Best first-round matchups

Dickinson (9-1) vs. Pearland (10-0), 7 p.m. Friday, The Rig This is the best bi-district matchup in the Houston area, and it easily could be a regional semi or better. Dickinson’s lone stumble was a 35-28 loss to Clear Springs in Week 8. Pearland rolled in its first season under coach Ricky Tullos with help from Oklahoma transplant J.D. Head at quarterback. This series goes back decades, but their last two meetings were in the area playoffs, with Dickinson winning 35-21 in 2014 and 26-23 in 2015. Cy-Fair (8-2) vs. Lamar (7-3), 7 p.m. Friday, Delmar Stadium Cy-Fair is the reigning 6A Division II champions but it’s back in Division I, where the Region III road is much tougher, starting with this premier pairing. It finished the season on a four-game winning streak. Lamar clinched its ninth consecutive undefeated district title with its 61st consecutive district win last week. Lamar won the last playoff meeting with Cy-Fair 15-14 in 2016. Foster (6-4) vs. Port Arthur Memorial (9-1), 7 p.m. Friday, Memorial Stadium, Port Arthur Foster was surprisingly inconsistent, but it nearly shocked Shadow Creek before falling 35-34, and it has gone at least three rounds deep in each of the last three postseasons. Port Arthur Memorial, whose only loss was to New Caney (38-21), made the regional semis the last two years, falling both times to Temple, which went on to the 5A Division I final in 2016. This is the first meeting between Foster and Memorial.