These are the top high school football games each week in DFW during the 2018 season
Week 1
Thursday, August 30
TOP GAME: McKinney vs. McKinney North
You might want to go check out this brand new stadium TXHSFB fans. The new $70 million McKinney ISD Stadium is set to open later this month featuring in-town rivals. The two teams face off for the first time since the 2015 season
CLOSE SECOND: Southlake Carroll at South Grand Prairie
The Riley Dodge era kicks off at the Gopher-Warrior Bowl.
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Friday August 31
TOP GAME: Rockwall at Highland Park
In one of the best games of 2017, Rockwall edged out HP in last season’s opener 53-49. It featured 126 plays, 43 first downs and over 1,000 yards of total offense. It was the Scots’ only loss as they went on to capture a second-straight state title. Rockwall QB Jacob Clark, a 3-star Minnesota commit, threw for 399 yards. Chandler Morris, the son of Arkansas coach Chad Morris, succeeds John Stephen Jones, grandson of Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.
CLOSE SECOND: Sherman at Denison
If you love football rivalries, look no further as the Battle of the Ax enters its 120th edition. Denison has had the better of Sherman, winning five-straight. But Sherman still leads the all-time series with a 68-43-8 record.
OTHERS: Waxahachie at Ennis (Battle of 287), Lancaster at Duncanville, Aledo at Guyer, Colleyville Heritage vs. North Forney (SLC Dragon Stadium), Lake Travis at Arlington Martin (UTA Maverick Stadium), Trinity Christian Addison at Dallas Episcopal, Bishop Lynch at Trinity Christian Cedar Hill, Mesquite Horn at Allen
Saturday September 1
TOP GAME: Lovejoy vs. Frisco Heritage (Allen Eagle Stadium)
CLOSE SECOND: Dallas Kimball vs. FW Dunbar (Clark Stadium)
WEEK 2
Friday September 7
TOP GAME: Mansfield Lake Ridge vs. Waco Midway; Cedar Hill vs. Denton Guyer
Why watch one game when you can watch a doubleheader. These four teams are the first of two doubleheaders during Week 2 at the third annual Cotton Bowl Stadium Prep Showcase Sept. 7-8. Lake Ridge, who moves up from 5A, takes on Midway, the 6A Division II state runner-up, at 5 p.m. Cedar Hill and Guyer, who have combined to win five state titles, kick off at 8:30 p.m.
CLOSE SECOND: Kennedale at Midlothian Heritage
This playoff match-up takes the stage in the second week at Midlothian ISD Multi-Purpose Stadium and should go down to the wire yet again. Kennedale has bested Heritage the past two years during the 4A playoffs, each time coming by two points in the final minute. Last season, the Wildcats drove down the field and Kevin Tiero hit the game-winninng 40-yard field goal with 12 seconds left. Ohio State LB and high school All-American Baron Browning batted down the game-tying two-point conversion with six seconds left in 2016.
OTHER: Colleyville Heritage at Southlake Carroll
Saturday September 8
TOP GAME: Lake Highlands vs. Plano East; Euless Trinity vs. Sachse
Return to The Cotton Bowl on Saturday to catch another great doubleheader, starting at 10 a.m. If you don’t want to get up that early, go for the second game between powerhouse Trinity and Myles Nash and the Sachse Mustangs, who combined to go 23-4 last year
WEEK 3
Thursday September 13
TOP GAME: Highland Park vs. Frisco Lone Star
Head over to The Star in Frisco to watch the Scots take on the Rangers, who combined to go 27-3 last season. Highland Park accounted for over 7,000 yards of total offense, Lone Star at over 5,500. We talked about the Scots earlier, but another good reason to watch this game is for Lone Star’s 3-star all-purpose back Darrin Smith, who holds 22 offers.
Friday September 14
TOP GAME: Mansfield vs. Mansfield Legacy (Newsom)
It’s big brother vs. little brother in this MISD clash. Mansfield has been the only school in the district in the largest classification up until this season. The Tigers have had much success with trips to the regional round the past two years, and the state semifinals in 2015. The Broncos are loaded on defense with five nationally ranked players including all-state safety Jalen Catalon. Mansfield will be led by Cal commit Miles Williams.
CLOSE SECOND: Colleyville Heritage vs. Euless Trinity (Pennington Field)
The Trinity Trojans had their hand-print on this match-up for much of the past decade. But the Panthers shifted it back to Colleyville with a win last season that led to a celebration at Whataburger. Heritage will be ledby 2019 Texas A&M commit WR Kam Brown. Defensive lineman Sau Saafi leads the Trojans. Both players were predicted to win district MVP awards by Dave Campbell’s Texas Football.
OTHERS: Lake Ridge vs. Timberview (RL Anderson), Hebron vs. Fossil Ridge (Keller ISD Complex), Odessa Permian at Southlake Carroll (Dragon Stadium), North Forney at Forney, FW All Saints at Trinity Christian Cedar Hill, Brock at Argyle Liberty Christian, Eastern Hills vs. Dunbar (Clark)
Saturday September 15
TOP GAME: Bishop Dunne vs. DeSoto (Sprague Athletic Complex)
WEEK 4
Friday September 21
TOP GAME: Dallas Carter at Crandall
The Cowboys and Pirates are in adjacent 4A Division I districts, but in different regions. Yet these are two of the top DFW teams in the class. Carter reached the regional round last season and is led by 4-star 2020 DT Branard Wright, who’s ranked as the No. 5 tackle in the nation and holds 23 offers, per 247Sports. Crandall went to the area round and is led by 4-star Stanford commit Branson Bragg, who’s ranked as the No. 3 center in the nation.
CLOSE SECOND: South Oak Cliff at Red Oak
OTHERS: Glen Rose at Sunnyvale, Breckenridge at Brock, Lancaster vs. Legacy (RL Anderson)
WEEK 5
Friday September 28
TOP GAME: Boswell at Brewer
This rivalry sparks up, and on Brewer’s new field, between two of the premier coaches in DFW, John Abendschan and Todd Peterman. Boswell has been a playoff team 10 of the past 12 years since Abendschan’s arrival. The Pioneers are 30-9 the past three seasons. Peterman, who accepted the Bears job in March, won a state title with DeSoto in 2016. This match-up has been a nail-biter the past two times with Boswell winning 25-23 and 26-21.
CLOSE SECOND: Justin Northwest vs. FW Southwest (Clark Stadium)
Northwest joins the all-Fort Worth District 4-5A Division II. The Texans are led on offense by Montana State commit RB DeMareus Hosey (1,460 yards rushing, 14 TDs) and WR Quentin Lee (1,090 yards receiving, 14 TDs). Southwest has a top WR in the state in Minnesota commit Nnamdi Adim-Madumere, who averaged 32 yards per catch last season, and LB Treylon Caddell (113 tackles, 13 sacks).
OTHERS: Waco La Vega vs. Midlothian Heritage (MISD), Legacy vs. Timberview (Newsom), Houston St. Pius X at Plano Prestonwood
WEEK 6
Friday October 5
TOP GAME: Denton Guyer at Southlake Carroll (Dragon Stadium)
Over the last decade, these two teams have been DFW powers. Guyer has averaged 11 wins per season and the Wildcats own state titles in 2012 and 2013. Defensive lineman Grant Mahon is committed to Oklahoma State. Seth Meador is a two-way starter and RB Kaedric Cobbs rushed for 1,362 yards and 25 TDs last season. Carroll won state titles in 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2011. The Dragons are led by SMU commit RB T.J. McDaniel (1,862 yards rushing, 23 TDs) and top 2020 4-star cornerback R.J. Mickens, who’s ranked as the No. 5 corner in the nation and holds 27 offers, per 247Sports.
CLOSE SECOND: Burleson Centennial vs. Burleson (BISD Stadium)
Burleson got the better of its counterpart 31-28 last season with a 45-yard field goal from Edgar Lopez with 17 seconds left. The Elks are 4-2 all-time in the Boot Game, but the Spartans have outscored them 168-153.
OTHERS: Saginaw at Boswell (Battle of the Wagon Wheel)
WEEK 7
Friday October 12
TOP GAME: Highland Park vs. Legacy (Newsom)
Let’s just call this match-up the District 6-5A Division I title game between the back-to-back state champs and Legacy, which has reached the state quarterfinals and semifinals the past two years.
CLOSE SECOND: FM Marcus at Hebron
You’ll find a 4-star prospect on each side of the ball in LSU commit LB Marcel Brooks (Marcus) and Oklahoma commit WR Trejan Bridges (Hebron).
OTHERS: Fossil Ridge vs. Keller Central (KISD), Grand Prairie vs. SGP (Gopher-Warrior), Arlington vs. Arlington Bowie (UTA), Denton Ryan vs. Colleyville Heritage (Mustang Panther), Rockwall-Heath at Rockwall, Mansfield at DeSoto, Lake Ridge at Waxahachie
WEEK 8
Thursday October 18
TOP GAME: Kennedale vs. FW Dunbar (Clark)
After years playing up a class, Dunbar moves to its enrollment size. Will Dunbar strive in 4A? Its first test will be against state-runner up Kennedale and coach Richard Barrett’s Wing-T offense, which includes top RB D.J. Kirven (2,319 yards rushing, 42 TDs). WR Jaden Smith just committed to Montana State. Two-way star Leonte Cooper and LB Trevon Gray-McCoy led the way for Dunbar.
Friday October 19
TOP GAME: Arlington Martin vs. Arlington
Arlington leads the all-time series 20-12-1, but Martin has won five straight and seven of eight. Watch for Martin’s Willie Roberts, Jayce Godley (Nevada), Montrell Smith and Julian Johnson. Colts’ 3-star DB Kyron White committed to San Diego State and Jahari Rogers returns to QB and will likely play some WR and DB.
CLOSE SECOND: FW South Hills at Crowley
It’s reunion time as J.J. Resendez coaches against his former team South Hills and his successor, OC turned to head coach Mika Harp. Can Missouri commit ATH Anthony Watkins lead South Hills to a victory or will 3-star DE Mykol Clark and Crowley limit the Scorpions.
OTHERS: Plano East vs. Plano, Waxahachie vs. Mansfield (Newsom)
WEEK 9
Friday October 26
TOP GAME: Colleyville Heritage vs. Grapevine (Mustang Panther)
Go check the newly remodeled Mustang Panther Stadium as another edition of Heritage vs. Mustangs takes place. Both teams feature a top WR in Brown and Grapevine’s David Clayton (1,212 yards receiving, 17 TDs). DCTF predicts Heritage finishes second, Grapevine third in 4-5A Division I.
CLOSE SECOND: Lake Ridge vs. Mansfield (Newsom)
DCTF predicts the Eagles won’t make the playoffs in its first year at the 6A level. They had much success in 5A, going at least three rounds deep each of the past four seasons including the state title game in 2015 and state quarterfinals last year. QB Chandler Rogers (1,715 yards, 15 TDs) will move into the role full-time.
OTHERS: Lake Dallas at Lovejoy, Glen Rose at Godley, Richland vs. Haltom (Birdville ISD), Midlothian Heritage at Crandall, Bishop Lynch at Bishop Dunne
Saturday October 27
TOP GAME: FW Southwest vs. FW Eastern Hills
Southwest edged out last year’s meeting 19-12.
WEEK 10
Friday November 2
TOP GAME: Mansfield at Cedar Hill
Both teams have questions in key spots. A three-time state champion, Cedar Hill missed out on the playoffs last season for the first time since 2004. Carlos Lynn is in his second year as head coach and seven starters return on the offense including top 2020 OT Courtland Ford.
CLOSE SECOND: Lancaster at Highland Park
Watch for RB Kevontre Bradford to lead the Lancaster ground game. He averaged more than 11 yards per carry in 2017. Rodd Hudson is a dual-threat QB and DL Xavier Newman (7 sacks) and LB Courtney Shepherd (78 tackles) return to the defensive unit.
OTHERS: FW Southwest vs. FW Wyatt, Grapevine at Denton Ryan, Bowie vs. Martin, Nolan Catholic at FW All Saints
WEEK 11
Thursday November 8
TOP GAME: DeSoto at Cedar Hill
They have met eight times in the past seven years with DeSoto owning a 6-2 record and 293-225 scoring margin. Despite the Eagles winning of late, this is a heated rivalry. Tempers flared before last season’s game.
CLOSE SECOND: Highland Park at Timberview
Senior 3-star DB Trevon Russell, a Howard commit, and top 2020 corner Jalen Kimber has offers from TCU, Texas A&M, Baylor and more.
OTHERS: Brewer at FW South Hills
Friday November 9
TOP GAME: Sachse vs. Rowlett
The top two teams in 10-6A close out the regular season. Sachse never lost before the playoffs last year, but Rowlett nearly handed them one with a score of 42-35 in Week 9.
CLOSE SECOND: Argyle at Celina
Argyle has won 10 or more games 12 of the past 14 seasons with a state title in 2013. Celina is an 8-time state champ.
OTHERS: Boswell at Crowley, Little Elm at The Colony, FW Eastern Hills vs. FW Wyatt, Cleburne vs. Burleson (Battle for the Silver Spike), Trinity Christian Addison at Nolan Catholic
This story was originally published August 27, 2018 at 8:00 AM.