What we learned Week 8: Arlington Bowie, Arlington Heights gain momentum
Week 8 of the Texas high school football season had plenty of big moments.
Here are high school sports editor Charles Baggarly’s biggest takeaways from the action:
Arlington Bowie, Haltom grab big wins
Until a team in District 8-6A topples Arlington Bowie (5-2, 4-0), head coach Joseph Sam’s Volunteers are the team to beat as the 2024 district champion.
Unbeaten South Grand Prairie (6-0, 4-0) certainly has tons of momentum and will likely challenge Bowie for the 2025 crown. If both squads stay undefeated in district, the Volunteers and Warriors will clash to end the regular season.
Staying undefeated in District 8-6A, however, is easier said than done.
Bowie’s most recent win was a 21-14 victory Friday over a tough and gritty Arlington squad. Sam said the resiliency of the team stood out and that it made plays down the stretch when it needed to.
“We came out flat, and went down 14-0 after the first quarter,” Sam said. “Our coaches and kids did a really good job of making adjustments and getting refocused. And shoutout to coach [Scott] Peach, having a great game plan for us as well and making the game ugly.”
Another District 8-6A squad that is surging up the ladder is Haltom — the Buffaloes took down Arlington Martin 45-38 to move into third place. Haltom’s sole loss came to Arlington; it still has to face Bowie and SGP. Both Arlington and Arlington Lamar are still in position to compete for a playoff spot.
For the Bowie Volunteers moving forward, they still have to worry about Haltom, Lamar and SGP. Sam said the tough schedule to end district play will benefit the team and give them a challenge.
“Haltom is playing to get that fourth win and a playoff spot,” Sam said. “We play Lamar, and they are playing for a playoff spot as well. And then South Grand Prairie is waiting for us Week 11. We’re playing meaningful games this late in the season — our kids still have a lot to play for.
“We’ll try to find a home playoff game for the third year in a row. And try to be the back-to-back district champions. Being 1-0 each week gets us closer to that goal.”
Chaos in District 4-5A Division I
With Saginaw’s spectacular 27-point comeback and overtime victory over Paschal on Thursday, and Fort Worth Arlington Heights’ 60-34 dismantling of Fort Worth Wyatt on Friday, District 4-5A Division I is chaos.
Wyatt was previously unbeaten in district. Now, Heights, Wyatt and Saginaw all have one loss. Saginaw beat Heights, Heights beat Wyatt and Wyatt beat Saginaw, completing the wheel.
For now, Heights (7-1, 5-1) is in sole possession of first place with five district wins. A three-way tiebreaker is a possibility, but all three teams have tough games remaining on the schedule.
Heights, to close the regular season, will face Paschal in a high-stakes Battle of the Bonfire rivalry game, and Saginaw will face rival Chisholm Trail on that same day. The district’s next big game will involve Paschal taking on Wyatt on Thursday — the Panthers, a very capable group, are playing with playoff hopes hanging in the balance.
Dallas Parish Episcopal takes down Liberty Christian
With consecutive state championships in TAPPS Division I, Argyle Liberty Christian, led by head coach Jason Witten, entered the season with a huge target on its back.
And for the first time in over two years, it’s evident that Witten’s Warriors are no longer the favorite to win the state championship. On Friday, Dallas Parish Episcopal handed Liberty Christian a 56-28 loss — it was Liberty Christian’s first defeat against a TAPPS team since a loss to Fort Worth All Saints to end the 2022 season.
Although there is plenty of time to maintain championship hopes, it’s clear the Warriors have some work to do before the playoffs commence.
Fort Worth ISD squads scramble for playoff spots
In District 5-4A Division I, Decatur and Springtown comfortably hold the top two spots.
The last two playoff spots, however, are up for grabs for teams like Southwest, Western Hills, Carter-Riverside and Eastern Hills. All four teams have one district win. With a strong finish to the season, playoffs are in reach.
Carter-Riverside, with two tough losses against Decatur and Springtown out of the way and a 42-36 victory over Southwest in Week 8, is one key team to keep an eye on. Coming off a bye, the Eagles can increase their chances of snapping a playoff drought that started in 1995 with a victory over Eastern Hills on Thursday.
Week 8 scores
Thursday’s games
DISTRICT 4-6A
Keller Central 38, Hurst L.D. Bell 23
DISTRICT 4-5A D1
FW Chisholm Trail 49, FW South Hills 6
Saginaw 41, FW Paschal 38 (OT)
DISTRICT 6-4A D1
River Oaks Castleberry 28, Irving Ranchview 21
Friday’s games
DISTRICT 3-6A
Mansfield Lake Ridge 42, Crowley 28
Mansfield 28, Mansfield Legacy 10
North Crowley 70, Weatherford 7
DISTRICT 4-6A
Euless Trinity 55, Keller 37
Trophy Club Nelson 48, Haslet Eaton 26
Southlake Carroll 57, Justin Northwest 7
DISTRICT 8-6A
Arlington Bowie 21, Arlington 14
Arlington Lamar 55, Arlington Sam Houston 7
Haltom 45, Arlington Martin 38
South Grand Prairie 54, Grand Prairie 0
DISTRICT 3-5A D1
Denton Ryan 44, Azle 10
Denton 49, Keller Fossil Ridge 42
FW Brewer 32, NRH Birdville 27
NRH Richland 63, Granbury 40
DISTRICT 4-5A D1
FW Arlington Heights 60, FW Wyatt 34
FW North Side 54, FW Polytechnic 26
DISTRICT 7-5A D1
Burleson Centennial 42, Tyler 25
Red Oak 38, Cleburne 28
Highland Park 34, Joshua 10
DISTRICT 3-5A D2
Argyle 25, Mansfield Summit 20
Colleyville Heritage 42, Arlington Seguin 41 (OT)
Mansfield Timberview 28, Burleson 13
The Colony 38, Grapevine 25
TAPPS DIVISION I - DISTRICT 1
Dallas Bishop Lynch 55, FW Nolan Catholic 3
Dallas Parish Episcopal 56, Argyle Liberty Christian 28
Plano Prestonwood Christian 51, Frisco Legacy Christian 25
DISTRICT 5-4A D1
Decatur 70, FW Western Hills 7
Springtown 59, FW Diamond Hill-Jarvis 0
FW Southwest 20, FW Eastern Hills 14
DISTRICT 6-4A D1
Alvarado 63, Lake Worth 0
Kennedale 56, Waxahachie Life 7
DISTRICT 3-4A D2
FW Eagle Mountain 38, Burkburnett 23
Graham 56, Bridgeport 0
Brock 55, Mineral Wells 7
DISTRICT 4-4A D2
Benbrook 35, Godley 14
FW Dunbar 54, Venus 0
Glen Rose 56, Hillsboro 14
SPC - CLASS 3A
FW Trinity Valley 49, Addison Greenhill 31
FW Country Day 32, Houston Christian 20
Irving Cistercian 49, Austin St. Andrew’s 7
TAPPS DIVISION II - DISTRICT 1
FW All Saints Episcopal 38, Lubbock Trinity Christian 30
Midland Christian 31, Fort Worth Christian 24
FW Southwest Christian 49, Grapevine Faith Christian 35
TAPPS DIVISION II - DISTRICT 2
Bullard Brook Hill 47, Arlington Grace Prep 21
Austin Regents 49, Austin Brentwood Christian 0
Austin Hyde Park 45, Dallas Bishop Dunne 13
TAPPS DIVISION III - DISTRICT 1
Colleyville Covenant Christian 49, Willow Park Trinity Christian 14
Pantego Christian 26, FW Lake Country Christian 21
TAPPS DIVISION IV - DISTRICT 1
Muenster Sacred Heart 42, Waco Reicher Catholic 6
TAPPS SIX-MAN DIVISION I - DISTRICT 1
Plano Coram Deo 69, Carrollton Prince of Peace 24
Waco Vanguard 62, Midland Trinity Christian 14
TAPPS SIX-MAN DIVISION II - DISTRICT 1
Crowley Nazarene Christian 78, Abilene Christian 46
TAPPS SIX-MAN DIVISION II - DISTRICT 2
Prosper Prestonwood Christian North 48, Kennedale Fellowship 0
Ovilla Christian 76, Decatur Victory Christian 52
NON-DISTRICT
Bartonville Lantana Harvest Christian 28, Irving The Highlands 14
Strawn at Azle Christian, canceled
Saturday’s games
TAPPS DIVISION IV - DISTRICT 1
FW Mercy Culture 29, Waco Live Oak 9
TAPPS SIX-MAN DIVISION II - DISTRICT 1
FW Covenant Classical 54, Keller Harvest Christian 16
This story was originally published October 18, 2025 at 1:41 PM.
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