2014 ETSN.fm Football Preview

You won't find too many football programs in East Texas more respected than Liberty-Eylau, but the Leopards have struggled to find consistent success the last several seasons.

After two years of being housed in the same district as perennial state power Carthage, Jasper and Center, Diboll and Huntington are hoping a change of scenery will help inject some life into their downtrodden programs.

What better way to begin the season than having longtime East Texas rivals Longview and Lufkin open against one another?

New Boston came close in 2014 to winning it all. The window opportunity is still there. The Lions are the No. 1 team in ETSN.fm's Class 3A Preseason Poll.

With at the very least a state semifinals appearance in each of the past three seasons, Tenaha is East Texas' Class 2A poster child. The Tigers are the No. 1 team in the ETSN.fm Class 2A/Private Schools Preseason Poll.

It hasn't taken very long, but the rivalry between John Tyler and Whitehouse has rapidly developed into one of East Texas' very best over the last couple of seasons.

Waskom took a few graduation hits from its 2013 Class 2A state semifinalist team, but those graduations might go unnoticed once District 8-3A Division II gets underway. With a four-horsemen running consortium returning, the Wildcats can enter 2014 eyeing the 3A Division II title and the program already has deep postseason experience to lean on.

Last season, White Oak nearly reached the pinnacle of high school football in the state of Texas: playing for the state championship at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, the Roman Colosseum of its time.

Most East Texas coaches will envy Bobby Brasher's preseason position. Bullard Brook Hill doesn't just return 19 starters. It has a few college prospects emerging, forged through the school's investment in top of the line facilities in a new era of arms racing within the Texas private schools levels.

District 11-3A Division II's run of power teams continues today with the addition of Newton to the ETSN.fm Class 3A Preseason Poll. The Eagles will enter the season as our No. 3 team.