The Rider Raiders football team has secured a playoff spot and are headed to the 4A division 1 playoff bracket after a 56 to 2 victory over the Denton Broncos. With the win the Raiders have locked up second place regardless of the outcome of the crosstown rivalry with Old High. The Coyotes, whose playoff chances are relatively over after a 35 to 3 loss to Denton Ryan, will be playing for pride and provide a decent test for the Raiders who will begin playoffs the following week.
“The first thing we gotta do is get ready to play Old High,” Coach James Garfield said. “We also have to get our grades taken care of.” “We’re students first.”
The Raiders will more than likely be destined to the big-school bracket. The district’s two highest populated schools that make the playoffs play in the division 1 bracket. Lewisville The Colony has a higher population than Rider but has a long shot of making the playoffs, so more than likely Denton Ryan and Rider will be the district’s division 1 representatives.
The Rider Raiders can actually find themselves in the Division 2 playoff bracket, but saying that’s a long shot is more than an understatement. For Rider to go division 2 they need The Colony to beat Denton, Little Elm to lose to Denton Ryan, and for Old High to actually beat Rider. This would force a one game playoff with Old High and The Colony with the winner advancing to the playoffs.
As for preparation for the playoffs, Garfield hasn’t really changed up his game plan. “We just need to have good practices and lots of film work,” Garfield said. “ We also need to prepare a little more mentally than physically.”
As for Raider’s opponent in their Bi-district, they’re still unknown. They will play the first place finisher from district 3-4A which is still up in the air. The Raiders could play either the Dons of Amarillo Palo Duro, the Raiders of Canyon Randall, or the Amarillo Caprock ‘Horns. Nothing is set in stone as all three teams are tied for first.
The Raiders scouted Palo Duro when they were filming for their game against Amarillo high. The Sandies defeated Palo Duro 21-0 but also beat Rider 35-7. “They’re a lot like us [Palo Duro]” Garfield said. “They like to run the Wing-T.”
If the Raider’s advance they will play the Bi-district winner between the winner’s of district 1-4A and 2-4A. This would consist of a host of El Paso teams, teams that spend almost their entire football season playing out their district schedules against other El Paso teams. No playoff opponent should ever be taken lightly, but in the Raider’s last 7 playoff appearances they have never lost to an El Paso team.
If the Rider Raiders advance to the third round of the playoffs, that’s where things will get interesting. If the both Rider and Denton Ryan find themselves still in the playoffs three weeks from now, they will also find themselves in a district title rematch. Rider will have a chance to avenge a 35-14 defeat to the Ryan Raiders who will be more than mindful of Rider’s knack to defeat teams in the playoffs that they suffered losses to in the regular season, just ask the Stephenville Yellow Jackets about that.
This is the first year that Rider has ever been in the Division 1 playoffs.
“I’ve never been head coach before so I guess I’ll find out,” Garfield said.