After great storylines coming out of the first week back for Texas High School Football last week, Week 2 has been highly anticipated. Fans can expect great competition this weekend throughout the state, but here we have some of the top games featuring Dallas-Fort Worth teams that you're going to want to keep your eyes on!
Robby Rakestraw (MaxPreps)
Kaden Anderson was impressive in his debut under center for Southlake Carroll.
7 p.m. Thursday, September 2
The Dragons are coming off of a big Week 1 win over Highland Park in which they proved that Quinn Ewers wasn't the key player on their team. Southlake has been bringing up great athletes for years and the first couple of weeks will give them a chance to showcase their talent. After a 45-21 win over the Scots with exceptional plays from new starting quarterback Kaden Anderson, the Dragons can be expected to put on an all-out show against Rockwall-Heath.
The Hawks enter Week 2 after a close, physical matchup with Keller Timber Creek in which Rockwall-Heath won 56-49. Quarterback Josh Hoover will step into the pocket ready to roll against Southlake Carroll on Thursday night, but it's Heath's defense that's going to have to step up to the challenge of slowing the Dragons' offensive game.
Previous meeting
The two teams met in 2020 where Southlake Carroll defeated Rockwall-Heath 72-57. Hoover threw for nearly 400-yards and accounted for four touchdowns last season. Anderson has yet to face a strong Rockwall-Heath defense, but with a seasoned offense, he just may look like a veteran quarterback.
Football is the family business in the Price household, and business is booming.
Standing at 6-foot-5, 260 pounds, Cedar Hill’s Jalen Price is one of the most intriguing defensive prospects in Texas. The junior has been racking up offers from the likes of Auburn, Baylor, and Southern Miss, anchoring a fierce Cedar Hill defense with a chip on its shoulder.
“We want to remind the state of Texas that Cedar Hill is still here,” Price said. “There’s a standard you have to hold up here... it’s competitive. Everyone wants to eat. We’re all fighting to get that first sack, that first TFL, that first tipped ball. We all want to make plays.”
One of Price’s biggest weapons? His versatility in the trenches.
“I’ve really improved my speed, and my body is developing,” he said. “With my size and quickness, the coaches are moving me around from the edge to three-technique in pass rush. All these different stances and alignments let me open up my bag.”
That athleticism and passion run deep in his bloodline. His father, JP Price, played alongside Zach Thomas and Marcus Coleman at Texas Tech. His grandfather, Willie Price Jr., was an All-SWAC performer at Prairie View A&M and later coached JP at Roosevelt High in Dallas.
Despite the legacy, Jalen’s journey has been self-driven.
“I’ve never really felt pressure from my family to play football,” he said. “I actually like engineering. But as I got older—and bigger—I really started to love the sport and the physicality of it.”
That love turned into resolve after a personal tragedy.
“I made a promise to my auntie that I was going to make it. When she passed, it flipped a switch in me. I’ve got to keep my promise to her.”
Now, he’s locked in like a pro.
“I train, eat right, and focus a lot on recovery,” he said. “You’ve got to get rest. I play a lot of basketball to improve footwork and cardio, and I watch film constantly—Aaron Donald, T.J. Watt, Aidan Hutchinson, Colin Simmons (Texas), Dylan Stewart (South Carolina). I stay in the game.”
With his size, genes, and mindset, Jalen Price is a name Texas high school football — and college recruiters — won’t forget anytime soon.
As the Track and Field season has come to an end, it's time for fans to pick who they believe should have the honor of being the VYPE DFW Public School Boys Track and Field Athlete of the Year Fan Poll! Be sure to get your vote in!
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As the Softball season has come to an end, it's time for fans to pick who they believe should have the honor of being the VYPE DFW Private School Softball Player of the Year Fan Poll! Be sure to get your vote in!
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