Top 10 DFW football games as teams battle for district titles, playoff spots in Week 11
Which Dallas-Fort Worth area team is going to enter the playoffs with an undefeated record?
There are a ton of heavyweight matchups to watch in Week 11 as the 2019 Texas high school football season continues, so much so that it’s far too difficult to pick just 10.
But we dwindled down the candidates to these 10 best Week 11 games in DFW:
1. DeSoto at Cedar Hill
7 p.m. Thursday
It’s the Battle of Belt Line as District 7-6A wraps up between the rival Eagles and Longhorns.
Since losing its first two games to state-ranked Allen and Denton Guyer, No. 16 Cedar Hill (7-2, 6-0) has reeled off seven straight wins. In six district games, the Longhorns are averaging over 40 points per game while the defense has allowed 113 total points.
But they face a DeSoto squad (8-1, 5-1) that has scored 21 more points in district play and has allowed only four more points on defense. Overall, the Eagles are averaging over 45 points per game this season.
Dual-threat quarterbacks in DeSoto’s Samari Collier (27 passing TDs) and Cedar Hills’ Kaidon Salter (27 total TDs) will battle it out for supremacy, but watch out for other play makers on both teams.
Playoff seeding isn’t on the line as Cedar Hill is the top team in Division 2 while DeSoto is like-wise in D1, but the district championship is up for grabs and with two heated rivals, anything can go down.
In the last 10 meetings, DeSoto has the edge, 6-4.
2. Arlington Bowie vs. Arlington Martin
7 p.m. Thursday (UTA Maverick Stadium)
According to the Southwest Sports Research (SSR), the Martin Warriors (8-1, 6-0 District 4-6A) lead the series 18-9 and have won seven of the past nine meetings.
Martin has the edge, 6-5, at Maverick Stadium, however, Bowie (7-2, 5-1) won during the last meeting, 12-10, in 2016.
Bowie still has a shot at the district title, but would need a win. A Lamar win vs. Arlington creates a three-way tie.
Going into the playoffs, Martin and Lamar are D1 representatives while Bowie and Arlington will head to D2. Bowie’s only district loss came to Lamar in Week 10.
If Lamar and Bowie lose, that will force a three-way tie for district runner-up, along with Arlington. Arlington’s two district losses came against Bowie and Martin.
3. Denton Ryan at Birdville
7 p.m. Thursday
Another game with district title implications features 5A D1 No. 3 Ryan (9-0, 6-0 District 4-5A) and Birdville (7-2, 6-0).
While good on paper, the question here is if Birdville can keep up with the Raiders.
Last season, the two played for the outright district crown in Week 11 as well, but Ryan beat Birdville 49-28. Then the Raiders knocked out the Hawks in the playoffs, 28-0 in Frisco.
Good news for Birdville; senior running back Laderrious Mixon made his return last week after missing six games. He rushed for 127 yards and two touchdowns during a 32-31 win over Colleyville Heritage.
The Raiders have loads of talent that starts with do-it-all athlete Drew Sanders (Alabama commit) and Texas commit Billy Bowman.
4. Arlington at Arlington Lamar
7 p.m. Thursday
As we mentioned in No. 2, Lamar still has a shot at the district title. The Vikings (8-1, 5-1) would need to win vs. Arlington and have Bowie beat Martin for a three-way tie.
According to the SSR, Lamar leads the series 25-22-1, but Arlington has won the last three years, including 42-31 last season to win the district title.
Lamar is 15-10 vs. AHS at Cravens Field, which is on Lamar’s campus. The Vikings have beaten the Colts (7-2, 4-2) there three of the last four times, but Arlington won 31-23 in 2017.
The Vikings have clinched a playoff spot for the 10th time in 11 years while the Colts are playoff bound for the 11th time in 12 years.
Lamar WR Trevon West (Oklahoma commit) is coming off 185 yards receiving and two TDs while Arlington QB Kris Sims threw for over 270 yards with four TDs last week.
5. Lucas Lovejoy vs. Frisco
7 p.m. Friday (Memorial Stadium)
Lovejoy, Frisco and Braswell are tied for the district lead in 7-5A D2. The winner of this game AND a Braswell loss vs. Denison, will be the outright district champ.
This year may be just as good as 2018 when Frisco won 48-45 in the final week of the regular season.
Lovejoy (7-2, 6-1) has scored more points than Frisco through district play, but the Raccoons have scored more overall.
Frisco (8-1, 6-1) is stingy on defense in seven district games, allowing less than 19 per game.
The Raccoons beat Braswell 33-28 while Lovejoy lost to Braswell 59-51 in OT.
6. Richland vs. Euless Trinity
7:30 p.m. Friday (Pennington Field)
Another outright district championship game in Week 11 is in Bedford, where state-ranked Trinity (8-1, 4-1) takes on one of the surprises of the year, the Richland Rebels (4-5, 4-1).
This game has the same question as Ryan-Birdville, can the Rebels keep up or will it turn into the 48-3 shellacking Trinity had last season.
There’s no question though that Richland can put up points. The Rebels scored 65 points and led the area in Week 10 with 625 yards of total offense vs. Weatherford. Quarterback Cole Benson was second in the area with 447 yards passing along with seven TDs.
If the Rebels can slow down Trinity’s front line on both sides of the ball, and the Trojans’ three-headed monster in the backfield, Richland may be wearing the crown.
Richland already locked up the top seed in D2 and a home playoff game. Trinity has done the same in D1.
7. Fort Worth North Side at Justin Northwest
7 p.m. Thursday
How about them Steers??!!
North Side rallied to beat Polytechnic in Week 10 to secure the program’s first playoff berth in 40 years.
Now the Steers (5-4, 4-1) are playing for the district title in 4-5A D2. They’ll face the defending district champs, Northwest Texans (5-4, 5-0).
North Side last won district during that 1979 playoff year. Only one team made the playoffs from each district.
Watch for two of the top receivers in DFW; North Side’s Da’Wain Lofton (1,400 total yards, 27 TDs) and Northwest’s Zavion Taylor (15 TD catches).
8. Mansfield Timberview at Highland Park
7:30 p.m. Friday
What’s better than district title implications in the final week of the regular season in the best football state in America?
Nothing.
We have another one in DFW when the Wolves (6-3, 5-1) visit three-time defending 5A D1 state champs, the No. 4 Highland Park Scots (8-1, 6-0).
HP got a big time road win in Week 10 when it took down Lancaster 42-35 in overtime. A win will give the Scots the outright district title and No. 1 seed.
But if the Wolves can hand HP just its third loss in the past three seasons, they’ll be district champs. They’ll be No. 1 with a win AND Lancaster loss. If Lancaster also wins, there’s a three-way tie for first.
Both teams have top talents in DFW with HP’s Chandler Morris (Arkansas commit) and Prince Dorbah (Texas) while Timberview will showcase Jaden Hullaby (Texas), Jalen Kimber (Georgia) and Stacy Sneed (Colorado).
9. Granbury at Saginaw
7 p.m. Friday
No district title implications here, but playoff spots on are the line between the Pirates (6-3, 5-2 District 3-5A D1) and Rough Riders (6-3, 4-3).
Granbury has already clinched its first playoff berth since 2013, but a win will give the Pirates the No. 3 seed. A loss and they’re fourth.
Saginaw will clinch its first berth since 2013 with a win OR Boswell loss vs. Crowley.
Saginaw QB Kameron Williams has accounted for over 2,500 yards and 23 TDs. With 74 receiving yards, Saginaw WR Blayne Taylor will hit 1,000 this season.
Granbury RB Zach Watson needs 76 yards rushing for a 1,000-yard season. He has rushed for 14 TDs.
10. Fort Worth Eastern Hills vs. Fort Worth Wyatt
7 p.m. Friday (Clark Stadium)
With a win, Eastern Hills (5-4, 3-2 District 4-5A D2) will clinch a playoff berth.
With a win AND Southwest win vs. Poly, Wyatt (2-7, 2-3) will clinch a playoff berth.
So who do you have? The Highlanders or the Chaparrals.
It was Wyatt that won last season’s meeting, 32-12, to clinch the No. 3 seed in district.
Eastern Hills is outscoring opponents 176-121 in five district games while Wyatt is outscoring district opponents 122-108.
5 Others
Gainesville vs. Decatur
Plano vs. Prosper
Lake Ridge vs. Summit
Burleson vs. Cleburne
Keller Central vs. Keller
This story was originally published November 6, 2019 at 7:00 AM.
