Bearkats, Sooners Lead Lonestar Playoff Field
Bearkats, Sooners Lead Lonestar Playoff Field
The Lonestar D1AA Conference decides its champion this week with an eight-team playoff.
Unlike many conferences, that go through their playoffs either with a semifinal and final over a weekend, or split their playoffs over multiple weeks. Not the Lonestar—they have shortened quarterfinals and semifinals on Saturday, and the final on Sunday.
It's a difficult weekend to get through.
Sam Houston State vs Houston
Texas State vs Texas A&M Corpus Christi
Oklahoma vs North Texas
Baylor vs Rice
Sam Houston State is the favorite here, but keep an eye on Oklahoma. OU has been putting together some solid results, including a 45-45 tie with NCR D1 team Southern Nazarene and a 69-5 win over Rice.
Head Coach Kelly Meek, who has thrown himself into coaching since his retirement from playing at an international and professional level, has been building a program in Norman. He is starting to recruit players from around the country—cost of attendance for high-schoolers from California makes OU quite attractive. The team has developed composure and with Michael Papenfus at flyhalf, hooker Eric Guzman, and flanker Jozsef Pal all in pretty impressive form, the Sooners could win it.
But SHSU remains the favorite. They have several top players with plenty of experience. No. 8 Corinthian Cormier is an imposing ground-gainer. Wing Dag Dowuona is hugely difficult to contain. Devon Smith runs the attack nicely and is an accurate goalkicker. And their tight five just gets work done.
"We feel pretty good," said Head Coach Ramon Serrano. "We're confident, but understand that we have to perform and take it one match at time."
Two 50-minute matches on Saturday will mean coaches will have to manage their personnel. At the same time, players will have to be especially careful about discipline—a red card would mean you're out of the playoffs, for example.
"We can’t afford a slow start," added Serrano. "Discipline and execution have to be a priority early."
