When it comes to second helpings in football postseasons in North Texas, Argyle could be the best, with playoff seasons usually extending beyond Thanksgiving.
Argyle is 17-1 all time and has a 16-game win streak in area round games heading into its Class 5A Division II contest Friday against Abilene Cooper at Godley. Argyle’s last loss in the area round was a 21-16 decision to Kaufman in a Class 3A Division II matchup in 2008.
Area round success has propelled Argyle to five state championship games since 2011 and two titles.
Here is a breakdown by classification of area programs that made the UIL playoffs this season by teams that have been the most successful, and those who have hit area round walls. The programs must have played at least five area games to be considered for best winning percentage.
High School Sports
Class 6ABest records in area round playoff gamesEuless Trinity: 16-3 (.842)Southlake Carroll: 31-7 (.838)Mansfield: 5-1 (.833)Duncanville: 8-2 (.800)Mansfield Lake Ridge: 4-1 (.800)Denton Guyer: 11-4 (.733)Coppell: 8-3 (.727)Cedar Hill: 10-4 (.714)Waxahachie: 8-4 (.667)Arlington Bowie: 6-3 (.667)
Perhaps it’s appropriate that Trinity and Carroll top this list. They met in arguably the greatest area round game ever in 2006. Carroll won 22-21 with current Carroll coach Riley Dodge scoring the game-winning touchdown before 46,339 spectators at Texas Stadium.
Trinity is close to a 19-0 record in area round games, dropping a 33-29 decision to Fort Worth Trimble Tech in 1983 and a 57-55 double-overtime epic to Midland Legacy in 2023.
Euless Trinity’s Zo Palmore (3) is brought down by Southlake Carroll defensive back Parker Harris (6) during the first half of a District 4-6A high school football game on Friday, Sept. 19, 2025, in Southlake.
Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer
Longest area round winning streaksSouthlake Carroll, 8Duncanville, 7Denton Guyer, 5DeSoto, 5Prosper, 5Coppell, 4Cedar Hill, 3Mansfield, 3North Crowley, 3Trophy Club Byron Nelson, 3
Carroll’s streak started with three straight wins over DeSoto (2017-19) after DeSoto won 48-30 in 2016. Duncanville is 8-1 in area round games under coach Reginald Samples, using the momentum from those wins to advance to five state-championship games, winning two. DeSoto has enjoyed similar success, winning state titles in 2022 and 2023.
Worst records in area round playoff gamesJesuit: 2-9 (.182)North Forney: 1-4 (.200)Rowlett: 1-4 (.200)Sachse: 1-4 (.200)South Grand Prairie: 4-7Â (.364)Forney: 3-5 (.375)Lewisville 3-5Â (.375)Hebron: 4-6 (.400)Wylie East: 2-3 (.400)
Jesuit has been successful since joining the UIL in 2024 with 17 playoff appearances, but the area round has been challenging, although one win was edging Longview 27-25 in 2019 with current Texas A&M running back E. J. Smith rolling for 164 yards and four touchdowns rushing. North Forney (10-1) and standout quarterback Legend Bey would move to No. 5 on this list with a win over Waxahachie (9-1) on Friday.
Longest area round losing streaksSouth Grand Prairie, 5Lake Highlands, 4North Forney, 4Arlington Bowie, 3Jesuit, 3
South Grand Prairie and Lake Highlands have met in the bi-district round each of the past six years, then the winner can’t escape the area round. Lake Highlands (9-2) will try to buck the trend this year, but an 11-0 Allen team awaits.
Class 5ABest records in area round playoff gamesArgyle: 17-1 (.944)Denton Ryan: 15-2Â (.882)Highland Park: 23-5Â (.821)Richland: 4-1 (.800)Midlothian:Â 5-2Â (.714)Colleyville Heritage: 8-4Â (.667)Mansfield Timberview: 6-3 (.667)Midlothian Heritage: 6-3 (.667)Ennis: 11-6 (.647)Frisco Lone Star: 7-4 (.636)
Ryan has almost been as good as their Denton-County neighbors in Argyle, and if not for a 31-21 loss to Abilene in 2023, would have a 10-game winning streak in the area round. Colleyville Heritage has been 6-1 in area round games in the past decade.
Longest area round winning streaksArgyle, 16Mansfield Timberview, 4South Oak Cliff, 4Anna, 3Midlothian, 3Richland, 3
South Oak Cliff’s streak is the past four seasons and eventually led to four state title game appearances and two state championships. Anna has won an area round playoff each of the last three years, but faces Amarillo Palo Duro (10-1) this Friday in Wichita Falls.
Worst records in area round playoff gamesWoodrow Wilson: 0-7Â (.000)Hillcrest: 1-5 (.167)Crandall: 2-8Â (.200)Lovejoy: 4-7 (.364)Terrell: 4-6 (.400)Frisco Wakeland: 2-3 (.400)
Woodrow Wilson has not won a playoff game past the bi-district round since a 48-20 victory over Fort Worth Western Hills in a regional in 1969. Undefeated Terrell (11-0) will try to leave this list with a Class 5A Division II area playoff against Huntsville (7-4) on Friday in Waco.
Longest area round losing streaksWoodrow Wilson, 7Ennis, 4Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Arlington Seguin, 3Frisco Wakeland, 3Hillcrest, 3West Mesquite, 3
The 2020s have been unkind to Ennis, one of the top 10 in winning percentage, with losses between 2020 and 2023. West Mesquite (10-1) is going for its first area round win since 2010 when it takes on Midlothian (8-3) on Friday at Mesquite Memorial Stadium.
Celina running back Evan Koehne (21) finds a huge hole to run against Pinkston during the first half of a Class 4A Division I bi-district high school football game played on November 13, 2025 at Loos Stadium in Addison.
Steve Nurenberg / Special Contributor
Class 4ABest records in area round playoff gamesCelina: 24-6 (.800)Sunnyvale: 4-4Â (.500)
Sunnyvale may have had the most important playoff win in program history in the area round last year with a 27-17 victory over East Texas power Gilmer.
Longest area round winning streaks
Celina would have a 13-game winning streak in the area round if not for a tough draw in 2019, falling to powerhouse Waco La Vega 35-13.
Worst records in area round playoff gamesKimball, 0-8 (.000)Carter: 6-13Â (.316)Van Alstyne: 4-8Â (.333)Lincoln: 7-11: (.389)Kennedale: 8-11 (.421)
Since a Class 4A Division I state runner-up finish in 2017, Kennedale has hit a wall with five straight area round losses, albeit against a who’s who of area football in Celina, Argyle and Melissa.
Longest area round losing streaksKimball, 8Lincoln, 6Van Alstyne, 6Kennedale, 5Carter, 4
While Kimball has not won an area round game, the Knights did reach region finals in 2002 and 2003.
Notes: In years when teams needed to win five playoff games to win a state title, such as in Class 5A from 1990 to 2005, winners of bi-district playoffs advanced to the regional/region-semifinal round and no area round games were played.
The teams that were eliminated from the 2025 playoffs in the bi-district round are Euless Trinity, Mansfield, Cedar Hill, Arlington Bowie, Rowlett, Sachse, South Grand Prairie, Lewisville, Hebron, Wylie East, Colleyville Heritage, Mansfield Timberview, Woodrow Wilson, Hillcrest, Crandall, Lovejoy, Kimball, Carter, Van Alstyne, Lincoln and Kennedale.
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