After a regular season which proved unable to declare an outright District 5-4A champion, the three teams cluttered at the top of the standings begin postseason play this week. District tri-champions Guyer, Ryan and Lake Dallas all finished with 6-1 district marks.

DRC/David Minton

Guyer receiver Quentin Gardener, left, is brought down by Ryan defensive back Daniel Martin on Thursday at C.H. Collins Athletic Complex.

View larger More photos Photo store

Guyer (9-1) entered the final week as the state’s No. 2 Class 4A team and had a chance to roll into the playoffs with a perfect 10-0 record, but was beaten on Thursday night by Ryan, which finished with an identical record.

Lake Dallas (9-1) defeated Ryan during the year but later lost to Guyer to make the three-way tie.

The Wildcats enter the postseason on the heels of their first loss, and will face Saginaw Boswell (7-3) at 7 p.m. Thursday at Dragon Stadium in South-lake. Guyer defeated Boswell in the first round of the playoffs last year, 21-13, before marching on to the Class 4A Division I state semifinal.

The season-ending loss to Ryan could do one of two things for Guyer, either cause an emotional hangover or a renewed sense of focus heading into the postseason, but Guyer head coach John Walsh said it would be the latter.

“We met Friday and our pride was hurt a little bit after losing to Ryan,” Walsh said. “We realized we lost to a good team that was on their game that night. We understand where we’re at. We would’ve liked to have gone 10-0 but there will be no hangover because we’re 9-1. They had the weekend off to heal up and get their minds fresh, and we’re ready to make a good run right now.”

Ryan, on the other hand, enters the postseason like Guyer did last year — with a dominant win over a crosstown rival, and head coach Joey Florence said his team has a different feeling about it heading into the 2009 postseason than it had last year following its loss to Guyer.

The Raiders will play playoff newcomer Saginaw (4-6) at 7 p.m. Thurs-day at Texan Stadium in Justin.

“We lost three district ball games last year including Week 10 and didn’t have that swagger that you want going in,” Florence said. “This year it’s a little different because we’re confident. I’m a little concerned, though. It was an emotional game on Thursday night and that’s a challenge to match that intensity two weeks in a row, but that’s gonna be a challenge to the kids. We’re gonna have to do it.”

Florence also noted the need to match the intensity of a Rough Rider team making its first playoff appearance in school history after missing out in the final week of the regular season last year.

“They have some motivation, being the first trip for those kids,” Florence said. “Those teams will keep a head coach nervous all week long because they’ll play motivated.”

In Lake Dallas, head coach Michael Young is full of excitement after his team’s win over The Colony on Friday, which, coupled with Ryan’s win over Guyer, put Lake Dallas in the district championship picture.

The Falcons will play Birdville (9-1) at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Saginaw’s Rough Rider Stadium.

“I know some people thought it was corny because it was a tri-championship trophy, but I think all our kids and coaches understand how big a deal that was,” Young said. “We have two really good teams we’re tied with and we have a lot of respect for them and their coaches, and we took it as being a pretty special deal. We’ve won one [district title] by ourselves and a co-championship, and I think the tri is more special than any others because of the people that were with us and I think it was a pretty neat deal.”

In other local playoff action, District 9-3A champion Argyle entered the final week of the regular season ranked No. 5 in the Class 3A state poll and bolstered its resume with a win over traditional power Celina to improve to 10-0 and lock down its first outright district title in school history. Argyle also scored a signature win earlier in the season over defending Class 3A Division I state champion Prosper.

The Eagles will play Paris (6-4) at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at McKinney’s Ron Poe Stadium.

In Class 2A action, Pilot Point finished the season undefeated with Friday’s dominant win over previously unbeaten Aubrey. The Bearcats and star running back Jarman Johnson will play Boyd (5-5) at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Springtown.

Aubrey returns to the playoffs under new head coach G.A. Moore as the Chaparrals will take their 9-1 record to Spring-town for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff on Thursday against Millsap (8-2).

In TAPPS Division II, Liberty Christian (7-3), under first-year head coach Greg Price, will host Tyler Grace Community (7-3) in the first round of the playoffs at a time and date to be determined.

ADAM BOEDEKER can be reached at 940-566-6872. His e-mail address is aboedeker@dentonrc.com.