TXHSFB Tuesday: Azle plays Crowley in Week 6; Can North Crowley, Sam Houston upset?

WEEK 5

1. What we noticed: Finally some great games!

Hey, what’s the best game you’ve covered through four weeks of the season? I couldn’t give you an honest answer. But thank goodness for Week 5!

DeSoto vs. Lake Ridge and Southlake Carroll vs. Keller didn’t disappoint me.

Thursday night at Newsom Stadium, it was a match-up of Eagles between DeSoto, a state champion in 2016, and Lake Ridge, which moved up to 6A during February’s realignment.

DeSoto, which was predicted to win District 7-6A, took a 29-28 lead with 90 seconds left.

Chandler Rogers picked up 15 yards on a fourth-and-12 and then found Keylan Johnson for a 35-yard TD pass with six seconds left. Keylan is the son of BJ Johnson, former football great at South Grand Prairie and the University of Texas.

Friday’s game featured two 3-0 teams and Keller wanted to do something it hadn’t done in 51 years – start a season 4-0. The Indians also wanted to beat Carroll for the first time since 1999.

They were well on their way too, but Carroll was too much in the second half in a 58-37 victory.

2. Biggest Upset: Lamar 52, Martin 11

Looking at both records, you may not think this is an upset, but winning by 41 points to Martin may be. The Vikings improved to 4-0 and 1-0 in District 4-6A.

The Warriors had come in winning 10 of the past 12 meetings and the last four. Lamar last beat Martin in 2013 when it won 44-36 at Cravens Field.

The Vikings out-gained the Warriors by 240 yards. Jack Dawson threw for 252 yards and 5 TDs. Jordan Williams ran for 177 and a TD and Trevon West tied an Arlington ISD record which we’ll get into later.

3. Best Win: Memorial 45, Lebanon Trail 40

The Memorial Warriors picked up its first victory in program history after coming back late to beat the Trail Blazers. They led 24-7 in the first half before scoring with 1:38 left.

Memorial gained 488 yards while QB Charlie Flowers threw for 320 yards and 4 TDs.

Flowers threw a 40-yard pass to Chris Lagrone, who also rushed for 128 yards and a TD.

4. Best Offensive Performance:

QB Chandler Rogers (Lake Ridge): The senior dual-threat quarterback threw for 428 yards on 26 of 34 passing and 4 TDs in the Eagles’ last-second win vs. DeSoto. He also ran 17 times for 68 yards.

RB Anthony Watkins (South Hills): The Missouri commit is at it again for the Scorpions, finishing with 27 carries, 306 yards and 6 TDs vs. Granbury. He’s averaging 325 yards per game and has scored 21 TDs. Watkins had 22 in 10 games last season.

WR Trevon West (Lamar): West caught seven passes for 126 yards vs. Martin. He set a school record and tied an Arlington ISD record with 4 TD receptions.

Arlington’s Rashad Anderson caught four vs. Plano East in 2016.

5. Best Defensive Performance: Ty DeArman, Bowie

The 3-star Arizona State commit was all over the field against North Crowley, finishing with a school-record 28 tackles (15 solo). He also had a pass deflection and caused one fumble as the Volunteers won 42-35 to improve to 3-1 overall and 1-0 in District 4-6A.

WEEK 6

1. Can North Crowley pull off the upset? North Crowley gets Martin, and both teams are likely in the running for the final playoff spot in the district. North Crowley has never beaten Martin, losing all eight meetings. The Warriors have outscored the Panthers 300-99. Martin hasn’t started a season 0-5 since 2008.

2. How about Sam Houston, which figures to be in the mix for the final playoff spot too after starting 1-0 with a win over FW Paschal. The Texans play Bowie and haven’t beaten the Volunteers since 2004. Sam Houston had won 6 of 7 before Bowie reeled off 13 straight.

3. Who will go to 5-0 when Birdville faces Grapevine on Friday at Coppell High School. The Hawks look to start 5-0 for the first time since 2012 when they won their first 13. The Mustangs went 5-0 in 2016. Birdville QB Stone Earle has 11 TDs passes while RB Laderrius Mixon has 600 yards and 8 TDs. Earle’s counterpart Cade Rhodes has over 1,000 yards passing and 13 TDs – seven to WR David Clayton.

4. Azle and Crowley are making a case for the district title in 3-5A Div. 1. Both teams come in with 4-1 records and 3-0 in district. Azle lost the season opener but have since won four straight. Crowley has won its last three. It might be a battle of the running backs with Azle’s Drey Owen and Billy Copeland vs. Crowley’s Dominique Johnson.

5. Other Week 6 games to watch: Fossil Ridge vs Eaton, Byron Nelson vs Keller Central, Coppell vs Hebron, Guyer vs Carroll, Nolan Catholic vs Bishop Lynch, Burleson Centennial vs Burleson, Weatherford vs Haltom, Euless Trinity vs San Angelo Central