GAMES
RANKINGS
PREVIEW: Parish Episcopal working toward fifth consecutive title
2019, 2020, 2021, 2022... count them. Four consecutive state titles adorn this decorated team. Dominance is just one word that can be used to describe the Parish Episcopal Panthers' football program. The team sits at the top of the VYPE DFW Private School Preseason Football Rankings with good reason as they begin their run for a fifth-straight TAPPS State Title. What can fans expect from the Panthers this fall?
REWIND
Plano John Paul II (36-0, 2019), Fort Worth Nolan Catholic (42-28, 2020), Midland Christian (56-17, 2021), and Prestonwood Christian (38-14, 2022) have all fallen victim to Parish's TAPPS State Championship victories. Last season, the team was coming off of a then three-peat with the goal of securing a fourth consecutive state title. Opening non-district play against tough opponents, the team impressively downed Aledo (24-17), Bellaire Episcopal (24-17), and Austin LBJ (44-21) before putting up a strong battle against eventual back-to-back UIL 5A State Champions South Oak Cliff falling 31-28.
Learning from their time on the field during non-district play and continuing non-district with strong advances against their opponents, the Panthers finished out the rest of their season undefeated. Topping Nolan Catholic (42-7), Trinity Christian Academy - Addison (42-6), Prestonwood Christian Academy (42-14), and more, Parish Episcopal finished district play undefeated and headed into playoffs ready to get the job done. Taking out Bishop Lynch (56-14), Houston's St. Thomas Catholic (42-7), and Prestonwood Christian, the Panthers secured their fourth state title in four seasons.
LOOKING AHEAD
A roster full of seasoned athletes ready to secure a fifth title, the Panthers are returning strong, familiar faces. Recent Purdue commit quarterback Sawyer Anderson is prepared to help lead the squad consisting of other returners like D.C. Crane, Jaylen Pile, Hutch Crow, Bryson Fields, Taylor Pettit, Adam Roth, Caleb Bowers, Landry Sattler, and more.
This season, the Parish Panthers open non-district play on the road against Aledo on August 25th. From there, the team will go head-to-head against many of the same non-district opponents from last year before entering district play against Bishop Lynch on the Friars' turf. Looking for a strong start and the ability to prove that they are going to remain dominant for seasons to come, the Panthers' fans can expect big things from this crew. With another deep playoff run possibly resulting in a fifth-straight state title, Parish has high expectations for their football program this season.
PREVIEW: South Oak Cliff Football is looking for a 3-Peat
Looking for a three-peat has never looked so good! Back-to-back 5A State Champions, South Oak Cliff Golden Bears, top the charts in the VYPE DFW 5A Preseason Football Rankings this year. VYPE DFW takes a dive into exactly what fans can expect from the Golden Bears this season.
REWIND
A 23-14 victory against Liberty Hill sealed the deal in the 2021-22 season. After a rocky start last year, followed by a state-championship run and eventual 34-24 victory over Port Neches-Groves the South Oak Cliff Bears have continually improved after each play on the field.
Starting 0-3 last season against eventual 6A state champion Duncanville (23-10), Lancaster (21-3), and DeSoto (42-23), the team knew they had to get it together and do something different throughout the rest of the year. Picking up the pieces and starting fresh, the Golden Bears took on a tough TAPPS opponent in Parish Episcopal and came out with a close 31-28 victory over the then three-time state champions (now four-time). Outscoring their opponents by an impressive, combined 534-241 on the season, the Golden Bears posted 13 straight victories to close out their season and earn a repeat.
LOOKING AHEAD
Returning the likes of Brandon Jones, Rickey Evans, Khalil Ewell, Jamari Cauley, Trey Jackson, Semaj’Dre Gasaway, Hayden Shelton, Bismillah Muhammad, K’Sean Jackson, Kentra Britton, and more, the Golden Bears can be expected to be as dominant as they have been the last two seasons. A strong defense mixed with an offense that starts fast will prove to be one of the biggest strengths for the Golden Bears— high game IQ being another strength.
The team opens their schedule on the road against 6A State Champion Duncanville on September 1 at 7 p.m. where they will put their hard work from summer workouts to the test. Their preseason schedule sees a slew of strong teams such as Lancaster, DeSoto, and four-time TAPPS state champion Parish Episcopal before district play opens on September 21st against Dallas Adamson. Catch this team in action as they hunt for a three-peat!