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Del Valle vs Austin High is the VYPE Game of the Week
THE PROSPECTUS: Austin High faces Del Valle in a battle of wills
VYPE Central Texas Game of the Week Preview:
Austin High vs. Del Valle: It’s true that whichever team wins when Austin High and Del Valle clash Friday night (9/26), they will betied for the lead in District 26-6A. It’s also unlikely they’ll stay there for long. Not in a compact 7-team district that features perennial state powers Westlake and Lake Travis, emerging power Dripping Springs and a seemingly resurgent Bowie.
Heck, even Akins emerged unscathed with a 4-0 mark after non-district play.So, yes, the winner has the best shot of displacing Bowie for the final playoff spot – like Austin High did last year – assuming they can also get past Akins. But more to the point, this is one of those games that gets to the essence of high school sports.
Not every game is dripping with playoff implications. You’re only “guaranteed’ 10 games in Texas high school football, injuries not withstanding. And each of these two teams feels as if this is a winnable game. So, you’d better believe that for the 50 or so guys who suit up for either of these two programs, each searching for its identity under a new head coach, this is the most important game of the week. Which is precisely why the Austin High Maroons traveling to Del Valle’s Veterans Stadium to take on the Cardinals is this week’s VYPE Central Texas Game of the Week.
Austin High (0-4) is looking for some offense. Coach Jason Cecil’s squad has scored just 26 points in its first four games, with 14 of those coming in last week’s loss vs Temple. Del Valle’s offensive numbers look better on paper. A closer look, however, reveals that Coach Colin Williams’ Cardinals (1-3) scored 47 of their 129 points in their season-opening 47-0 at Cedar Creek.
On the other side of the ball, Austin High is giving up 42 points-per-game while Del Valle is surrendering over 32 PPG. It seems as if the question will be, which offense finds its footing against their opponents’ struggling defense.
Austin High vs. Del Valle ultimately may not matter a bit when it comes to the playoffs. It should nonetheless be a hard-fought game between two proud programs hungry for a win.
And sometimes that’s all that matters.
What: Austin High @ Del Valle
Where: Del Valle Veterans Stadium
Who: David Roy, T.J. Vela
Watch: https://www.vype.com/7-30pm-football-austin-high-v... OR http://vypelive.com/web/g/16048
VYPE SATX Football Game of the Week Preview: Cibolo Steele vs. Westlake (Week 4)
Friday, September 19 – 7:00 PM // Chaparral Stadium/Ebbie Neptune Field -- Austin, TX
Two perennial Texas high school powerhouses will go head-to-head this Friday, as the Steele Knights travel north to take on Westlake at Chaparral Stadium.
This Week 4 matchup serves as a final tune-up before district play begins — and may very well feel like a playoff preview.
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CIBOLO STEELE
Out of San Antonio, the Knights enter the contest undefeated at 3-0, fresh off a convincing 42-22 win over Brandeis.
Under ninth-year head coach David Saenz — who was recently selected as an assistant coach for the 2025 Navy All-American Bowl — Steele continues to build on last season’s 11-2 campaign, which ended in the third round against eventual 6A-Division II Champion Vandegrift.
Leading the way offensively is senior tailback Jonathan Hatton Jr., a four-star Texas A&M-commit who has already racked up over 400 rushing yards and seven touchdowns through three games.
After earning a first-team, all-district selection in 2024, he’s certainly making a strong case for District 29-6A Offensive Player of the Year honors.
Junior quarterback DJ Green has been a steady hand for Steele, managing the game efficiently behind an experienced offensive line anchored by UTEP-bound senior Pryce McClanahan. Out wide, the Knights have two reliable targets in senior Micah Sheeler and junior Jamin Harvell, both capable of stretching the field.
Defensively, Steele boasts a formidable front seven, spearheaded by Arizona State-commit Julian Hugo.
The senior edge rusher headlines a group that includes veteran middle linebacker Jared Ibarra and rising sophomore Pike Kempe.
The secondary is just as dangerous, featuring junior safety Eli Johnson — a four-star prospect with offers from Texas, Ohio State, Michigan, Oregon, and Texas A&M, among others. Opposing quarterbacks have learned quickly to think twice before challenging his side of the field.
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WESTLAKE
On the other sideline, Westlake (2-1) is coming off a gritty 35-28 road win over Atascocita, following a 66-0 blowout of San Benito in Week 2. The Chaps dropped a narrow opener to Prosper but have looked sharper each week since.
Head coach Tony Salazar has once again built a team capable of contending, following last year’s run to the 6A-D1 State Championship.
Senior QB Rees Wise, an Ole Miss-commit, headlines the offense with a balanced attack, using both his arm and legs to keep defenses on edge.
Sophomore standout Jarren “The Jet” Lopez and senior Sebastian Henault share the backfield duties, forming a dynamic one-two punch.
Wise’s receiving corps is deep and talented, featuring senior Jack Newhouse, junior Rhett Jenkins, and sophomore Chase Brodhead.
Meanwhile, Westlake’s defense remains a calling card.
TCU-bound senior Maddox Flynt, the reigning District 26-6A Defensive MVP, sets the tone up front, while senior safety Thompson Bennett continues to shine as a physical, versatile presence in the back end.
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With stars on both sides of the ball and coaching staffs that know how to win in November, Friday’s showdown could be a tone-setter for the rest of the season — and possibly a glimpse at a future playoff rematch.