Now we’re getting serious.

This week, three ranked area teams, Midway, China Spring and Mart, along with Bremond and La Vega, are hoping to continue what is expected to be a deep playoff run.

Others, such as Mexia and Lorena, are looking to pull off huge upsets and keep their Cinderella stories going for at least one more week.

#7 Midway (10-1) vs. Texarkana Texas (9-1)

Kent Bachtel and the Midway Panthers certainly aren’t lacking for confidence, rolling into this week’s showdown with a 10-game winning streak.

But if Bachtel’s assessment of the Tigers is accurate, this will be the Panthers’ greatest test yet.

“They remind me of Ennis on offense,” he said. “And they might be the best defensive team we’ve played all year.”

That, my friends, is pretty darn good.

The Tigers are on a six-game winning streak after their only loss of the season, a 41-7 defeat against a Longview team that Bachtel said could be the best in the state.

In the last four weeks, Texas High has allowed four (yes, four), 13, seven and 13 points and hasn’t scored less than 29 in any of those games. In fact, other than the loss to Longview, the 29-4 win over Marshall is the only game in which Texas High scored less than 30 points. The Tigers have cracked 40 points six times and 50 points twice.

They are led by quarterback Nathan Sorenson, who racked up 462 yards of total offense — 260 passing and 202 rushing — in last week’s 49-13 bi-district win over Whitehouse.

“(Sorenson’s) a good passer, and he’s really good at eluding the pass rush,” Bachtel said. “He’s more of a running threat than Ennis’ quarterback (D.J. Betik) is. They’ve also got two outstanding receivers, a good running back and a huge offensive line. They’re big at all five spots on the line.”

Cobi Hamilton, a 6-foot-3, 194-pound Oklahoma State commit is the Tigers’ most consistent receiver. Roderick Collier is shorter at 5-10, but he’s the preferred target to stretch the field.

Bachtel said the biggest difference he sees in Texas High and Ennis offensively is that the Tigers will try to hit more passes down the field, whereas Ennis will dink and dunk and then try to go over the top for a big play. Texas High is always looking for the big play.

Bachtel said the Tigers are also very big on their defensive line and have two of the top 30 defensive linemen in the state.

The Panthers will look to get the usual out of running back John Hubert, who has 2,078 yards and 30 touchdowns.

But they might need to throw the ball better to win. They have thrown for 1,077 yards, although quarterback Corey Holmes is completing only 47 percent of his passes. He has thrown for seven TDs, four of which have been to Todd Glaesmann, who also has a team-high 548 receiving yards and adds 293 yards and eight scores on the ground, some of which have come out of a package in which he’s the quarterback.

Midway 35, Texas High 34

#2 China Spring (11-0) vs. Burkburnett (9-1)

Experience is generally regarded as an important thing to have.

But China Spring’s 14 starters returning from last year’s state-finalist team might have been thinking a little too much about what was at stake last week as the Cougars struggled to only a 3-0 lead over Burnet at halftime before turning it on in the second half for a 24-0 win.

“I think a lot of people underestimated Burnet,” said China Spring coach Mark Bell. “We didn’t, we feel like we beat a very good football team. Burnet had Liberty Hill, the No. 1 team in the state, beat until they completed a long Hail Mary to win the game. So they were definitely a worthy opponent.”

Now with the first-game jitters out of the way, they turn their attention to a Burkburnett team that could have plenty of its own this week.

See, the Bulldogs had a bye last week, so they have yet to step into the playoff spotlight.

But the bye could work to their advantage, as they got a week to rest their players and got a chance to scout China Spring in a tough game against Burnet.

Burkburnett is led by running back Jay Gould, who has 1,079 yards and 17 TDs on the ground. The Bulldogs are averaging 328 yards per game rushing.

“They’re definitely a run-heavy team,” Bell said. “They can throw the ball, but they haven’t had to a lot. They might open it up against us if they fall behind, but until somebody makes you change, you’re not going to.”

When Burkburnett’s defense has been good this season, it’s been really good. It limited six of its 10 opponents to single-digit points, including two shutouts, and allowed only 13.8 points on average.

“They’re a bend-but-don’t-break type of defense,” Bell said. “They’re very athletic. They have an outside linebacker that runs well, two very good safeties and a state powerlifing champion at defensive tackle, so they’re a capable defense.”

While Brian Bell has stepped in at quarterback and thrown for 2,156 yards and 27 touchdowns, the key player for the Cougars is Mike Hicks, who rushed for 249 yards last week and is among area leaders with 780 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns.

China Spring 38, Burkburnett 20

La Vega (9-2) vs. Tyler Chapel Hill (9-1)

The Pirates were another slow-starting team a week ago, with their starters possibly rusty from sitting out the last three quarters in their regular-season finale against Lorena.

But once they turned it on, they showed why they are considered a Class 3A Division I favorite in their 42-7 win over Brownsboro.

Now they get a Chapel Hill team whose only loss is to No. 5 Gilmer and that held off Jasper, 34-20. Matthew Tucker had 294 all-purpose yards, including TD runs of 68 and 31 yards in the fourth quarter that put the game away.

The Bulldogs threw the ball only four times last week but were successful on every attempt, including a 54-yard TD strike from DeKerrian Cooper to LeDedrick Calico.

La Vega 24, Chapel Hill 14

Mexia (8-3) vs. #5 Gilmer (10-1)

I’ve been impressed with Mexia this season, especially on offense.

The Blackcats sport a 1,500-yard rusher in Doug Gentry, who has 15 touchdowns. They’ve got a quarterback in Trae Davis who has thrown for 1,801 yards and 16 touchdowns and added 537 yards and five TDs in the running game.

They also have two receivers, Chase Amick and Chris Miles, with more than 500 yards receiving. And they’re coming off a 20-18 win over Crockett, avenging a regular-season loss to the Bulldogs.

But take a quick look at Gilmer’s statistics and it’s clear why the Buckeyes are a favorite in Class 3A Division II.

Darian Godfrey has 2,340 yards passing and 28 touchdowns to seven interceptions. He’s also one of seven Buckeyes with more than 100 yards rushing with 594 and a team-high 13 TDs.

Gilmer doesn’t have a star receiver, but talk about spreading it around. Ten Buckeyes have at least 100 yards receiving, led by Prentiss Bell, who has 398 yards and five TDs.

All told, the Buckeyes are averaging 46 points per game.

There’s more. The Buckeyes haven’t allowed more than 18 points in any game since a 28-14 loss to Kilgore on Sept. 19 and have given up eight or less in four of their last five outings.

Gilmer 56, Mexia 14

Lorena (7-4) vs. Carthage (9-2)

What the Leopards have done this season, winning a playoff game after posting a 1-9 record in 2007, is simply remarkable.

The Leopards took home their first gold ball in 19 years with a 24-14 win over Palestine Westwood last week.

That said, however, it’s tough to like their chances this week against a Carthage team that ran roughshod through District 18-3A with a 5-0 record and was even more impressive in its first-round playoff contest.

The Bulldogs barely gave the scoreboard operator a breather in grabbing touchdowns on all nine of their first-half possessions. That led to a 62-14 halftime lead, and they shut it down in the second half for a 62-20 win over Tatum.

Here’s what Ray Biles and the Leopards have to face this week.

Carthage quarterback Si’Darius Blackshire has thrown 31 touchdown passes this year after putting up a school-record 33 TD tosses a year ago.

Last week, Blackshire’s night was over at halftime, and he still threw for 328 yards and five scores. Two receivers, Joe Jones and Jarvin Robinson, had more than 100 yards receiving.

If that’s not enough, running back Dwight Smith, who entered the game averaging better than 12 yards per carry, ran for 135 yards and three scores on only 13 carries.

Carthage 49, Lorena 20

Troy (8-3) vs. Winnsboro (9-2)

Troy’s 35-14 win over Godley last week looks pretty impressive — until you consider the fact that Winnsboro scored just as much in the first quarter of its 55-6 win over Edgewood.

Obviously, Troy can’t afford a start that remotely resembles that of Edgewood. The Red Raiders, who shared the District 13-2A championship with Caddo Mills and White Oak, romped for 412 rushing yards and led 48-0 at halftime and called off the dogs.

The Trojans will need to control the clock with the combination of Derrick Vasta and Jeremy Conrad, both of whom have rushed for more than 800 yards and combined for 20 touchdowns. They are also two of the better kick returners in the area, and it would help Troy’s cause if one of them could get loose on special teams.

Winnsboro 34, Troy 28

McGregor (9-2) vs. Caddo Mills (10-1)

McGregor hasn’t seen the level of individual talent Caddo Mills has.

The Foxes have three Division I commits — running back Nathan Jeffery and defensive end Ryan Calender (Arkansas) and defensive tackle Alex Lowry (Rice).

“Jeffery is a real good running back,” said McGregor coach Tim Seward. “He’s got over 2,000 yards and had 2,300 last year. He’s their feature guy. Calender is very athletic and is hard to get the ball over at 6-foot-8. Lowery is probably the strongest guy I’ve seen up front all year.”

Last week, Jeffery dominated Kerens with 303 yards on 26 carries and TD runs of 94, nine, 17 and 60 yards.

Jeffery provides quite a challenge for a Bulldog defense that has shut out its last two foes, including a 35-0 win last week over Maypearl.

“It’s going to be a war in the trenches,” Seward said. “We’ve gone up against some really good offensive lines this year, which helps us out. Troy and Salado have very good lines, and we’ve been able to hold our own or even control the line of scrimmage, so the kids have confidence.”

McGregor 20, Caddo Mills 18

#9 Mart (9-2) vs. Hull-Daisetta (7-2)

With the weight of last year’s 43-21 loss in the first round to Hamilton eased by a 26-22 win over Axtell last week, the Panthers can focus on their next opponent instead of any past ghosts.

“I think it’s a big deal that they got that off their backs,” said Mart coach Rusty Nail. “They’ve been good this week. They’re playing a team that’s relatively unknown (in Mart), so there’s no cannon fodder around town.”

The Bobcats have Aaron Cook, a two-time district MVP, at running back and run the ball about 90 percent of the time. Defensively, the linebackers and secondary move around a lot before the snap.

As far as the key to the game, Nail said that’s simple.

“If we can stop the run, we’re going to win,” he said.

Mart 44, Hull-Daisetta 24

Bremond (10-1) vs. West Hardin (5-3)

Bremond has a chance to get coach Jerry “Slugger” Hamrick his 100th career win and keep its march to a second straight state title game alive.

Oh, and the Tigers have LiDarral Bailey at quarterback. That’s enough for me.

Bremond 54, West Hardin 14

Bosqueville (8-3) vs. Burton (7-2)

Burton has had a knack for making history this season.

The Panthers won their first district championship, knocking off then-No. 5 Shiner, 28-21, and are making their first playoff appearance since 1995. They also beat a Normangee team that was ranked at the time, marking the first time Burton beat two ranked teams in the same season.

“I think we might have a little advantage having played a playoff game,” said Bosqueville coach Clint Zander. “They’re coming off a big win over Shiner, and they’ve had two weeks to let that sink in. Hopefully we’ll catch them down a little bit.”

But one thing the Panthers have never done is win a playoff game. The Bulldogs will need to stop Burton’s running game to keep it that way.

“They just run right at you,” Zander said. “They spread it out every now and then in long-yardage situations, but they want to run the ball.”

Burton 26, Bosqueville 24

Chilton (7-4) vs. Ganado (6-3)

Just getting into the playoffs took some doing for these teams.

Chilton was a survivor of a three-way coin flip with Bosqueville and Meridian, while Ganado beat Flatonia in the last week of the season to get in.

The Pirates took advantage, beating Bartlett, 20-14, last week for their fourth straight win. Ganado, meanwhile, had a bye last week.

The Indians, who finished third in District 27-1A, are an up-and-down team. They beat Burton, which won the district title, but fell to rival Louise, which finished 3-6.

Chilton 33, Ganado 20

Reicher (7-4) vs. Dallas Lutheran (5-6)

Reicher is looking much like the team that won the state title last year after a 64-27 win over Colleyville Covenant last week.

The Cougars haven’t scored fewer than 53 points in any of their four games since getting quarterback Kenneth Cluley back from a broken leg.

Dallas Lutheran lost its first five games before winning five of its last six, including a 28-6 win over Arlington Pantego Christian to open the playoffs.

Reicher 54, Dallas Lutheran 34

Abbott (11-0) vs. Lometa (5-4)

Abbott is on a collision course with No. 1 Calvert.

All that has to happen is for the Panthers to beat Lometa and Calvert to get past Milford.

Given that Abbott has yet to allow more than 14 points in any game all season or play a full game for that matter, I’m guessing the Panthers will uphold their end of the bargain.

Abbott 52, Lometa 6

jorts@wacotrib.com

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