By BRIAN ARGABRIGHT
The 830 Times
After an 0-5 start, Del Rio is staring the football postseason in the face.
All that’s left is to take that final step and a third consecutive playoff appearance belongs to the Rams.
Standing in Del Rio’s way, however, is longtime rival Eagle Pass. If Texas high school football wasn’t made for these scenarios, then what’s the reason for those Friday night lights?
The rivalry between Del Rio and Eagle Pass spans more than 100 games and was listed by Dave Campbell’s Texas Football Magazine as one of the greatest rivalries in the state.
Del Rio is currently tied for third place in a packed District 30-6A. They, Laredo United South and Laredo Alexander are all 2-2 headed into this week’s rivalry games. While Del Rio will play Eagle Pass, United South will play Laredo LBJ and Laredo United will play Laredo Alexander.
Del Rio’s playoff scenarios are simple. First, if the Rams win then they’re in. Del Rio would be 3-2 with wins over Alexander, LBJ and Eagle Pass.
Secondly, if the Rams lose then they would need United to win. If United wins, Alexander would finish with two wins, like the Rams, but the Rams own the head-to-head tiebreaker against Alexander. If Alexander wins and Del Rio loses, then Alexander gets in.
United South needed a win or an Alexander loss. Alexander owns the head-to-head tiebreaker against United South, so if the Panthers want to reach the playoffs they don’t want to finish with the same record as the Bulldogs.
South might have had the easiest path to the postseason since they were scheduled to finish the regular season Thursday against a Laredo LBJ team that hadn’t won a game in district play. LBJ was the only team in 30-6A that had already been eliminated from postseason contention, but the Wolves could still play the role of spoiler.
And play that role they did as the Wolves capped their season with a 34-33 win over South Thursday night at the Bill Johnson SAC in Laredo, dropping the Panthers to 2-3 in district play. That loss means both Del Rio and Alexander would advance to the playoffs with a win in their district finales.
Eagle Pass is already in but is still in the hunt for the district championship and the district’s number one seed. They can clinch the district title and number one seed with a win and a United loss. If United wins, then Eagle Pass and United would be co-champs, but Eagle Pass would be the number one seed via the head-to-head tiebreaker.
United can win district with a win and an Eagle Pass loss.
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Contact the author at drnhsports@gmail.com
