High School Playoffs Kickoff; WCQ on Tap

State high school playoffs started this week, with a heavy suburban flavor locally. In 5A, the local reps are Bowie, Westlake, and Akins from the Southwest, plus northerners Pflugerville, P'ville Connally, Georgetown, Cedar Park, and four different Round Rock schools. 4A looks like Lake Travis and Dripping Springs again – especially the girls, who've already notched 10-0 and 9-0 wins. Too bad they meet in a regional quarterfinal; either one could go a long way in this tournament. Sectional finals and regional quarters are going on this week; regional finals April 3-4. The state tournament is April 9-11 at the Georgetown ISD Athletic Complex.

The Austin Aztex lost to Real Salt Lake, 3-1, on their first-ever road trip. There's lots of roster decisions being made now, with a week to go before the final preseason game, hosting the Puerto Rico Islanders, Friday, April 3, 7:30pm, Nelson Field. The Islanders, remarkably, beat Mexican giants Cruz Azul, 2-0, in a CONCACAF Champions League semifinal last week; the return leg in Mexico City is Tuesday, April 7, 9pm (live on FSC), just four days after the game here. The CONCACAF final is April 21-23 (first leg) and 28-30 (second leg).

Aztex affiliate Stoke City beat Middlesbrough on Saturday, to pull three points clear of the EPL drop zone, with eight games to play. No league games this week – it's World Cup qualifying, around the world, Saturday, then again Wednesday. The U.S. is at El Salvador, 8pm Saturday, March 28, then hosts Trinidad & Tobago in Nashville, 6:30pm Wednesday, April 1 (both live on ESPN2). Other big games on every continent.