In Fourth Year of Existence, District of Doom Proves as Strong as Ever

On that early February morning in 2010, the coaches in the new District 16-3A knew immediately that UIL realignment had not been kind to them.

Carthage was the two-time defending 3A Division II champion. Gilmer was the defending 3A Division I champion. Pittsburg reached the 3A D-II state semifinals the year before. Henderson was arriving from Class 4A to join the district, along with Gladewater and Spring Hill.

The "District of Doom" was born.

Four years later, it still lives, albeit with an altered cast. Carthage is south in Region III, while Pittsburg is north in District 13-3A. But Kilgore arrived from 4A in Feb. 2012, which also saw Chapel Hill, the defending 3A D-I state champion at the time, land in the second incarnation of the District of Doom.

Nearing the end of the second and final year of Version 2.0, ETSN.fm wanted to take a look back at everything that has happened in East Texas' most well-known district since it's date of birth in Feb. 2010. The expansion of the 3A playoffs to include four teams per district has strengthened the District of Doom further; the league enters this weekend's third round with all four representatives alive with a cumulative 8-0 record.

Can this year's group match the original District of Doom, which swept both 3A division state championships thanks to rivals Carthage and Henderson claiming those honors? That remains to be seen.

District of Doom By The Numbers

(results/records complete through the second round of the 2013 playoffs)

• Cumulative postseason record: 40-7
• Combined average postseason score: 41.7-21.7 (1,919-1,000 in 46 playoff games)
• State championship appearances: 3* (2010 Division I, 2010 Division II, 2012 Division II)
• State championships: 2* (2010 Division I, 2010 Division II)
• Division I FBS signees
  • 2011: Kendall Thompson, LB, Carthage (Texas)
  • 2011: Hunter Holland, RB, Carthage (Air Force)
  • 2011: Corey Davis, RB, Gladewater (Pittsburgh)
  • 2012: Edward Pope, WR, Carthage (Texas A&M)
  • 2012: Greg Brantley, OL, Carthage (Oklahoma State)
  • 2012: Luke Turner, ATH, Gilmer (Rice)
  • 2012: Darrion Pollard, ATH, Gilmer (Rice)
  • 2013: Trey Washington, CB, Gilmer (SMU)
  • 2013: Nick Siler, OL, Henderson (Air Force)
    • 2014: Josh Walker, LB, Gilmer (committed to Texas A&M)
    • 2014: DeVondrick Dixon, ATH, Gilmer (committed to Texas State)
    • 2014: Joseph Clark, DB, Chapel HIll (committed to Texas Tech)
    • 2014: Wesley Thompson, ATH, Chapel Hill (committed to ULM)

* -- Note: Chapel Hill didn't join the District of Doom until 2012, so the Bulldogs' back-to-back D-I state title appearances, including their 2011 championship-winning season, don't count toward District 16-3A's accomplishments.

District of Doom 1.0

2010

• 1. Carthage -- 5-0, 14-2 (won 3A D-II championship)
• 2. Gilmer -- 4-1, 9-4
• 3. Henderson -- 3-2, 13-2 (won 3A D-I championship)
• 4. Pittsburg -- 2-3, 6-4
• 5. Spring Hill -- 1-4, 4-6
• 6. Gladewater -- 0-5, 3-7

Playoff results

• Bi-district
  • D-I: Henderson 49, Paris North Lamar 12
  • D-II: Carthage 42, Pleasant Grove 0
  • D-II: Gilmer 43, Liberty-Eylau 33
• Area
  • D-II: Carthage 56, Canton 27
  • D-II: Gilmer 50, Van 27
• Regional Semifinal
  • D-I: Henderson 42, Lindale 28
  • D-II: Carthage 42, Dallas Madison 13
  • D-II: Argyle 41, Gilmer 14
• Regional Final
  • D-I: Henderson 36, Lucas Lovejoy 14
  • D-II: Carthage 44, Argyle 27
• State Semifinal
  • D-I: Henderson 20, Alvarado 13
  • D-II: Carthage 35, Brownwood 28
• State Championship
  • D-I: Henderson 28, Chapel Hill 21
  • D-II: Carthage 47, Coldspring-Oakhurst 22

2010 Postseason Verdict: 13-1 overall with two state championships; outscored opponents 548-306.

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2011

• 1. Gilmer -- 5-0, 13-1
• 2. Carthage -- 4-1, 9-4
• 3. Henderson -- 3-2, 11-3
• 4-T. Gladewater -- 1-4, 5-5
• 4-T. Pittsburg -- 1-4, 5-5
• 4-T. Spring Hill -- 1-4, 2-8

Playoff results

• Bi-district
  • D-I: Henderson 55, Paris 17
  • D-II: Gilmer 48, Atlanta 14
  • D-II: Carthage 28, Liberty-Eylau 7
• Area
  • D-II: Gilmer 57, Van 40
  • D-II: Carthage 31, North Forney 12
• Regional Semifinal
  • D-I: Henderson 56, Lindale 20
  • D-II: Gilmer 46, Van Alstyne 14
  • D-II: Argyle 35, Carthage 34 (2 OT)
• Regional Final
  • D-I: Henderson 42, Celina 19
  • D-II: Argyle 51, Gilmer 35
• State Semifinal
  • D-I: Alvarado 34, Henderson 13

2011 Postseason Verdict: 8-3; outscored opponents 445-263.

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District of Doom 2.0

2012

• 1. Gilmer -- 6-0, 14-2
• 2. Kilgore -- 5-1, 12-2
• 3. Henderson -- 4-2, 9-5
• 4. Bullard -- 3-3, 7-3
• 5. Chapel Hill -- 2-4, 3-7
• 6. Spring Hill -- 1-5, 3-7
• 7. Gladewater -- 0-6, 3-7

Playoff results

• Bi-district
  • D-I: Kilgore 42, Athens 7
  • D-II: Gilmer 51, Canton 36
  • D-II: Henderson 48, Van 21
• Area
  • D-II: Gilmer 57, Atlanta 13
  • D-II: Henderson 49, Quinlan Ford 13
• Regional Semifinal
  • D-I: Kilgore 41, Paris 14
  • D-II: Gilmer 42, Argyle 21
  • D-II: Henderson 64, Celina 35
• Regional Final
  • D-I: Kilgore 30, Gainesville 14
  • D-II: Gilmer 41, Henderson 34
• State Semifinal
  • D-I: Stephenville 42, Kilgore 32
  • D-II: Gilmer 50, Graham 7
• State Championship
  • D-II: Navasota 39, Gilmer 3

2012 Postseason Verdict: 11-3 with a D-II state finalist; outscored opponents 584-337.

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2013

(results/records complete through the second round of the playoffs)

• 1. Kilgore -- 6-0, 11-0
• 2. Gilmer -- 5-1, 11-1
• 3. Chapel Hill -- 4-2, 8-4
• 4. Gladewater -- 2-4, 6-6
• 5. Henderson -- 2-4, 3-7
• 6. Spring Hill -- 1-5, 3-7
• 7. Bullard -- 1-5, 3-6

Playoff results

• Bi-district
  • D-I: Kilgore 49, Van 7
  • D-I: Chapel Hill 52, Athens 26
  • D-II: Gilmer 52, Mineola 0
  • D-II: Gladewater 48, Canton 0
• Area
  • D-I: Kilgore 21, Kaufman 14
  • D-I: Chapel Hill 38, Crandall 14
  • D-II: Gilmer 48, Pittsburg 0
  • D-II: Gladewater 34, Atlanta 33

2013 Postseason To Date: 8-0; outscoring opponents 342-94 entering this weekend's playoff games.