Top 10 high school football regional round games to watch among Dallas-Fort Worth teams
Which Dallas-Fort Worth area team is going to continue playing and which is going home?
There are a ton of heavyweight matchups to watch in the regional round of the 2019 playoffs.
We dwindled down the candidates to these 10 best regional round games for DFW teams:
1. Frisco Lone Star vs. Highland Park
3:30 p.m. Friday (AT&T Stadium)
When these two teams met two months ago, there was already a feeling that it wouldn’t be the last matchup of the season.
Here we are 11 weeks later and the Lone Star Rangers (12-0) and Highland Park Scots (11-1) play for a spot in next week’s state quarterfinals.
Lone Star, the top-ranked team in 5A Division 1, handed HP, No. 4, a rare home loss on September 13 by a score of 30-19.
The loss snapped the longest winning streak at 33 and marked just the second defeat at home for the Scots in the Randy Allen era (21 years).
The Scots are on another winning streak, however, 20 straight wins during the playoffs. I mean, they are the three-time defending 5A D1 state champions.
It’ll be tough to stop and score against Lone Star like that Week 3 matchup. The Rangers are outscoring opponents by an average of 42 points per game.
2. Arlington Martin vs. Duncanville
Noon Friday (AT&T Stadium)
The Martin Warriors (11-1) are playing in the regional round for the eighth time in head coach Bob Wager’s 14 years with the program after routing Odessa Permian.
They face Duncanville (12-0), which has been the No. 1 Class 6A team in the state for the whole season.
The Panthers are coming off a rout of their own, over Flower Mound at AT&T Stadium.
Martin quarterback Zach Mundell has accounted for over 2,000 yards and 24 touchdowns. The Warriors are averaging 222 yards rushing per game while the defense is allowing 12 points per game.
Duncanville is allowing 5 points per game and features one of the top athletes in the country in QB and Texas commit Ja’Quinden Jackson.
3. Frisco vs. Ennis
1 p.m. Friday (Ford Center, Frisco)
Frisco had one of the best wins in the area round when the Raccoons shut out South Oak Cliff 18-0.
The Raccoons (11-1) are now in the regional round for the first time since 2013. Ennis is also 11-1 and making it to regional for the second time in three years after beating Burleson Centennial 17-13.
Frisco running back Bryson Clemons comes in averaging 124 yards per game and has found the end zone 22 times.
The Lions lost in Week 2, but have since won 10 straight games. They’re allowing 12.2 points per game during that span.
4. Birdville vs. Colleyville Heritage
11 a.m. Saturday (Ford Center, Frisco)
When Birdville (9-3) met Colleyville Heritage (8-4) in Week 10, the Hawks rallied to edge out the Panthers 32-31. RB Laderrious Mixon made his return and rushed for over 120 yards and a pair of TDs.
Birdville has a nice combo along with Demarye Walker, who had a career-high 255 yards rushing in the bi-district win over Saginaw.
Against Lubbock Monterey in area, it was QB Stone Earle who had the big outing with 410 yards passing and five TDs. His favorite target was Cooper McCasland, who had 11 catches for 223 yards and three TDs.
Heritage has started the playoffs with two great wins, first at 9-1 Crowley, beating the Eagles in overtime on Brayden Gerlich’s game-sealing interception. Then the Panthers beat 9-2 Amarillo by two TDs.
RB Braxton Ash eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark with eight TDs. QB AJ Smith has thrown for over 2,200 yards with 18 TDs.
5. Lancaster vs. Frisco Independence
7 p.m. Friday, Richardson HS
In its short history, Independence (10-2) won its first area championship in program history when it beat Texarkana Texas 45-30.
Now the Knights face the Lancaster Tigers (10-2), who are coming off a 58-28 win over McKinney North for the program’s first trip to regional since 2016.
Knights QB Braylon Braxton is one of the most dynamic play makers in the state with 3,161 yards passing and 44 TDs to four INTs this season. He’s also rushed for 782 yards and 11 TDs.
Khiyon Wafer has 1,275 yards receiving and 20 TDs for the Knights while Zhighlil Mcmillan adds 823 yards and 13 TDs.
Lancaster’s only two losses came against Highland Park and Duncanville, who have a combined 23-1 record. The Tigers are outscoring opponents by an average of 34 points per game.
6. Midland Lee vs. Southlake Carroll
5 p.m. Saturday (Shotwell Stadium, Abilene)
Carroll sophomore QB Quinn Ewers continued his incredible season with five TD passes against DeSoto. Wills Meyer had over 160 yards receiving and Brady Boyd caught two scores.
Ewers has thrown for 3,249 yards on 72.8 completion percentage and 38 TDs to three INTs. Freshman RB Owen Allen has rushed for 1,035 yards and 20 TDs.
The Dragons (12-0) have outscored opponents 607-144.
Midland Lee (11-1) comes in with a scoring differential of 671-295. The Rebels defeated Arlington Lamar in area.
Lee QB Michael Serrano has 3,600 yards passing and 48 TDs to five INTs.
The Rebels are averaging 570 yards per game.
7. Amarillo Tascosa vs. Marcus
3 p.m. Saturday (Memorial Stadium, Wichita Falls)
The last time the Marcus Marauders (11-1) made it this far in the postseason, they won a state title (1997).
Marcus, District 6-6A champ, has won 11 straight games since losing in the opener 28-14 against Arlington Bowie.
Tascosa (9-3) is coming off a win over Bowie 45-37 for a trip to regional for the second straight season and third in five years.
The Rebels average 410 yards rushing per game and led by Joseph Plunk, who has rushed for 2,252 yards and 27 TDs.
8. Prosper vs. The Woodlands
7 p.m. Saturday (McLane Stadium, Waco)
The Prosper Eagles (10-2) are in the regional round for the second time in three years after routing Mesquite in area.
The Woodlands (8-4) are in regional for the second straight season and third time in four years. The Highlanders edged out Cypress Woods 34-28 in triple overtime.
Prosper has outscored opponents by 245 points while The Woodlands are allowing 15.8 points per game.
9. Arlington vs. Denton Guyer
2:30 p.m. Saturday (Ford Center, Frisco)
The Arlington Colts (9-3) are in regional for the second time in three years when they took down El Paso Americas and 3,000-yard rusher Aaron Dumas, 34-14.
Guyer’s season was a quarter and a half away from ending vs. Cedar Hill, but the Wildcats stormed back with 36 straight points to beat the Longhorns 50-41 at AT&T Stadium.
Arlington is averaging 45 points per game during its last five outings.
The only loss for Guyer (11-1) came against Southlake Carroll. On the season, the Wildcats are averaging 47 points per game.
10. Dallas Jesuit vs. Klein Collins
7 p.m. Friday (McLane Stadium, Waco)
The Jesuit Rangers (8-4) had the biggest upset of the second round when they took down defending 6A D2 state champ Longview 27-25.
RB EJ Smith, the son of Emmitt, has rushed for seven TDs during the first two playoff games.
Klein Collins (11-1) has won six straight games and allowing 12.5 points per game this season.
The Tigers are averaging 260 yards rushing per game while the defense has registered 25 sacks.
This story was originally published November 27, 2019 at 7:00 AM.
