A look back at Arlington Heights’ Earl Campbell clash before playing No. 1 Aledo

Fort Worth Arlington Heights has a massive challenge ahead — the Yellow Jackets will face No. 1 Aledo at 1 p.m. Friday at Crowley ISD Stadium in the Class 5A Division I regional round.

It’s been a historic season for Heights, as the program hasn’t made it to the third round of the UIL playoffs in nearly 52 years. The Jackets also made history for Fort Worth ISD, becoming the first to represent the district in the third round of the UIL’s second-largest classification since O.D. Wyatt in 2000.

The Star-Telegram archives contain a look at Heights’ 1973 season:

Mike Renfro, Arlington Heights face Earl Campbell

In 1973, the last time Arlington Heights made it past the second round, the Yellow Jackets clashed with Tyler High (then called John Tyler High) in a star-studded Class 4A affair.

Earl Campbell, who would go on to win the Heisman Trophy at Texas and rush for 9,407 yards in the NFL en route to a Hall of Fame career with the Houston Oilers, led John Tyler.

Entering the game, he averaged 6.7 yards per carry, and then-Heights coach Merlin Priddy provided some spot-on analysis, saying Campbell was one of the finest high school running backs you would see.

Mike Renfro, who would eventually become Campbell’s teammate on the Oilers and tally 4,708 yards in the NFL, led Heights’ squad.

His brother, Mark Renfro, was also a key contributor and moved on to be a four-year letter winner at TCU.

Jim Shofner, a North Side alum who was hired as head coach of TCU ahead of the game, attended the game at Farrington Field to scout both Earl Campbell and Mike Renfro.

Heights was outmatched by John Tyler as Campbell rushed for 183 yards and four TDs on 18 carries in a 34-12 win. The Lions advanced to take down Arlington Sam Houston in the state semifinals and toppled Austin Reagan to win the state championship.

Linebackers Tim and Steve Campbell, twin brothers and eventual athletes at the University of Texas, led the Lion defense.

Before its matchup against John Tyler, Heights took down Dallas Spruce, giving Fort Worth its first victory in a regional playoff since 1964 — back then, that was the second round of the Texas high school football playoffs. That game drew a crowd of over 10,000 to Farrington Field.

Fast forward to the present

Heights’ 2025 regional round clash is also star-studded. Running back Carson James is averaging 9.4 yards per carry, well surpassing Earl Campbell’s mark.

And similar to 1973, Heights’ upcoming game at Crowley ISD Stadium is a family affair. The Yellow Jackets are led by head coach Curtis James, the father of Carson James, Caynan James and Carter James.

Junior Carter James, twin brother of Carson, has 80 total tackles and 30 tackles for a loss. Carter James also has a team-high 11 sacks with two forced fumbles and two recoveries.

Senior Caynan James, a UTEP pledge, has 90 total tackles and 25.5 for a loss with 8.5 sacks. He also has a fumble recovery and a blocked punt.

Another player with bundles of potential for Heights is TJ Johnson, a BYU pledge. He plays both sides of the ball as an all-around, versatile athlete. He has seven interceptions and a team-high 413 receiving yards.

The orchestrator of the Heights’ offense is sophomore quarterback Carmelo Carter, who complements Carson James with an elite rushing ability of his own. In the area round against San Angelo Central, he rushed for 184 yards and five touchdowns, bringing his season total to 966 rushing yards.

The Bearcats, a state power with a UIL record of 12 state championships, have plenty of star power.

Wide receiver Kaydon Finley, a four-star Notre Dame pledge, is at the top of that list. Finley, a 2024 Star-Telegram All-Area First Team selection, is averaging 97.4 receiving yards per game.

Aledo football hasn’t gone back-to-back seasons without a state championship since the 2008 season.

“We’re not going to have that many chances, so when you get there, you have to give it everything you have,” Curtis James said. “And you never know what happens. … We know that they are human, and they are kids like we are. They just have a really, really good program.”

Carson James said that even though Aledo has a great team, he knows that Heights has the potential to overcome any challenge. He said that with courage and confidence, his team can put together a strong performance.

The last time Aledo played Arlington Heights was in the 2021 season — the Bearcats won that game 64-0. Before that, they matched up in 2013, with Aledo taking an 84-7 victory.