The latest week of Texas high school football has concluded with significant developments as defending champions faced elimination in the UIL quarterfinals. The TAPPS championships were also decided, showcasing the prowess of private school teams.
Dallas Parish Episcopal School reclaimed the TAPPS Division I title with a narrow 14-7 victory over Plano Prestonwood Christian last Friday. This rematch followed an earlier season encounter where the Panthers had triumphed 38-35. Junior Jonathon Phillips was instrumental for Episcopal, scoring both of their touchdowns. The team had previously fallen short in last year”s finals against Argyle Liberty Christian, but this victory marked their sixth consecutive Division I title from 2019 to 2023. A crucial interception by Kingston Thornton in the closing moments secured the win.
Meanwhile, Fort Worth All Saints celebrated their second consecutive Division II title with a commanding 34-16 win against Houston Second Baptist. Quarterback Gavin Beard threw for 250 yards and four touchdowns, with three of those scores going to Hudson Reasor. On Saturday, Lubbock Christian School and Dallas First Baptist Academy also claimed championships. Lubbock Christian halted Dallas Christian”s hopes for a fifth straight title, winning 36-30, while Dallas First Baptist avenged last year”s Division IV finals loss with a 62-44 victory over Bryan Brazos Christian, highlighted by senior Dylan Jones”s 409 passing yards and five touchdowns.
Across the UIL quarterfinals, 40 games were played, including 19 rematches from the regular season. Notably, East Bernard turned the tables on El Maton Tidehaven, winning 34-31 after previously suffering a 59-6 defeat. Aledo achieved a remarkable turnaround against Denton Ryan, winning 43-17 after narrowly escaping the earlier match with a 15-14 victory. Duncanville avenged their only loss of the season with a 35-27 win over Waxahachie, while Carthage dominated Athens 63-28 in their rematch.
Unfortunately for some defending champions, their title defenses came to an end. Allen fell to North Crowley, marking the end of their run as Class 6A Division I champions. Similarly, Columbus, the Class 3A Division I champions, lost to Yoakum 20-14 in another rematch, with key performances from X”Zavier Barnett and Germarquis Robinson leading the scoring for Yoakum.
Despite the losses of these champions, other titleholders remain in contention, including Gordon (6-man Division 1), Jayton (6-man Division 2), Muenster (2A Division 2), and several others from various classifications.
As the semifinals approach, several high-stakes matchups are set, featuring undefeated teams that will face off against each other. Notable games include Aledo versus Frisco Lone Star in Class 5A Division I, and Brock against Carthage in Class 4A Division II.
This year”s semifinals will also see three teams making their debut in this stage of the playoffs, including Houston C.E. King, Mount Enterprise, and Peaster, highlighting the competitive landscape of Texas high school football.
