PORT ARTHUR — There’s plenty for local teams to like in Dave Campbell’s 2012 Texas Football magazine this year. That is, when it gets the team nicknames straight.

Nederland is picked to win District 20-4A, while Port Arthur Memorial, Port Neches-Groves and Bridge City are all picked to make the playoffs, but in an unusual mistake, the Indians were listed as the Panthers in this year’s edition and referred to by that name twice in the 20-4A preview.

That wasn’t the only bad news for the quartet, as all three divisions will face off against some of the top rated teams in the state if they want to make a long playoff run.

That starts with the Titans, who were predicted by the magazine to finish third in 21-5A in their defense of the Region III title. Memorial graduated a ton of talent, but also has to face a North Shore team ranked No. 21 in the preseason Class 5A poll and one of the “Toughest Districts in the State.”

Texas Football has North Shore making the regional finals and losing to Pearland in the Division I playoffs, but Memorial will also have to get past a dangerous La Porte team, which was lauded as one of the “Dark Horse” teams to win the state title.

For Memorial to get back to the state semifinals, it will  have to get past this year’s picks from Division II, Region III in Katy and Manvel. The magazine predicts Katy will be the region’s champions, but has Lake Travis beating Cibolo Steele in the state finals.

If it makes Titan fans feel any better, Memorial had three players listed in the Top 300 recruits, Top 100 juniors and Top 20 sophomore lists. In addition to defensive tackle Matthew Romar, who is moving inside from defensive end this season, cornerback Jalen Barnes was mentioned as a “big, physical corner. He’s got great cover skills and his fine set of hands netted him four interceptions last season.”

Those two are joined by sophomore running back Corey Dauphine, who will be in a very heated competition at running back heading into the season. The sophomore made a name for himself as an exceptional athlete last year on the track team and ran with a powerful style that belies his 175-pound frame during the spring game.

Those three join five other Southeast Texas players on the list, including two from West Orange-Stark in linebacker Trayvon Blanchard and defensive back Colin Janice. Newton’s D.J. Dean made the list at defensive back while Jasper’s Terrell Cuney and Beaumont Ozen’s Tony Brown were named to the Top 100 juniors list.

The biggest grievance in the Class 4A ranks may be from the Panth-er, I mean the Indians. But, 20-4A gets plenty of respect in this year’s edition. Nederland is held up as a possible state contender, adding experience to an already tough defensive unit.

The Bulldogs are the highest-ranked area team in the preseason polls, clocking in at No. 17 in the 4A poll. Popular bi-district opponent Dayton is one spot behind them at No. 18 while one of PN-G’s non-district opponents, Humble Summer Creek, was ranked No. 20.

Two 20-4A players also were named to the preseason all-state prediction team, with Livingston’s Chevoski Collins and Ozen’s Leeland Hamilton both getting nods. Hamilton is coming off an all-state appearance last season.

Vidor head coach Jeff Matthews was also honored as the Class 4A Coach of the Year for 2011. His Pirates were also picked to finish second in 20-4A, behind Nederland and ahead of both PN-G and Ozen in the playoff race.

Either way, it’ll be a tough road for any 20-4A playoff team to make another extended run, and it’ll be some familiar faces standing in their way. The magazine has picked Pearland Dawson to beat Angleton in the Division I, Region III finals, with Denton Guyer beating Cedar Park in the state finals.

Dawson knocked Nederland out of the playoffs last season and returns all-state and Texas A&M commit James White at running back. Angleton beat Vidor last season in the third round of the playoffs.

In Class 3A, West Orange-Stark is ranked No. 23, but will have a very tough time getting past both No. 2 La Marque and No. 4 Coldspring-Oakhurst this season. The Mustangs are picked to win 21-3A, with Silsbee picked second and Bridge City third.

Still, for all the power teams, the magazine does have WO-S picked to make the Division II, Region III finals against a La Marque team it has winning the state championship over Celina.

Overall, Southeast Texas teams were represented well this season, but they certainly will be underdogs in the early going. For some of the teams, that might be the exact position they want to be in.