The Regional Finals are here, which means after this week there will be two more weeks in Texas high school football in 2019. All four games this week - for me - are the The Star in Frisco. Two games in 5A and two games in 6A.
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Day: Friday, December 6
Location: Ford Center at The Star (Frisco, Texas)
Previous meetings: Aledo won 29-6 (2013)
After a 5-5 record last year, Ennis is having its best year since 2014 when it last won a state title. Ennis isn't an offensive juggernaut like its opponent, but the defense is pretty good, having pitched four shutouts this year - two in the playoffs.
Under coach Sam Herrell, Ennis leans more on its run game, buoyed by its dual-threat quarterback Collin Drake, the transfer from McKinney Boyd. Drake has 2,242 yards passing on the year at a 62.1 percent completion clip. He also leads the team with 897 yards rushing and 12 rushing touchdowns.
Three other backs - Devion Beasley, Jarius Jones, Dyllan Santos - have 81 or rushing attempts this year for Ennis for a combined 1,623 yards and 24 touchdowns.
Ennis is 1-1 this year when the passing game outperforms the running game and 9-0 the other way around.
Having seen Aledo just a couple weeks ago against Royse City, the offensive proficiency is still there as ever. Running back Jase McClellan played well that game and has performed well in the postseason, racking up 507 in three games.
In a tough win last week, though, Aledo failed to hit the 400-yard mark for just the second time this year and matched its low in points at 34.
Still, Aledo seems to be able to score effortlessly at times and the offense takes good care of the ball. It has only lost the turnover battle twice this year, including the 38-point win over Royse City two weeks ago, but has forced eight turnovers in three playoff games.
Here are the team splits entering the game:
| TEAM STATS | ENNIS | ALEDO |
| Points Per Game | 33.5 | 53.8 |
| Points Allowed Per Game | 13.5 | 16.9 |
| Yards Per Game | 381.5 | 484.2 |
| Yards Allowed Per Game | 232.2 | 314.3 |
Aledo has only won in single digits once this year, not including the season-opening loss to Denton Guyer. Aledo has won by an average of 43.3 points for the other 11 games. It has shown an ability to give up some yards on the ground, which should work in Ennis' favor early on.
However, Ennis hasn't been challenge with an offensive juggernaut as it it will in Aledo. The only loss Ennis suffered, it gave up 41 to Bishop Lynch and 315 yards on the ground.
Prediction: Aledo 43, Ennis 31
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