Best Southwest Bowl

Next Saturday's High School playoffs will feature a huge match up between traditional 5A powerhouse DeSoto (10-3) and highly ranked playoff newcomer Cedar Hill (13-0).  The game is scheduled for 2 o'clock at Mansfield ISD stadium, which doesn't make much sense to me.  I know Mansfield has a nice new stadium and all, but this seems like a match made for Texas Stadium if I’ve ever heard one. 

I was having a conversation with a Carter graduate on Friday night, and he was lamenting the fact that many of the kids at DeSoto and Cedar Hill, would have been at Carter and Kimball 10 year ago.  It's a pretty interesting take, coming from a guy who bleeds Carter Red, but himself has moved to the burbs.  It speaks to part of the theme of this blog; where do middle to upper middle class African-Americans move if they want to remain in Dallas?

As a result, the enrollments of South Oak Cliff, Kimball, and Carter have all declined in recent years.  SOC and Kimball have already moved down to 4A, and from what I have heard, Carter has had the enrollment of a 4A school for the last few years, but have remained in 5A for pride's sake.  Consequently I think that's more of a reason why Carter has had trouble competing, even more so that their predictable offense – which I think would easily win state in 4A.

But to the game at hand, it should be blood boiler between district 8-5A rivals Desoto and Cedar Hill.  No doubt this will be a great game between two high-powered offenses.  I'll have my eyes on Cedar Hill quarterback William Cole, and DeSoto wide receiver Donovan Kemp, who has orally committed to UTEP.