Regional Outlook

Region III remains an all-Houston affair and again we start to the northwest of the city in Cy-Fair ISD as that district should control 17-6A for the most part. Despite a new head coach, look for Cy-Fair to roll to the district title, with much-improved Jersey Village finishing second. It gets muddled after that but we like Cy Ridge and Memorial to take the last two slots. Houston Stratford will be a contender and despite heavy graduation losses, Cy Creek is not to be discounted.

Expect form to hold in Houston ISD, with Lamar edging out Bellaire and Heights. The big news here is that Lamar could move to the Division II bracket as Westside now has a slightly larger enrollment. So if the Wolves earn a playoff spot, they’ll push Lamar to Division II.

New year, same story in Katy ISD as Katy will again roll to a district title after being pushed by Tompkins last year. Tompkins was decimated by graduation and may have trouble holding on to that second spot with Taylor surging in the playoffs a year ago and bringing back a veteran squad. The battle for fourth will be intriguing with surprising Mayde Creek contending with Morton Ranch and Seven Lakes. One note, if Seven Lakes and Tompkins make the playoffs, that pushes Katy High to Division II.

The dynamics in the Fort Bend ISD district have changed with the addition of George Ranch to the mix. Expect the Longhorns to contend with perennial FBISD power Ridge Point for district title honors. Last year’s district champion Travis was hit hard by graduation and will have a hard time getting back in the playoffs as both Elkins and Bush are veteran teams who made the playoffs a year ago. Expect Fort Bend Austin to be much-improved and could emerge as a potential sleeper.

21-6A is generating headlines for how tough it is and there’s no question there’s depth there, especially when you consider a team like Humble, which was 10-3 a year ago, is picked at the bottom of the district. That’s partly due to Humble’s graduation losses, but it also is due to replacing five Pasadena ISD schools with back to back state champion North Shore, Beaumont West Brook and a deep C.E. King squad. North Shore and Atascocita rule the roost, the battle for third and fourth will be fascinating as West Brook, Summer Creek, Kingwood and Humble will all contend.

Pasadena ISD gets to control 22-6A as five of the seven teams come from the district, meaning they are guaranteed two playoff slots. Expect Dobie, who has dominated PISD recently, to be the best of the bunch and contend for the district title. Deer Park and Channelview are close behind, and the battle for fourth should be intense, but the early edge goes to South Houston.

Alief ISD was probably hoping for an alignment similar to what Pasadena ISD got, but it was not meant to be as they are aligned with Pearland and Alvin ISD along with Strake Jesuit. Shadow Creek, who won a 5A-Division I state title last year and is 31-1 in school history, gets the nod over Pearland and Pearland Dawson. Strake Jesuit was hit hard by graduation, but the Crusaders have enough to land that final playoff spot.

Expect Dickinson and Clear Springs to fight it out once again in 24-6A. If you are looking for a sleeper, Clear Creek and Clear Falls both appear to be improving rapidly after playoff appearances a year ago.

District Predictions

District 17-6A

1. Cy-Fair
2. Jersey Village
3. Cypress Ridge
4. Houston Memorial
5. Houston Stratford
6. Cypress Creek
7. Houston Spring Woods
8. Houston Northbrook

District 18-6A

1. Houston Lamar
2. Houston Bellaire
3. Houston Heights
4. Houston Westside
5. Houston Chavez
6. Houston Westbury
7. Houston Sam Houston

District 19-6A

1. Katy
2. Katy Taylor
3. Katy Tompkins
4. Katy Mayde Creek
5. Katy Morton Ranch
6. Katy Seven Lakes
7. Katy Cinco Ranch

District 20-6A

1. Fort Bend Ridge Point
2. Richmond George Ranch
3. Fort Bend Elkins
4. Fort Bend Bush
5. Fort Bend Travis
6. Fort Bend Austin
7. Fort Bend Dulles
8. Fort Bend Clements

District 21-6A

1. Galena Park North Shore
2. Humble Atascocita
3. Beaumont West Brook
4. Houston King
5. Humble Summer Creek
6. Humble Kingwood
7. Humble

District 22-6A

1. Pasadena Dobie
2. Deer Park
3. Channelview
4. Pasadena South Houston
5. Pasadena Memorial
6. Pasadena Rayburn
7. Pasadena

District 23-6A

1. Alvin Shadow Creek
2. Pearland
3. Pearland Dawson
4. Houston Strake Jesuit
5. Alief Taylor
6. Alief Hastings
7. Alief Elsik
8. Alvin

District 24-6A

1. Dickinson
2. Clear Springs
3. Clear Creek
4. Clear Falls
5. Clear Lake
6. Clear Brook
7. Brazoswood

Predicted Playoff Matchups

DIVISION I

W17 Cy-Fair vs R18 Houston Westside

W19 Katy vs R20 Richmond George Ranch

W21 Galena Park North Shore vs R22 Deer Park

W23 Pearland vs R24 Clear Springs

W18 Houston Bellaire vs R17 Jersey Village

W20 Fort Bend Ridge Point vs R19 Katy Tompkins

W22 Pasadena Dobie vs R21 Humble Atascocita

W24 Dickinson vs R23 Pearland Dawson

DIVISION II

W17 Cypress Ridge vs R18 Houston Heights

W19 Katy Taylor vs R20 Fort Bend Bush

W21 Beaumont West Brook vs R22 Pasadena South Houston

W23 Alvin Shadow Creek vs R24 Clear Falls

W18 Houston Lamar vs R17 Houston Memorial

W20 Fort Bend Elkins vs R19 Katy Mayde Creek

W22 Channelview vs R21 Houston King

W24 Clear Creek vs R23 Houston Strake Jesuit

Playoff Sleepers

Division I - Jersey Village: The Falcons are projected on the side of the bracket opposite of Cy-Fair, Katy and North Shore, with eighteen returning starters this is a team that could win multiple playoff games.

Division II - Clear Creek: This bracket has been wide open in recent years and 2020 could be no different, expect the unexpected and with a potentially favorable draw at the bottom of the bracket, CCHS could make a deep push.   

Regional Winners

Division I - Galena Park North Shore over Humble Atascocita: It’s a rematch of last year’s regional final and although its closer than a year ago, Dematrius Davis and Shadrach Banks prove to be too lethal of a combo and the Mustangs move on to the semifinals.  

Division II - Alvin Shadow Creek over Clear Creek: Shadow Creek proves they can handle the rigors of a Class 6A schedule and knock off a surprise Clear Creek squad to win Region III.