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RANKINGS
Duncanville leads off in huge opener with Allen
Duncanville, Allen renew rivalry in blockbuster season opener
ALLEN — There is no easing into the 2026 football season for Duncanville or Allen.
The Panthers and Eagles will open the season Friday night at Eagle Stadium in a matchup that feels more like a playoff game than Week 1.
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.
And for Allen, there is a little unfinished business.
The Eagles' 2025 season came to an end at the hands of Duncanville, which defeated Allen 31-9 in the Class 6A Division I state semifinals. Duncanville went on to finish 12-2 and advance to the state championship game, while Allen finished 14-1.
Now the two Texas powers meet again, only this time with a clean slate.
"This isn't last year," will be the message on both sidelines.
But it's hard to ignore the history.
Duncanville enters the season ranked No. 10 nationally by MaxPreps, while Allen checks in at No. 18. Both programs have championship expectations, and Friday night's opener will provide an immediate test for two teams with plenty of talent.
For Duncanville, four-star Purdue commit Trenton Yancey is one of the players capable of changing the game every time he touches the football.
The Class of 2027 standout is a versatile weapon who can line up at receiver, take carries out of the backfield and create matchup problems all over the field.
Allen will have to account for him wherever he lines up.
On the other side, the Eagles are ushering in a new era at quarterback with Ty Snell.
The Class of 2029 quarterback enters his first season as Allen's QB1 with more than 30 Division I offers already to his name. His first season-opening start will come against one of the state's most established programs.
He'll have a special weapon alongside him.
Wide receiver Zach Williams, also a Class of 2029 standout with more than 30 Division I offers, gives Snell an explosive target and creates the possibility of a dynamic young quarterback-receiver connection.
The Snell-to-Williams combination could become one of the most intriguing storylines in Texas high school football this season.
But they'll have to navigate a Duncanville defense led in part by Nelson Burns, a senior who returns with experience in the Panthers' defensive system.
For Allen, the challenge is more than simply beating Duncanville.
It's about setting the tone for a new season.
The Eagles have won five state championships and enter 2026 with the talent and expectations that come with being one of the state's premier programs. Duncanville has three state titles of its own and has established itself as a perennial contender under legendary head coach Reginald Samples.
Friday's matchup gives both programs an opportunity to make an early statement.
For Duncanville, it's a chance to show that last year's run was no fluke.
For Allen, it's a chance to turn the page on the game that ended its championship dreams.
And for everyone watching, it's one of the biggest games on the opening-week schedule.
The rematch is here.
Only this time, there's an entire season ahead of both teams.
THE WRAP: Top Five Performances from the State 7on7 Tournament
This weekend some of the state's top talent made their way to College Station for the State seven-on-seven tournament from Thursday to Saturday.
The Keller Central Chargers won the Division One championship over Allen in a 26-21 thriller as the Chargers scored the game winning touchdown on an untimed down.
Defending Division One champion The Woodlands reached the semifinal game of the championship bracket as well as Austin power Lake Travis.
VYPE was on site for the tournament and after watching the games throughout the weekend here are the Top five player performances from the State seven-on-seven weekend.
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2029 ALLEN QUARTERBACK TY SNELL
Allen was dominant throughout the entire State 7-on-7 Tournament, finishing with a 7-1 record. Their only loss came in the Division I championship game against Keller Central. 2029 Eagles quarterback Ty Snell delivered an elite performance all weekend, showing why he is regarded as one of the top quarterbacks in the country in the Class of 2029. Snell possesses a big arm, effortlessly drives the ball downfield, and consistently displays outstanding accuracy. Expect the rising sophomore to have a breakout season this fall.
2028 KELLER CENTRAL ATHLETE ISAIAH TAYLOR
The Keller Central Chargers won the Division One State 7-On-7 championship after an impressive run on Saturday during bracket play. While 2028 athlete Isaiah Taylor is one of the top recruits in the country at the cornerback position he was crucial in the Chargers championship win on the offensive side of the ball playing quarterback. The Chargers just missed the playoffs in 2025 but with momentum of winning the State 7-On-7 championship and Isaiah Taylor at the helm leading the offense, expect Keller Central to be a playoff contender in 2026.
2028 THE WOODLANDS QUARTERBACK KADEN COPELIN
The Woodlands was the defending Division One State 7-On-7 champion going into the 2026 tournament and fell just short of the championship game falling in the semifinal to Allen. With the departure of now TCU quarterback Jack Daulton their posed questions about who will step up in that role... enter Kaden Copelin. Copelin saw limited playing time a year ago but showed a lot of promise throughout the tournament this weekend. The rising junior has a big arm and his accuracy was on point all weekend fitting the ball into some tight windows. Currently holds two offers from SMU and Syracuse and expect a breakout junior season for the Highlander QB this fall.
2029 ALLEN WIDE RECEIVER ZACH WILLIAMS
Zach Williams put on quite the performance at the State 7-on-7 tournament this weekend hauling in 18 touchdowns throughout both pool play and the championship bracket. Williams posses great speed and quickness and has the ability to get open No matter where he is at on the field. The Allen wide receiver has a strong connection with quarterback Ty Snell and both are primed for big sophomore seasons next fall. Williams holds early offers from 32 division one programs across the country.
2027 CY RANCH QUARTERBACK BRADEN BAKER - HOUSTON COMMIT
Cy Ranch quarterback and Houston commit Braden Baker showed why he is one of the top quarterbacks not only in Houston but in the state of Texas this weekend. Baker helped lead the Mustangs to the fourth round of the championship bracket and made some impressive throws throughout the weekend. Baker is looking towards a big senior season as the Mustangs look to be a team due for a deep playoff run in 2026.