Published: August 30, 2006 07:23 pm            

Aledo schedule to be quite challenging

The Aledo Bearcats will have a tough row to hoe in 2006 as they face six playoff teams from a year ago and are in a district which could turn into one of the deeper districts in 4A.

When realignment came out in February, the Bearcats were put in a different situation than in years past and scheduling conflicts began.

“One thing when you go from a six-team district to an eight-team district, you get kind of limited on games,” said Aledo head football coach Tim Buchanan. “You only have three games. That had a lot to do with who we are playing.”

The Bearcats open non-district play on Sept. 1 with an old rival in Brewer (3-7, 1-4).

“As far as Brewer, we have been in a district with those guys,” Buchanan said. “It is a very close game and usually a pretty good crowd. They have good skill kids and typically some good offensive linemen and a well coached football team. It is close to here. It is a pretty good rivalry.

“Then we turn around and play two 5As, which we wanted to play some bigger schools such as Weatherford and North Crowley. They typically have a sophomore and a JV team and also have two freshmen teams. We get to play a full schedule that way.”

Aledo travels to North Crowley to take on the Panthers (9-2, 6-1) on Sept. 8 before the long awaited match-up with the Weatherford Kangaroos (7-4, 4-3) on Sept. 15.

“Both of them are good football programs,” Buchanan said. “They spread you out and throw the football and run the football. They are well coached defensively. They are always going to be sound. You are not going to beat them by just lining up. You have to physically and mentally prepare to beat those guys.”

The game with Weatherford also marks the opening of the new Bearcat Stadium, which is being assembled north of the new high school and should be completed by Sept. 8.

“I wanted to make sure it was either Weatherford or Ennis,” Buchanan said. “Either one of those, I felt like would be a good game. It would put a lot of people in the stands. Once Coach [Mike] Sneed and I were able to work out the logistics for our game to open the stadium, we knew it would be standing room only and a great way to open the stadium.”

The Bearcats will enjoy an early bye week before beginning their district schedule.

“It is going to be a tough, tough district,” Buchanan said.

When asked if he preferred going ahead and getting into district play by being in an eight-team district or waiting until the middle of October to start district, Buchanan’s response was simple.

“Any time when you have three out of six teams making the playoffs or three of eight, which chance would you prefer,” Buchanan said. “You look at our district this year. You have got Stephenville, Everman, who both played four playoff games last year. Aledo played four playoff games last year. Alvarado played one playoff game. Mineral Wells played one playoff game. Crowley beat Everman last year.

“There is a good chance there is going to be two playoff teams that don’t make the playoffs in District 8-4A. And Cleburne is really coming on. I can tell you that right now. Three teams are going to make it, but there’s five or six teams that could win playoff games in this district.”

Aledo opens district play on Sept. 29 against Stephenville (13-1, 5-0), which was a state semifinalist last season, on the road. Aledo then hosts Everman on Oct. 6. The Bearcats finish off their stretch of playing five straight playoff teams from last season on Oct. 13 with a home game against Alvarado (3-8, 3-2).

Aledo faces Joshua and Cleburne on Oct. 20 and 27 respectively before facing Mineral Wells on Nov. 3. The regular season ends Nov. 10 in Aledo against Crowley.

Despite his thoughts on how deep the district is in talent, Buchanan doesn’t feel a solution to make things more equal is by allowing four teams into the post-season, like 5A will be starting this year, especially if the UIL continues to make six-team districts, like Districts 3-4A, 4-4A, and 6-4A.

“I hope they don’t do that,” Buchanan said. “If they are going to leave with eight teams in district and 230 teams in 4A, they need to have four teams make the playoffs.”

        

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