Join our talented VYPE Live crew for the RRISD Legends Baseball Tournament on Friday, March 6.
RRISD Legends Tourn. – Pearce Mustangs vs. Westwood
7:00pm First Pitch - Warriors Field
VYPE Live Crew:
Keep reading... Show less
Join our talented VYPE Live crew for the RRISD Legends Baseball Tournament on Friday, March 6.
RRISD Legends Tourn. – Pearce Mustangs vs. Westwood
7:00pm First Pitch - Warriors Field
VYPE Live Crew:
Senior Julian Caldwell is a Texas Tech pledge and gives the Eagles an established target on the outside
The Argyle Eagles welcome the Oak Ridge Trojans from El Dorado Hills, California, in a matchup that pits two successful programs against one another after impressive 2025 campaigns.
Oak Ridge went 9-4 last season, while Argyle finished 12-2 and enters the 2026 season with plenty of firepower on both sides of the football.
Argyle: The Offense Has Plenty of Juice
Argyle doesn't have the many questions surrounding its offense.
The Eagles return one of the most productive quarterbacks in Texas in junior Hayes Hackney.
Hackney transferred from Prosper Walnut Grove and is one of the state's most intriguing players after putting together a monster 2025 campaign. He threw for 3,329 yards and 37 touchdowns last season and has offers from UTSA and Stephen F. Austin.
Hackney was also the Texas District 4-5A-II Overall MVP as a freshman, giving him an impressive résumé despite still being a junior.
And he has plenty of weapons.
Senior Julian Caldwell is a Texas Tech pledge and gives the Eagles an established target on the outside.
Then there's Ake O'Neal, ranked No. 1, who is committed to Oklahoma State. O'Neal caught 21 passes for 335 yards and a touchdown last season and gives Argyle another explosive option in the passing game.
The combination of Hackney, Caldwell and O'Neal gives Argyle a trio capable of putting pressure on Oak Ridge's secondary from the opening snap.
...
The Defensive Difference
While Argyle's offense may get the headlines, Brody Bomar gives the Eagles a defensive centerpiece.
The No. 33 prospect and Georgetown commit was an all-state selection last season after piling up 146 tackles, 11 tackles for loss and three sacks.
Bomar's ability to control the middle of the field could be critical against an Oak Ridge offense looking to establish a new identity after losing its top two running backs.
...
Oak Ridge: New Faces, Same Expectations
Oak Ridge has some holes to fill after losing its top two running backs and its leading receiver in receiving yards from a year ago.
That puts added pressure on senior quarterback Nick Johnson, who returns after throwing for 1,197 yards and nine touchdowns in 2025.
Johnson will have a pair of proven targets to work with.
Braxton Martinez returns after catching 26 passes for 435 yards and three touchdowns. The senior already has offers from Nevada and Texas Tech.
Fellow wide receiver Isaac Pierce also returns after producing 15 receptions for 325 yards and four touchdowns. Pierce holds offers from New Mexico and UNLV.
The Trojans' biggest question may be whether they can replace the production lost from last year's roster while maintaining the offensive balance that helped them win nine games.
Defensively, Oak Ridge also lost its top player to transfer, with that standout moving to St. John Bosco.
One player who returns is linebacker/defensive end Ben Rivas, who was a force in 2025. Rivas recorded 85 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, 10 sacks and four fumble recoveries.
If Oak Ridge is going to slow Argyle's offense, Rivas will likely have to be at the center of the effort.
...
The X-Factors
Oak Ridge — Ben Rivas: If the Trojans are going to pull the upset, Rivas has to be a problem. His 10 sacks last season show that he can change a game from the defensive front.
Argyle — Hayes Hackney: The junior quarterback has already demonstrated that he can put up enormous numbers. The question now is whether he can lead Argyle through another deep postseason-type season.
...
The Bottom Line
This is more than another non-district game.
It's a meeting between two programs that won a combined 21 games last season, with Oak Ridge traveling from California to Texas for its first Texas opponent since 2004, according to MaxPreps.
Oak Ridge has the defensive playmaker in Rivas and enough returning production at receiver to make things interesting.
But Argyle enters with fewer questions offensively and one of the state's most productive quarterbacks in Hackney, surrounded by Power Four talent in Caldwell and O'Neal.
...
The matchup to watch: Argyle's explosive passing attack vs. an Oak Ridge defense trying to replace its biggest star.
The question: Can the California Trojans slow down the Texas Eagles long enough to make this a fourth-quarter game?
That should tell us a lot about both teams heading into the heart of the 2026 season.
Texas high school football is officially back! Week one of the 2026 season kicks off this week with a number of huge non-district matchups happening across the DFW Metroplex.
The VYPE On My Whistle Podcast returns as Matt Malatesta and Jackson DiPasquale preview the top games in week one and more!
Highland Park has history on their side
Lewisville and Highland Park will meet Saturday afternoon at The Ford Center at The Star for the sixth annual Jerry Jones Classic, bringing together two North Texas programs with plenty of history and plenty of questions entering the 2026 season.
The matchup is also a first for the event.
For the first time, the Jerry Jones Classic will feature two Dallas-area teams rather than a Dallas program facing an opponent from outside the area.
The two teams have met twice recently, with Highland Park winning both meetings in 2022 and 2023.
And if history is any indication, Saturday should have plenty of intrigue.
In past years, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has been on hand for the coin flip and trophy presentation, adding another layer to an already unique atmosphere. At the end of the afternoon, one player will also walk away with the signed Cowboys jersey awarded to the game's MVP.
But before the trophy and jersey are handed out, there are some major questions to answer.
THE GALLERY
Lewisville went 8-3 last season but enters 2026 looking for a new quarterback after Tre Williams transferred to Aledo.
The big question is simple: Who is the new guy?
Whoever wins the job will have some talented players around him.
Tight end Landon Bogany, No. 8, enters the season with 15 college offers and gives the new quarterback a major weapon in the passing game.
Lewisville also returns a strong group of college-bound defensive players, including Sam Houston State pledges Devin Robinson at linebacker and Aiden Evans in the secondary. Missouri State pledge Derrick Martin III returns at wide receiver, while Ole Miss pledge Taelyn Mayo gives the Farmers another talented piece in the secondary.
Arkansas pledge Declan Hamm also returns to handle punting duties.
...
If Lewisville has questions at quarterback, Highland Park has no such uncertainty.
SMU pledge Buck Randall returns for his senior season after putting together one of the most productive campaigns in the state in 2025.
Randall threw for an eye-popping 4,392 yards and 51 touchdowns last season while adding 464 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground.
He was also a Class 5A All-State selection.
And here's the wild part: Randall is Highland Park's top returning rusher and top returning receiver.
He caught one pass for 20 yards last season, but with the team's top five receivers graduating, the SMU pledge could have an expanded role in the passing game while leading an offense that will need to replace a significant amount of production.
The question is obvious:
Who will Randall throw it to?
Running back James Flowers, a Second-Team All-District selection, gives the Scots a proven option in the backfield, while First-Team All-District offensive lineman Cooper Alt will help keep Randall upright and open running lanes.
...
Saturday also gives Highland Park coach Randy Allen another opportunity to add to one of the most impressive résumés in Texas high school football.
Allen enters his 46th season as a head coach and currently ranks second all-time in UIL history with 460 victories.
The state record is 490.
That means every victory moves Allen one step closer to one of the most coveted records in Texas high school football.
Highland Park finished 12-2 last season, but the Scots must replace three All-State players from that squad and eight defensive starters who earned All-District honors.
The defense is therefore the biggest question mark entering Saturday.
Linebackers Graham Rodgers, a Second-Team All-District selection, and Benton Gordon, an honorable mention selection, are among the returning pieces who will be asked to provide leadership for a largely retooled unit.
Join the #VYPETEAM
Get up to date news from all over the country!