Well football fans, we’ve made it to the ground and pound showdown in District 5-4A as Eastern Hills takes on Southwest! Chris Johnson leads the Highlanders against Manace Kalala and the Raiders in a potential district clinching match. The Raiders will need him to be a menace against a tough Hills defense if they want to finish the game in the win column. Southwest unleashed a prime passing game in their 56-14 win over Dunbar but returned to their ground game to defeat Diamond Hill-Jarvis, even getting Jeremiah Hogg in the end zone for a rare touchdown this season. This will be a game of inches, won in the trenches and the winner of the game will more than likely be the winner of that battle! Last year, the Raiders ran away with the game on a late score to save their homecoming game against the Highlanders. The Raiders stumbled against Carter-Riverside and lost their footing in the playoff race. The Highlanders shocked Kennedale in the first round of the playoffs but fell to a touch Celina team, 70-22. Coming into the season, both teams were intent on besting last year’s record and playoff performances.

“Don’t Disappoint Us!” Southwest wins Homecoming 2025 with a late score

The Highlanders started hot and haven’t looked back. The Raiders let an early one against Benbrook slip and they’re resting comfortably in third place in the district. Tonight’s matchup is replete with postseason implications! With wins tonight and next week, The Raiders could be in position to win the district. With a win tonight, the Highlanders strengthen their case for the district championship with only Kennedale standing in their way.

We told you that good football is back in Fort Worth and we have enjoyed every matchup in 4A, 5A and 6A football each week. In District 4-5A, Arlington Heights and O.D. Wyatt keep rolling ahead of their clash at Farrington Field on Friday, October 30th. In week 8, Heights rolled over North Side and Wyatt clobbered South Hills 50-7. By the time the two meet at Farrington, each team will more than likely come into the match undefeated.

One storyline of the game is legacy. Coach Curtis James is coaching his sons Carson and Carter James. On the other sideline, Coach Zac Criss is continuing his grandfather’s legacy and has taken the team into record shattering territory. Heights plays Trimble Tech and Wyatt plays North Side, both undefeated teams enter the weekend heavily favored with their sights set on their biggest district matchup and the district title. Wyatt shocked Brewer on the road earlier this season and Heights closes the season with a 2025 Bi-District rematch. District 4-5A is looking like Wyatt, Heights, Paschal and Brewer will see the postseason. Paschal is regaining its footing after a walk-off touchdown loss to Arlington Heights. The Panthers blanked Tech in a rainy Homecoming win last week and look to put up a good fight against Brewer. Brewer has only lost two games this season, a pre-district loss to Richland and Wyatt at home.

District 4-5A is looking good and will represent Fort Worth well in the playoffs.

In the District of Doom, North Crowley is king! The Panthers scored 10 times before the half against Lake Ridge in a 76-35 lopsided win. As you can imagine, North Crowley’s defense underperformed against Lake Ridge allowing 35 points and Coach Demarcus Harris wasted no time voicing his displeasure with his defensive players and coaching staff! Something many fans don’t realize is that Coach Harris is deploying his entire roster throughout the game. If you come to a North Crowley game, get there early, because that’s when the highlights hit! To open the second half against Lake Ridge, the Panthers only used about 90 seconds to get back on the board with a dicey catch from Pryce “Spicy” Demerson between two defenders!

Down at the half by so much, Lake Ridge could have chosen to simply run the clock continuously but decided for regular game play. This tenacity is beyond commendable, and will prepare them to put up a good fight against any playoff team this season. Tonight, the Panthers travel to Dallas to face Skyline. The bulk of tonight’s reps could easily go to the second and third string players but don’t be surprised if North Crowley makes a statement with its stars early. As Coach Demarcus Harris says about his squad, “It’s a big game because we’re in it!” Tonight’s game against Skyline can be viewed on the NFHS network.

Under Armour All-Americans Damarion “Champ” Mays and Jerry Outhouse, Jr. each scored against Lake Ridge last week and made their mark on the game. Expect them to have a great game tonight against the Raiders. In other North Crowley news, Elijajuan Houston flipped his commitment from Arizona State to SMU, a choice many expected him to make when he made his initial announcement.

In the battle for second place in the District of Doom, Waxahachie hosts a surging Duncanville team tomorrow night. The game is already tapped for multiple television broadcasts and is slated as “game of the week” on several high school football networks. Which Fort Worth area team(s) are you watching this week? Let us know in the comments and join the conversation on social media!