Battle of the Bonfire rivalry: Fort Worth Arlington Heights trounces Paschal — PHOTOS
At Farrington Field on Friday, Fort Worth Arlington Heights and Fort Worth Paschal added the 77th chapter to their storied rivalry: The Battle of the Bonfire.
The rivalry — named after the Great Bonfire Incident of 1963 — started in 1922. In the 2025 matchup, Heights outmatched Paschal in all phases of the game to seize a statement 45-14 victory and a share of the District 4-5A Division I championship.
“We wanted to make sure we had the number one seed,” Heights coach Curtis James said. “The kids worked hard. They understood when we made mistakes and they made a lot of corrections. They played physical.”
With a point tiebreaker, the Yellow Jackets will take the district’s top seed into the bi-district round where they’ll face White Settlement Brewer, a squad that beat Saginaw 33-9 in a non-district game.
Saginaw is the sole team to beat Heights this season. Coach James said the loss was a learning moment, and helped bring them to where they are in the present. Now, they’ll turn their focus to the Brewer Bears, a real solid team that operates similarly to Heights, according to coach James.
“They run the ball a lot,” coach James said. “A real talented running back. They play real physical — a fly around defense. And the O-line is pretty physical at the point of attack. I know for our guys, it is going to be a classic matchup.”
Heights’ last playoff win came in 2022, before Curtis James took over as head coach. In order for the team to maximize potential, coach James said he wants them to limit penalties, execute in the red zone and give a full effort.
Leading the charge for Heights against Paschal was running back Carson James, who finished with 215 yards and 5 touchdowns on 22 carries (9.7 yards per carry). The Panther defense struggled to bring him down — James’ physicality, strength and toughness was evident.
Heights’ defense contained Paschal’s dual-threat quarterback Jashuan Thomas, who did manage to get the Panthers on the scoreboard with a 1 yard rush in the first quarter. Entering the game, Paschal’s offense averaged 44 points.
Quarterback Carmelo Carter ran the offense and was a threat on his legs; he flashed some speed in the first quarter for a 13 yard score, one of five Heights TDs in the first half. Carson James had the other four scores, and Heights took a 38-7 lead into the break.
James notched his fifth and final score in the third quarter, and the Heights’ defense stole the show, preventing Paschal from scoring until late in the fourth quarter. Senior Jack English ended his high school football career with a 23 yard TD.
Throughout the game, Heights proved to be more efficient in all areas, playing aggressively with confidence. The Jackets converted four of five 2-point conversions.
“It’s always nice when you can put your athletes in the game, and you can use them in different ways,” coach James said. “I just feel super confident in that package of guys. We always try to make people chase points.”
Paschal ended its season with a 6-4 overall and 4-4 district record, finishing fifth and missing the postseason. Heights’ victory cut Paschal’s lead in the all-time head-to-head to 39-37.
“It’s really fun to walk out here and see the stands packed to the brim,” Carson James said of the Bonfire rivalry. “It uplifts the spirits. And it makes everything 100% better. ... I love seeing the smiles of my teammates and everybody happy.”
This story was originally published November 7, 2025 at 9:39 PM.
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