The Aledo Bearcats celebrate with the trophy after defeating Denton Ryan in a UIL Class 5A Division I Quarterfinal on Friday Dec. 05, 2025 at Northwest ISD Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas.
Bob Booth
Special to the Star-Telegram
Week 1 of the Texas high school football season is here.
Check out the Star-Telegram’s five games to watch:
Aledo vs. North Crowley, 7 p.m. Friday at Crowley ISD Stadium
This game is intriguing for many different reasons. North Crowley, No. 4 in the state in Class 6A in the Dave Campbell’s rankings, will host No. 16 Aledo, making its first appearance as a 6A school.
North Crowley has one of the best defensive secondaries in the state, and maybe country, led by EliJajuan Houston, Jerry Outhouse Jr. and Braylen Cunningham. Head coach DeMarcus Harris, who takes over for Ray Gates, will also have a strong stable of running backs and receivers in Kiante Ingram, G’Yrell Smith, Damarion Mays, Hayden Green and Kade Smith.
Aledo passed the eye test and looked strong in its scrimmage with Southlake Carroll. Tre Williams takes over at quarterback and looked good with help from receivers Maddox Nurse, Kane Lanier and Cade Nussbaum.
Running backs Jeremiah Johnson and sophomore Izzy Roberts also had good outings. The Bearcats should be strong on defense led by Tymon Meeks in the middle, Cole Cox at linebacker and Jordan Hall in the secondary.
Aledo has a record 12 state championships and hadn’t gone two consecutive years without a title appearance since the 2009 season, before falling in the state semifinals last season and reaching the state quarterfinals in 2024 before bowing out.
North Crowley won its second state title in 2024 and was 12-2 in 2025 with an appearance in the state quarterfinals.
Can the Panthers’ defense handle Aledo’s strong offensive line? Can the Bearcats move the ball against the experienced, quick defensive backfield of North Crowley? Can North Crowley’s offense crack Aledo’s stout defense?
Argyle Liberty Christian at FW All Saints Episcopal, 7 p.m. Friday
All Saints, the defending Division II champions, started the season as the No. 2 team in the private school rankings, but pounded No. 1 Dallas Parish Episcopal, the reigning Division I champs, 31-11 to open the season. The Saints will continue their challenging non-district slate hosting No. 6 Liberty Christian.
Head coach Jason Witten has departed to the University of Oklahoma, but son Cooper Witten is back at linebacker to lead the Warriors. Liberty Christian dropped a heartbreaker in the season opener, losing a big lead before falling to Midland Christian 66-63.
All Saints quarterback Brailon Davis, who missed last season with an injury, was stellar throwing for 258 yards and two touchdowns against Parish. Noah Tarrant caught both scoring passes, 12 and 63 yards, and finished with five catches for 106 yards.
Jaytn Briles had four receptions for 121 yards with Brayden Boults carrying the load at running back with 79 yards on 18 carries with scoring runs of 1 and 18 yards. Kingston Beyer and Jet Thomas anchored a defense that allowed Parish just 55 yards of offense in the second half if you take out a 74-yard scoring pass.
Anna vs. Colleyville Heritage, 7 p.m. Friday at Mustang-Panther Stadium
Colleyville Heritage ran into a buzz saw in the first round of the playoffs last season, losing to state semifinalist Melissa, but the Panthers have seven offensive and five defensive starters returning, so hopes are high to make a deeper run this time around.
The Panthers have quite a test to start the season as Anna, No. 5 in Class 5A Division II, comes calling. The Coyotes also lost to Melissa in the playoffs last season in the third round.
Colleyville Heritage has a stable of receivers returning including Trevi Preische and Lucas Sunwall. Lane Vargas threw for 386 yards and six touchdowns as a freshman last season and looks to be the leader to takes the reins at quarterback.
Isaiah Omar (DE) and Kamden Blaxon (LB) will lead a young defense. Anna will also be strong on offense and young, inexperienced defense.
The Anna offensive line will be a strength with Cedar Hill move in Juelz Carter looking to make an impact at running back.
Springtown at Brock, 7:30 p.m. Friday
Springtown, No. 3 in Class 4A Division I, and Brock, No. 6 in Class 4A Division II, square off in an early showdown of two of the best in Class 4A. Both teams had deep runs in the playoffs last season with the Porcupines reaching the third round in 4A DI and Brock making it to the state semifinals in Class 4A Division II.
Kaine Hill should be under center for his third season for Springtown with Pilot Grubis returning as Hill’s favorite target. Linebackers Rome Ewell and Kasen Beaman anchor the defense.
Quarterback Holt Frazier, running back Bryer McDonald and tight end Davis Lee should make the Eagles tough to contain on offense. Brock also has a pair of elite linebackers in Hayden Waller and Jack Farhat.
This should be a slobber knocker.
Southlake Carroll vs. Jenks (OK), 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Cotton Bowl
Any other week and this game would likely garner top billing. Two schools with tradition rich squads face off in the Stateline Showdown with Jenks, ranked No. 3 in Oklahoma, having captured 18 state title with Carroll, No. 8 in Texas in Class 6A, nabbing eight championships.
Jenks last title came in 2021 and the Trojans went 10-2 last season, losing in the state semifinals. It was 2012 the last time the Dragons won it all, but Carroll reached the state title game in 2024 and went 14-1 last season, bowing out in the state semifinals.
First-year Carroll coach Lee Munn, the former Defensive Coordinator, will have his hands full, especially since the Dragons have no returning starters on defense. Jenks returns eight starters on both offense and defense after a record setting season in 2025 where the Trojans averaged 53 points per game—the second-highest mark in school history—while piling up 513 yards per game and 3,270 passing yards, both program records.
Much of that production is back led by senior quarterback Landon Kizzar who threw for 3,000 yards and 29 touchdowns and his top target Kailib Dillard who produced 1,300 receiving yards on 75 catches while also making 80 tackles and four interceptions on defense.
Carroll had a pedestrian showing in its scrimmage against Aledo, but the cupboard on offense is hardly bare with receivers Blake Gunter (55 receptions-1,224 yards-18 TDs), Brody Knowles (40-849-7) and Dez Bryant, Jr.