REGIONAL OUTLOOK

Region II was won by eventual state champion South Oak Cliff a year ago and there’s no reason to think the Golden Bears won’t be able to pull off a repeat, but the regional strength has definitely improved with the addition of back-to-back Region I Division I champion Mansfield Summit being added to the mix.

Maybe the deepest district in the region, 5-5A Division II boasts five quality playoff caliber teams in Summit, Ennis, Burleson, Midlothian Heritage. Right now we have Everman as the odd team out simply because they had double digit losses to both Burleson and Midlothian Heritage a year ago. Mansfield Summit and Ennis on paper at least appear to be the two top contenders for the district title.

6-5A Division II is now going to a unique zone format as the Dallas ISD loop goes to ten teams. South Oak Cliff is far and away the team to beat in this loop, while Woodrow Wilson, dropping down from Division I is the smart money for the runner-up spot and the chance to host a bi-district game. Look for Kimball, Hillcrest and Seagoville to fight it out for the final two playoff spots with Conrad being a deep sleeper.

Lovejoy, who fell to SOC in the regional finals a year ago returns with a loaded offense that could be among the most explosive in the state regardless of classification. After the Leopards, 7-5A Division II is much murkier where Melissa and Crandall expect to be the top contenders for the runner-up slot, while fourth place is totally up for grabs but we give the early edge to Denison.

The East Texas district moves over from Region III and changes the dynamics in a bit, with regional finalist Texas High getting the edge in a district that should be improved top to bottom. Marshall is poised to challenge the Tigers, while another set of Tigers in Mount Pleasant expects to be much-improved and could be a real sleeper. Nacogdoches should have enough top end talent to hold off a rapidly improving Hallsville squad for the final playoff spot.

DISTRICT PREDICTIONS

District 5-5A Division II

1. Mansfield Summit
2. Ennis
3. Burleson
4. Midlothian Heritage
5. Everman
6. Corsicana
7. Arlington Seguin
8. Joshua

District 6-5A Division II

1. South Oak Cliff
2. Dallas Wilson
3. Dallas Kimball
4. Dallas Hillcrest
5. Seagoville
6. Dallas Conrad
7. Dallas Spruce
8. Dallas Samuell
9. Dallas Jefferson
10. Dallas Adamson

District 7-5A Division II

1. Lovejoy
2. Melissa
3. Crandall
4. Denison
5. Terrell
6. Mesquite Poteet
7. Greenville
8. Princeton

District 8-5A Division II

1. Texarkana Texas
2. Marshall
3. Mount Pleasant
4. Nacogdoches
5. Hallsville
6. Whitehouse
7. Longview Pine Tree

PROJECTED BI-DISTRICT MATCHUPS

W5 Mansfield Summit vs F6 Dallas Hillcrest

R8 Melissa vs T7 Mount Pleasant

W6 South Oak Cliff vs F5 Midlothian Heritage

R7 Marshall vs T8 Crandall

W7 Lovejoy vs F8 Nacogdoches

R6 Dallas Wilson vs T5 Burleson

W8 Texarkana Texas vs F7 Denison

R5 Ennis vs T6 Dallas Kimball

REGIONAL CHAMPIONS

South Oak Cliff over Lovejoy