1. Down goes Duncanville
In one of the most exciting games of the area round, Euless Trinity was able to knock off Duncanville, 28-27, at AT&T Stadium. Duncanville, one of the state’s fastest rising programs, was pegged by many as a dark horse to make a run to the 6A DI state title game. However, Euless Trinity had other plans. The Trojans, known for their physical play up front and ground and pound offense, played to their strengths late in the game and overcame a 13-point second half deficit to secure the victory. Euless Trinity is now a team to watch moving forward.
2. Another Dallas upset
Head Coach Todd Peterman led DeSoto High School to a 6A state title in 2016. A year later, the Eagles, at one time, were undefeated and at No. 4 in the Associated Press’ Texas high school polls. Gordon Deloach/Texas HS Football.
If you picked DeSoto to win the 6A DII state title, your bracket is officially busted.
Southlake Carroll, one of the winningest programs in Texas high school football history, actually came into this game as the underdog. But the Dragons flexed their muscles and used their “tradition never dies” mentality to come away with a 33-15 victory.
Southlake Carroll quarterback Will Bowers played a near-perfect game from under center, while sophomore cornerback RJ Mickens, who had a key touchdown catch while playing on offense, led a sensational defensive effort. Southlake Carroll, like Trinity, is now a major threat.
3. Houston showdown
File photo by Joseph Nguyen/TexasHSFootball
Houston Lamar vs. Fort Bend Ridge Point was pegged as the game to watch in Houston over the weekend.
And the colossal matchup certainly lived up to the hype. The two teams exchanged blow after blow, but it was Houston Lamar that did just enough to secure a 36-29 victory and move on to the 6A DI regional semifinals. Texas cornerback commit D’shawn Jamison returned the opening kick for a touchdown, rushed for a touchdown and recorded two interceptions for Houston Lamar in the win.
4. Don’t call it a comeback
EJ Holland/TexasHSFootball
Remember when I said Coppell would open some eyes and make a deep run in the state playoffs?
Well, I doubted that prediction when Coppell went into halftime down by 10 points against a very talented Mesquite Horn team. But the Cowboys put it all together in the second half, especially on the defensive side of the ball.
Coppell held Mesquite Horn to no second-half points and forced several key turnovers to notch a 34-24 victory. Coppell defensive back Jonathan McGill led the way on defense and also rushed for more than 100 yards on offense.
5. Big scare
Charlton Gladden/TexasHSFootball
Nobody ever said it was going to be easy for Allen. The 6A DI state title favorite definitely realized that this weekend when South Grand Prairie gave the Eagles all they could handle.
South Grand Prairie entered the contest with an excellent game plan. They shortened the game, ran the ball well and played tough, physical defense. But at the end of the day, Allen made the necessary plays to garner a 28-14 win. With the game tied in the fourth quarter, Grant Tisdale hit Theo Wease for a touchdown that sent the crowd into a frenzy.
After that, it was all Allen.
6. Sleeping giant
Gordon DeLoach/TexasHSFootball
I mentioned Mansfield as a team that could make some serious noise in the playoffs. But it will have its hands full this week when it squares off against Waco Midway in Waco.
Midway made a statement at AT&T Stadium this weekend when it destroyed Byron Nelson. The Panthers basically did whatever they wanted on offense thanks to the play of a physical offensive line as well as Oklahoma quarterback commit Tanner Mordecai. And the defense wasn’t too shabby either.
Midway vs. Mansfield has the making of an instant classic.
7. Revenge factor
Ozzy Jaime/TexasHSFootball
Austin Lake Travis opened up the season with a 20-point loss to Converse Judson.
But the defending state champions used that as a rallying point for the rest of the season. Lake Travis and Converse Judson met once again over the weekend, but this time, it was a different story as Lake Travis came away with a 47-39 victory.
Lake Travis arguably overcame its biggest obstacle and has a very manageable path back to state. With guys like quarterback Matthew Baldwin and athlete Garrett Wilson leading the way, watch out.
8. Cinderella team
Looking for a team to root for this holiday season? Look no further than Commerce. The Tigers opened the year with an 0-6 record, and the playoffs seemed like nothing more than an afterthought. However, Commerce has rattled off six straight victories, including its 20-17 area round win over Sunnyvale. Commerce’s two playoff victories have come by a combined four points, so expect another thriller against Kemp.
9. Overtime madness
Surprisingly, there was only one area round playoff game in the entire state that went into overtime. And that was Alice vs. Sharyland.
This game actually needed three overtimes to decide a winner. Alice came out on top with a stunning 39-36 victory. Alice will need another valiant performance this weekend as it gears up to face an undefeated Austin McCallum team in the Alamodome.
10. Valley battle
File photo courtesy Dan Gomez
San Benito and McAllen Memorial were labeled as two teams from the Rio Grande Valley that could make a run in the state playoffs. They actually met in the regular season with San Benito topping McAllen Memorial in convincing fashion. This game was much closer. Still, San Benito emerged with a 44-35 victory thanks to the efforts of athlete Tyrone Harper. San Benito is the best team in the Valley this year, but a matchup with San Antonio O’Connor this weekend could put an end to the Greyhounds’ dreams.
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