In their final nondistrict game, it would be a good time for the real Bryan Vikings and Round Rock McNeil Mavericks to stand up.
With these teams, it's just hard to know what is real.
In its opening game, McNeil had an impressive rally against A&M Consolidated before falling 44-39. The Mavericks rolled up 510 total yards behind 318 rushing yards and five touchdowns from Adrian Smith. Last Friday, McNeil's only points in a 36-2 loss to Belton came on a high snap in punt formation that gave Mavericks a safety, although Smith did rush for 101 yards.
Bryan allowed 628 yards in its opener, a 52-42 loss to Cypress Falls. The Vikings came back a week later to hold Leander's offense in check but lost a competitive 25-21 game.
"[McNeil] gave up a lot of big plays in the first half against A&M Consolidated," Bryan coach Bob Bellard said. "They got behind and started roaring back in the second half. [Smith] got in behind that huge offensive line. That Belton game was 8-2 late in the third quarter but they made some mistakes."
The final stats were close, too. McNeil came within 2 yards of matching Belton's rushing attack and had more yards passing.
"They've got good athletes at receiver, a very good running back and a big strong quarterback," Bellard said of McNeil. "With that big offensive line, they've got a chance to dominate you up front."
Both of McNeil's tackles and one guard weigh in at 299 pounds each. Left tackle Bryce Gwynne is a 6-foot-5 senior. Junior right tackle Trevor Newton stands 6-4, with both towering over Bryan's defensive line. McNeil senior Jose Garcia is 6-2 at right guard.
And 6-4 and 243 pounds, Cole Smith is that big quarterback. The senior has completed 22 of 43 passes for 267 yards. He has not thrown a touchdown pass and has been picked off twice. Smith also has 65 carries for 419 yards.
"They can just dent you or they can finesse you, too, because they've got good enough skill kids," Bellard said. "Their execution level was not all that good against Belton. There were times when they had open receivers and didn't hit them, or they just dropped [passes]. They stuck with about two or three plays against A&M Consolidated, had success and just stayed with it."
The McNeil defense is young but held dangerous Belton quarterback David Ash to 60 yards passing, a career low. The Mavericks limited the Tigers to 45 first-half yards.
"They are risk-takers and will line up in a 54 defense, which is what Cy-Falls played and what we play," Bellard said. "They are very aggressive with their man coverage."
McNeil's two losses to District 12-5A teams could give the Vikings a peek at where they currently stand as they prepare for their district race.
Bellard pinpointed defensive lineman Mike Hernandez, safety Johnnie Goosby, defensive end Harris Kelly and linebacker Jacob Spivey for sparking Bryan's defensive improvement. Spivey got little rest at linebacker when Trevor Conant became ill during the game. Safety Brian Cune, who did not play last week, and receiver Krey Bratsen missed practice time this week with injuries.
It was an unusual week for the Vikings, who worked out on the morning of Labor Day, but there was no school.
Still, it has been a smooth week compared to last year. The Bryan-McNeil game was canceled when Bryan High was used as an evacuation center for Hurricane Ike victims. It meant a three-week break for both teams, and both seemed to suffer because of it. Each team had a 2-0 record at the time but missed the playoffs. McNeil finished 3-4 in 16-5A, while Bryan was 2-5 in 12-5A.
Bellard is not sweating the record yet.
"We're 0-2 but if we're 2-0, we wouldn't be any better," Bellard said. "We want to be at a certain level and we are getting there, and that's the key thing. We're going to be as good as we can be. If that results in a win, that's great."