Cache Clearance: Playoffs, Round Two

A smattering of Thursday reports to feed into the weekend frenzy that is Texas high school playoffs.

» Two big games on the schedule for Dallas-area 5A competition, and with enough navigation skills and good fortune of the earlier game wrapping up early, you might be able to catch both if you're in Big D.

» BTW, those teams at Southlake Carroll and Allen have some pretty good QBs. And not to brag, or anything, but SLC's David Piland is a verbal commit to UH.

» The Chron profiles Alief Taylor.

» Arlington High's coach, Scott Peach, returns to his own scene of high school glory, by taking his team to Odessa's Ratliff Stadium.

» Meanwhile, in Odessa, the natives are calling for a packed house.

» As for the other school in Odessa ... that minor outfit known only as "Permian" ... apparently, the book "Friday Night Lights" made Gary Wager want to move to Texas and start coaching. The inspired will now meet his inspiration on Friday night, albeit in Abilene. Interesting info about Wager's move to Texas from Massachusetts, but I think the bigger question should be: "Really? Buzz Bissinger's depiction of Gary Gaines made someone want to start coaching?" That strikes me as being something awful.

» The big game between The Woodlands and Stony Point gets a preview writeup.

» Trinity High's JaVaunte Watie makes the cover of Wii's Zoo Hospital game. As cool as that is, I'm hoping it's not the highlight of his year.

» Could the tragedy at Fort Hood serve as a rallying point for the Killeen Kangaroos?

» The Longview News-Journal covers a few different games of import for East Texas in the lower ranks.

» And outside of state lines, the next big game for Louisiana's Capitol High gets a preview.