The Tomball Cougars and Magnolia Bulldogs did the area proud by making the playoffs, both in stylish fashion. Tomball, in its second consecutive post-season appearance, clinched a district championship by way of a fourth quarter comeback on the road against district rival Spring.

The Cougars tore through the regular season, putting up 70 points per game while averaging a 14-point margin of victory. The road to the district 13-5A title was paved with everything from prolific 30-point victories, to crushing two-point losses. Throw in a couple of gutsy comebacks at Spring and Westfield, and Tomball’s 2009 season could almost be compared to a reality series.

But now that the district title is won, and the nets have been cut down comes the good part: the playoffs. In the postseason, every team is good, every team is capable of lighting up the scoreboard and locking down their opponent. Tomball had plenty of competition in district 13-5A, but powerhouses like The Woodlands College Park, Fort Bend Hightower, and undefeated Strake Jesuit are all on the prowl.

However, with their balanced offensive attack, and ability to play aggressive defense, not to mention the heart to play hard late in close games, the Cougars (and probably the loudest fan section in the area) are well tried and capable of making a deep run.

The bi-district playoffs begin the week of Feb. 23. At the end of district play, only the top four teams advance to the post season to contend for the state championship. With Tomball finishing first in 13-5A, the Cougars will take on the Lufkin Panthers, who finished fourth in 14-5A. However, things will get interesting if the Cougars can make it to the third round.

Cy-Woods and The Woodlands are on the short list of teams that have a win against Tomball this season. The Wildcats and the Highlanders both have a chance at meeting Tomball for a rematch. The Spring Lions have a say in whether or not Tomball will get another crack at the Highlanders, as they have a first round date with The Woodlands.

Spring was the victim of one of Tomball’s heroic comebacks in their final home game of the season. Needless to say, the Lions will be itching for a shot at revenge and redemption.

Though Magnolia’s path to the post season was not nearly as dominating as Tomball’s, the Bulldogs’ journey might be just as impressive. After finishing the first four games of the district 18-4A schedule with a .500 record, Magnolia went on to win four of their next five contests.

Just as things were starting to look up for the Bulldogs, Magnolia suffered two straight losses by a total of 34 points. To add insult to injury, the Bulldogs then lost to cross-town rivals Magnolia West. Whether it’s football or basketball, the Bulldogs’ tough, fighting, spirit carried them to a strong finish, winning their last two games by a combined score of 34 points. The Bulldogs finished fourth in district 18-4A with a winning record of 8-6.

Magnolia will open up bi-district play against Austin’s Del Valle High School in the first round of the playoffs.

Despite their impressive finish, the Bulldogs’ worries are far from over. Some might argue the 4A conference has even more formidable opponents than 5A. Teams like Wheatley, North Forest, and defending Class 4A champion South Oak Cliff of Dallas are no pushovers. There is also a very good chance the Bulldogs will see the freakishly athletic Yates Lions next to them on the bracket. With their hard-nosed experience, athletic wings like Shilondre Milo, and reliable guards like Jay McDade should allow the Bulldogs to match up with the competition.

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