Arlington Heights running back Carson James (1) beats Brewer cornerback Jaiden Carrigan (12) to the end zone during the second half of a UIL Conference 5A D1 Bi-District playoff game between Arlington Heights and Brewer at Farrington Field in Fort Worth, Texas, Friday, Nov. 14, 2025.
Bob Booth
Special to the Star-Telegram
The UIL Texas high school football bi-district round is over, and several Fort Worth-area players rose to the occasion. Which player had the best game?
You tell us. Vote for the Star-Telegram Fort Worth-area High School Football Player of the Week.
The poll will remain open until 4 p.m. Thursday.
See a good performance in the bi-district round? Send a Player of the Week nomination to the Star-Telegram (cbaggarly@star-telegram.com).
Charles Baggarly is a high school sports editor and reporter for the Fort Worth Star Telegram. He graduated from TCU in 2023 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and served as TCU 360’s sports editor. Connect with Charles on Twitter or via email.
Every year, the bi-district opening round creates matchups that are all but a formality.
In some cases, districts match up well to create competitive matchups, but inevitably, there are going to be plenty of teams that get run off the field.
The average margin of victory in matchups with a Fort Worth-area team involved was 32.26 points. The largest margin of defeat was Fort Worth Carter-Riverside’s 77-0 loss to Alvarado.
Although opening-round matchups pit state powers against inferior teams, that doesn’t take away from the accomplishment of making the playoffs. For a team like Carter-Riverside that played in the postseason for the first time since 1995, there are plenty of reasons to be proud despite the final score.
Other lopsided matchups include Byron Nelson’s 42-14 victory over Mansfield and Southlake Carroll’s 35-0 win over Crowley.
In Class 5A, Fort Worth Wyatt, Chisholm Trail and Saginaw suffered heavy losses to state powers Richland, Denton Ryan and Aledo, respectively.
Melissa ran away with a huge 41-10 victory over Colleyville Heritage, which ended the Panthers’ season in the opening round for the second consecutive season.
In Class 4A, Springtown shut out Lake Worth 55-0, Decatur trounced Castleberry 63-14 and Brock beat Dunbar 49-0.
One school made program history: Eagle Mountain. The Knights, in their second year, won their first playoff game with a 28-12 win over Fort Worth Benbrook.
District 3-5A Division II struggles
With the exception of Argyle, District 3-5A Division II squads struggled against District 4-5A Division II.
Mansfield Timberview lost 35-25 to Anna while Colleyville Heritage wasn’t even close, falling 41-10 to Melissa. Arlington Seguin lost to Walnut Prosper Grove, 35-21.
Both districts are among the best in North Texas, but it is obvious District 3-5A Division II has the upper hand in what has been a treacherous first-round pairing the last two seasons.
Mansfield Timberview held a No. 2 Fort Worth-area Class 5A ranking, while Heritage was right behind at No. 3. Arlington Seguin held a No. 5 ranking.
Although the rest of the district got bounced, Argyle flexed its strength with a 56-0 beatdown of Lucas Lovejoy, a squad led by former Southlake Carroll head coach Todd Dodge, a seven-time state champion.
Argyle (10-1) will face Abilene Cooper (7-4) at 7 p.m. Friday at Godley’s Wildcat Stadium.
Allen, North Crowley stand out
Mansfield Lake Ridge (9-2) defeated Euless Trinity 47-38 in the Class 6A Division I bracket. What does this mean for the group as a whole?
It suggests that North Crowley, the 2024 Class 6A Division I state champion, should still be considered to be on another level from the pack, considering the Panthers’ emphatic 62-17 victory over Lake Ridge in district play.
How the Lake Ridge Eagles fare against Odessa Permian, and potentially Allen in the next round, will give us a look at how other squads could compare to North Crowley. Speaking of the Allen Eagles, they had a tough first-round matchup against Lewisville, but secured a 22-15 victory.
North Crowley and Allen have faced each other in the playoffs the past two seasons, with the Panthers getting the upper hand both times. To set up a rematch, the Panthers will have to get through Midland Legacy and potentially a red-hot Coppell squad.
The road ahead will be tough. North Crowley is aiming to make a state semifinal for the third consecutive season, where a rematch with Duncanville could be looming.
Heading out west
It’s the time of year when many Fort Worth-area teams travel west to meet in the middle with area-round opponents.
Last season, local squads did well in the area round, winning 13 of 17 games (76%). Only one team lost while traveling west: Saginaw.
Arlington Bowie, Kennedale and Springtown also fell in the 2024 area round to opponents east of the Fort Worth area. What does that mean for the area-round teams this year? Things can change, but the Dallas-Fort Worth teams are often looked upon as favorites for good reason. The numbers back it up.
Check out the Star-Telegram’s area-round pairings for updates on game times and locations.
This story was originally published November 15, 2025 at 11:49 AM.
Charles Baggarly is a high school sports editor and reporter for the Fort Worth Star Telegram. He graduated from TCU in 2023 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and served as TCU 360’s sports editor. Connect with Charles on Twitter or via email.
Arlington Heights quarterback Carmelo Carter (14) attempts to round the left corner during the first half of a UIL football game between Arlington Heights and Paschal at Farrington Field in Fort Worth, Texas, Friday Nov. 07, 2025.
Bob Booth
Special to the Star-Telegram
The Texas high school football regular season is over, and bi-district matchups are finalized.
The UIL bi-district round can be lopsided at times. In some cases, certain districts don’t match up well with others — there are levels to Texas high school football, and the gaps between playoff squads can be significant.
Still, there are several competitive matchups to keep an eye on.
Euless Trinity (8-2) will face Mansfield Lake Ridge (8-2) at 7 p.m. Friday at Newsom Stadium. Historically, Trinity would dominate this matchup, but the Lake Ridge Eagles have made significant strides this season.
Another game that should be evenly matched is Fort Worth Arlington Heights (9-1) vs. White Settlement Brewer (7-3), which is scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday at Farrington Field. The Yellow Jackets have been dominant in District 4-5A Division I, while Brewer has scratched and clawed for a playoff spot while taking losses to powerhouses such as Aledo, Denton Ryan and Richland.
There are some interesting matchups in Class 5A Division II, too. District 3-5A Division II and District 4-5A Division II are some of the deepest in Texas — multiple squads have the potential to make deep runs. To do that, however, they have to get past the daunting first round.
If they do, the path to the regional finals becomes way easier. Colleyville Heritage (7-3) will face Melissa (7-2) at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Melissa High School. Mansfield Timberview (7-3) will face Anna (8-2) at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Anderson Stadium.
Several area squads end seasons
For many area squads, this week’s regular-season finale was the last game of the season.
And with the season ending, so do the high school football careers of senior athletes. A few teams fell just short of reaching the playoffs.
After a 5-0 start to the season, L.D. Bell dropped five straight, ending the year just outside of playoff contention. Keller Central had the same fate; the Chargers made massive strides in 2025, finishing with five wins after only having one victory in 2024.
Central finished with more than three wins for the first time since 2019 — it was a wildly successful season for Eric Vance in his first year as head coach at Central. The success could be a foundation for more growth.
A program like Arlington Martin fell short of expectations, but showed a lot of grit after losing star defensive end Jesse Ford to a season-ending injury in non-district play. Martin’s offense averaged 41.5 points, and the Warriors ended the year on a good note with a 49-48 overtime victory over Arlington.
With Boswell’s loss to Mansfield Lake Ridge, Crowley heads to the playoffs via point advantage in a three-way tiebreaker with the Pioneers and Mansfield Legacy.
Both Boswell and Mansfield Legacy showcased improvement. Boswell had one win in 2024, while Mansfield Legacy had three victories. Both squads finished with a 4-6 overall record.
Crowley’s reward is a matchup with the No. 1-ranked Southlake Carroll Dragons at 7 p.m. Thursday at Dragon Stadium. The Eagles have had an up-and-down year, and now they’ll face another state power, one week removed from a loss against North Crowley.
In that game, Crowley showcased tons of fight, especially in the first half. The Eagles led North Crowley 6-0 at the break, and then the 2024 Class 6A Division I champions found a groove in the second half for a 27-6 victory.
This story was originally published November 8, 2025 at 12:23 PM.
Charles Baggarly is a high school sports editor and reporter for the Fort Worth Star Telegram. He graduated from TCU in 2023 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and served as TCU 360’s sports editor. Connect with Charles on Twitter or via email. Support my work with a digital subscription
Fort Worth Amon Carter-Riverside runs onto the field during a high school football game against Fort Worth Diamond Hill-Jarvis at Handley Field in Fort Worth, Texas, Friday, October 31, 2025. Carter-Riverside won 49-32.
Liana Bell
Southwest Media
FORT WORTH
Friday night’s game was an Eagle-to-Eagle showdown with Fort Worth Carter-Riverside (3-6, 2-3 District 5 4A-1) facing off against Fort Worth Diamond Hill-Jarvis (1-8, 0-5 District 5 4A-1). The Carter-Riverside Eagles won this battle with a score of 49-32.
Carter-Riverside has a chance to make it to the playoffs if they beat Western Hills on Friday, November 7, at Scarborough-Handley Field. “Beat Western Hills and make it to the playoffs is what I want next,” Deandre Fields said.
But to get to that goal, they had to get past Aaron Chavez and the Diamond Hill Eagles Friday night at Scarborough-Handley Field.
Starting strong for the Carter-Riverside Eagles, Bobby Fields received the opening kickoff and ran for 37 yards. With 10:03 remaining in the first quarter, Carter-Riverside’s Deandre Fields scored his team’s first touchdown. Carter-Riverside led 7-0.
Chavez made the first score for his Eagles after completing a 56-yard touchdown with 1:45 left in the first quarter. The 2-point conversion was good for Diamond Hill. Diamond Hill led 8-7.
But the Carter-Riverside Eagles weren’t going to let them have it that easy. Bobby Fields ran for 51 yards, ending the first quarter with a score of 14-8. Two minutes into the second quarter, Carter-Riverside maintained its momentum with an impressive play by Edward Garcia, who intercepted a pass and ran 81 yards.
Keeping up their streak, DeAndre Fields notched a Pick 6 with a 45-yard return, bringing the score to 21-8 with 6:02 left in the second quarter. Fields’ good night continued into halftime when he was named homecoming king. He said winning this honor from his peers gave him the boost to lead his team to victory.
“It influenced me a lot,” Fields said. “The energy was there.”
The energy was also there for Ryan Walters. With 1:52 left in the second quarter, Walters scored a touchdown for the Carter-Riverside Eagles which put the score at 28-8. But Diamond Hill-Jarvis responded just 0:28 left in the second quarter with a touchdown of their own from Elijah Hernandez to Isaiah Lewis on the nine-yard line.
The two-point conversion was good, ending the first half with Carter-Riverside leading 28-16. In the third quarter, Walters scored another touchdown for Carter-Riverside. Then at 9:37, Diamond-Hill’s Hernandez passed it to Dominic Davis, scoring another touchdown for the Eagles.
The two-point conversion was good and brought the score to 35-32 for Diamond Hill. Carter-Riverside’s Walters clapped back with a red zone touchdown. Carter-Riverside led 42-32 with 9:37 remaining in the game.
The final score of the night also came from Walters. He made a 26-yard touchdown with 1:06 left in the game. Up next, Diamond Hill-Jarvis plays against Eastern Hills on Friday, November 7, at Scarborough-Handley Field at 4 p.m.
Editor’s note: This story was produced by members of FW Southwest High School’s advanced media program.
This story was originally published November 1, 2025 at 12:43 AM.
Here are the top Fort Worth-area Friday night storylines to keep an eye on:
Birdville, Brewer to clash for positioning
District 3-5A Division I is a very competitive group with Denton Ryan, Richland and Aledo all with the potential to make a state championship run.
That last playoff spot for the fourth-place team, however, is usually up for grabs. In 2024, the Azle Hornets rose to the occasion, grabbing the brass ring to secure a spot in the postseason.
This year, it appears two other teams are in the mix for that final spot: White Settlement Brewer (4-2, 2-2) and Birdville (4-3, 3-2).
Brewer and Birdville will clash at 7 p.m. Friday at Birdville FA/AC. The winner will receive a significant leg up in seizing the district’s final playoff spot.
Fort Worth Arlington Heights to face Wyatt
The District 4-5A Division I title race is the most competitive in the Fort Worth area.
Fort Worth Wyatt (5-1, 4-0) is the front-runner, but all of that can change in an instant. The Chaparrals will face Arlington Heights (6-1, 4-1) at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Farrington Field; the talented Yellow Jackets are coming off a tough 50-47 loss to Saginaw.
If Arlington Heights manages to defeat Wyatt, multiple teams could be in the hunt for a district title, including Heights, Saginaw and Paschal. Chisholm Trail, despite two close losses to Arlington Heights and Wyatt, could still compete for a playoff spot.
A big game for Colleyville Heritage
Colleyville Heritage, which has made the postseason every year since 2005, has a lot on the line Friday.
If Heritage (3-3, 2-2 District 3-5A Division II) falls to Arlington Seguin (5-2, 3-2), it’ll have an uphill battle to make the playoffs. The Panthers are competing with Seguin and Timberview for the fourth playoff spot, and they already lost to the Wolves.
Heritage has been one of the more consistent Fort Worth-area programs since head coach Jerry Edwards was hired ahead of the 2023 season. The fact that the Panthers have to scratch and claw for a playoff spot says something about the toughness of the district.
Heritage will face Seguin at 7 p.m. Friday at Mustang-Panther Stadium.
Keller takes on Euless Trinity
Although Keller (3-4, 2-3) lost to L.D. Bell in district play, its arguably one of the more competitive squads in District 4-6A.
Now, the Indians have a big opportunity to prove themselves against Euless Trinity (4-2, 2-2), a tough opponent, at 7 p.m. Friday at Pennington Field.
For Keller and Trinity, it’s an opportunity to seize an advantage in what should be a tight 4-6A playoff race. L.D. Bell, Keller Central and Haslet Eaton are all in contention for postseason spots, so every win from this point is crucial.
A test for Arlington Bowie
Arlington Bowie, the defending District 8-6A champion, has one of its bigger tests of the season Friday.
The Volunteers (4-2, 3-0) will face Arlington (4-1, 2-1) at 7 p.m. Friday at Maverick Stadium. Bowie is undefeated in district play, while Arlington’s sole loss came to South Grand Prairie (5-0, 3-0), a squad that could challenge for the district title.
One key player to watch is Bowie’s Jayden Bibbs, who threw five touchdown passes against Arlington Martin in Week 7. Don’t count out the Colts, who have scored 28 or more in all of their games this season.
Charles Baggarly is a high school sports editor and reporter for the Fort Worth Star Telegram. He graduated from TCU in 2023 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and served as TCU 360’s sports editor. Connect with Charles on Twitter or via email.
.png "Fort Worth Amon Carter-Riverside runs onto the field during a high school football game against Fort Worth Diamond Hill-Jarvis at Handley Field in Fort Worth, Texas, Friday, October 31, 2025. Carter-Riverside won 49-32.")
