Leonard 41, Holliday 34

November 20, 2025

CH Collins Stadium, Denton

On a rainy Thursday night across the state, Leonard was able to knock off one of Texas' most dangerous four-seeds in a high-scoring affair in Denton. The two teams met in the area playoffs in 2023 with Holliday blowing Leonard away, 42-6, but this year’s meeting would be much different.

Holliday, which battled through a rash of midseason injuries to get into the playoffs, was a plenty dangerous four-seed. The Eagles opened up the game with an impressive drive as Landon Jones threw a 49-yard touchdown pass to Brady Jones. Ty Harrison ran it in on the two-point try and the Eagles led 8-0 early in the first.

Holliday’s defense forced a punt on Leonard’s drive, but penalties derailed the Eagles next series and they were forced to punt back to the Tigers. After forcing a second LHS punt, Holliday’s third drive ended in a punt as a holding penalty on a long run put the Eagles off schedule, forcing a punt.

Early in the second quarter, Leonard finally got on the board as QB Jacoby LaCook scored from 20 yards out on 4th-and-3 to cut the Holliday lead to 8-7 with just under 10 minutes left in the second quarter. After forcing a Holliday punt, Leonard took the lead on the next drive as LaCook connected with Luke Wymer for a sensational 32-yard touchdown pass giving LHS a 14-8 lead with 3:35 left in the second quarter.

Holliday took less than a minute to answer as QB Landon Jones scored on a 52-yard run and then scored on the two-point PAT and with just under three minutes left in the first half to regain the lead at 16-14.

Leonard responded with 55 seconds left before halftime when LaCook scored from three-yards out to give the Tigers a 21-16 lead.

Holliday’s defense came up with a big play on the opening drive of the second half as Cash Kirkland intercepted a tipped LaCook pass to end a Leonard threat, but the Eagles offense couldn’t take advantage of the miscue and was forced to punt.

Leonard extended the lead to two scores on the next drive as LaCook connected with WR Zaylen Summers for a 65-yard touchdown and the Tigers led 28-16 with 7:49 remaining in the third quarter.

After another Holliday punt, it looked like Leonard would run away with the game as LaCook would score on another long run and with just under five minutes left in the third quarter Holliday was on the ropes trailing 35-16.

Holliday’s reliance on the big play continued as on the next drive the Eagles were able to climb back in it as Landon Jones connected with Jayden Whitley for a 91-yard touchdown pass, the PAT failed and with 3:40 left in the third HHS cut the Leonard lead to 35-22.

LaCook and Summers continued to terrorize the Holliday secondary on the next drive as the duo combined for a 16-yard touchdown pass to extend the Leonard lead back to three scores at 41-22 with 10:32 left in the game (PAT failed), it was LaCook’s sixth touchdown of the night.

Holliday would push the tempo on the next drive and it paid off as they got a quick score as Brayden Hamill scored on a short run, with the PAT failing the Eagles trimmed the lead to 41-28 with 8:59 left. The Eagles defense was finally able to generate a stop on the next Leonard series, but the Tigers were able to milk nearly five minutes off the clock as HHS got the ball back with 4:11 left, trailing 41-28.

Holliday went into the hurry-up offense once again and QB Landon Jones and Brady Jones connected on their second score of the night, this one from 13-yards out to cut Leonard’s lead to one-score at 41-34 with 2:26 left.

Holliday attempted an onside kick after the score, which Leonard recovered. With just two timeouts left, Holliday needed a stop to get the ball back and have a chance, but Leonard was able to get a key first down on the backside of the two-minute timeout and kneel the rest of the game out to advance to the regional semifinals with a hard-fought 41-34 win over a strong Holliday squad.