While the Panthers have historically held the upper hand — including a 41-17 win in last year’s meeting — Waxahachie enters Week 4 with enough momentum to make this one far more competitive.
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DUNCANVILLE
Duncanville, led by legendary head coach Reginald Samples, returns to action this week following a bye, fresh off a season-opening win over 5A powerhouse South Oak Cliff (35–28).
The Panthers may be without some of last year’s most decorated names — including 2024 Texas Gatorade Player of the Year Keelon Russell (Alabama), elite wideout Dakorien Moore (Oregon), and standout defensive backs Javion Holiday and Tyren Polley, now both at SMU.
However, the D’Ville cup continues to overflow with talent.
In said win over SOC, junior QB Maximus The Great Denson showcased his dual-threat skill set, tossing three touchdown passes and rushing for nearly 100 yards.
Sophomore tailback Brayden Arnold added 105 yards and two scores on the ground, while four-star receiver Trenton Yancey — who holds offers from blue-blood programs nationwide — has proved to be a dynamic threat in the passing game.
Senior ATH Ayson Theus (TCU-commit) and tight end Zachary Turner (SMU) round out what’s shaping up to be an increasingly deep and versatile receiving corps.
Defensively, the Panthers are as formidable as ever.
Seniors Kevin “KJ” Ford (Florida-commit) and Landon Barnes (Ole Miss) return as disruptive forces off the edge, both coming off all-district campaigns. In the secondary, three-star senior cornerback Braylon Edwards (SMU) anchors a group that looks poised to carry on Duncanville’s defensive pedigree.
Having reached the UIL State Championship five times since 2018 — and narrowly falling to North Crowley in last year’s Regional Final — Duncanville remains firmly in the 6A title conversation.
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WAXAHACHIE
On the other sideline, Waxahachie is off to a strong 2–0 start after lopsided wins over Ennis (44-13) and Forney (35-14). Under fifth-year head coach Shane Tolleson, the Indians return a core of high-upside talent on both sides of the ball and look poised to improve on last year’s 9–4 campaign.
Junior signal-caller Jerry Meyer III (TCU-commit) leads the charge offensively. He’s developed strong chemistry with senior wideout Kohen Brown, who committed to Texas in June.
That duo has been complemented by the emergence of sophomore standouts Taylen Strange at running back and Jordan Thompson-Woods at receiver — both of whom have provided consistent production early in the season.
On defense, Waxahachie leans on junior safety JayQuan Snell, a highly touted four-star recruit with offers from college football’s elite – Ohio State, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Alabama, and Oregon, just to name a few.
Junior LB/DB Kaden Tolleson and senior OLB Hector Calderon III round out a unit that’s shown the ability to both pressure the quarterback and contain the run.
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Whether the Indians are ready to knock off a Duncanville team still viewed as one of the best in Texas remains to be seen — but the pieces are there to make it a contest.
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. Friday at Lumpkins Stadium.
