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Two of four dark-horse teams remain: What are their prospects?

Before the playoffs, I chose four teams that I thought could be dark-horse contenders for deep playoff runs. In the first week of the playoffs, my group of four lost Frisco. Last week, Flower Mound Marcus was bounced from the playoffs by a really, really good Mansfield team.

Now there are two left. (If I could go back now, I would've added North Mesquite in 6A and Wylie in 5A -- but that's cheating). So for the two I picked before the playoffs began, what are their prospects going forward?

Mesquite Poteet

Poteet's Jonathan Cardenas (59) reacts to cheers from the crowd after the 5A Division 1...
Poteet's Jonathan Cardenas (59) reacts to cheers from the crowd after the 5A Division 1 Region 2 playoff matchup between Wylie East and Mesquite Poteet on Nov. 21, 2015, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Poteet won the game 46-43 with a field goal in the final seconds. (Andrew Buckley/Special Contributor)(2015 Andrew Buckley)
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So far, so good: In the 5A Division I playoffs, Poteet opened with a 40-0 win over Carrollton Newman Smith. In the second round, the Pirates rallied from a 43-28 deficit to beat Wylie East 46-43. Walter Dawn Jr. was fantastic in that second game, rushing for 141 yards, catching passes for 231 more and scoring Poteet's final three touchdowns. He also played cornerback and safety in the second half and had an interception in the fourth quarter.

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Next up: Oh boy.  Mesquite Poteet (9-3) takes on Mansfield Lake Ridge (12-0) at 9 p.m. Saturday at AT&T Stadium. Lake Ridge is the most impressive 5A team I've seen this season and is probably playing as well as anyone right now. If Poteet can win this one, it jumps out of the dark-horse role and becomes a favorite to make it to a state semifinal.

Rowlett

Skyline’s Eriq Senters (32) can’t stop Rowlett’s LaDarius Dickens’ (20) touchdown, during...
Skyline’s Eriq Senters (32) can’t stop Rowlett’s LaDarius Dickens’ (20) touchdown, during game action Saturday November 21, 2015 at Mesquite Memorial Stadium. (Rick Moon/Special contributor)
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So far, so good: Perhaps we should say "so far, so close." In the first round of the 6A Division I playoffs, Rowlett rallied to beat Belton 65-64. In the second round, Rowlett blocked a Skyline field goal attempt to preserve a 24-21 win. Quarterback Logan Bonner threw for 197 yards and a touchdown, but Rowlett had trouble stopping Skyline running back Da'leon Ward, who rushed for 291 yards and three touchdowns.

Next up: The challenge gets bigger, as Rowlett (10-2) plays Humble Atascocita (11-1) at 1 p.m. Saturday at McLane Stadium in Waco. Atascocita won close games in the first two rounds against Klein Collins (32-27) and Round Rock Cedar Ridge (41-36). QB Daveon Boyd has thrown for 3,095 yards and 40 touchdowns with only six interceptions.

Twitter: @mattwixon