Denton Ryan fell just short in 2019 dropping 28-22 in the UIL 5A Division I Championship game to Shadow Creek. Since that loss, the Raiders have posted an undefeated season going 13-0 overall and 7-0 to finish first in district. Ryan is coming off of a high after defeating Highland Park last Friday by a score of 17-7. The win marked the first time Ryan has defeated their longtime playoffs rival in over a decade — the last time the Raiders defeated the Scots was in a 2004 non-district matchup with a 21-18 score.
"We knew it was a team that many people said we couldn't beat," said Denton Ryan's All-American, four-star wide receiver/defensive back Billy Bowman Jr. "We wanted to show people we could beat them. We're just focused on one goal — getting a ring this year."
Denton Ryan has a handful of players that fans should pay close attention to in the semifinal matchup against Mansfield Summit on Friday at AT&T Stadium.
Texas signee Ja'Tavion Sanders alongside Oklahoma signee Bowman has posted a combined remarkable 39 receptions for 652 yards and seven touchdowns in just the last three games — against College Station, Longview, and Highland Park. On the season, Sanders has tallied 55 catches for 1,073 yards and 15 touchdowns while Bowman has posted 68 catches for 1,010 yards and 13 touchdowns. Kalib Hicks, a sophomore running back for the Raiders, has averaged over 105 rushing yards per game with about 8 yards per carry in the playoffs. Quarterback Seth Henigan- a Memphis signee- has posted 3,351 passing yards and 36 touchdowns this season with a 68% pass completion rate. In the last seven-straight games, Henigan has thrown at least two touchdown passes. Not to mention a dominating defense who has allowed fewer than 10 points in a game in half of their games this season.
Denton Guyer played a rough game in the 2019 6A Division II UIL State Championship match against Austin Westlake. The Wildcats definitely have a chip on their shoulder after falling 24-0 to lose the title.
Since failing to score in the state title game, Guyer has posted an 11-2 overall season finishing second in district with a 5-1 district record. Their two losses came to Denton Ryan in a non-district matchup where Ryan narrowly defeated Guyer 23-20 and against Allen in a district game where Allen came out victorious with a score of 56-38. The Wildcats have far outscored their opponents this season by over 200 points (554-339) and they're coming off of an incredible 30-24 triple-overtime defeat over Prosper last Saturday.
Guyer's defense- led by Baylor signee defensive lineman Cooper Lanz- has proven to play a key role throughout this season. Last week, Lanz recorded two sacks, six tackles for a loss, and an incredible blocked field goal in the third overtime to help set up the win.
Texas A&M signee, quarterback Eli Stowers also posted a great play against Prosper where he ran for a five-yard touchdown in the third overtime to secure the Wildcats' spot in the semifinals. Despite only throwing six completed passes, two interceptions, and only one touchdown pass, Stowers is ready to continue his drive toward a state title appearance after being injured in the first drive of the state title game in 2019. "Obviously, it was a tough situation last year," Stowers said remembering his injury. "To be able to get this close to a state championship game is a blessing." Stowers has posted three game-winning touchdowns this season.
Another athlete to watch for on Guyer's end is junior Jace Wilson. If you don't recognize the name, you should. The wide receiver is the younger brother of Kansas basketball player, Jalen Wilson. Wilson has proven his role on the Guyer squad and posted a touchdown against Prosper last week.
Guyer looks ahead to winning their first state title since 2013 (when they were classified as a 4A team), but first, they will face Cedar Hill on Saturday at McKinney ISD Stadium.
THE STATUS: VYPE DFW Hoops Rankings in the regular season's final stages; Lancaster, Marcus ascend
With only a few games left in the regular season, several district races in the Dallas-Fort Worth area remain tight.
Notable shifts have occurred in our rankings since two weeks ago, though Allen (26-1; 12-0 in district) and Lake Ridge (28-2; 8-0) continue to hold firm at the top.
However, Lancaster (22-5; 8-1) has made significant progress, climbing into the Top-3 after their 68-60 win over district rival Duncanville.
Just behind them, North Crowley (24-5) is looking to close out their district slate with strong performances, maintaining momentum for the postseason.
Meanwhile, Flower Mound Marcus makes its debut in the DFW Top-10 following a dramatic 53-51 win over Denton Guyer last week.
As the regular season draws to a close and the playoffs approach, teams will be competing for position. Here’s an updated look of the area’s top basketball programs.
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*Parentheses indicates the team's district
*Last section indicates current overall record/district record
*Records are from before games taking place on 1/31
VYPE DFW BOYS TOP-10 (Class 6A-4A)
1. Allen Eagles (6-6A) -- 26-1; 12-0
2. Lake Ridge Eagles (3-6A) -- 28-2; 8-0
3. Lancaster Tigers (11-6A) -- 22-5; 8-1
4. North Crowley Panthers (3-6A) -- 24-5; 6-2
5. Duncanville Panthers (11-6A) -- 16-7; 8-1
6. Plano East Panthers (6-6A) -- 22-4; 10-2
7. FM Marcus Marauders (5-6A) -- 22-7; 8-2
8. Denton Guyer Wildcats (5-6A) -- 24-7; 8-2
9. Mansfield Summit Jaguars (8-5A) -- 23-6; 9-0
10. Frisco Heritage Coyotes (11-5A) -- 24-4; 10-0
Honorable Mentions: Birdville (6-5A), Plano West (6-6A), Crowley (3-6A), Dallas Carter (11-4A), Lake Highlands (7-6A), Prosper (6-6A), Little Elm (5-6A), Highland Park (12-5A), Timberview (8-5A)
THE STATUS: VYPE DFW Final Girls Basketball Rankings as playoffs near; Braswell, Argyle climb
It's almost that time of year again.
Now that regular season reaches its closing stages, the stakes are about to increase dramatically as teams across the state prepare to battle it out in the ensuing playoffs.
As it stands, not much has changed in our rankings from just a couple of weeks ago.
Boswell (31-2) has all but sealed a district title, and the same can be said for Duncanville (23-5), and 4A powerhouse Lincoln (30-2).
Denton Guyer (27-3) and Braswell (29-2) are both locked at 10-1 in District 5-6A, with Guyer holding a narrow advantage after defeating the Bengals (49-47) in their first district matchup earlier this month. However, the ultimate decider will be the rematch in the regular season finale on February 4th.
Flower Mound, South Grand Prairie, and Lancaster round out some of the formidable forces in 6A, while Argyle continues to gain momentum in the 5A classification.
With the postseason just around the corner, here is the last set of rankings as the Dallas area gears up for the road to the Alamodome.
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*Parentheses indicates the team's district
*Last section indicates current overall record/district record
VYPE DFW GIRLS TOP-10 (Class 6A-4A)
1. Boswell Pioneers (3-6A) -- 31-2; 10-0
2. Denton Guyer Wildcats (5-6A)-- 27-3; 10-1
3. Duncanville Pantherettes (11-6A) -- 23-5; 9-0
4. Braswell Bengals (5-6A) -- 29-2; 10-1
5. Lincoln Tigers (11-4A)-- 30-2; 11-0
6. Argyle Eagles (6-5A) -- 27-4; 9-0
7. Flower Mound Jaguars (5-6A) -- 27-3; 8-3
8. Glen Rose Tigers (6-4A) -- 29-2; 7-0
9. South Grand Prairie Warriors (8-6A) -- 24-6; 10-0
10. Lancaster Tigers (11-6A) -- 19-5; 8-2
Honorable Mentions: Wakeland (12-5A), Cedar Hill (11-6A), Prosper (6-6A), Decatur (7-4A), Garland Sachse (9-6A), North Crowley (3-6A), Sunnyvale (13-4A), Mansfield Summit (8-5A), Denton Ryan (6-5A)
THE BLACK & GOLD: Can Plano East make it Back-to-Back at State in the imminent postseason?
Over the course of the past few years, Plano East has emerged as a dominant force in Texas high school hoops, and despite the challenges of competing in one of the state's toughest districts, they show no signs of slowing down.
Coming off a historic 2023-2024 season, the Panthers completed a perfect 40-0 record and captured their first-ever UIL 6A State Championship with a 53-41 victory over Round Rock Stony Point.
Although they haven't maintained an undefeated record throughout the current campaign, their performance still makes them a formidable contender for a repeat.
With head coach Matt Wester back at the helm, East has continued to thrive, recently improving to 20-4 on the year.
Their strong district run, highlighted by a critical streak of wins over rivals Plano West (76-61), Prosper (74-54), and McKinney Boyd (62-42), has pushed their district record to 8-2.
While they sit second in District 6-6A behind the powerhouse Allen Eagles (24-1; 9-0), a pivotal rematch on February 4th against the top-ranked team in the state could have major implications for both teams' playoff aspirations.
A significant reason for the Panthers' success is the return of several star players with invaluable postseason experience.
Leading the charge is senior DJ Hall, the reigning UIL-6A State MVP. At 6-foot-7, the Texas State-signee is a force on both ends of the floor as the team’s leading scorer and an imposing defender at the power forward position.
He is supported by fellow senior Moustafa Abualneel (PF/C), as well as junior Izan Qazi (SF/SG), both of whom have consistently proven their ability to contribute offensively. Freshman guard Alex Brewington and senior Aarnav Boinpalli have also provided a boost to the team's depth, adding athleticism and versatility.
With an eye on the district title and a potential second consecutive trip to the Alamodome, the Panthers look primed for another extensive playoff run.
As they push through the final stretch of their district schedule, the excitement surrounding this team continues to build, and their championship aspirations remain within reach.
GAMES
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