Fort Worth Poly at Whitney

Last year: Poly 6-5, Whitney 3-7

Breakdown: Whitney’s first season in 2A will begin at home against Polytechnic, which drops from 4A to 3A and brings speed at several positions, especially the defense.

“It’s going to be a good first game,” Whitney coach Kenneth Gilchrist said. “Going to see speed, see if we’re good enough to contain.”

On offense, Poly returns only three starters but has several players who received playing time last season.

Whitney’s defense returns nine starters, and the Wildcats hope to rely on their experience to slow down the Poly rushing attack.

Quarterback Dylan Hightower takes over full time for Whitney on offense and will look to Chris Gipson in the passing game. Gipson will match up with speedy Poly cornerback Mario Breeding, a Division I prospect.

— David Ash

Bruceville-Eddy at Florence

Last year: Bruceville-Eddy 3-7, Florence 2-8

Breakdown: Bruceville-Eddy again kicks off its season with a trip to Florence. Last year, the Eagles turned the ball over six times and fell to the Buffaloes, 35-20.

“We beat ourselves (last year),” Bruceville-Eddy coach Chris Lancaster said. This year the team needs to “focus on what we do and take care of the ball,” he said.

The Eagles want to use the momentum of winning their final two district games last season to catapult them this season.

Lancaster believes the running game will be good. Tanner Smith steps in to take the snaps at quarterback for the Eagles and will look for Mark Alvear on the outside for some big plays in passing game.

Florence is led by quarterback Doak Hensley and running back Michael Ramirez.

The Eagles will use their strong linebacker unit led by Jordan Hawkins to apply pressure on Hensley and slow down Ramirez.

— Ash

Holland at Moody

Last year: Holland 2-8, Moody 2-8

Breakdown: Both teams are attempting to rejuvenate their programs after winless district seasons last year, and both have several returners on both sides of the ball and reasons to be optimistic.

The Bearcats, who dropped down from 2A, have high expectations and “winning the opener is real important,” coach Sam Gillispie said.

Holland has a wide-open spread offense led by quarterback Mike Cockerill.

Gillispie believes Moody’s basic wing-T set will be effective moving the ball, and new starting quarterback Justin McNeely will look to improve the Bearcats’ passing game after performing well in their two scrimmages.

— Ash

These wacotrib.com exclusive previews did not appear in the Friday, Aug. 27 edition of the Tribune-Herald.

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