Welcome back Texas high school football!
Tonight, begins a 17-week journey to AT&T Stadium to hopefully play for and win a State Championship come December. There are some marquis matchups in the opening week of the season, and we are here to break them down.
Here are the Top 5 games to watch in Houston this week.
No. 1 North Shore (0-0) vs No. 5 The Woodlands (0-0)
Game Info: Thursday, August 25, at Galena Park ISD Stadium (7 p.m.)
TV Broadcast: AT&T Sportsnet SW
Game Preview
This game may be bigger for The Woodlands than North Shore. The defending Class 6A Division I State Champs know how to take care of business. They know how to win. For The Woodlands, there has been a lot of hype around the Highlanders this offseason but what can they do against North Shore. The Mustangs are winners of State Championships in three of the last four seasons. Jon Kay knows how to build his team up through a tough non-district slate, this year including The Woodlands, Spring and Westfield. For The Highlanders this is a measuring stick of where they are. Granted this is the first week of the season, so don’t read into too much who wins and loses this game. Both will be solid at the end of the season and into the playoffs. This game is all about youthful talent as Mabrey Mettauer (junior) and Kaleb Bailey (sophomore) will duke it out at QB1.
But because of how things are lined up, the only way we get a rematch of The Woodlands and North Shore would be in the State Championship come December … maybe a preview?
Recruit Watch
North Shore: Kaleb Bailey (QB), David Amador II (WR – UTSA), Jacoby Davis (DB), Elijah Fields (DL), Jayven Anderson (S), Omarion Dudley (OL), Rashaad Johnson (RB),
The Woodlands: Mabrey Mettauer (QB), Quanell X Jr (WR), Arkez Gomez (WR), Wei Wei (CB), Koltin Sieracki (OL), Ryan Hughes (OL)
No. 7 Tompkins (0-0) vs No. 13 Cypress Ranch (0-0)
Game Info: Thursday, August 25, at Cy-Fair FCU Stadium (7 p.m.)
Game Preview
This is program vs program. Tompkins is always in the mix every year for that top spot in 19-6A, while the same can be said for Cypress Ranch in 16-6A. Tonight marks the first time ever that the two teams have played each other. Let’s start with Tompkins. Their defense will be led by three-star safety Caleb Komolafe, who is verbally committed to Memphis. Up front on the O-Line is going to be Ashton Funk, who just received his 28th offer earlier this week. He has blown up on the recruiting front. Matthew Ogunrin and Predro Chagas Da Silva will be others to take note of. Offensively, you will see a lot of Wyatt Young and Chris Gilbert Jr for Tompkins. This is a Tompkins team that pushed North Shore to the brink of elimination in last year’s playoffs. For Cy Ranch, this may be the most talented Mustangs team in a few seasons. On the defense, it is anchored by Northwestern defensive lineman-commit Ashton Porter and Baylor linebacker-commit Christian Brathwaite. Porter is a four-star and Brathwaite is a three-star, according to 247Sports. On the offense, Blake Baker is back after passing for 1,300 yards and 15 scores a year ago with only six interceptions. His top target will be Kansas-commit Jarred Sample (429 yards, 4 TDs). This one is another heavy-weight match-up to open the season.
Recruit Watch
Tompkins: Caleb Komolafe (S – Memphis), Ashton Funk (OL), Matthew Ogunrin (WR-Tulsa)
Cy Ranch: Ashton Porter (DL-Northwestern), Christian Brathwaite (LB-Baylor), Jarred Sample (WR – Kansas), Blake Baker, Royce Maloles (DL)
No. 12 Dickinson (0-0) vs No. 3 Atascocita (0-0)
Game Info: Thursday, August 25, at Turner Stadium (7 p.m.)
Game Preview
This is the first time ever that Atascocita and Dickinson are meeting in the regular season. The previous three meetings have come in the playoffs last season and then previously in 2019 and 2017. Last year, it was a 22-21 victory for the Eagles to move on. Atascocita is 3-0 all-time against Dickinson. The Gators are looking for a nice non-district test which for John Snelson’s crew will tell a lot of where they are at. The Gators are breaking in a new quarterback having to replace Luke Martin’s production from a year ago. Martin passed for over 1,400 yards and rushed for another 1,200. John Solomon could be the answer as he has the most experience at QB coming back both throwing and running the football. His top target will be Missouri-commit Marquis Johnson. For Atascocita, Zion Brown will get the nod at QB1 after assuming the full-time starter role last year after the injury to Gavin Session. The Eagles always have a plethora of receivers and talent on the OL. The strength for Dickinson will be its defense led by TCU-commit Vernon Glover Jr. This is fun when two teams that have historically met only in the playoffs decide to strap it up for a non-district test.
Recruit Watch
Atascocita: Zion Brown (QB), Tory Blaylock (RB), Nate Kibble (OL), Samu Taumanupepe (DL – Texas A&M), Braylon Conley (DB), Jadon Ducos (LB)
Dickinson: Marquis Johnson (WR – Missouri), Vernon Glover Jr (CB – TCU), Layden Roque (S), Tyler Thomas (OL)
No. 17 Clear Springs (0-0) vs No. 2 Katy (0-0)
Game Info: Friday, August 26, at Columbia Challenger Stadium (7 p.m.)
Live Stream: KPRC2+ and Click2Houston.com/watchlive
Game Preview
Katy starts yet another season seeking State Championship No. 10 under head coach Gary Joseph. The Tigers were on the doorstep of AT&T Stadium last year before falling to Austin Westlake in the State Semifinals. The Tigers return this year aiming for No. 10 in program history, which would be No. 9 for Joseph as a coach. Katy has talent and it starts in the backfield with Seth Davis. He has rushed for more than 4,200 yards the past two years and is committed to Mississippi State. His battery-mate will be Caleb Koger, who has taken over command of this offense as QB1 and done a solid job. JR Ceyanes will be one of his top targets, while Ramarian Tillman could be a name to remember joining Davis out of the backfield in 2022. Defensively, the unit is led by Utah-commit Johnathan Hall, who is a three-star safety. Arian Parish joins him at safety and is verballed to Arizona. Watch for Broderick Joohnson rushing off the edge as well and Torik Aigbedion at cornerback. For Clear Springs, they have their own list of stars. They will have to find a new QB1 for this season, but Xai’Shaun Edwards is back in the backfield after rushing for 1,499 yards a year ago and will be leaned on early. Texas Tech-commit Nick Fattig will offer a push up front on the line for Edwards. Tulsa-commit Ashton Schumann will be target at receiver, while Serigne Tounkara holds down the DL.
Recruit Watch
Katy: Seth Davis (RB – Mississippi State), Caleb Koger (QB), Johnathan Hall (S – Utah), Arian Parish (S - Arizona), Broderick Johnson (DL), Torik Aigbedion (CB)
Clear Springs: Xai’shaun Edwards (RB), Nick Fattig (OL – Texas Tech), Serigne Tounkara (DL), Ashton Schumann (WR – Tulsa)
No. 3 Manvel (0-0) vs No. 10 Shadow Creek
Game Info: Friday, August 26, at Alvin ISD Stadium (7 p.m.)
TV Broadcast: Bally Sports SW
Game Preview
This is the big game of the week. This is the Battle of 288. This marks the first time since Shadow Creek opened that these two teams have met in a game. This is a rivalry game. Shadow Creek this is a big year for them as the Quarterback Duke Butler enters his senior year. Maurice Williams, the LSU-commit, will anchor the defense along with Washington State-commit Theorin Randle and Zion Taylor anchoring the defensive line. Manvel always has talent and Jalen O'Neal, the Oregon State-commit will lead the defense.
Recruit Watch
Shadow Creek: Scottt Koumado (LB), Duke Butler, Maurice Williams (DB-LSU)
Manvel: Jalen O'Neal (S - Oregon State), Kaeden Smith (QB), Devin Davis (C)