HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL AREA GAMES TO WATCH
DAWSON VS. PEARLAND 7 p.m. today, Pearland ISD Stadium
This rivalry rarely disappoints. Dawson won 40-29 last year, and Pearland prevailed 56-27 two years ago. Dawson won back-toback meetings in 2016 and 2017 – with both games decided by less than three points – and Pearland earned consecutive wins in 2014 and 2015. So anything can happen, and often does. Going into this season’s showdown, both are area-ranked and undefeated, with No. 12 Pearland (3-0, 1-0) edging The Woodlands, Memorial and Strake Jesuit, and No. 14 Dawson (3-0, 1-0) handling Clear Falls, Cypress Falls and Alief Hastings. The Oilers have faced the tougher schedule, but the Eagles’ running game has been effective, and they’re averaging 44.3 points per game.
SPRING VS. WESTFIELD 7 p.m. Friday, Planet Ford Stadium
Speaking of rivalry games that always deliver, they don’t come more intense than this one. Unfortunately for Spring (2-0, 1-0), the Lions have frequently come up short, kind of like in this week’s area media poll, where they were just outside the top 20. The Spring ISD rivals played for a regional championship in 2014, with No. 3 Westfield
(2-0, 1-0) winning, and the Mustangs have won the last eight meetings dating back to Spring’s last series win in 2011 (49-37). But it’s not for lack of trying. Westfield escaped 15-12 in 2017, and 38-37 and 24-19 in 2014; and they were trichamps with Klein Collins in 2015 after forfeiting their game.
CYPRESS WOODS VS. BRIDGELAND
7 p.m. Friday, Cy-Fair FCU Stadium
Bridgeland (3-0, 1-0) is playing like a Houston-area powerhouse in only its third varsity season, and the Bears’ impressive performance is reflected in an equally impressive top-five ranking in this week’s area 6A media poll. But the No. 5 Bears appeared ready to ascend while blowing out
Cy Ranch last season – just after making their poll debut – only to run into a Cy Woods team that had its own plans. The Wildcats (2-1, 1-0) – who are unranked – won 20-7 and ended up sharing the district title with Tomball Memorial, while Bridgeland wound up tied for third with Ranch.
LA PORTE VS. BAYTOWN LEE
7 p.m. Friday, Stallworth Stadium
La Porte (2-1, 0-1), which this year moved down in classification, looked like a new 5A power while opening with wins against rival Deer Park and Clear Lake. Then it opened District 9-5A-I play with a 26-3 setback against Port Arthur Memorial. Now the Bulldogs face an uphill battle to make the playoffs, starting with an undefeated Baytown Lee (3-0, 1-0) team that last week humbled Friendswood 30-23. Ganders QB Christian Olige threw for 214 yards and three TDs and rushed for 118 yards in that game, RB Ja’Kenan Davis rushed for 100 yards and a score, and Keke Davis’ late interception sealed it.
KATY VS. TOMPKINS 11 a.m. Saturday, Legacy Stadium
This Katy ISD series has supplanted the Katy-Cinco Ranch rivalry as the key district championship-deciding match up, but the story feels familiar. While Cinco Ranch was the district runner-up to Katy – which has claimed 11 consecutive district titles – 10 times from 2006 to 2017, their games often weren’t close, and that was the case with Katy and Tompkins two years ago, when Tompkins finished second but lost to Katy 66-13. But the area 6A No. 9 Falcons (3-0, 1-0) made it much closer with a late surge last season, before falling 3530, and they’re off to a good start again, with hardfought wins over Magnolia and Clear Springs on the résumé. However, No. 2 Katy (3-0, 1-0) appears to be finding its footing without departed QB Bronson McClelland, as sophomore QB Caleb Koger threw for three scores in last week’s 59-3 win over Seven Lakes.