5 Friday night football storylines for Week 1: Will Aledo avenge loss?
.png "See the Star-Telegram’s Week 1 storylines to watch. Pictured from left are FW All Saints quarterback Gavin Beard, Southlake Carroll receiver Brock Boyd and Aledo quarterback Lincoln Tubbs.")
The Texas high school football season is here.
Here are five Fort Worth-area storylines to watch heading into Week 1.
Can Aledo avenge loss to Denton Guyer?
The 12-time state champion Aledo Bearcats fell short of their expectations last season, and that started with a 35-30 loss to Denton Guyer in Week 1. Now, Aledo will have an opportunity to avenge that loss and start the 2025 season in the win column.
Aledo hosts Denton Guyer at Tim Buchanan Stadium at 7:30 p.m. Friday.
The Bearcats will unveil their starting quarterback; senior Lincoln Tubbs and junior Nash McElree are in the running. Four-star wide receiver Kaydon Finley, a Notre Dame pledge and a Star-Telegram Preseason All-Area selection, will be a primary target after a stellar junior year.
A look at Southlake Carroll’s experienced offense
Southlake Carroll has tons of continuity with wide receiver Brock Boyd, the Star-Telegram’s Preseason Player of the Year, returning alongside Angelo Renda, the Star-Telegram’s Preseason Offensive Player of the Year.
The Dragons’ offense was one of the best in Texas last season. Now, the big question is whether they were able to raise the bar even higher. As the No. 1-ranked team in Class 6A by Dave Campbell’s Texas Football and the top team in the Star-Telegram’s 6A area rankings, the expectations are extremely high.
Southlake Carroll will face Midland at 7 p.m. Friday at Astound Stadium in Midland.
The Week 1 game will showcase a returning Davis Penn, a senior running back who had a season-ending injury in the playoffs last year. Penn, a three-star recruit, is one of the best backs in the Fort Worth area.
How will Arlington Martin fare?
The 2024 season saw Arlington Martin snap its 18-season-long streak of making the playoffs. It all started with a 51-12 loss to Austin Lake Travis. Now, the Warriors are looking to get back to their winning ways.
They’ll hit the road to face Lake Travis at 7 p.m. Friday. Martin will be an underdog against the Austin powerhouse, but can still showcase its grit and determination in a losing effort.
Last season, Martin faced internal challenges when adversity hit. On Friday, keep an eye out for how the Warriors respond to big plays and handle the pressure.
With Martin’s history, it would be smart for Lake Travis not to underestimate the Warriors, a program that nearly toppled Allen in the playoffs just two years ago.
A test for Colleyville Heritage
Colleyville Heritage has had one of the most successful stretches of any Fort Worth-area team over the last three years and has been a consistent threat to make some noise in Class 5A Division II.
Week 1 will provide a glance at the Panthers’ potential this season. Last year, Heritage narrowly defeated Red Oak 32-29, and this year it should be another competitive game.
The Panthers, ranked No. 20 in 5A Division II by Dave Campbell’s Texas Football and as the No. 3 5A squad in the Fort Worth area by the Star-Telegram, will return QB Bodey Weaver, a Preseason All-Area selection.
Colleyville Heritage will play at Red Oak at 7 p.m. Friday.
Will All Saints continue dominant stretch?
Fort Worth All Saints went undefeated in 2024 en route to a TAPPS Division II state title. Can the Saints go undefeated again? One of their hardest challenges is in Week 1 against Dallas Parish Episcopal.
The Saints will hit the road to face the Panthers at 7 p.m. Friday. Parish Episcopal, a Division I squad, holds a No. 4 TAPPS ranking by Dave Campbell’s Texas Football, while the Saints debuted right above the Panthers at No. 3.
All Saints will debut a revamped offense, led by senior Aledo transfer Gavin Beard at quarterback. If the Saints get a Week 1 victory, it could be a sign another special season is on the horizon.
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