Off to a slightly slower start on the record so far in 2025. As district play will be underway for most after this week we should start to get a clearer picture of the contenders. Wishing Good Luck and Good Weather for all as the games begin to tally in the standings.
This Week: (Season: 28-12)
Tyler T.K. Gorman @ Dallas Christian -- Anytime these two meet there is a long list of historic games we could mention. The crux of it though is that the Chargers have dominated, winning all 13 since MaxPreps started storing the scores. The Crusaders have struggled since a semifinal loss to DC in 2014, finishing above .500 just 3 times in 10 seasons. 2025 is not off to a better start with a 1-4 mark in the non-district slate. The Gorman defense has been extremely porous in recent years and this year is no different but having not allowed 50 in a game so far this season is an improvement over last season. The Chargers 2-2 mark is uncharacteristically average for the program. Neither loss was a shock but the struggles offensively at times have put pressure on the DC squad in ways that the previous four state title teams did not have to battle. All signs point to the Chargers being heavily favored here. Last season's 63-0 win in Tyler is probably the biggest evidence. DC will score early and often in this one unless the Crusaders have been hiding on us. Chargers win 54-6.
Tyler All Saints @ Dallas Covenant -- The Knights could not get the 2nd stops against the visiting Covenant Cougars last week and fell to 1-3. They did lead in a called game at the half as well. Consistent offense is the missing piece for Covenant right now. The Trojans improved greatly a season ago, winning a playoff game at New Braunfels Christian. This season is a mixed bag, posting big wins over some lesser opponents but also allowing a big number to Life Oak Cliff. If the game is high scoring that bodes well for All Saints. The Knights defense needs to improve to break into the top of Division III. I think the Knights are the better team and last year was a 43-0 win for Covenant in Tyler. The margin should be closer this year, but maybe only because the Knights struggle a little more offensively. Covenant wins 33-14.
Dallas Shelton @ McKinney Christian -- The Mustangs have struggled since reaching the state final in 2017. They've finished .500 just once since. This has led to MCA leaving district play to contest an independent schedule this season. Of course, it appears to be their best squad since that 2017 team and they are off to a 4-1 start. The only blemish was a shocking 76-63 affair at Grace Prep. The result wasn't shocking but anytime you score 63 and lose we are going to notice. The Chargers 7 wins in 2024 was good enough for a playoff berth and one of the best seasons in program history. They should be in the running for one of the lower playoff seeds this year, but we don't know how many teams make the playoffs. TAPPS hasn't released the bracket yet. A year ago Shelton dominated the Mustangs, 61-21. The Chargers are scuffling a bit this year at just 2-3. They are also allowing a ton of points. The Mustangs appear to have improved most on offense and that bodes poorly for Shelton in this matchup. The Mustangs should turn the table at home, but we'll never know how they would have finished in District 2 this season. MCA wins 46-22.
Plano Prestonwood Christian @ Argyle Liberty Christian -- With three main contenders in Division I District 1 we planned to have three showdown games across the district slate. This should be one of them. Last week though introduced some confusion in the District projections. Both squads went to OT a week ago. The Warriors were playing UIL semifinalists Canyon West Plains in a back and forth affair that saw Liberty need a field goal on the final play to force OT. The Lions were playing Bishop Lynch. While Lynch is certainly no pushover, the projections certainly had Prestonwood as better squad. So we have to ask ourselves, "Is Prestonwood not as good as we thought or is Bishop Lynch better than we thought?" I just don't know. Partly because scheduling and weather quirks have the Lions with just 3 official games so far and a record of 2-1. Before last week, I would have this as a tight game. However, with what I've seen I think the Warriors are the better squad. A season ago, Liberty won in Plano 30-27. This is a tall mountain for the Lions and I just do not see them climbing it. Having said that, it does feel like a bit of a prelude to a playoff game though which side of the bracket everyone winds up on remains a mystery. Warriors win 35-18.
Tyler Grace Community @ Austin Regents -- The Cougars travel south for a difficult Thursday night test. The Knights are 6-0 and outscoring the opposition by just under 27 points per game. After allowing 41 points to Antonian in Week 3, Regents has allowed just 35 points in three weeks. Last year, Division II seemed wide open at this point of the season. All Saints filled that void and then some. Regents has been constantly in the final stages of the postseason since moving to Division II in 2012. They've only gotten across the state championship finish line once, in 2020. Notably, both squads played Brook Hill in consecutive weeks. The Cougars fell 44-10 while the Knights routed them 56-14. Where do the stops come from for Grace? The over 34 points per game allowed by the Cougars so far this season will not be enough to win this road game. Turning around last season's 42-0 shutout will be a tall task. With a Thursday game, the Knights will be one of the first in the state to reach 7-0. Regents wins 49-7.
Austin Hyde Park @ Bullard Brook Hill -- The Guard secured that key district win over Grace last week to even their record at 1-1. With Regents already in the rear view mirror of the schedule, the path to a home playoff game seems laid out in front of Brook Hill. Just 138 points allowed in five games and 56 of those to Regents says the Guard are up to the task this season. The Brook Hill offense simply has to score more to compete in the biggest games. The Panthers will be making their first ever visit to Herrington Stadium with a chance to get in the district race if they can get to 2-0. The district opening win over Grace Prep establishes them as a strong contender below Regents and a win here would set them up for a shot at Regents. Could be a possible 5-0 vs. 5-0 showdown for Week 11. The opponents each have faced leaves so little to compare that I just don't have a strong feeling about this one so we'll go with the home team. Guard win a close one 28-27.
Dallas Bishop Lynch @ Frisco Legacy Christian -- The Friars pushed Prestonwood to OT a week ago and thus pushed their way up the projections in Division I. At just 2-3 its hard to know how good the Friars are. The win over First Baptist is a good one, but its hard to rank the Division IV squad against Division I. The depth created by the larger rosters poses a different test. They played very close games with good teams in Midland Christian and Prestonwood, but ultimately lost both. The other loss is an out-of-state opponent and the other win is over an HSAA team that just picked up their first win. The Eagles record looks better at 4-1 but they were not as impressive against HSAA as the Friars. A road win over Brook Hill is better than the Friars wins, but maybe not the losses. The Legacy defense will need to be the winning unit and with both Prestonwood and Liberty on the schedule they have their work cut out for them. I think the Friars are the better squad and after last week's visit to Prestonwood they appear unfazed by the road challenge. Bishop Lynch wins 33-21.
Quick Hits: (Season: 42-18)
Lubbock Christian over Fort Worth Lake Country Christian
Fort Worth Christian over Lubbock Trinity Christian
Fort Worth All Saints over Grapevine Faith Christian
Midland Christian over Fort Worth Southwest Christian
Houston Second Baptist over Houston Lutheran South
The Woodlands John Cooper over Dallas St. Marks
Bellaire Episcopal over Houston St. Johns
Houston Kinkaid over Episcopal School of Dallas
Bryan Brazos Christian over Halletsville Sacred Heart
Shiner St. Paul over Conroe Covenant Christian
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