Bi-DISTRICT: High School Football Preview & Analysis

The playoffs begin this week in Texas high school football.  It takes six wins to bring home a state championship.  By Sunday, half the teams listed below will have been eliminated.  These are the bi-district matchups involving North Texas teams:

CLASS 6A DIVISION I

Region I

Euless Trinity (8-1) vs. Arlington Martin (5-5), 7 p.m. Friday, Bedford's Pennington Field

Southlake Carroll (10-0) vs. Coppell (7-3), 2 p.m. Saturday, Southlake's Dragon Stadium

DeSoto (8-2) vs. Dallas Skyline (7-2), 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dallas' Forester Field

Arlington Lamar (9-1) vs. San Angelo Central (7-3), 7 p.m. Friday, Arlington's Cravens Field

Lewisville (8-2) vs. Keller (8-2), 7 p.m. Friday, Denton's Collins Complex

Duncanville (9-0) vs. South Grand Prairie (5-5), 7:30 p.m. Friday, Duncanville's Panther Stadium

ANALYSIS:  State-ranked contenders Duncanville and Southlake Carroll are among the favorites in this bracket.  The two could meet in the state quarterfinals.  One-loss teams Euless Trinity and Arlington Lamar also hope to be a major factor.  Lewisville, Keller and Coppell could all potentially shake up this bracket.  Arlington Martin and South Grand Prairie each finished the regular season at 5-5, but both have momentum heading into the playoffs.

Region II

Allen (10-0) vs. Rowlett (7-2), 7 p.m. Friday, Allen's Eagle Stadium

Rockwall (7-2) vs. Belton (7-3), 7:30 p.m. Friday, Rockwall's Wilkerson-Sanders Stadium

Sachse (7-3) vs. Plano East (8-2), 7 p.m. Friday, Garland's Johnson Stadium

Waco Midway (8-1) vs. Mesquite (5-4), 7:30 p.m. Friday, Hewitt's Panther Stadium

ANALYSIS:  Riding a 26-game win streak, Allen is a considerable favorite to advance from this bracket and reach the state semifinals.  An Allen-Rockwall matchup in the second round would be entertaining.  If the Eagles reach round four, potential opponents include 8-2 Klein Oak, 2017 state runner-up Waco Midway (8-1), 7-3 Sachse and familiar foe Plano East (8-2).

CLASS 6A DIVISION II

Region I

Haltom City (10-0) vs. Arlington Bowie (6-4), 7:30 p.m. Friday, NRH's Birdville ISD Complex

Keller Fossil Ridge (6-4) vs. Lewisville Hebron (6-4), 7:30 p.m. Friday, Keller ISD Stadium

Cedar Hill (9-1) vs. Richardson Pearce (6-4), 7:30 p.m. Friday, Cedar Hill's Longhorn Stadium

Arlington (10-0) vs. Weatherford (4-6), 7:30 p.m. Friday, Arlington's Maverick Stadium

Flower Mound (8-2) vs. Denton Guyer (5-5), 7 p.m. Friday, Flower Mound's Wilson Stadium

Lake Highlands (6-4) vs. Mansfield Lake Ridge (7-2), 7:30 p.m. Friday, Mansfield's Newsom Stadium

ANALYSIS:  Fellow unbeatens Haltom and Arlington could be on a collision course for a state quarterfinal matchup, but Haltom would potentially have to get by 9-1 Cedar Hill in the third round.  Arlington has some tough customers on its side of the bracket, including district co-champ Amarillo Tascosa, district champ Flower Mound, Denton Guyer and Mansfield Lake Ridge, which is in its first year in Class 6A.

Region II

Prosper (8-2) vs. Garland Naaman Forest (4-6), 7 p.m. Friday, Prosper

Wylie (5-5) vs. McKinney (4-6), 7 p.m. Friday, Wylie Stadium

Temple (8-2) vs. Mesquite Horn (3-7), 7:30 p.m. Friday, Temple

ANALYSIS:  8-2 Prosper has a very tough road in this bracket, which includes state-ranked Longview and undefeateds Austin Vandegrift and Cypress Ranch.  If they survive Naaman Forest in the opening round, Prosper likely would get Longview next.  And in the third round, either Austin Vandegrift or 9-1 Klein Collins should be waiting.  Wylie and McKinney should be an even matchup in bi-district, but the winner could face Temple in round two.  Mesquite Horn is a fascinating story.  After playing one of the toughest schedules in the state, the Jags started 0-7, but still made the playoffs.

CLASS 5A DIVISION I

Region I

Birdville (9-1) vs. FW Boswell (6-4), 7 p.m. Thursday, NRH's Birdville ISD Complex

Crowley (7-3) vs. Grapevine (8-2), 7 p.m. Thursday, Midlothian

Azle (9-1) vs. Colleyville Heritage (5-5), 7 p.m. Friday, Azle

Denton Ryan (10-0) vs. FW Brewer (6-4), 7 p.m. Thursday, Denton's Collins Complex

ANALYSIS:  State-ranked Denton Ryan has owned this bracket in recent years, and as the only unbeaten among the 16 teams, they are again favored to advance to the state semifinals.  Ryan could be on track to face Lubbock Coronado yet again in the third round.  Watch out for 9-1 Azle, which has been underrated all season.  The top half of the bracket is more wide-open, and a third-round matchup between Birdville and Grapevine is possible.  

Region II

The Colony (9-1) vs. Mansfield Timberview (5-5), 7 p.m. Friday, The Colony's Cougar Stadium

Magnolia West (8-2) vs. Sherman (4-6), 7:30 p.m. Friday, Magnolia's Mustang Stadium

Dallas Highland Park (10-0) vs. Frisco Independence (6-4), 7:30 p.m. Friday, Highland Park

Mesquite Poteet (8-2) vs. College Station (8-2), 7 p.m. Friday, Mesquite Memorial Stadium

Lancaster (6-3) vs. Frisco Wakeland (6-4), 7 p.m. Friday, Lancaster

Lufkin (9-1) vs. McKinney North (6-4), 7:30 p.m. Friday, Lufkin

Frisco Lone Star (8-2) vs. Mansfield Legacy (6-4), 7:30 p.m. Friday, Frisco ISD Stadium

ANALYSIS:  This may be the toughest of any bracket in any class across the state.  Two-time defending state champion Highland Park is the lone unbeaten, but the Mesquite Poteet-College Station winner could be a major test in the second round.  If the Scots advance, they likely will get the Magnolia West-The Colony winner in round three.  The bottom half of the bracket includes John Tyler, Lufkin and Frisco Lone Star.  A quarterfinal matchup between Highland Park and any of those three would be highly anticipated.

CLASS 5A DIVISION II

Region I

FW Southwest (7-3) vs. Canyon Randall (4-6), 7 p.m. Friday, Fort Worth's Clark Stadium

WF Rider (5-5) vs. FW Wyatt (5-4), 7 p.m. Friday, Wichita Falls' Memorial Stadium

Lubbock Cooper (10-0) vs. FW Eastern Hills (3-7), 7 p.m. Friday, Lubbock Cooper

Justin Northwest (8-2) vs. Wichita Falls (4-6), 7 p.m. Friday, Justin's Northwest ISD Stadium

ANALYSIS:  Justin Northwest - which won a district title for the first time since 1962 - and several of the Fort Worth ISD schools get lumped in with the El Paso schools and a few others from West Texas.  The El Paso schools are known to underperform in the postseason, but unbeaten El Paso Parkland is led by running back Deion Hankins, who is El Paso's all-time leading rusher.  If Northwest makes it to round three, they could see undefeated Lubbock-Cooper, which is likely the favorite to advance to the state semifinals.

Region II

Aledo (10-0) vs. Seagoville (5-5), 7 p.m. Thursday, Aledo

Kaufman (7-2) vs. Lucas Lovejoy (7-2), 7:30 p.m. Friday, Kaufman

Dallas South Oak Cliff (9-0) vs. Everman (4-5), 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dallas' Kincaide Stadium

Frisco (6-4) vs. Sulphur Springs (6-3), 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Frisco's Ford Center

Frisco Reedy (10-0) vs. Ennis (5-4), 7 p.m. Friday, Frisco's Ford Center

Red Oak (9-1) vs. Midlothian (8-2), 7:30 p.m. Friday, Red Oak

Corsicana (8-2) vs. Lake Dallas (7-3), 7:30 p.m. Friday, Corsicana

Burleson Centennial (9-1) vs. Dallas Kimball (8-2), 7:30 p.m. Friday, Burleson ISD Stadium

ANALYSIS:  If you're gonna make it to the state semis, you'll have to go through Aledo.  The Bearcats were a wire-to-wire No. 1 choice in Class 5A this season, and they are hungry to avenge last year's one-point loss in the 5A Division Two state championship game.  The dream matchup in this bracket is Aledo vs. fellow unbeaten Frisco Reedy in the state quarterfinals.  In only its third varsity season, Reedy is out to shake off last year's opening-round playoff loss to Lake Dallas.  Others who could potentially spoil the Aledo-Reedy party - South Oak Cliff, Red Oak, Corsicana and Burleson Centennial.

CLASS 4A DIVISION I

Region I

Springtown (8-2) vs. Hereford (6-4), 7 p.m. Friday, Snyder

Canyon (9-1) vs. Gainesville (4-6), 7 p.m. Friday, Childress

Dumas (8-2) vs. Decatur (4-6), 7 p.m. Friday, Weatherford, Okla. (SW Okla. Univ.)

ANALYSIS:  Springtown's high-scoring Porcupines are among the favorites in this bracket.

Region II

Waco La Vega (8-2) vs. Lake Worth (5-5), 7 p.m. Thursday, Waxahachie

Alvarado (5-5) vs. Melissa (7-3), 7:30 p.m. Friday, Coppell's Echols Field

Kennedale (8-2) vs. Brownwood (4-5), 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Glen Rose

Paris (7-2) vs. Dallas Carter (6-4), 7 p.m. Friday, Denison

Argyle (10-0) vs. Carrollton Ranchview (5-4), 7 p.m. Friday, Carrollton's Standridge Stadium

FW Benbrook (8-2) vs. China Spring (5-5), 7:30 p.m. Friday, Waxahachie

Wilmer-Hutchins (9-1) vs. Celina (5-4), 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Carrollton's Standridge Stadium

Stephenville (6-3) vs. FW Dunbar (5-4), 7:30 p.m. Friday, Granbury  

ANALYSIS:  You just never know come playoff time, but the consensus is that we will see an Argyle-Waco La Vega matchup in the state quarterfinals.  However, if Kennedale stays healthy, they could make a deep run.

Region III

Midlothian Heritage (9-1) vs. Kilgore (3-7), 7 p.m. Friday, Forney

Carthage (10-0) vs. Waxahachie Life (5-4), 7 p.m. Thursday, Lindale

Crandall (7-2) vs. Henderson (6-4), 7:30 p.m. Friday, Palestine's Wildcat Stadium

ANALYSIS:  Carthage has the longest current win streak in the state.  They are a heavy favorite to advance.

CLASS 4A DIVISION II

Region I

Graham (7-3) vs. Godley (4-6), 7 p.m. Friday, Aledo

Glen Rose (8-1) vs. Aubrey (3-7), 7 p.m. Friday, FW's Brewer Bear Stadium

ANALYSIS:  This bracket is wide open.  State-ranked Glen Rose should have a good shot to at least reach the quarterfinals.

Region II

Sunnyvale (9-0) vs. Gilmer (4-6), 7:30 p.m. Friday, Greenville

Fairfield (8-2) vs. Wills Point (5-4), 7 p.m. Thursday, Palestine's Wildcat Stadium

Texarkana Pleasant Grove (8-2) vs. Dallas Roosevelt (5-5), 7 p.m. Thursday, Paris' Wildcat Stadium

Pittsburg (7-3) vs. Nevada Community (4-6), 7 p.m. Thursday, Greenville

Caddo Mills (6-3) vs. Texarkana Liberty-Eylau (3-7), 7 p.m. Friday, Emory Rains 

ANALYSIS:  9-0 Sunnyvale is a very interesting team.  They could see defending 4A Division Two state champ Texarkana Pleasant Grove in the third round.