UNBEATENS CLASH
This week features some of the top teams in the Houston area and the state going head to head with district championship hopes on the line. Katy vs. Tompkins and Westfield vs. Spring lead the way in that regard, but there are plenty of other key matchups to keep an eye on.
Thursday
CLEAR SPRINGS (2-2, 0-0) AT CLEAR LAKE (3-2, 1-0) | DISTRICT 24-6A
6 p.m. at Challenger Columbia Stadium
Clear Springs boasts the No. 1 offense in District 24-6A with an average of 456.8 yards per game. The Chargers have been balanced on that side of the ball, with 914 yards passing and 913 yards rushing. The offense has been led by three players in particular. Quarterback Cody Kuhlmann has passed for 11 touchdowns against just two interceptions. Running back Xai’Shaun Edwards is leading the district with 601 yards and five scores. While the offense is performing at a high rate, the defense has surrendered at least 27 points in three of its four games. Katy and Tompkins, which enter this week with a combined 10-0 record, handed Clear Springs its only two losses r to begin the season. Clear Springs is 12-1 against Clear Lake since 2008, including a 56-0 victory last season. Clear Lake has the No. 3 offense in the district at 377 yards per game and is averaging 241 yards on the ground. Sophomore Elijah Harris has run for 465 yards and five scores.
MONTGOMERY (4-0, 0-0) AT FULSHEAR (4-1, 1-0) | DISTRICT 10-5A DIVISION II
7 p.m. at Traylor Stadium
Montgomery has been strong offensively this season and enters its district opener on the heels of a 62-32 victory over Oak Ridge. The Bears outscored their four non-district opponents 157-80. Senior quarterback Brock Bolfing has been efficient, completing 69 percent of his passes for 815 yards with 10 touchdowns and four interceptions. Senior running back Jalen Washington has collected 488 yards and four touchdowns while averaging 7.9 yards per carry. Sophomore Traven Lewis-Johnson has contributed 340 yards and four rushing touchdowns. The Bears won their first-ever meeting against Fulshear last season, rolling to a 42-26 home victory. Fulshear has outscored its five opponents 178-78 and is averaging 35.6 points per game. Junior quarterback Parker Williams has thrown for 820 yards and six touchdowns against just one interception. He also has rushed for 515 yards and another seven scores.
Friday
TOMPKINS (5-0, 1-0) AT KATY (5-0, 1-0) | DISTRICT 19-6A 6 p.m. at Legacy Stadium
Katy is 6-1 against Tompkins since 2014, and all but one of those victories have come in dominating fashion. That was far from the case last season, however, as the Falcons essentially won the district crown by virtue of their 24-19 triumph over the Tigers. Katy, however, did not lose after that game as they went on to win the Class 6A Division II state championship. The No. 2 state-ranked Tigers have allowed the fewest points of any team in the district through five games, surrendering just 10.4 per outing. Katy began its quest to regain the district title with a 45-3 victory over Seven Lakes. The team rushed for 281 yards in that game, including a 101-yard, two-touchdown performance from junior Dallas Glass. The Tigers boast two of the top three rushers in the district with junior Seth Davis (745 yards, 6 TDs) and Glass (327 yards, 3 TDs). Both are averaging 7.9 yards per attempt. Tompkins has the No. 2 offense in the district behind Katy, averaging 398 yards per game. The No. 7 state-ranked Falcons have gotten the majority of that production through the air. Senior quarterback Cole Francis has completed 63 percent of his passes for 1,105 yards with 11 touchdowns and one interception. Sophomore running back Caleb Blocker has been a steady force with 300 yards and six touchdowns rushing. Tompkins is plus-7 in turnover differential, thanks in large part to the 12 interceptions the defense has corralled. Senior Maliik Edwards has four picks to lead the way, while Tyler Collins has three and has returned two for touchdowns.
WESTFIELD (4-0, 1-0) AT SPRING (4-0, 1-0) | DISTRICT 14-6A
7 p.m. at Planet Ford Stadium
This is one of the most anticipated rematches of the season in the Houston area after last year’s contest ended with a Hail Mary touchdown by Spring. That final play handed the Lions a 27-24 victory, and it also paved the way for the team to capture the outright district title. Westfield is 15-3 against Spring since 2004 and had won 10 straight before last season. The No. 9 state-ranked Mustangs have been dominant through four games this year, outscoring their opponents 158-43. Westfield opened district play with an emphatic 56-0 victory over Aldine Davis. Senior quarterback Cardell Williams has been leading the offense with 958 passing yards and eight touchdowns. Senior A.J. Holmes, one of the top defensive players in the area, has a team-leading 45 tackles (11.3 per game). Spring has been on fire offensively to begin the season, averaging 53.3 points and 546 yards per game. The No. 11 state-ranked Lions are led by senior quarterback Bishop Davenport, who has completed 70 percent of his passes for 1,317 yards and 17 touchdowns against two interceptions. He has rushed for 349 yards and five scores. The Lions’ defense is allowing just 10.8 points per game.
SUMMER CREEK (4-0, 0-0) AT C.E. KING (5-0, 1-0) | DISTRICT 21-6A 7 p.m. at Panther Stadium
C.E. King is the lone unbeaten team in District 21-6A and joins powerhouses North Shore and Atascocita atop the standings after opening its league slate with a 55-6 victory over Kingwood. The No. 24 state-ranked Panthers are 1-6 against Summer Creek since 2012, but won 49-14 last season. C.E. King already has rushed for more than 1,700 yards as a team and is averaging 342 per game on the ground. The Panthers have two of the top three rushers in the district in seniors Jerrell Wimbley (851 yards, 11 TDs) and D’Koreion Hammond (535 yards, 8 TDs). Wimbley surpassed 3,000 career rushing yards against Kingwood after collecting 111 yards and two touchdowns. C.E. King has the No. 2 defense in district, allowing just 169 yards per contest. The unit has eight takeaways, including six fumble recoveries. Summer Creek boasts the No. 1 offense and defense in the district entering this game. The Bulldogs were idle last week after beating Friendswood, Dekaney, Conroe and Westside in non-district action. The Bulldogs are averaging 62.5 points per game and have scored at least 48 in every outing. The offense is averaging 494 yards per contest, including 294 on the ground. Senior Torrie Curry (381 yards, 10 TDs) and sophomore Lloyd Avant (352 yards, 8 TDs) are leading the way out of the backfield. Summer Creek has committed only one turnover, while the defense has produced eight interceptions and eight fumble recoveries.
Saturday ANGLETON (5-0, 3-0) AT HIGHTOWER (3-1, 2-0) | DISTRICT 10-5A DIVISION I 6 p.m. at Hall Stadium
Angleton has been potent offensively, averaging 48 points and 483 yards per contest. The team has been utilizing two quarterbacks, and both have been effective. Sophomore Adrian Ewells has completed 63 percent of his passes for 612 yards and eight touchdowns. Senior Kaden Brooks has completed 62 percent of his throws for 527 yards and four touchdowns. Angleton will be aiming for its first win against Hightower since a 14-13 victory in 2018. The Hurricanes won 65-45 last season. No. 10 state-ranked Hightower enters this game on the heels of a huge 16-12 victory against Manvel. Hightower received a strong performance from sophomore Jeremy Payne in that game as he rushed for 90 yards on 14 attempts. The most profound showing, however, came from senior Caleb Douglas, who caught 10 passes for 159 yards and a touchdown. Douglas has a team-leading 19 catches for 376 yards and three touchdowns this year.