Fort Worth high school football championships will be decided by rematches of last year’s bi-district championship games.

In District 5-4A, Eastern Hills (8-1) hosts Kennedale (8-1) Friday night at Farrington Field to settle the score from last year’s playoff dust up. In District 4-5A, Arlington Heights (9-0) travels to Brewer (7-2) Thursday night to either finish the regular season undefeated or with a loss, share the district title in a three-way tie with Brewer and O. D. Wyatt (8-1). With a win over Heights, Brewer would join Heights and Wyatt as one-loss teams in district play and Heights has the chance to win the district outright with a win over Brewer.

Arlington Heights vs. Brewer (2025)

We told you at the beginning of the season that good football is back in Fort Worth and last week’s Wyatt/Heights matchup lived up to the hype on the field and in the stands. This week, district championships and playoff pairings are on the line. Eastern Hills is in a district with newcomers Benbrook and Kennedale. With Arlington Heights now facing Brewer in the regular season, teams are bound to face fierce competition earlier in the playoffs. 

Last year, Eastern Hills’ playoff run was ended by Celina, but Heights made it to the Regional round and faced a juggernaut Aledo team loaded with talent on both sides of the ball. Not to get ahead of themselves, Heights is focused on this week’s game and the team in front of them. Coach Curtis James said the final tally factored into his late game decisions against Wyatt. “I knew those kids were gonna give us every ounce they had…I should’ve just took a knee and ran the clock out and did the smart thing but, worrying about this tying system because you got a good team you may face next week. And, last year it was a three-way tie almost so you got to think ahead so that makes you mess up here. We had the time on our side, we had no timeouts. Take three knees and that was it but we did that.”

About the upcoming match against Brewer, Coach James acknowledges the implications of the rematch. “I just know that it’s going to be a tough, tough game, they’re a very good team. They feel like they let one slip against Wyatt and it should have been them undefeated against us undefeated this week. So I told them (his team) we kind of have the tougher road because if Wyatt won tonight, they’re district champions outright and Brewer knows now we beat Watt. Now I know how it felt last year when Wyatt lost last year, I said, okay, now we’re all tied. We just got to win out. So it gives you a new hunger and a new going. So I got to remind these kids how that went. So that right there will be my preach all week. Guys, remember how we got motivated last year? Brewer’s the same way this year. We expect nothing short of another thriller as both teams make their way to the playoffs.”

Eastern Hills vs. Kennedale (2025)

I’m just trying to be 1-0 each week!
-Coach Devvin Anderson

In District 5-4A, Coach Devvin Anderson has his young team primed and ready to at the very least match last year’s playoff momentum as they finish the regular season. Kennedale has made quick work of their new district foes but whether they have an answer for Hills’ speedy skill players and dexterous defenders remains to be seen. Though he has moved on to a promising freshman season at Abilene Christian University, Jamarian Hardemon made his mark on this Hills team and the Hills/Kennedale rivalry. Last year, Hardeman was a playmaker at wide receiver and a ballhawk in the secondary that shut down Kennedale’s late efforts to get backin the game. Eastern Hills is a young team but after soundly defeating Southwest 46-22, Anderson commended his team telling them he saw them grow up that night. Their goals remain in view but tough challenges await. 

Heights’ workhorse Carson James is ready for the battle at Brewer and has carried his team to victory in every big game this season. James’ walk-off touchdown against Paschal as time expired lifted them over the Panthers in a tough rivalry game. Against Wyatt, James scored three times and capped the night with a two-point conversion to ground the high-flying Chaparrals. Eastern Hills continues to dominate in district play behind the tandem of running back Christopher Johnson and quarterback Kendrid Durst. Hills strong play on both sides of the ball comes from its depth of two-way players. As these Fort Worth teams prepare to end their season with hardware in their hands, will the district championship rest within city limits or does it go to their neighbors just outside the city?

We’ll find out Thursday at Bear Stadium and Friday night under the bright lights of Farrington Field. Tickets are still available through Brewer’s Ben Davis Stadium and Eastern Hills.

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