TEXAS HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW - STATE QUARTERFINALS
(Rankings are based on the season's final poll from Dave Campbell's Texas Football. Schedule is subject to change.)
The longest high school football season in memory spills over into 2021 this weekend. With state semifinal berths on the line, four teams will learn their fates on New Year's Eve, with Dec. 31 games scheduled in Abilene and Arlington. We have five games to look forward to on New Year's Day, including a Globe Life Park doubleheader featuring two state powers and two others that didn't even win their district this season. The remaining nine state quarterfinal games will be played on Saturday. This week's playoff schedule is spiced up by great rivalries: Denton Ryan-Highland Park, Euless Trinity-Southlake Carroll, Duncanville-DeSoto, Corpus Christi Flour Bluff-Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial and Wichita Falls Rider vs. Lubbock-Cooper to name a few. Several unranked teams have found their way to the final eight in their respective classes. That includes Clear Falls, Buda Hays Consolidated and Prosper. Overall, there are 32 teams left. Each is two wins away from playing for a state title. Here are the state quarterfinal matchups:
CHANGES/UPDATES:
Aledo-Lucas Lovejoy has been moved from THURSDAY at 11 a.m. to FRIDAY at 7:30 p.m. over a threat of inclement weather on Thursday.
Lubbock-Cooper vs. Wichita Falls Rider has been moved from THURSDAY at 1 p.m. in ABILENE to FRIDAY at 4 p.m. in AMARILLO because of weather conditions.
Class 6A Division I
Region I
6A #23 Euless Trinity (10-1) vs. 6A #19 Southlake Carroll (10-1), 11 a.m. Saturday at Arlington's Globe Life Park
LAST MEETING: Southlake Carroll 35, Euless Trinity 7 (11/30/18)
SOUTHLAKE CARROLL LEADS RECENT SERIES (SINCE 2004), 5-3
LAST TRINITY WIN: 10/6/17
Euless Trinity: Defeated Allen, 49-45, to advance to state quarterfinals for first time since 2017. Trinity scored 36 second-half points after trailing 24-13 at half. Trojans Jr. RB Ollie Gordon carried 49 times for 455 yards and six touchdowns. The massive Trinity offensive line paved the way for 526 rushing yards last week. The defense came up with interceptions by Sateki Wolfgramm and Jacob Schaeffer. Trinity, with nine straight wins, is the 3-6A champion.
Southlake Carroll: Defeated Arlington Martin, 30-26. Jr. QB Quinn Ewers returned from sports hernia surgery to throw for 251 yards and 3 TDs in his first action since late October. Soph. DB Logan Anderson sealed the regional semifinal win with a key pass breakup on Martin's final offensive play. Carroll is making its eighth quarterfinal appearance in ten years. HC Roley Dodge is 36-3 in three years at Carroll. The Dragons have won nine in a row and are the 4-6A champion.
Region II
6A #2 Duncanville (9-1) vs. 6A #11 DeSoto (9-1), 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Arlington's Globe Life Park
LAST MEETING: Duncanville 24, DeSoto 14 (10/27/17)
DeSOTO LEADS RECENT SERIES, 10-2
LAST DeSOTO WIN: 10/21/16
Duncanville: Dominated Spring Westfield, 56-0. QB Grayson James threw for three scores and ran for another as the Panthers jumped out to a 42-0 halftime lead last week. The D'ville defense had three interceptions and allowed just 74 total yards. Duncanville, which has been a state finalist each of the last two years, is the 11-6A champion. The Panthers have won eight straight.
DeSoto: Came back to beat undefeated Spring, 27-21. After trailing 14-0 at halftime, Eagles QB Samari Collier tossed four second-half touchdown passes last week. Collier threw for 263 yards and ran for 95. WR Jaedon Wilson had a pair of TD catches. The DeSoto defense collected nine sacks, including four by DL Byron Murphy. The scheduled Nov. 27 regular-season meeting between Duncanville and DeSoto was canceled for safety reasons. DeSoto tied for second in 11-6A, with their only loss coming to Cedar Hill in zone play. They come in on a six-game winning streak.
Region III
6A #1 Galena Park North Shore (13-0) vs. Fort Bend Ridge Point (8-2), 2 p.m. Friday at Galena Park's Galena Park ISD Stadium
LAST MEETING: Galena Park North Shore 38, FB Ridge Point 7 (9/15/19)
GALENA PARK NORTH SHORE LEADS SERIES, 2-0
Galena Park North Shore: Rolled into quarterfinals with 47-22 win over previously-unbeaten Katy Tompkins. North Shore is in the fourth round for the sixth consecutive year. Sr. QB Dematrius Davis continues to put up gigantic numbers. He was 14 of 17 for 302 yards and 3 TDs last week, and also ran for 84 yards and four scores. WR Shadrach Banks snagged 11 catches for 251 yards and 2 TDs. North Shore outgained Katy Tompkins, 602-196. The Mustangs are the champion of 21-6A. Galena Park North Shore has won its last 28 games.
Fort Bend Ridge Point: Outscored Humble Atascosita, 55-45. Ridge Point trailed 14-0 last week before going on 20-0 run in third period. Ridge Point came into last week's game ranked 55th in 6A in scoring offense. They were 68th in scoring defense. Ridge Point was eliminated in the first round by Katy last year. They seek to reach the semifinals as a 6A school for the first time, after making it in 5A in 2015. Ridge Point is the champion of 20-6A. They have won eight straight.
Region IV
Cibolo Steele (9-3) vs. 6A #3 Austin Westlake (11-0), 2 p.m. Saturday at Round Rock's Reeves Stadium
LAST MEETING: Austin Westlake 30, Cibolo Steele 7 (11/15/19)
SERIES TIED 2-2
LAST STEELE WIN: 9/20/13
Cibolo Steele: Defeated Laredo United South, 41-17. The last remaining San Antonio-area school still alive, Steele is in the state quarterfinals for the ninth time in 11 years. The co-champs of 27-6A rank 101st in 6A scoring offense this season, averaging 27.7 ppg. It's the Steele defense that has carried the Knights to the fourth round. They are allowing just 13.0 ppg in the playoffs. Steele is riding a four-game win streak.
Austin Westlake: Rolled over San Antonio Stevens, 71-14. Despite being bumped up into 6AD1 this year, the Chaps haven't missed a beat during this playoff run. Westlake boasts the state's No. 1 6A offense, which is led by Jr. QB Cade Klubnik. Klubnik threw for 357 yards and five scores in the regional semifinal. His favorite target is Soph. WR Jaden Greathouse, who goes 6-3 and 200. And, they have the top 6A defense in Texas, allowing a miniscule 4.6 ppg this season. The relentless Westlake defense forced five turnovers last week. Westlake is the champion of 26-6A. They have won 21 straight games.
Class 6A Division II
Region I
6A #13 Denton Guyer (10-2) vs. Prosper (8-3), 1 p.m. Saturday at McKinney ISD Stadium - REMATCH
LAST MEETING: Denton Guyer 24, Prosper 23 (10/30/20)
GUYER LEADS SERIES, 1-0
Denton Guyer: Defeated Abilene, 38-21. Guyer was a state finalist last season, and they just seem to find a way to win every week. Their only loss came to district foe Allen on Nov. 13. Guyer QB Eli Stowers was 15 of 27 for 245 yards and 4 TDs last week. Stowers also ran for 111 yards. He scored the game-winning touchdown with no time left to beat Prosper in October. WR Jace Wilson had six receptions for 83 yards and two scores. Guyer finished second in 5-6A. They come in on a five-game win streak.
Prosper: Defeated Northwest Eaton, 27-17, to reach the state quarterfinals for the second straight year. Defense carried the day for Prosper in the regional semifinal. The Eagles D had nine sacks, three interceptions (two by Tyler Bailey) and limited Eaton to 47 rushing yards. The Prosper defense will look to frustrate Stowers and keep Guyer off-balance. On the offensive side, Prosper QB Jackson Berry threw for two scores and ran for two. In seven playoff games over the past two seasons, Berry has thrown zero interceptions. WR Cameron Harpole had seven catches for 72 yards and 2 TDs last week. Prosper finished third in 5-6A. The Eagles have won their last four.
Region II
6A #8 Cedar Hill (10-1) vs. Rockwall-Heath (10-2), 3:15 p.m. Saturday at Arlington's Globe Life Park
FIRST MEETING
Cedar Hill: Defeated Tomball Memorial, 38-21. Cedar Hill is one of three 11-6A teams to reach the state quarterfinals. The Longhorns rolled up 545 yards of total offense last week, with QB Kaidon Salter running for 228 and three scores. Salter also threw for 159 and a TD. Cedar Hill did allow 445 yards last week, and their defense will be tested by Rockwall-Heath's explosive offense. The Longhorns finished second in 11-6A, with their only loss coming to Duncanville. Cedar Hill has won five in a row.
Rockwall-Heath: Rockwall-Heath defeated unbeaten Bridgeland, 48-24, to advance to the state quarterfinals for the first time since 2008. QB Josh Hoover was 18 of 31 for 229 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions last week. After RB Zach Evans was lost to a knee injury, Preston Landis stepped up big-time with 217 yards and 2 TDs against Bridgeland. Rockwall-Heath's losses are to Rockwall and Southlake Carroll. While this is Rockwall-Heath's first trip to the fourth round in a dozen years, HC Mike Spradlin led Temple to a pair of quarterfinal appearances in the last decade. Rockwall-Heath, winners of seven straight, finished second in 10-6A.
Region III
6A #9 Katy (11-1) vs. Clear Falls (8-3), 1 p.m. Saturday at Katy's Legacy Stadium
FIRST MEETING
Katy: Defeated Alvin Shadow Creek, 49-24. Katy has quietly rolled to its first state quarterfinal appearance since 2017. The Tigers offense is led by Soph. QB Caleb Koger (193 passing yards and 5 TDs last week) and brothers Jalen and Seth Davis in the backfield behind Koger. The pair each ran for 100 yards in the regional semifinal. Despite losing Jr. DE Malick Sylla for the rest of the season, the Katy defense recorded six sacks last week. Sr. S Dalton Johnson could miss a portion of the Clear Falls game, after he was ejected last week for targeting. Katy will look to brush up on its special teams, as it had two punts blocked last week. Katy was the runner-up in 19-6A. The Tigers have won five straight.
Clear Falls: Edged Katy Taylor, 10-9. Perhaps the most unlikely state quarterfinalist, Clear Falls had never won a playoff game until this year. K Riley Carleton sent his team to the fourth round with a game-winning 33-yard field goal last week. Clear Falls, which came into last week's game ranked 103rd in 6A scoring defense, has relied on intangibles to advance this far. They finished third in 24-6A and have won four straight.
Region IV
Austin Vandegrift (10-2) vs. Buda Hays Consolidated (9-3), 2 p.m. Saturday at Buda's Shelton Stadium
LAST MEETING: Austin Vandegrift 31, Hays Consolidated 20 (11/3/17)
AUSTIN VANDEGRIFT LEADS SERIES, 2-0
Austin Vandegrift: Defeated San Antonio Brennan, 20-6. This is Vandegrift's first trip to the state quarterfinals since 2015, and their initial appearance as a 6A school. Vandegrift wears down opponents on both sides of the ball with their "smash-mouth" style. RB Ryan Sheppard ran for 119 yards and a score last week, while the Vipers defense limited high-powered SA Brennan to 221 total yards. Vandegrift has a strong kicking game, with reliable K Charlie Fournier. Vandegrift's losses came to unbeaten 5A Cedar Park and to district foe Round Rock in overtime. The Vipers are the co-champs in 25-6A and have won their last three.
Hays Consolidated: Defeated San Antonio Taft, 62-41. Hays has won six straight after a 3-3 start. They have run HC Les Goad's Slot-T offense to perfection in the playoffs. Goad has also brought an element of good fortune in the postseason, as Hays will play at home for the fourth consecutive week, thanks to the benefit of coin flips falling the right way. Hays finished third behind Austin Westlake and Lake Travis in 26-6A.
Class 5A Division I
Region I
Red Oak (9-2) vs. Mansfield Summit (7-4), 11 a.m. Friday at Arlington's Globe Life Park - REMATCH
LAST MEETING: Red Oak 37, Mansfield Summit 16 (11/20/20)
MANSFIELD SUMMIT LEADS SERIES, 5-2
LAST SUMMIT WIN: 10/20/17
Red Oak: After trailing Lubbock Coronado 28-7 in the third period last week, the Hawks rallied for a 42-41 win in double overtime. John Mathis blocked a Coronado PAT in the second extra period to send Red Oak to the state quarterfinals. QB Joshua Ervin threw for 193 yards last week, with two touchdowns and three picks. RB Iverson Young ran for 90 yards, and Soph. Chris Parson, who played in a state championship game with Duncanville last season, ran for two scores. Red Oak WR Triston Edwards had four receptions for 92 yards and two TDs. Red Oak finished second in 4-5A-1. They have won their last seven.
Mansfield Summit: Defeated previously-unbeaten Colleyville Heritage, 34-31. After finishing fourth in 4-5A-1 and slipping into the playoffs on a win percentage tiebreaker, Summit is in the quarterfinals for the first time in school history. The Jaguars defense limited Colleyville to 36 rushing yards last week. Summit Jr. QB David Hopkins threw for 115 yards and 2 TDs, while running for 107 yards and a score. WR Hal Presley has had an outstanding season. He had three catches for 79 yards and a TD last week. This is Summit's deepest playoff run since a third-round appearance in 2007. They have won four straight and are the only remaining playoff team with as many as four losses this season.
Region II
5AD1 #1 Denton Ryan (12-0) vs. 5AD1 #2 Highland Park (11-0), 3:15 p.m. Friday at Arlington's Globe Life Park
LAST MEETING: Highland Park 43, Denton Ryan 21 (12/15/18)
HIGHLAND PARK LEADS RECENT SERIES, 4-1
LAST RYAN WIN: 8/28/04
Denton Ryan: Defeated Longview, 27-9. Denton Ryan was a wire-to-wire No. 1 in 5AD1 this season for a very good reason. They simply have no apparent weak spots on either side of the ball. Raiders QB Seth Henigan was 21 of 30 last week for 284 yards and three touchdowns. All-everything WR Ja'Tavion Sanders had seven catches for 115 yards and a TD. Keegan Cunningham got into the act with five receptions for 89 yards and two touchdowns. And the Ryan defense held Longview to 122 total yards, including just 40 on the ground. After losing to Highland Park in the state semifinals three straight years from 2016-18, Ryan avoided the Scots (eliminated by Frisco Lone Star in 2019) in reaching the 5AD1 championship game last year. Ryan, the champion of 5-5A-1, has won 12 straight.
Highland Park: Defeated Frisco Lone Star, 30-20. The Scots have a long memory, and this 2020 "Redeem Team" got sweet revenge last week over a Lone Star team that defeated them twice last year, ending Highland Park's bid for a fourth consecutive state championship. QB Brayden Schager had 284 total yards and threw for two touchdowns. The Scots defense was in lockdown mode, yielding only 27 rushing yards to Frisco Lone Star. Highland Park HC Randy Allen is 23-1 in the playoffs over the past five seasons. He is a master at game-planning, and there is no doubt he will have his team ready for Ryan. Unbeaten Highland Park is the champion of 7-5A-1. They have won their last 11 games.
Region III
5AD1 #5 Manvel (9-1) vs. 5AD1 #4 Cedar Park (12-0), 2:30 p.m. Friday at Bryan's Green Stadium
LAST MEETING: Manvel 56, Cedar Park 17 (12/1/17)
MANVEL LEADS SERIES, 2-0
Manvel: Defeated Fort Bend Hightower for the second time this season, 31-7. RB Jordon Vaughn ran for 157 yards and a touchdown. Manvel's only loss this season is to 6A No. 1 Galena Park North Shore. The champions of 10-5A-1 have won seven straight.
Cedar Park: Defeated New Braunfels Canyon, 27-16. The Timberwolves' "Black Rain" defense held Canyon to 167 total yards last week. The Cedar Park offense is led by Sr. QB Ryder Hernandez. He threw for 403 yards and four scores last week, and on the season, Hernandez is completing 73% of his passes, with 47 touchdowns and only two interceptions. Cedar Park is making its seventh trip to the state quarterfinals. The 11-5A-1 champs have won 11 straight.
Region IV
Corpus Christi Flour Bluff (11-1) vs. 5AD1 #7 Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial (12-0), 2 p.m. Saturday at Corpus Christi's Buccaneer Stadium - REMATCH
LAST MEETING: CC Veterans Memorial 34, CC Flour Bluff 17 (11/19/20)
CC VETERANS MEMORIAL LEADS SERIES, 3-2
LAST CC FLOUR BLUFF WIN: 9/20/19
CC Flour Bluff: Defeated district foe Victoria West for the second time this season, 28-21. Flour Bluff QB Nash Villegas led the first game-winning drive of his career, scoring on an 11-yard run to break a 21-21 tie and send the Hornets to the state quarterfinals. Villegas threw for 255 yards and WR Aiden Featherby had seven catches for 99 yards and a TD. Featherby also intercepted two passes last week. Flour Bluff's only loss this season is to CC Veterans Memorial. The Hornets finished second in 15-5A-1. They have won their last four.
CC Veterans Memorial: Defeated San Antonio Southwest, 55-7, to advance to the state quarterfinals for the second straight year. QB Carter Senterfitt threw for 198 yards and 3 TDs, and ran for two scores. Sr. WR Cameron De La Pena caught two passes - both for touchdowns - for 95 yards. Veterans Memorial is the 15-5A-1 champion and is on a 13-game win streak.
Class 5A Division II
Region I
5AD2 #9 Wichita Falls Rider (10-2) vs. 5AD2 #6 Lubbock-Cooper (12-1), 1 p.m. Thursday at Abilene Christian's Anthony Field - REMATCH
LAST MEETING: Lubbock-Cooper 25, Wichita Falls Rider 24 (11/27/20)
LUBBOCK-COOPER LEADS RECENT SERIES, 4-1
LAST RIDER WIN: 12/6/18
Wichita Falls Rider: Defeated Canyon Randall, 28-7. No one should be surprised to see Rider and Lubbock-Cooper squaring off in a state quarterfinal for the third year in a row. This will be their sixth meeting in three years. When it has counted most, Rider came out on top in 2018, while Lubbock-Cooper had the postseason edge last year. This is the all-important playoff rubber match. Rider QB Jacob Rodriguez ran for 126 yards and 2 TDs last week. Sr. Nick Darcus is Rider's most explosive weapon. In the regional semifinal, Darcus returned a kickoff 83 yards for a score, brought back a punt 67 yards and scored on a 38-yard run. The Raiders defense held Canyon Randall to 57 yards on the ground. Lubbock-Cooper overcame a 24-7 deficit to Rider in this year's first meeting. That one-point victory sent Rider to a second-place finish in 3-5A-2. Rider has won its last three to open the postseason.
Lubbock-Cooper: Slipped by Grapevine, 22-19. QB Cooper LeFebre threw for a touchdown and ran for a score in the regional semifinal victory. Lubbock-Cooper's only loss is to 5AD1 Lubbock Coronado back on Oct. 2. The Pirates have won ten straight since. HC Chip Darden is 25-3. Lubbock-Cooper is the champion of 3-5A-2.
Region II
5AD2 #2 Aledo (10-1) vs. 5AD2 #8 Lucas Lovejoy (13-0), RESCHEDULED – NOW 7:30 p.m. Friday at Arlington's Globe Life Park
(NOTE: Aledo-Lovejoy, originally scheduled for Thursday at 11 a.m., was pushed back to Friday night over the threat of inclement weather.)
LAST MEETING: Aledo 62, Lucas Lovejoy 28 (11/23/18)
ALEDO LEADS SERIES, 1-0
Aledo: Defeated Frisco, 45-27. Bearcats RB DeMarco Roberts carried 28 times for 224 yards and 4 TDs last week. The versatile Jo Jo Earle added two touchdowns for Aledo, which has the No. 6 5AD2 scoring offense in the state. Underrated QB Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi just keeps leading the Aledo offense down the field. He was 12 of 17 for 207 yards in the regional semifinal. Aledo's only loss is to 6A quarterfinalist Cedar Hill. For many, Lucas Lovejoy will be the upset pick this week, but Aledo has been here and done that many times before. As evidence, their case holds a UIL-record nine state championship trophies. The Bearcats won't blink at this week's challenge. Aledo is the 5-5A-2 champion and has won eight in a row.
Lucas Lovejoy: Outscored Mansfield Timberview, 64-50. When it comes to offensive fireworks, no team has been more impressive in the playoffs than the Lovejoy Leopards, who come in with the No. 5 scoring offense in 5AD2. QB R.W. Rucker was 24 of 33 for 364 yards and eight touchdowns against a solid Timberview defense. Rucker also ran for 111 yards last week. Then there is Lovejoy WR Reid Westervelt. If a high school receiver catches ten touchdowns for the year, that's very good. Twenty touchdowns is spectacular. Westervelt has TWENTY-EIGHT TD catches this season, including six trips to the end zone on 11 grabs last week. Rucker-to-Westervelt will be a tall task for the Aledo defense. Then again, Lovejoy will look to tune up its rush defense after allowing 411 yards on the ground last week. Lovejoy is in the state quarterfinals for the first time since 2009. The champions of 7-5A-2 have won 13 straight.
Region III
Crosby (10-3) vs. 5AD2 #3 Fort Bend Marshall (12-0), 1 p.m. Friday at Humble's Turner Stadium
LAST MEETING: Fort Bend Marshall 42, Crosby 21 (11/18/16)
FB MARSHALL LEADS SERIES, 1-0
Crosby: Defeated previously-unbeaten Huntsville in overtime, 32-29. After missing four earlier kicks, K Trevor Helburg nailed a 35-yard field goal in overtime to send his team to the fourth round. Crosby QB Deniquez Dunn can hurt opposing defenses with his arm and legs. His skills will be crucial against a Fort Bend Marshall squad that may be the top overall defensive unit in Texas. Crosby, the 12-5A-2 co-champ, has won three in a row.
Fort Bend Marshall: Blanked Nederland, 49-0. This FB Marshall team is simply awe-inspiring, especially on defense. Last week's shutout was their eighth of the season. Marshall allowed just 75 total yards and two first downs to Nederland. And not only does FB Marshall have the state's No. 1 5AD2 defense, allowing 5.2 ppg, they happen to be No. 2 in the state in scoring offense at 52.2 ppg. The 11-5A-2 champs have won their last 12.
Region IV
5AD2 #7 Liberty Hill (11-0) vs Mission Sharyland Pioneer (8-0), 5 p.m. Saturday at San Antonio's Heroes Stadium
FIRST MEETING
Liberty Hill: Defeated Leander Rouse, 56-42. RB Blake Simpson ran for 325 yards and five touchdowns. After allowing just 59 points in their first ten games, Liberty Hill did give up 42 last week, but their offense had more than enough to fill the void. The Panthers are No. 3 in the state in 5AD2 at 51.4 ppg, and the defense has recorded six shutouts this season. Chances are good this will be the week's highest-scoring game. Liberty Hill is the 14-5A-2 champion and has won 11 in a row.
Sharyland Pioneer: Defeated Georgetown East View, 77-64. This Pioneer team, led by its Madden-esque offense, continues to check off historic achievements. They are appearing in the state quarterfinals for the first time in school history. With a win this week, the Diamondbacks can become the first Rio Grande Valley school to advance to the state semifinals since Port Isabel in 1984. Pioneer QB Eddie Lee Marburger racked up ten more touchdowns last week, including six on the ground. With 440 points in just eight games (55.0 ppg), Pioneer is tops in 5AD2 in scoring offense. The 16-5A-2 champions have won eight straight.
