North Crowley linebacker TJ Boyd (13) kneels in prayer before the game against Southlake Carroll on Friday, Sept. 4, 2026 at Crowley ISD Stadium in Fort Worth.
Abigail Dollins
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Several Fort Worth-area teams had strong performances Friday.
Here are 10 takeaways from the action:
North Crowley stays undefeated
For the first half, No. 3 North Crowley and No. 17 Humble Summer Creek were entangled in a competitive ballgame.
The Panthers led 20-13 at the half. But with a 14-0 third quarter, North Crowley moved on to seize a strong 41-20 victory to stay undefeated.
Through three weeks, North Crowley has claimed very respectable wins against Southlake Carroll, Aledo and now Summer Creek. In total, the Panthers have outscored opponents by 77 points and held all three opponents to 30 combined points — an average of 10 points allowed per contest for what looks like a championship-level defense.
Now, all eyes turn to North Crowley’s Week 4 matchup against No. 16 Duncanville, which could play a key role in the District 11-6A title race. No. 1 Waxahachie will certainly be in the mix, too.
Southlake Carroll falls to Allen
Southlake Carroll isn’t used to losing non-district games.
The No. 18 Dragons fell to No. 4 Allen 56-35 on Friday at Dragon Stadium. Still, there’s no reason for concern. Part of having an extremely tough non-district slate is accepting defeat and growing from it. The squad, especially the defense, is young and has plenty of time to learn and jell.
Allen has a strong argument to be a Class 6A Division I state title favorite, and for the entirety of the first half, Carroll (1-2) gave the Eagles a dogfight. A last second Hail Mary from Allen to close the second quarter fizzled the Dragons’ momentum.
Offensively for Carroll, it’s more about playing a complete game rather than not being able to match up against contenders. The Dragons’ early 14-0 lead makes that evident. With a little defensive improvement and plenty of regular-season opportunities to make progress, the Dragons still have a shot to have a special season.
Arlington claims another strong win
After a stunning Week 1 win over Byron Nelson, the Arlington Colts suffered a setback against Haslet Eaton.
But the Colts responded with a 52-47 win over Red Oak, a squad that was previously undefeated with wins over Mansfield Summit and Lakeview Centennial. It’s a great sign for the Colts as they aim to compete near the top of District 3-6A.
All Arlington ISD Class 6A squads have taken a noticeable jump this season. The AISD Class 6A programs went 5-0 in Week 3.
Arlington Bowie bounces back
Arlington Bowie, a two-time defending district champion, had a slow start to the season, falling to Rock Hill and South Grand Prairie in close, one-score games.
The Volunteers got back on track, handing Haltom a 21-12 loss to build some momentum ahead of district play. Bowie will face Arlington Lamar, a rising squad with solid wins over Crowley and Justin Northwest, to start its district slate.
Despite Aledo being a heavy favorite to win the District 3-6A title with a 135-game district win streak, Arlington Bowie deserves respect as the reining champion. District foes would be smart not to underestimate the Vols, a squad with proven experience and a winning system.
Arlington Sam Houston stays undefeated
Arlington Sam Houston football was one of those programs that struggled to compete.
With newly hired head coach Bobby Watkins III, that’s a thing of the past. The Texans are off to a 3-0 start in what has been the Fort Worth area’s most impressive season-to-season turnaround; in 2025, the Texans recorded one win.
Sam Houston has already matched its highest win total since 2018 just three weeks into the season. The Texans’ three wins match the programs total win count from the past four seasons.
Arlington Martin stays undefeated
To round out Arlington ISD’s stellar week, Arlington Martin stayed undefeated, claiming a solid 38-21 victory over Crowley.
The strong start is a fantastic sign for Martin, a program looking to get back into the playoffs after missing the past two seasons. The Warriors start their district slate at Glaspie Field against Weatherford on Friday.
Byron Nelson notches first win
Byron Nelson had a rough and uncharacteristic start to the 2026 season, dropping games to Arlington and Lewisville.
Now, the Bobcats have found their first win of the season in a 46-44 performance against Rockwall-Heath. District 4-6A is improving with rising squads such as Keller Central and Haslet Eaton, so Byron Nelson will need every ounce of momentum to compete for the district’s top spots.
The Bobcats will hit the road to start their district slate against Eaton on Friday.
Grapevine defeats Fossil Ridge
It’s been a rough couple of years for Grapevine football; the Mustangs finished with a single win in 2025 and zero in 2024.
Friday’s 24-12 win over Keller Fossil Ridge is a promising sign. The Mustangs have a tough battle in an extraordinarily tough district, including Colleyville Heritage and Argyle, but look for the squad to show signs of steady growth as the program rebuilds itself.
Nine Fort Worth ISD squads victorious
It was a solid week all around for Fort Worth ISD football, as nine squads took home victories: South Hills, Trimble Tech, Southwest, Arlington Heights, Western Hills, Diamond Hill-Jarvis, Wyatt, Carter-Riverside and Eastern Hills.
All the wins were meaningful in one way or another. One that stands out is Diamond Hill-Jarvis’ victory over Polytechnic. Last season, the Eagles snapped a 47-game losing streak. Now, they have two wins, their highest total since 2019 just three weeks into the season.
Fort Worth Chisholm Trail stuns Arlington Seguin
Arlington Seguin has been one of the Fort Worth area’s most consistently solid Class 5A programs the last two years.
That makes Fort Worth Chisholm Trail’s 50-34 victory over the Cougars extremely impressive. The Rangers are coming off a 7-4 season and a bi-district loss to Denton Ryan last season.
Chisholm Trail’s new district is tough, with teams like Azle, Denton Ryan and Denton on the schedule. Still, keep an eye on the Rangers (2-1) to compete for a playoff spot.
This story was originally published September 12, 2026 at 12:26 PM.
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Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Charles Baggarly is a high school sports editor and reporter for the Fort Worth Star Telegram. He graduated from TCU in 2023 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and served as TCU 360’s sports editor. Connect with Charles on Twitter or via email.