Defending state champion North Crowley has blown through this district three straight years without being challenged and a similar fate is likely this year. The real intrigue in 3-6A is the race for second and the race for fourth. Crowley, who had their best season in school history a year ago does lose some key pieces on offense, but the Eagles are big up front and they have experience back on defense. They must replace a four-year starter at QB. Mansfield also has questions at the QB spot, but they’ve got playmakers at the skill spots, both could go Division II, so their matchup could be huge. Crowley took last year’s meeting 35-23. I’m taking Lake Ridge for the four spot, it’s now or never for LRHS with fifty lettermen returning and a manageable district. They’ve struggled for so long, the key will be getting off to a fast start, if they do that watch out. If they falter, Mansfield Legacy could again grab the final playoff spot.
Number one ranked Southlake Carroll returns nineteen starters from a team that advanced all the way to the state championship game a year ago, despite battling through numerous key injuries. Carroll enters the year as the prohibitive favorite in Region I and in 6A-Division II. Not far behind is Euless Trinity, the Trojans were 11-2 a year ago, falling to Allen by just a single point in the third round. The Trojans bring back seven starters on both sides of the ball, if the QB question can get answered this is a team that can contend for a regional crown. Byron Nelson is going through a transition after the passing of their head coach early in the summer, the Bobcats will lean on their defense while a young, but talented offense finds their footing. The real intrigue in 4-6A is for the final playoff spot where Keller, Northwest, Eaton and Timber Creek all could make a strong case.
A year ago Coppell dominated 5-6A and the Cowboys by the end of the season were a top 5 team in 6A, graduation decimated the ranks which may open the door for Lewisville who is loaded with front-line talent that grew up quite a bit in 2024. The question for the Fighting Farmers will be consistency. Guyer’s defense will be among the best in the state, but youth at the QB spot and questions at the skill positions may limit their ceiling. Hebron may be the most explosive offense in the district, but the Hawks have a major question mark at QB. If the Hawks falter, Flower Mound Marcus is the team poised to snatch a playoff spot. Keep an eye on Little Elm, they might be a year away from playoff contention, but I expect them to be the district’s most improved team.
After back-to-back trips to the regional finals, Allen is looking to get over the hump in Region I with seven starters back on both sides of the ball. The Eagles don’t have many questions, but there’s one lingering question and that’s at the QB spot, if Allen gets quality QB play they can win a state championship. Prosper again will have elite play in the trenches and they return sixteen starters, but do they have the explosive skill talent needed to navigate Region I? Another thing to watch is will Prosper go Division I or Division II? Plano East and Plano making the playoffs would push Prosper into the Division II bracket. Rock Hill after their first playoff appearance in school history along with Plano East look to be the final two playoff teams, but watch out for Plano and a much-improved McKinney Boyd bunch.
After a strong 9-3 season and an area round playoff appearance, Lake Highlands with a stout running game should have enough to hold off an experienced Jesuit team for the district title. Both teams should be line for at least one playoff win, but getting to Thanksgiving weekend may be a chore. Richardson has some elite front-line talent and they are fresh off the area playoffs, but can the Eagles repeat 2024’s success? Berkner’s young talent and Pearce’s experience will be a interesting battle for the fourth and final playoff spot.
Arlington Bowie not only broke through with a district title a year ago, but the Vols also nabbed a victory in the playoffs in the process. The Vols may be dropping down to 5A in a year, but their 6A swan song will be with a young team after losing 57 seniors. That could open the door for South Grand Prairie with fifteen starters back from a playoff squad. Things get really muddled up after that with Arlington, Lamar, Martin and last year’s surprise Haltom all in strong contention for the final two playoff spots. I’m bullish on Arlington with fifty lettermen returning, but Lamar may have the district’s best front-end talent across the board.
DISTRICT PREDICTIONS
District 1-6A
District 2-6A
District 3-6A
District 4-6A
District 5-6A
District 6-6A
District 7-6A
District 8-6A
PROJECTED DIVISION I BI-DISTRICT MATCHUPS
W1 El Paso Franklin vs R2 Odessa Permian
W3 North Crowley vs R4 Haslet Eaton
W5 Lewisville vs R6 Plano East
W7 Lake Highlands vs R8 Arlington
W2 Midland Legacy vs R1 El Paso Eastlake
W4 Euless Trinity vs R3 Mansfield Lake Ridge
W6 Allen vs R5 Coppell
W8 South Grand Prairie vs R7 Richardson
DIVISION I REGIONAL CHAMPION
North Crowley over Euless Trinity
PROJECTED DIVISION II BI-DISTRICT MATCHUPS
W1 El Paso Pebble Hills vs R2 San Angelo Central
W3 Mansfield vs R4 Trophy Club Nelson
W5 Denton Guyer vs R6 Prosper Rock Hill
W7 Dallas Jesuit vs R8 Arlington Lamar
W2 Wolfforth Frenship vs R1 El Paso Eastwood
W4 Southlake Carroll vs R3 Crowley
W6 Prosper vs R5 Lewisville Hebron
W8 Arlington Bowie vs R7 Richardson Pearce
DIVISION II REGIONAL CHAMPION
Southlake Carroll over Denton Guyer
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