High school football: 10 things to watch in second week of playoffs.
The field has been cut in half after the first week of the Texas high school football playoffs. It will be cut in half again this week. Here are 10 games from across the state to watch:
6A Division I
1 Allen (11-0) vs. DeSoto (6-5), 9 p.m. Friday, AT&T Stadium, Arlington
DeSoto took a step back, but these two meet in the playoffs for the fourth straight year. This game may not finish until after midnight.
2 Cypress Ranch (10-1) vs. Katy (11-0), 7 p.m. Friday, Tully
Houston’s feature game is last season’s two 6A Region III champions — the Mustangs will be the latest to try and crack Katy’s stout defense.
3 Smithson Valley (8-3) vs. San Antonio Stevens (9-2), 7:30 p.m. Friday, Comalander Stadium, San Antonio
Smithson Valley “upset” undefeated San Antonio Reagan, but the Rangers were in the semifinals as recent as 2008 and went 21-2 from 2012-13.
6A Division II
4 Cibolo Steele (11-0) vs. San Antonio Brennan (9-2), 2 p.m. Saturday, Heroes Stadium, San Antonio
Steele has dominated competition in the San Antonio area and Brennan, a state finalist in 2013, could be its toughest hurdle in Region IV.
6A Division II
5 Denton Guyer (8-3) vs. Southlake Carroll (9-2), 7:30 p.m., Eagle Stadium, Allen
After beating the two-time defending state champions, Southlake Carroll gets a Guyer team led by quarterback Shawn Robinson (TCU).
6A Division II
6 Cypress Creek (7-4) at Strake Jesuit (7-4), 7
p.m. Friday
One of these two will make history — Cy Creek hasn’t reached the third round since 2010 and the Crusaders have never been that far.
5A Division II
7 El Paso Eastlake (10-1) vs. Lubbock Cooper
(9-2), 8 p.m. Friday, Socorro ISD Student Activity Center, El Paso
Eastlake could be this year’s Canutillo, which reached the state semifinals in 2015, and a home game in the second round definitely helps.
5A Division II
8 Cedar Park (110) vs. Kerrville Tivy (11-0), 7 p.m. Friday, Georgetown ISD Athletic Complex
According to the final AP state poll, it’s top-ranked Cedar Park against sixth-ranked Kerrville Tivy, which drives past to Cedar Park to get to Georgetown.
4A Division II
9 Anna (3-8) vs. Perryton (6-5), 7 p.m. Friday, Cache, Okla
There will be a playoff game in another state. Perryton is closer to Denver (420 miles) than Austin (522), while Anna is an hour outside Dallas.
3A Division I
10 Cameron Yoe (10-1) vs. Malakoff (10-1), 7:30 p.m. Friday, Waco ISD Stadium
The Yoemen are looking for their fourth straight state title, but Malakoff is just one of many teams in a loaded region in the way.