Regional semifinal playoff preview: Fort Worth-area games, storylines, players to watch
Are you ready? The Texas high school football regional semifinals begin Friday.
At this point in the playoffs, only the strong remain. Every program playing Friday or Saturday has two playoff wins; the teams in this position didn’t get here on accident and have earned the right to play during Thanksgiving week.
It’s the time of year when things get more interesting. Even the best of the best can fall, considering the elite level of competition. One bad week of practice, one bad game, one bad drive or even one bad play can be the difference maker.
Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the regional semifinal matchups.
Area powers at Choctaw Stadium
If you’re a high school football fan, Choctaw Stadium is the place to be on Friday. Two storied Fort Worth-area programs are playing elite opponents.
Southlake Carroll (11-1) will face Highland Park (11-1) at 3:30 p.m. CT. Head coach Riley Dodge’s Dragons have been on a roll since a regular season loss to Trophy Club Byron Nelson, a team that is also set to play at Choctaw.
The Byron Nelson Bobcats (12-0) will face Coppell (12-0) at 3:30 p.m. CT on Saturday. Byron Nelson quarterback Tom Von Grote tallied 324 total yards and 4 touchdowns for the Star-Telegram’s No. 1 ranked Class 6A Fort Worth-area team against Midland.
If the Dragons and Bobcats both win their respective games, they’ll meet in the quarterfinals for a highly anticipated rematch.
Dodge said after the Dragons’ regular season finale that the team was hoping to get star wide receiver Jacob Jordan back in the second or third round. He called Jordan the teams’ “most explosive weapon.”
Also, keep an eye on defensive end Dustan Mark, who is a nominee for the Fort Worth-area player of the week. In an area matchup against Wolfforth Frenship, Mark had two sacks and seven tackles.
Another area power is playing at Choctaw on Friday: the Aledo Bearcats. Aledo (12-0) will face Red Oak (12-0) in their quest to claim the program’s 12th state championship. The Red Oak Hawks have a 35-28 area round win over Amarillo and a 35-32 bi-district win over Burleson Centennial, a team the Bearcats beat 42-0 on Oct. 14, 2023.
LSU commit Davhon Keys, the Star-Telegram’s Preseason Defensive Player of the Year, has been a difference maker on both sides of the ball for Aledo. In the area round, Keys made 12 tackles and had a tackle for loss. He also had 46 yards and 3 touchdowns.
Charles Baggarly’s predictions
Southlake Carroll 42, Highland Park 31
Trophy Club Byron Nelson 49, Coppell 24
Aledo 35, Red Oak 14
Football frenzy in Frisco
North Crowley, coming off a dominant 63-10 win over Odessa Permian, will play Prosper (11-1). In the world of Class 6A D1, there are many powers.
The Panthers are getting ready for what should be their biggest obstacle of the season. The game is at the Ford Center on Saturday and has a 2 p.m. CT kickoff time.
North Crowley, in 2022, lost 35-21 to Prosper, a team that would eventually go on to lose to the state champion Duncanville Panthers. One year later, North Crowley (12-0) has a second chance at the Eagles.
This game for North Crowley is more than just a regional semifinal. It’s more than just a chance to best a rival. A win for North Crowley would further establish one thing: the Panthers are in an elite tier of programs, not just within the Dallas-Fort Worth area but in all of Texas.
Watch out for TCU commit Chris Jimerson Jr., who scored six total touchdowns in the area round.
Another game to watch is Argyle Liberty Christian vs. Fort Worth All Saints in the TAPPS D2 semifinal. Cowboys legend Jason Witten and the Warriors have been on a dominant run, outscoring their opponents 619 to 69.
Only one team put up a competitive fight: All Saints. They took a 13-12 lead over the Warriors in the third quarter but failed to maintain the momentum, falling 42-13 after an offensive onslaught from quarterback Cole Welliver and running back Chase Garnett.
Now, the Saints will have an opportunity to avenge their loss. The two squads will meet after the North Crowley game at the Ford Center on Saturday with a 7 p.m. kickoff.
Charles Baggarly’s predictions
North Crowley 35, Prosper 28
Argyle Liberty Christian 49, Fort Worth All Saints 21
More games to watch
Brock (9-3) is set to face Clyde (11-1) on Friday at Graham High School with a 1 p.m. CT kickoff. The Eagles are carrying an eight game win streak into the game.
The Brock defense is led by linebacker Cooper Massey, who leads the team with a whopping 15.5 tackles per game. Last season, the Eagles lost 17-14 in the Class 3A D1 State Championship. Is Friday’s game a stop in a journey with a different ending?
Richland (12-0) will face Forney (11-1) at 6 p.m. on Friday with a home advantage at the friendly confines of Birdville FA/AC. The undefeated Royals are coming off a spectacular win; they trailed 34-9 to Barbers Hill at the half and surged from behind for a 48-47 victory.
Running back Michael Turner leads the Royal offense, and he has reached the 100 yard mark in eight consecutive games. Against Barbers Hill he had a monster performance, tallying 316 total yards and 5 touchdowns.
Another great game to watch is Colleyville Heritage (11-1) vs. Argyle (9-2). The Panthers are coming off an extremely strong performance in the area round, where they thumped Abilene Cooper 55-21 behind quarterback Luke Ullrich’s 286 passing yards and 5 touchdowns.
In the bi-district round, Argyle thrashed Fort Worth Wyatt 45-14. In its regular season finale, Colleyville Heritage narrowly defeated Wyatt 28-21. Will the Panthers continue their upward trajectory and take down the Eagles?
Justin Northwest will clash with Abilene on Friday all the way over at Memorial Stadium in Wichita Falls. The Texans are coming off a dominating 42-0 win over Tascosa; they were powered by running back Ife Durodoye’s 245 yards and three touchdowns.
Durodoye has rushed for over 220 yards four times this season and has scored three or more touchdowns six times.
Charles Baggarly’s predictions
Brock 49, Clyde 14
Richland 35, Forney 31
Argyle 42, Colleyville Heritage 31
Abilene 31, Justin Northwest 28
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