Week 2 storylines: North Crowley to test itself vs. DeSoto, more from Fort Worth-area
Week two of Texas high school football is packed with interesting matchups in the Fort Worth-area.
Here are five storylines to watch.
1. Will Aledo bounce back?
The Aledo Bearcats remain at No. 1 in the Fort Worth-area Class 5A rankings despite a loss to Denton Guyer on Friday. Head coach Robby Jones and company are in for another challenge when they face Lancaster, a team that went toe-to-toe with North Crowley, on Friday at Bearcat Stadium.
It’s worth noting that Aledo’s district play isn’t a strong indicator of their championship odds, given the elite Class 6A competition on the schedule.
Still, Aledo has a lot to clean up. Special teams was a major problem on Friday against Guyer, and they could cut down on the penalties too. Keep an eye on quarterback Gavin Beard as he receives more experience as the varsity starter.
2. Class 5A Division I vs. Class 5A Division II
Denton Ryan, Richland, Colleyville Heritage and Mansfield Timberview are all top five ranked teams in the Star-Telegram Class 5A rankings.
Denton Ryan and Richland are district title contenders in District 3-5A D1 while Heritage and Timberview are in District 3-5A D2. Classifications aside, all four teams have incredible talent and will put on a show this weekend.
On Thursday, Denton Ryan will face Mansfield Timberview at the Collins complex. This game will help answer two questions: Does Ryan have the firepower to take down Aledo? Does Timberview have what it takes to win a District championship in District 3-5A D2?
On Friday, Richland will face Colleyville Heritage at Birdville FA/AC.
Colleyville Heritage is coming off a very strong, come from behind win over Red Oak. Richland is coming off a sizable 38-17 win over Haltom.
Both Heritage and Richland have established talent and momentum from deep playoff runs in the 2023 season. Their upcoming contest will let us know where the teams stand ahead of challenging district slates.
3. Can North Crowley hang with DeSoto?
It takes a lot of courage to schedule DeSoto for a non-district game, but North Crowley isn’t afraid of the challenge.
The last time North Crowley faced a championship caliber Class 6A program, they lost 52-10 to Duncanville in the Class 6A D1 State Semifinals. Head coach Ray Gates is trying to turn the North Crowley Panthers into a household name, and facing the best competition Dallas-Fort Worth has to offer will help do that.
Of course, North Crowley will be a heavy underdog. With non-district play, it’s not always about the wins and the losses. In this game, you’ll want to see if North Crowley has the attitude and the drive to keep playing regardless of the score.
This game will also be a great measure of how North Crowley has improved as a program since the loss to Duncanville. Even has an underdog, North Crowley has the talent to make some noise.
If the Panthers can compete with DeSoto, they can compete with any high school football program in Texas. Down the road, Duncanville will be a massive road block for North Crowley if they want to compete for a Class 6A D1 title.
4. Can Crowley compete with an elite program?
Head coach Carlos Lynn also scheduled a tough non-district slate in his second season at Crowley.
On Friday, Crowley will take on Houston North Shore, a team that shutout South Oak Cliff 38-0, at Crowley ISD Stadium.
North Shore has fallen in the Class 6A D1 state championship to Duncanville the last two seasons, but don’t get things twisted. The Mustangs are a consistent top three team in Texas football.
The Crowley Eagles are a rising squad but struggled with inconsistency in 2023 and haven’t yet shown the ability to take down powerhouse programs. Crowley lost 77-34 to Euless Trinity, 56-21 to North Crolwey and 52-28 to Byron Nelson last season.
Lynn knows what it takes to win a title, given his championship experience at Cedar Hill. This game will be a good indicator of where the Eagles stand.
Other games to watch
FW Wyatt vs. FW Dunbar, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Clark Stadium - Two of Fort Worth ISD’s top programs will battle it out at Clark Stadium.
Lewisville vs. Byron Nelson, 7 p.m. Thursday, Northwest ISD Stadium - Byron Nelson will face an early season challenge.
Mansfield vs. Mansfield Summit, 7 p.m., Newsom Stadium - This should be a competitive one, and it’s always a high stakes matchup when two teams from the same school district face off.
Arlington Martin vs. Denton Guyer, 7 p.m., Collins Complex - Martin lost big last week to Austin Lake Travis. Can they bounce back against a strong Denton Guyer squad that took down Aledo?
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