Teams across the state continue to work through their district schedules with hopes of a deep playoff run or simply keeping their season alive. This week, the Thursday highlighted game on CW33 is between two Richardson ISD teams -- the Lake Highlands Wildcats and the J.J Pearce Mustangs. VYPE DFW takes a dive into these two teams' seasons and lays out just what fans can expect from this Thursday night game!
Lake Highlands Wildcats (6-2, 4-2)
Last season, the Wildcats went 10-2 overall, only losing against a tough district rival (Dallas Jesuit) and Allen in the playoffs. The team came into the season strong and continued to fight all the way through. Using the momentum of last season, Lake Highlands has posted big victories this season including a season opening shut out over Mesquite Poteet (21-0), a 42-7 victory over Richardson Berkner, a 42-7 victory over Irving MacArthur, and more. Last week, the Wildcats posted a big 45-10 victory over Richardson High and will look to continuing their strong scoring this week against Pearce.
Outscoring their opponents this season by nearly 150 points, the Wildcats offense is led by junior running back Deonte Dean, senior wide receiver Obarinemi Osarollor, junior quarterback Tripp Holley, and more. Dean is averaging nearly 80 rushing yards per game while Osarollor averages 63 receiving yards a game. Holley continues to remain focused and decisive in the pocket for the Wildcats. The defense has also continued to focus on putting big stops to their opponents this season.
J.J. Pearce Mustangs (3-4, 3-2)
After a tough season last year where the Mustangs posted a 3-7 overall schedule, Pearce has been working hard to improve their team. Pearce saw adversity through non-district games and remained composed through teams that made sure the Mustangs would be battle tested as they headed into their district schedule. So far this season, Pearce has posted three district victories- 48-7 over Irving Nimitz, 55-49 in overtime against Irving MacArthur, and a 28-14 victory over Richardson High.
Taking steps to learn from mistakes, the team has proven to be resilient through their district schedule. Jack McGarry, Andrew Casagrande, Caden Varner, Blake Follett, Presley Harper, and more offensive athletes contribute to the improvement of the offense each game. McGarry averages about 53 receiving yards per game while Varner and Follett average 44-46 receiving yards per game. Casagrande averages 29 rushing yards per game. Harper is focused in the pocket as he gets the plays off and remains focused on scoring. The defense continues to improve with each district opponent they face; Isaac Martinez has caused three fumbles this season while recording 16 quarterback hurries. Jonathan Agumadu has recorded 15 QB hurries and 4.5 sacks.
What To Expect
Pearce wants the opportunity to continue improving their schedule while Lake Highlands is ready to put another victory notch on their record! We have seen Pearce battle back from adversity, but we have also seen a Lake Highlands team that has prevailed while being relentless against opponents- especially in their district schedule. If you can't make it out to Richardson for the game, be sure to catch all the action on CW33- kick-off is set for 7 p.m.