in the entire division, Grady will field a mostly young team with a strong senior backfield.

Coach Brent Lucas returns eight starters with four lining up on each side of the ball.

The Wildcats struggled last season going 3-7 on the season and 1-3 in district.

Seniors Cade Hayes and Isaiah Ontiveros are expected to handle most of the heavy lifting with an aggressive ground attack while Blaise Warren is a multiple threat talent that can strike from different positions.

Midland TLCA is not expected to do too much as coach Lavius Taylor will lead the Eagles into their first varsity season in the schools history.

The young program will use a full roster of sophomores and juniors as the Eagles main goal for the 2020 season is to gain experience.