The Cooldown- Three Thoughts from Week Nine
DFW - Week Nine
There are only two weeks left in the regular season and most teams have an idea of whether they will make the playoffs or not. We’ll run through some playoff scenarios later in the week but for now, let’s talk about some of the best games in the metroplex from week nine.
The Mound Showdown
The annual grudge match between Marcus and Flower Mound looked to be the best game in the area last weekend and The "Mound Showdown" did not disappoint. Flower Mound took a late 31-27 lead after trailing 27-7 in the first half. Marcus running back Tyler Gainey scored the go-ahead touchdown for the Marauders and Marcus remains undefeated in district play with a 34-31 win.
Ty’son Edwards led Marcus in rushing with 123 yards and a touchdown. Garret Nussmeier completed 30 passes for 368 yards and three touchdowns. His favorite receiver was J. Michael Sturdivant, who had 157 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
Pierce Hudgens did plenty of damage on offense for Flower Mound with 139 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Hudgens also had 47 receiving yards. Blake Short passed for 146 yards and two touchdowns.
Had Flower Mound pulled off the come-from-behind win, there would be a four-way tie for first place. Instead, Marcus is 5-0 with Lewisville and Hebron tied for second and Flower Mound sitting two games back in fourth place at 3-2.
Mansfield Summit upsets DeSoto
Mansfield Summit upset DeSoto after the two teams sat through several lightning delays and played in pouring rain. DeSoto led 20-7 at halftime but was outscored 20-6 in the second half as Summit escaped with a 27-26 win.
David Hopkins completed just seven passes, but those seven passed went for 147 yards and two touchdowns. Brendan Sirls caught six passes for 90 yards and a score.
DeSoto did most of its damage on the ground. Joshua Jackson rushed for 99 yards and a score while Jyison Brown rushed for 97 yards and DeMarcus Jackson scored on both of his rushing attempts.
I know this was a weird game with driving rain and multiple delays, but Summit is 7-1 and tied for second in district 7-6A with DeSoto. Of course, Summit owns the tiebreaker with DeSoto in district. Summit’s one district loss is to Cedar Hill while DeSoto still has Cedar Hill left on the schedule. Summit will be a team to watch for in the playoffs.
Week 10 Look Ahead
Allen @ Prosper
Allen takes on Prosper this weekend as the Eagles look to sweep district play once again. Prosper’s only loss was a blowout on the road against a Jesuit team that wasn’t exactly competitive when it played Allen at Eagle Stadium a few weeks ago. Other than that game, Prosper has looked good this season. This is one to keep an eye on.
Arlington Lamar @ Arlington Bowie
Lamar and Bowie each score 40 points per game on offense. Both allow under 20 points per game on defense. This game should be close and will have playoff seeding implications. Bowie and Arlington Martin are currently tied for first in district with 5-0 records. Lamar is in second with a 4-1 record. If Lamar wins, Martin takes sole possession of first place while Lamar would hold a tiebreaker for second over Bowie. If Bowie wins, that would set up a district championship game between Bowie and Martin in week 11.
Highland Park @ Lancaster
Highland Park doesn’t often get tested in district. Both Highland Park and Lancaster are 7-1 and 5-0 in district, making this the district championship game. Highland Park should win this one, but this will be a good test for the Scots heading into the playoffs. The Scots are expected to be one of three teams that could represent DFW at state, along with Frisco Lone Star and Denton Ryan. Lancaster could throw its hat in to that ring with a win this weekend.