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Five of the seven teams made the playoffs last year and two have been ranked in the preseason polls.
“I didn’t think it could get any worse,” said Schulenburg coach Tommy Bludau, whose team missed the playoffs last season with a 7-3 record. “But oh my gosh. Game in, game out, you see tremendous competition. Week in and week out, there will be a playoff-type atmosphere.”
Rice Consolidated, East Bernard, Hallettsville, Brazos Consolidated and Hempstead advanced to postseason play last season. Schulenburg was eliminated in the final week of the regular season and Weimar enters the district with a new head coach.
“There’s a lot of tradition in this district,” Hallettsville coach Rick Masek said. “Teams are used to winning and used to being in the playoffs.”
Rice Consolidated shared the District 28-2A title last season and advanced to the Division II semifinals. The Raiders realize winning a second consecutive district title will be a challenge.
“I think this district is definitely tougher,” Rice Consolidated coach Brad Dumont said. “I think you see a little bit better caliber of people from week to week.”
The teams making the playoffs are likely to be those who best handle the grind.
“The key is to stay healthy and have no letups,” Masek said. “You’re going to be playing tough ballgames every week. We saw last year that the teams who were able to stay healthy were the ones who survived.”
The front runner should emerge in the from the district opener between Rice Consolidated and East Bernard, which advanced to the Division II regional playoffs last season.
“It’s going to be a big deal,” Dumont said. “I don’t know if anybody will be undefeated in this district and whoever wins that game will be in good position. It will almost be like having a two-game lead.”