Brian Gosset: Biggest things from Week 11 of the Fort Worth-area high school football season
Week 11 has already come and gone as Fort Worth-area teams continue their march this season. A lot of action took place with impressive wins and big upsets, plus top recruits proving why they’re some of the best in the state.
Check out the best of the best from the final week of the Texas high school football regular season.
Best wins
Carter-Riverside 32, Castleberry 26
The Eagles closed out with a win on the road at Castleberry, finishing the season 5-5 overall and 2-5 in district. It’s the first time Carter-Riverside has won five games since 2015.
It’s also the first time the Eagles won more than one district game in a season since 2015.
They lost to Castleberry 71-0 in 2019.
Timber Creek 47, Central 6
The Falcons needed a win to secure a spot in the playoffs as they rolled past the Chargers on Friday night.
Quarterback Lior Mendji was an efficient 20 of 22 passing for 278 yards. Timber Creek dominated the second half as Central was held to 22 total yards running 13 plays and picking up one first down.
The Falcons make the playoffs for the fourth time in program history and will travel to play North Crowley in the bi-district round.
Biggest Upset
Peaster 25, Boyd 22
There weren’t too many upsets in Week 11 around the Fort Worth-area. Bell almost pulled it off in an overtime loss to Euless Trinity.
Carter-Riverside-Castleberry and Lake Ridge-Cedar Hill were probably coin flip games, but with what was on the line in the final game, Peaster takes the cake for upset of the week against the Yellowjackets.
It was at Boyd and all Boyd had to do was win to make the playoffs.
The Greyhounds were already eliminated before the game kicked off, but coach Gary McElroy and his team decided to play spoilers, picking up the win to force a three-way tie for fourth in the district standings.
With the Peaster win, Pilot Point clinched the final playoff berth.
Gunner McElroy threw for 261 yards and three touchdowns. Gannon McElroy had a rushing score and Tramar Gilbert made seven catches for 98 yards and two TDs. Jacob Felton had a TD catch and Brayden Gent had eight for 68 yards.
Numbers
6
Six Fort Worth-area football teams finished the regular season with 10-0 records: Southlake Carroll, North Crowley, Argyle, Mansfield Timberview, Midlothian, Tolar.
It’s Carroll’s second straight 10-0 start and fourth in five seasons under Riley Dodge.
Argyle goes 10-0 for the sixth time in seven years, while it’s Midlothian’s first since 1984.
North Crowley and Timberview go 10-0 for the first time while Tolar is 10-0 for the first time in its 11-man history.
Way to go!
Argyle and Midlothian Heritage won district championships in their first year in Class 5A. Both teams moved from Class 4A D1 up to Class 5A D2 this season and finished with unblemished district records.
The Eagles rolled over Creekview while the Jaguars edged out Everman 35-34.
Aledo also won district in its first year in Class 5A D1. The Bearcats beat Brewer 47-6. It’s their 15th straight district championship. They haven’t lost a district game since 2007.
Crowley clinched the playoffs in its first year in Class 6A. The Eagles finished third in the District 3-6A standings. They were picked fifth in the preseason by the Star-Telegram and sixth by Dave Campbell’s.
Top recruit
Poasa Utu, Sr., DE/LB, Kennedale
The 3-star Oklahoma State commit was a force in the first half in the Wildcats’ 64-0 victory over Dunbar to clinch a piece of the District 6-4A D1 championship.
Utu, No. 25 in the Star-Telegram preseason Top 100, had a forced fumble, several pressures and tackles for loss and two touchdowns, one on special teams and one on defense.
He scored on a 53-yard punt return to give Kennedale a 16-0 lead five minutes into the game.
He also scored on a 7-yard fumble return to give the Wildcats a 37-0 lead with 7:49 left in the second quarter.
Utu’s forced fumble in the first quarter resulted in a 13-yard loss and on the next play, Kennedale scored a safety off a Dunbar punt attempt.
412 yards passing
Collin Thompson, Soph., QB, Benbrook
Thompson had a career night against Godley with 412 yards and four touchdowns. He also completed a career-high 24 passes. He added 88 yards and another score.
Thompson finished with 510 yards total offense and five TDs.
He finishes the season with 1,885 yards passing, 805 rushing and 26 total TDs.
408 yards passing
Hogan Nelson, Soph., QB, Fort Worth Christian
The Cardinals came up short against All Saints, 45-42, but Nelson had himself a night.
Nelson threw for 408 yards and six touchdowns.
Nelson threw TDs of 73, 27, 5, 65, 26 and 8 yards.
He connected with Jacob Trimble eight times for 175 yards and two touchdowns, Addison Cureton four times for 146 yards and two touchdowns and Jordan Green four times for 70 yards and two touchdowns.
Nelson finishes the regular season with 2,421 yards and 31 TDs.
314 yards rushing
Landon Thigpen, Jr., RB, Godley
Thigpen is recognized for the second straight week following his 300-yard rushing game against Benbrook. He rushed for 314 yards and four touchdowns as the Wildcats won 71-35.
He carried the rock only 13 times and averaged 24 yards per rush.
He broke the school’s single season rushing record as he sits at 2,203 yards after 10 games, breaking the previous mark of 2,098 yards set by Landry Martinez in 2010.
In 10 games, Thigpen is averaging 220 yards per game and nine yards per carry. Thigpen has rushed for 100 yards in all 10 games, 200 yards in six including the past three and 300 yards in two games.
He has rushed for 21 touchdowns.
164 yards receiving
Drew Coleman, Sr., WR, Godley
Thigpen wasn’t the only one to have a big night for the Wildcats against Benbrook.
Coleman did all his damage in the first half, hauling in seven receptions for 164 yards and five touchdowns. He also set a school record with 2,829 career receiving yards, breaking the mark previously set by Taylor Grimes (2,704). His five TD catches were also a school record for a single game.
Godley will play Midland Greenwood in a Class 4A Division 2 bi-district game at 7 p.m. Friday at Abilene Christian University.
This story was originally published November 6, 2022 at 6:00 AM.
