Five thoughts from Week 9: Chaos in District 4-6A; stars for Lewisville, Richland return

Here are five thoughts from Week 9 of the Texas high school football season.

District 4-6A chaos

Keller looked like it was on its way to finishing second in District 4-6A after losing just 40-28 to eight-time state champion last week in a game in which Keller led 28-27 in the fourth quarter. It seemed like the only team left that might have a shot to beat Keller was Keller Central in a matchup that will take place next week.

Someone forgot to tell Justin Northwest.

TCU pledge Caris Sela ran for 180 yards and three touchdowns on 36 carries as Northwest beat Keller 27-14 on Thursday. Northwest overcame 223 rushing yards and two touchdowns from Keller running back Blake Dyniewski and won for the first time this season, improving to 1-7 overall and to 1-4 in 4-6A.

While Carroll has separated itself from the pack and has a two-game lead in the district, second place is now up for grabs. Keller (6-2, 3-2) fell into a tie with Northwest Eaton (4-4, 3-2) and Keller Central (6-2, 3-2) for second place, with Trophy Club Byron Nelson and Keller Timber Creek one game back with two district games remaining. Keller will close the regular season against Eaton after playing Keller Central next week.

New QB sparks Argyle

Argyle lost star quarterback Hayes Hackney earlier this week when he was ruled ineligible by a local district executive committee. The DEC ruled that Hackney did not meet the University Interscholastic League’s criteria for a bona fide residence in Argyle ISD or at Argyle High School after transferring from Prosper Walnut Grove in the offseason.

Hackney plans to appeal that ruling to the UIL’s state executive committee, but while Argyle waits for that to be heard, it turned to backup quarterback Cobe Wilson on Friday night. All Wilson did was go 16-for-22 and throw for 219 yards and three touchdowns as the state’s third-ranked Class 5A Division II team beat Colleyville Heritage 45-35.

Wilson threw touchdown passes of 26 yards to Oklahoma State pledge Ake O’Neal and 59 and 23 yards to Texas Tech pledge Julian Caldwell as Argyle (8-1, 5-0) clinched the District 3-5A Division II title. Wilson got plenty of help from running back Logan Rexroat, who rushed for 239 yards and three touchdowns.

Lewisville QB returns

Laykon Brassfield was back at quarterback for Lewisville on Friday after being ruled eligible by the UIL’s state executive committee Thursday. The UIL granted Brassfield’s appeal for varsity eligibility by a 6-0 vote, determining that his family did establish residence in the Lewisville attendance zone after he had previously been ruled ineligible by a DEC.

Brassfield had missed the last four games, but he went 22-for-38 for 269 yards and two touchdowns as Lewisville beat Flower Mound 28-18, rallying from an 18-14 deficit going into the fourth quarter. Lewisville improved to 5-0 in District 5-6A and remained one game ahead of Denton Guyer, a team that Lewisville beat 42-7.

Brassfield scored on a 1-yard run with 1:31 remaining to give Lewisville a 21-18 lead. The defense then wrapped up the victory as Ole Miss pledge Taelyn Mayo scored on a 38-yard interception return for a touchdown 16 seconds later.

Huge comeback for Red Oak

In a crucial game in District 11-6A, Mansfield Lake Ridge looked like it was headed toward a victory that might propel it to the playoffs. Lake Ridge led Red Oak 38-17 with 3:29 left in the third quarter after a 93-yard touchdown pass from DeShawn Edwards to Jayden Evans.

But it was all Red Oak from there, as it scored the final 24 points to rally for an improbable 41-38 victory that leaves it tied with Duncanville for third place in 11-6A. Daylan Johnson’s 1-yard touchdown run with 6:33 left tied it, then Andrew Casillas’ 29-yard field goal with 2:30 remaining won it.

Red Oak is one game ahead of Lake Ridge and Crowley with two district games remaining and has beaten both of them. Red Oak plays last-place Skyline next week before finishing the regular season against nationally ranked North Crowley.

Richland star is back

Richland four-star running back Jayshon Gibson had missed the last two games with a sprained shoulder joint, but the UCLA pledge returned with a bang Thursday night. Gibson, rated the 30th-best running back in the nation in the Class of 2027, ran for 179 yards and a touchdown in a 27-20 win over Garland Naaman Forest, and he had a 44-yard run to seal the win as Richland clinched a playoff berth.

Gibson has now run for 1,185 yards and 19 touchdowns, both ranking among the Dallas-area leaders. Richland went 2-0 without Gibson as Isaiah White ran for 361 yards and four touchdowns in wins over Birdville and Carrollton Newman Smith, and those two and quarterback Brett Kates give Richland one of the best running attacks in the Dallas area.

The win over Naaman Forest was crucial, as it allowed Richland (8-1, 4-1) to remain alone in second place in District 6-5A Division I, one game behind Highland Park. Playoff seeding will be crucial, as Richland will face a team from District 5-5A Division I in the first round of the playoffs, likely either McKinney North, Frisco Reedy or Melissa.

Subscribe

This article originally published at Five thoughts from Week 9: Chaos in District 4-6A; stars for Lewisville, Richland return.