5 Friday night football storylines: Big games for Richland, Timberview, more
Week 7 of the Texas high school football season is upon us.
Here are the top Fort Worth-area Friday night storylines to keep an eye on this week:
Can Richland topple Denton Ryan?
When Aledo protected its district win streak against Denton Ryan in Week 6, the Bearcats solidified themselves as District 3-5A Division I’s top squad.
Richland, however, has the firepower to contend for the district title. In 2024, the Royals nearly bested Aledo, taking the Bearcats to overtime.
Before Richland faces Aledo this season, it will be tasked with proving itself against a worthy adversary. Richland (5-1, 4-0) will face Denton Ryan (4-1, 2-1) at 7 p.m. Friday at Birdville FA/AC.
If the Royals can defeat the Raiders, they can solidify their status as a state championship contender and make their Week 9 matchup against Aledo a lot more interesting.
Which Mansfield ISD program seizes the upper hand?
Mansfield Timberview has made significant progress under first year head coach Jacody Coleman.
The Wolves are 4-2 (3-1 District 3-5A Division II), with close losses to state powers Argyle and Denton Ryan. Now, Timberview has another test against Mansfield Summit (4-1, 3-0).
Last season, Summit got the upper hand with a 21-20 victory. The Jaguars and the Wolves will clash at 7 p.m. Friday at Newsom Stadium.
Two stellar TAPPS matchups
In a big week for TAPPS football, two of the area’s top squads have high-stakes matchups.
Fort Worth All Saints will host Grapevine Faith Christian at 7 p.m. Friday in a battle of undefeated squads. The Saints, on the heels of an undefeated season in 2024, have won 19 consecutive games and are a favorite to contend for the TAPPS Division II state championship.
Another interesting matchup is Plano Prestonwood Christian and Argyle Liberty Christian. Prestonwood Christian is ranked as the No. 5 private school in Texas by Dave Campbell’s Texas Football. Liberty Christian is unranked, but has proven to be a stellar program with consecutive TAPPS Division I state championships.
The Warriors and head coach Jason Witten will host Prestonwood Christian at 7 p.m. Friday at Liberty Christian.
High-stakes Fort Worth ISD clash
After a historic season in 2024, the Fort Worth Benbrook Bobcats have gotten off to a rough start in 2025.
Benbrook has lost three straight, but will look to move forward and start District 4-4A Division II play with a victory. Benbrook (2-3, 0-0) will face Fort Worth Dunbar (2-3, 0-0) at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Clark Stadium.
Dunbar has shown flashes of strong play. The Wildcats nearly toppled Fort Worth Wyatt, a District 4-5A Division I title contender.
Can Euless Trinity bounce back?
When Euless Trinity entered a matchup against rival Southlake Carroll, it held a No. 8 state ranking in Class 6A.
After a 44-6 loss to Carroll and a stunning 38-13 loss to Byron Nelson, the Trojans lost their steam. Now, Trinity will need to turn things around in a hurry to salvage its season.
Trinity (3-2, 1-2 District 4-6A) will face Keller Timber Creek (0-5-1, 0-4) at 7 p.m. Friday at Keller ISD Stadium.
Ahead of the season, it seemed Trinity, Carroll, and Byron Nelson would be on another level compared to their district counterparts. With the Trojans suffering blowout losses to both, it’s now clear that their spot in the playoffs isn’t a lock like in years past, especially considering Keller Central, Keller, Eaton and L.D. Bell have made noticeable improvements.
Timber Creek is winless in district but played one-possession games with Bell and Keller Central. The Falcons are still very competitive. If Trinity fails to get back in the win column this week, it will be in serious danger of missing the postseason.
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