The Farmers put together quite an impressive resume during their two seasons in District 13-3A.

 

They won a pair of district titles (5-0 both times) and had the same amount of appearances in the Class 3A Region II playoffs. 

 

Last season they went 8-4 overall, captured the bi-district crown and were an area finalist.

 

Following their move up from 2A in 2008 (won state in 2007), they secured the programs first 3A district crown in the schools long and storied football history.

 

The challenges will be even greater this coming campaign in the newly aligned 11-3A.

 

Early season predictions from Dave Campbell’s Texas Football magazine have the Farmers missing the postseason for the first time since 2006.

 

They were picked fourth, with Community and first-year varsity program Frisco Lone Star bringing up the rear.

 

Taking the top three spots are state-ranked Lovejoy,  former state champion Prosper (formerly of 9-3A) and Princeton, which hasn’t made the postseason since 1976.

 

The Leopards are sitting first in the Texas 3A Top 25 rankings and the Eagles are perched at sixth.

 

In the coaches poll Lovejoy is No. 8 with two votes and is predicted to win the Div. I championship.

 

The Farmers are the smallest school in 11-3A with 438 students. District representative Lovejoy is first at 976 and Prosper has 870. 

 

Community is up next with 464, Princeton features 797 and Frisco Lone Star has 719.5.

 

Of all the 3A schools, the Farmers are the fifth smallest and are the second smallest in Region II with Mount Vernon being No. 1 at 433. 

 

Other schools that are smaller in 3A overall are Anthony (221), Bowie and Kirbyville (each 432), Lamesa and Mount Vernon (each 433) and Goliad (434).

 

One of the reasons the Farmers were picked to miss the postseason was the graduation of 21 seniors, most of whom had two or more years of varsity experience.

 

The most notable departures on both sides of the ball were Austin Brooks (offered walk-on tryout spot at Texas Tech University), Morgan Harbison, Daniel Wise, Sean Day (East Texas Baptist University in Marshall), Tyler Ravston, Dalton Wood (McPherson College in Kansas), Michael Thompson (Texas Christian University), Dan Rodriguez and Payton Adams (Henderson State in Arkadelphia, Ark.).

 

They were each all-district selections.

 

However, the Farmers aren’t completely void of talent. They return a good group of players who saw large amounts or some varsity playing time last season.

 

Players to watch for according to Dave Campbell’s are Chase Wiggins (running back-cornerback), Justin Perez (offensive guard-nose guard), Wes Dillon (quarterback-free safety), Richard Gill (wide receiver-cornerback), Byron Brooks (wide receiver-cornerback), Trevor Redwine (fullback-linebacker), J.D. Davis (outside linebacker), Weston York (wingback-outside linebacker), David Barnes (running back-outside linebacker) and Preston Nelson (tight end-defensive line).

 

The publication said the following about the 2010 team, “The Farmers lost 21 seniors from a district championship squad, but still have enough left to be contenders in 2010. The Farmers have no shortage  of two-way contributors, led by Wiggins, Perez and Brooks. Dillon is a strong runner whether carrying the ball or pursuing the ball carrier. Gill and Redwine are steady players.”

 

Farmersville starts of two-a-day sessions Aug. 2 with non-contact (helmets only) practices. Three days later they put on the pads and begin full-contact drills. 

 

Should they make the playoffs, they would compete either in Div. I or II, depending on what happens with the three larger (Lovejoy, Prosper and Princeton) schools.

 

In that situation that they would face one of the teams from 12-3A, which consists of Carrollton Ranchview (picked third), Dallas Madison (first), Dallas Roosevelt (fifth), Dallas A. Maceo Smith (second), Fort Worth Polytechnic (fourth) and Fort Worth Diamond Hill-Jarvis (sixth).