Week 9 Picks 2025

The district results are becoming clearer and we should be able to project the playoff fields pretty closely once we're at 2 weeks to go. Some cooler temperatures also seem to be bringing us some storms and rain possibilities. Thursday night contests and Friday afternoon showdowns create a few more obstacles for everyone to navigate. Good luck and safe travels to your team on its road to State!

This Week: (Season: 38-16)

Dallas Covenant @ Dallas Christian -- The Chargers last lost a district game in 2019. A new challenge awaits with a Thursday night home game. The Knights have been the most significant challenger on the district slate for the last 3 seasons and entering the season appeared to be so again. It was just a 24-13 win for DC last year at Covenant, much closer than the 3 meetings before. In 2025, its just a 3-4 mark for the Knights so far. The loss to Tyler All Saints puts Covenant way behind in the race for a home game in Round 1. With so few district games, this really is the Knights only opportunity to make up the ground needed. The Chargers won the two district games so far 122-7. Covenant will be closer than that, but the matchup does not favor the visitors. Chargers win, 38-14.

Plano Prestonwood Christian @ Dallas Parish Episcopal -- The Panthers took down the defending champions from Argyle last week and this actually looks like a perfect trap game. A season ago Prestonwood had not seen their bye week yet. This year they've played a complete game just 5 of 8 weeks, holding a record of 3-2. The Panthers lost their opener to All Saints and have not dropped a contest since. The Lions dropped a two touchdown margin to Liberty and narrowly survived a home game against Biship Lynch. The Lions got the 3-point home win in the regular season a year ago, but Parish has trended up since then. Another Thursday night offering adds a little more intrigue to this one. The Panthers are better and at home I do not think they'll be topped. It all feels like a prelude to the playoffs in District 1. Parish cements its place as favorite, 42-27.

Midland Christian @ Fort Worth All Saints -- The Saints opened 2024 with what we thought was an upset win over Parish Episcopal. After 20 consecutive wins, it may have been the expected result. Lubbock Trinity though gave the Saints a test with All Saints winning by just 8 on the long trip. The Mustangs have their shot at the district title after defeating undefeated Fort Worth Christian last week. A season ago the MCS defense could not slow the Saints attack in a 49-28 loss in the Permian Basin. The Mustang defense must perform better than that to win this one. If this game is held under 30 points MCS is very much in the running, but I think the Saints are too good. All Saints wins, 39-20.

Tyler Grace Community @ Austin Hyde Park -- The Cougars make their first ever visit to the Quarries as two teams head in different directions. These two met with a 1st round home game on the line last season. The Panthers took a 46-28 win from Tyler to secure 2nd place in the district. The Cougars had to open the playoffs in Midland as a result. Its been a tough season for Grace since that playoff loss last year. Just a 2-5 mark and having been blown out in 4 of their last 5 outings, leaves this as a last chance saloon of sorts for the Cougars. The Panthers are 5-2 having started district play 3-0. If they win this one, they'll be heavily favored over Brentwood to set up a district title game in Week 11 against Regents. The common opponent of Brook Hill offers the biggest data point for this one. Hyde Park defeated the Guard 24-14 while Grace Community dropped their visit to Bullard 44-10. So everything favors the Panthers. Hyde Park wins 42-14.

Sugar Land Fort Bend Christian @ Houston Lutheran South -- The Eagles won the 2022 State Championship but went 6-6 the next season and 8-5 last year. Though playing 13 games does mean you reached the semifinals so perhaps things were back on track. The middle of the 2025 schedule was challenging for FBCA and the record showed it. The Eagles scored just 25 points total across a 4-game losing streak. The dominated Shiner St. Paul and secured a runaway district opening win over Beaumont Kelly. So now at 3-4 the "big 3" of District 4 await. The Pioneers are 5-2 and already 2-0 on the district side. A win here would set up a district championship game next week at home. The Pioneers have not won a solo district title in the MaxPreps era. Both squads posted wins over Kelly though the Eagles were a little more impressive. Anahuac, Hyde Park, and Second Baptist, are all more impressive wins for the Pioneers than the Eagles have so far this year. With the game at Lutheran South, they seem to be the pick. I think this one is close though. Pioneers win a squeaker, 33-30.

Victoria St. Joseph @ Brownsville St. Joseph -- We travel to the Southern reaches of the state for great mascot clash. The Bloodhounds finished 10-2 a season ago, winning a 1st round playoff game. This season has been a much tougher road with a 2-5 record so far. The defense has struggled. In 2024, they allowed 230 points in 12 games. In 2025, they've allowed 313 points in 7 games. The Flyers have gone the opposite way in 2025. At 6-1, they've already equaled their 2024 win total. The Flyers are averaging 37.7 points per game and so far this season the 'Hounds have not matched that offensive efficiency. The winner here should contest the district title with San Antonio Christian in the final weeks of the season. The road test is a challenge, but this sets up for the Flyers to get a big win. VSJ wins 35-19.

Austin Regents @ Arlington Grace Prep -- Our last game of Week 9, is an interesting test for both squads. Any progress the Lions have made can be quickly erased with another Regents beatdown. The Knights have a Friday afternoon challenge thanks to weather and no lights at Grace Prep. Regents is averaging over 51 points per game and at 8-0 looks the part of a team that could challenge Fort Worth All Saints for the crown. The points allowed continues to decline as well for Regents, with just 27 points allowed in 4 district games. The Grace Prep offense should be competitive but faces a big challenge. The Brook Hill loss for the Lions points toward this being too big a mountain to climb. Maybe the home field can help, but unlikely to replicate the 76 point outing they had in Week 3 against McKinney Christian. Knights win, 52-18.

Quick Hits: (Season: 61-19)

Tyler All Saints over McKinney Christian
Lubbock Christian over Colleyville Covenant Christian
Fort Worth Lake Country Christian over Willow Park Trinity Christian
Fort Worth Christian over Fort Worth Southwest Christian
San Antonio Christian over San Antonio St. Anthony
San Antonio Antonian over Houston St. Pius X
Dallas Bishop Lynch over Addison Trinity Christian
Arlington Oakridge over Fort Worth Country Day
Houston Kinkaid over The Woodlands John Cooper
Bryan Brazos Christian over Shiner St. Paul