The Cooldown- Week Five
Football is in full swing in Texas! Most 5A and 6A schools took the field for the first-time last weekend and others are hitting the field this weekend. Let’s recap some of the best games from last weekend and preview some of the best games for this upcoming weekend!
Rockwall Heath defeats Lewisville
Jordan Nabors took the opening kickoff back 95 yards for a score and Rockwall Heath never looked back, defeating Lewisville 72-52. Some of the statistics to come out of this game are insane. Nabors led Heath in receiving with 68 yards while Jay Fair added 58 yards and a score. Zach Evans rushed for 137 yards and a touchdown and Josh Hoover passed for 266 yards and four touchdowns. For Lewisville, running back Damien Martinez shined brightest in a talented offensive trio. Martinez rushed for 264 yards and five scores while averaging 11 (!!) yards-per-attempt. Taylen Green passed for 253 yards and a score and added 54 yards and a score on the ground. Isiah Stevens led the Farmers in receiving with 93 yards and Armani Winfield finished with 89 yards. Lewisville should bounce back next week against Wylie while Rockwall Heath faces juggernaut Southlake Carroll.
McKinney edges Plano
This was an incredible game. McKinney defeated Plano after a kick return for a touchdown and a successful two-point conversion gave McKinney a 36-35 win. McKinney seemed to be in control of this one with a 21-7 lead at halftime but Oliver Towns and Tylan Hines led a furious comeback to give Plano a 35-28 lead with just under a minute remaining. McKinney’s Cameron Rivas had something to say about that, returning the ensuing kickoff for six. R.J. Carver, who was incredible all night for the Lions, ran in the two-point conversion to give McKinney the lead for good.
Carver sealed the win a few moments later with an interception on the final play. Carver rushed for 152 yards and two scores on the night. Carver also led the team in receiving with 42 yards. Quarterback Sampson Nazarko scored twice on the ground and passed for 124 yards. Plano quarterback Oliver Towns was incredible with 165 yards and a touchdown through the air and another 154 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Tylan Hines finished with 103 yards and two touchdowns on the ground and added 70 yards and a score receiving. This was a heartbreaking loss for Plano, who will try to get up off the mat for a game with Rowlett this weekend. McKinney will have to take on a talented Flower Mound Marcus squad that impressed in its opener against Dallas Jesuit.
Trinity runs past Arlington Lamar
Trinity and Arlington Lamar played the first high school football game at Globe Life Park last Thursday and the Trojans christened the new high school venue with TWO 200-yard rushers. I know I shouldn’t be surprised, but I am. Ollie Gordon went for 219 yards and three touchdowns while quarterback Valentino Foni added 210 yards and a touchdown of his own. Foni also passed for 53 yards and a touchdown, which went to Gordon. Anthony Williams was outstanding for Lamar, rushing for 104 yards and three touchdowns. Cade Carlson passed for 66 yards, but Lamar couldn’t stop Trinity’s rushing attack in a 35-28 loss. Trinity will host Prosper this Thursday night in what should be an excellent game. Lamar will travel to Waxahachie to take on the Indians for its next game.
Games to Watch
Thursday 10/1
Prosper @ Euless Trinity
This game should be an interesting one. I just recapped the Trinity game and they will attack Prosper on the ground, as always. Prosper will provide a test for the Trinity secondary that Lamar didn’t present last weekend. Jackson Berry is a good quarterback with several nice targets at wide receiver. Prosper defeated Plano Prestonwood last weekend and I expect this game to be close. This is one that will be worth keeping an eye on Thursday night.
Eaton @ Mansfield Legacy
Another matchup of unbeaten teams, Eaton looked great in a 48-3 win over Boswell last weekend. This week will present a much tougher test for Eaton. Mansfield Legacy defeated one of Eaton’s district rivals, Byron Nelson, 31-17 last weekend. I think Eaton wins this game, but it should be a lot closer than the margin of victory from last weekend for the Eagles.
Frisco @ Frisco Reedy
Frisco is 1-0 against other Frisco schools this season with an impressive 17-14 victory over Independence. The Raccoons will face a Reedy team that defeated Frisco Liberty 35-27 last weekend. I think Frisco wins this game fairly easily as I really like this Frisco squad this season.
Friday 10/2
Humble Atascocita @ Allen
Allen hosts Houston power Atascocita this weekend at Eagle Stadium. Allen defeated Plano East 49-26 at home last weekend. Atascocita is more than a step up from Plano East. Allen deployed two quarterbacks against Plano East, and I am interested to see if the Eagles do the same this weekend against Atascocita. This should be a great game between two great programs and I am looking forward to this one.
Cedar Hill @ Arlington
Everyone knows how much I love Kaidon Salter, so it should be no surprise that I am excited to see him play this weekend. Cedar Hill didn’t play last weekend, so this is the official start of the Longhorns season. The game will be played at Globe Life Park, where the Arlington Colts are already 1-0. Arlington defeated Mansfield 37-7 last weekend. This might be the best game of the night and I have high expectations for both teams this season.
Denton Braswell @ Keller
Neither of these schools raise many eyebrows. However, I think both squads are underrated this season. Braswell has plenty of playmakers on the offensive side of the ball, as does Keller. Braswell plays in a tough district and would love to get a win this weekend to gain momentum heading into district play. Keller is opening its season at home and would love to start the season off on the right foot. Both teams have playmakers and playoff aspirations. Braswell will be looking to avoid a dreaded 0-2 start after an opening week loss to Rockwall. This one is off of most people's radars but has the potential to be a great game.
Rockwall Heath @ Southlake Carroll
I know I’m not the only one looking forward to watching Quinn Ewers play football again. Southlake Carroll has a decent first test with a good Rockwall Heath team that hung 72 points on the board last weekend. The Dragons defense has plenty of questions after losing so many playmakers, so this game has the potential to be an offensive shootout between two of the better offensive squads in the metroplex.
Denton Ryan @ Denton Guyer
This is another game that should be a ton of fun. Denton Ryan kicked off the season with an impressive 47-24 route of Arlington Martin. The Ryan offense shredded the Martin defense and Ja’Tavion Sanders was a monster on both sides of the football. Denton Guyer opened with a 56-33 win over Hebron. This is another game that has the potential to be a shootout. Both defenses are impressive, but the offensive talent is insane. This should be a great game and I have Denton Ryan winning by a touchdown.
Frisco Lone Star @ Aledo
We all saw what happened to Frisco Lone Star last weekend. The Rangers fell to North Forney and will have a chance to bounce back this weekend against Aledo. A win would be impressive for Lone Star and would help erase the memory of a bad loss, but Aledo looked dominant in its opener against Weatherford. This has the potential to be a good game, but it could get out of hand quick if Lone Star plays how it did against North Forney last weekend.