Another pivotal weekend of high school football begins in the metroplex as the regular season winds toward its end. Here are some of the notable games around the area this weekend.
FRIDAY
Denton Ryan (5-1, 4-1 District 3-5A Division I) at Aledo (8-0, 6-0), 7 p.m.
Aledo has won 22 straight games and is running away with the district, while Ryan is battling Justin Northwest for second place. This is the second week in a row Aledo will be facing a second-place team, destroying Burleson Centennial 42-0 last week. Ryan also blew out Centennial, but Aledo has only allowed 34 points in district play this season.
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Mansfield (5-2, 2-2 District 11-6A) at Waxahachie (5-2, 2-2), 7 p.m.
Mansfield and Waxahachie are looking up at DeSoto and Duncanville in the 11-6A standings but enter this game with third place on the line. While DeSoto and Duncanville will fight it out for the district title, both these teams are in playoff position and will look to strengthen their standing this week. Mansfield may need it more, as DeSoto looms on its schedule, and Waxahachie has games against the teams in the bottom half of the district.
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Frisco Reedy (7-1, 5-1 District 6-5A Division I) at Frisco (6-1, 5-0) 7 p.m., The Ford Center at the Star
The race in District 6-5A Division I has gotten tight as the season reaches the late stages. Frisco is tied with Frisco Lone Star for first place, while Reedy is one game behind. All three have just one loss this season, but Reedy has more ground to make up after a three-point loss to Lone Star earlier in the season.
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Lake Dallas (6-1, 2-1 District 3-5A Division II) at Frisco Emerson (7-1, 3-1), 7 p.m.
Emerson has gone 16-3 over its first season-plus as a varsity football program but lost for the first time against Argyle last week. The game went down to the wire, and Argyle scored the winning touchdown with just 21 seconds left in the game. As a result, the Mavericks fell to second place in the district and would fall behind Lake Dallas with a loss.
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Longview (6-1, 4-0 District 7-5A Divison I) at McKinney North (6-1, 4-0), 7 p.m.
Longview and McKinney North battle for first place in District 7-5A Division I. Longview has played its way to the No.2 ranking in the state with six straight wins since a season-opening loss to McKinney, while McKinney North has won five straight. Whoever wins this game remains unbeaten in district play and stays ahead of Forney, who is also in the running.
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Richardson Pearce (5-2, 3-2 District 7-6A) at Lake Highlands (6-2, 5-1), 7 p.m.
Lake Highlands survived an upset bid from Richardson last week to maintain its hold on first place. This district has had great parity this year, with many of its top teams beating each other. While Pearce sits in fourth place entering the week, it has not beaten anyone above it in the standings, while Lake Highlands has a win over Highland Park to help its case.
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Lewisville (5-2, 3-1 District 6-6A) at Flower Mound Marcus (3-4, 3-1), 7 p.m.
Coppell and Lewisville are the top two teams in the district, but Marcus has risen above the middle of the pack. The Marauders have won three of their four district games, and both teams have only lost to Coppell during district play.
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Denton Guyer (5-2, 3-1 District 5-6A) at Allen (5-2, 4-0), 7 p.m.
Guyer has done well with a demanding schedule, losing only to first-place Prosper and unbeaten Aledo. Now, the Wildcats get another first-place team in Allen, who upset McKinney last week. The Eagles have won five in a row rather handily and are tied with Prosper atop the district with a showdown looming next week.
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Frisco Legacy Christian (6-1, 1-0 TAPPS 2-II) at Tyler Grace Community (6-0, 1-0), 7 p.m.
Frisco Legacy Christian’s only loss came against unbeaten Argyle Liberty Christian, which looks like a state title contender. This week, Legacy battles Tyler Grace Community for first place in the district.
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Celina (7-0, 3-0 District 7-4A Division I) at Dallas Carter (5-2, 2-1), 7:30 p.m.
Celina enters this game ranked No.2 in the state and is fighting Frisco Panther Creek for the district. The Bobcats have not been challenged often this season and have a massive win over No.3 Anna. Meanwhile, Dallas Carter sits right behind the top two teams and is looking to capitalize on an opportunity to gain ground.