GAMES
RANKINGS
9-time state champion Celina faces a big game this week against Anna.
10 Games to Watch in Week 10 of DFW High School Football
Thursday, Oct. 29
Sachse at Wylie East at Wylie ISD Stadium
This is one of the premier games in the Dallas-Fort Worth area in Week 10. Sachse is 8-0, while Wylie East is 7-1 overall. Both are 5-0 in District 9-6A play, making this a de facto district title game. The Sachse Mustangs have a familiar name nationally at QB in Christian McCaffrey. The senior has thrown for 1,594 yards, with 23 touchdowns and 6 interceptions. The Raiders have won 5 in a row. The series started in 2022 and the teams are 2-2 against each other.
Melissa at McKinney North at McKinney ISD Stadium
This game is a battle of second-place teams in District 5-5A Division I, with both entering with a 4-1 mark in district play. McKinney North is 7-1, while Melissa is 5-3. The Bulldogs have won straight since a 3-point loss to Frisco Reedy, their only setback. Melissa enters on a 4-game winning streak. Jeremiah “Bear” Tabor has run for 1,132 yards and 20 touchdowns.
Frisco at Frisco Panther Creek at Ford Center at the Star
This game has big playoff implications as far as seedings go coming out of District 4-5A Division I. Anna is in first, but Frisco and Celina both have one loss in district. Frisco is 7-2 overall with a loss to Anna. Panther Creek is 6-2 and is 4-2, with losses to Celina and Anna. A loss here would not be good, with Frisco Emerson sitting at 3-3 in district.Friday, Oct. 30
Allen at McKinney Boyd at McKinney ISD Stadium
The No. 2-ranked Eagles will play their penultimate game of the year against McKinney Boyd. The Eagles are 8-0 overall and at 5-0 in District 6-6A, they have a chance to have another undefeated regular season. McKinney Boyd is 2-6 overall and at 1-4; they are tied for next to last in the district standings. Allen is coming off scoring a season-high 77 last week against Dallas Jesuit.
Fort Worth O.D. Wyatt at Fort Worth Arlington Heights at Farrington Field
The District 4-5A Division I title will likely be wrapped up at the end of this game. Both squads enter with identical 8-0 records overall and 5-0 in district play. Wyatt is having its best season in decades behind QB Kentrell Steward, who has thrown for 901 yards and 15 scores. On the ground, the senior has 1,228 yards and 11 TDs. Arlington Heights, dating back to 2004, is 17-3 in this series.
Denton Braswell at Lewisville at Max Goldsmith Stadium
Lewisville kept its win streak alive last week, while Braswell lost by a field goal against then-last-place Frisco Wakeland. This game doesn’t have the same appeal since the Bengals are 3-2 in District 5-6A play, but they are 6-2 overall. Taelyn Mayo’s pick-6 and Laykon Brassfield’s late touchdown run helped the Fighting Farmers rally to stay undefeated in district play, 5-0. Now, Lewisville is 5-3 overall and winners of 5 in a row on paper and 8 in a row based on games.
Anna at Celina at Bobcat Stadium
This is a longtime rivalry, albeit one that isn’t played every year. But the first game between these two came in 1935. Anna has won the past two meetings and is 8-0 heading into this game and ranked No. 6 in the state. Celina was previously ranked, but after losing to Frisco, they fell out of the state rankings. The Bobcats, led by freshman quarterback Zane LaCrue, are 7-1 and, with only one loss in district play, could force a logjam at the top with a win.
Grapevine at Colleyville Heritage at Panther-Mustang Stadium
For the past few years, this game hasn’t had big district implications. However, it is still a rivalry game with something to play for — the Red Rail, a piece of railroad track that goes to the winner. The Panthers have dominated the series overall, 16-6, since 2004. During the last 7 meetings, the Panthers (4-4, 2-2 in District 3-5A Division II) are 6-1. Grapevine (3-5 and 1-3) could get in the playoff mix with a win. Heritage’s Lane Vargas may be one of the most underrated quarterbacks in the metroplex.
Prosper at Prosper Walnut Grove at Children’s Health Stadium
Both teams enter with 7-1 records and this will probably settle who gets 2nd place in the district behind Allen — barely any upsets the last two weeks of the regular season. Walnut Grove WR Landon Dean was nearly unstoppable last week, with 13 catches for 174 yards and 3 touchdowns vs. Princeton. Given the success of Tyler Alberts at QB for Prosper — 1,581 yards and 21 TDs — this game could see 80 or more passes and 1,000 yards of total offense.
Austin St. Stephen's Episcopal at Episcopal School of Dallas at Gene & Jerry Jones Family Stadium
This Southwest Prep Conference clash features one of the best in Episcopal Dallas, which enters with a 9-0 record. QB Miles Link has thrown for 1,239 yard and 13 TDs. Five different receivers have hauled in touchdowns this year. St. Stephens is 0-8 overall and has been outscored 402-104 this season. Don’t think the points allowed will hit 500 after this game, but it could be a lopsided outcome.
Argyle defensive back Walker Bruce has two interceptions and a fumble recovery this season. The Eagles have won six games in a row heading into Week 7.
THE TAKEAWAYS: 5 Storylines from Week 6
Don’t look now, but the regular season for Texas high school football is almost over. The final push for district titles and playoff berths will soon reach a fever pitch. Let’s take a look around the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
Eagles flying high
Argyle has won six in a row and might be the best 1-loss team in the metroplex.
Quarterback Hayes Hackney and wide receiver Julian Caldwell connected for five touchdowns in a 56-21 win over Saginaw Eagle Mountain last week.
Hackney finished with 301 yards passing and 6 touchdowns.
One part of the success for Argyle that gets lost in the offensive firepower is the defense.
While the Knights scored 21 points, 14 of those points came in the fourth when it was 49-7 and the outcome was already decided and not all of the 1s were on the field.
Go back a little further; the defense gave up only 13 against Grapevine.
Then add in the second half against Highland Park — that was only 13 points. So add up those 9 quarters — taking out the fourth from Friday — that’s 33 points given up.
Tyler Cunningham had an interception return for a score as well for the Argyle defense last week. RJ Bandy also had a defensive touchdown last week.
Argyle closes with games against Lucas Lovejoy, The Colony, Colleyville Heritage and Nevada Community.
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Close Calls
The two frontrunners to win the district title in District 4-5A Division II came close to losing Friday.
But close only counts in horseshoes.
Zephyr Kreye scored a touchdown at the buzzer to give Anna a 16-14 win over the Frisco Raccoons to move to 4-0 in district play and 6-0 overall.
However, running back Juelz Carter left the game with an injury, according to the Dallas Morning News. The San Diego State pledge has been a key piece for the Coyotes since coming over from Cedar Hill.
Celina secured a 17-14 win over Frisco Emerson on Friday, thanks to a defensive stand that led to a turnover on downs at the 2-yard line.
If each of them keeps on winning, Anna vs. Celina on Oct. 30 will be a big-time game with district title implications.
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District 6-5A DI Chaos
Week 6 started with Birdville and North Richland Hills Richland being undefeated and sitting at the top of the district standings along wth Dallas Highland Park.
After this week, everyone not named Highland Park has a district loss.
Five touchdowns from Jayshon Gibson, a UCLA pledge, were not enough for No. 9-ranked Richland to beat Highland Park. Read about how that game unfolded here.
In the other big game, Garland Naaman Forest scored twice in the final minute to tie and then beat Birdville, 28-20.
Braylon Deal, a TCU pledge, threw a touchdown pass to Micah Young with 53 seconds left to forge a 20-20 tie for the Rangers. Then, the Naaman Forest defense got an interception and Deal hit Madden Le for the game-winner with 8 seconds left.
Highland Park is now in the driver’s seat with wins over Naaman Forest and Richland. A game with Birdville is the only foe with a winning record left for the Scots, who are on a roll lately.
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Southwest Preparatory Conference
Some of the better teams in Dallas-Fort Worth, in terms of W-L at this point in the year, play something other than UIL or TAPPS — that’s the Southwest Preparatory Conference.
The SPC 3A conference has Episcopal School of Dallas with a 6-0 mark, while defending SPC champion Arlington The Oakridge School is 5-0.
The ESD Eagles will play Austin St. Andrew’s (2-2, 1-2) this week before the looming showdown with Oakridge on Oct. 16 in Arlington. Quarterback Miles Link has passed for 1,294 yards and 14 touchdowns this year.
The Owls from Oakridge scored a season-high 68 points on Friday in a win against Austin St. Stephens Episcopal. Hunter Squires threw 4 touchdowns and Arlington Juan Seguin transfer Isaac Bly ran for 3 touchdowns and 125 yards.
In 4A, St. Mark’s School of Texas has the best overall record at 5-1. The Lions picked up a big win last week, beating The Woodlands John Cooper, 24-17. The defense has allowed 2 touchdowns or fewer in five of the six games; the exception was a loss to Episcopal School of Dallas.
A big test looms this week facing Houston Kinkaid School, the 4A champion last year.
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Are the Warriors back?
Liberty Argyle Christian School had been one of the best teams at the TAPPS level, but also not afraid to play UIL schools.
The Warriors now sit at 4-2 following a 65-43 win over Plano Prestonwood Christian last week in a key Division 1 District 1 game. The win was the third in a row for Liberty Christian, with setbacks in Week 1 to Midland Christian and to Celina in Week 3.
In the win against Prestonwood, the stars came up big for the Warriors.
Junior quarterback Crews Messer threw 4 touchdowns and ran for another in the win. Kansas State pledge Correll Buckhalter Jr. ran for 232 yards and 3 touchdowns. Cooper Witten had 5 catches for 119 yards and 2 scores. The senior is headed to Oklahoma next year to play for the Sooners and the school where his dad is now an assistant coach after guiding this program.
The next game is a big one for Liberty Christian.
The district title will be on the line this week with a game vs. Dallas Parish Episcopal. The Warriors have a slim 6-4 lead in the series dating back to 2007.
When the two met in 2024, Liberty Christian won 45-24 to win the Division I state title.