There are a bevy of games tonight - 26 in total - across the 6A and 5A landscape as the first round of the playoffs continues on. Unfortunately for Fort Worth North Side, its season came to a premature end, which would have made 27 games. There's also a little 4A state semifinal involving a DFW team that needs some attention. We look at that game as well as four of the more interesting 6A/5A games So here we go.
4A Division I State Semifinal
Canyon (12-1) vs. Argyle (14-0)
Argyle is the furthest its been since losing the state championship in 2015 to none other than Waco La Vega. That playoff/mental hurdle was put to rest two rounds ago and now Argyle is a win away from a championship berth. Argyle dominated Paris last week as it continues to win with ease this year - all 14 wins by 14 points or more. Canyon enters the game with a narrow win over Springtown and hangs its proverbial hat on its defense, which holds teams to 14.8 points per game.
PLAYERS TO WATCH: WR Jack McKay (Canyon), DL Brody Olson (Canyon); WR Jack McKay (Argyle), TE/DL Jasper Lott (Argyle)
KICKOFF: 7:30 p.m. Friday @ Anthony Field (Abilene)
LINE: Argyle favored by 17
NEXT ROUND: Winner meets winner of Lindale/Austin LBJ in State Championship
6A DIVISION I REGION I BI-DISTRICT
Richardson Lake Highlands (10-0) vs. South Grand Prairie (6-2)
Lake Highlands finished a regular season undefeated for the first time in 25 years, which followed a year in which it picked up its first playoff win since 2009. Lake Highlands' last close game was against Jesuit on October 30, and it's won its last 5 games by an average of 35 points. South Grand Prairie is on a three game win streak and essentially had a bye week as its regular season finale was cancelled.
PLAYER TO WATCH: RB Noelle Whitehead (Lake Highlands), LB Jeremiah Richards (Lake Highlands); WR Kelan Robinson (SGP), CB Jalon Williams (SGP)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. Friday @ Wildcat-Ram Stadium (Richardson)
LINE: South Grand Prairie favored by 5
NEXT ROUND: Winner meets winner of Allen/Plano West in Area Round
6A DIVISION I REGION I
Lewisville (6-3) vs. McKinney Boyd (4-6)
A high-powered offense meets a tough defense in this one. Lewisville boasts the most prolific rushing attack while McKinney Boyd has shown flashes of being one of stingiest defenses in the area. Lewisville had a slow start before winning four of its last four games, including a 50-point win over Hebron in the season finale. Boyd is probably the most surprising team to make the playoffs in 6A considering the district it played in this year.
PLAYERS TO WATCH: RB Damien Martinez (Lewisville), DE David Adegbenro (Lewisville); QB Carter Whitefield (Boyd), LB Matteo Bianci (Boyd)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. Friday at Goldsmith Stadium (Lewisville)
LINE: Lewisville favored by 12
NEXT ROUND: Winner plays Arlington Martin in Area Round
6A DIVISION II REGION I
Dallas Jesuit (7-3) vs. Arlington (4-5)
Is there another magical run in Jesuit this year? There's no way to tell, but an even matchup against Arlington in the first round will tell a lot. Jesuit is on a five-game win streak where it has allowed just 17 points in that stretch and has pitched three straight shutouts. Arlington backed into the playoffs winning just one of its last three played games. The season finale was forfeited because playing it was unnecessary.
PLAYERS TO WATCH: RB Jake Taylor (Jesuit), ATH Robert Fitzgerald (Jesuit); QB Kris Sims (Arlington), FS Richard Toney (Arlington)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. Friday @ Postell Stadium (Dallas)
LINE: Jesuit favored by 4
NEXT ROUND: Winner meets winner of Guyer/Coppell in Area Round
5A DIVISION II REGION II
North Forney (8-1) vs. Denison (7-3)
North Forney has had a spectacular season with its lone loss being a 24-point setback to Ennis. It had a surprising 3-point win over Frisco Lone Star to open the season and has run through the rest of the teams this season to the tune of a win margin of 29 points per game. Denison has won six of its last seven after starting the year 1-2, and has scored 46 or more points in those six. The seven wins this year tops the previous two year's win totals.
PLAYERS TO WATCH: QB Jacob Acuna (North Forney), DL Rod Brown (North Forney); RB Jadarian Price (Denison), S Lanon Ellis (Denison)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. Friday at City Bank Stadium (Forney)
LINE: North Forney favored by 6
NEXT ROUND: Winner meets Aledo in Area Round
All Other 6A/5A Friday Playoff Games
6A DIVISION I REGION I
Allen (8-0) vs Plano West (6-4), 7 p.m. Friday @ Eagle Stadium (Allen)
Southlake Carroll (7-1) vs Haltom (5-4), 7 p.m. Friday @ Dragon Stadium (Southlake)
6A DIVISION I REGION II
Sachse (3-5) vs Dallas Skyline (4-4), 7 p.m. Friday @ Homer B. Johnson Stadium (Garland)
6A DIVISION II REGION I
North Crowley (6-3) vs Trophy Club Nelson (6-4), 7:30 p.m. Friday @ Globe Life Park (Arlington)
Haslet Eaton (7-3) vs Weatherford (5-5), 7 p.m. Friday @ Northwest ISD Stadium (Justin)
6A DIVISION II REGION II
Cedar Hill(7-1)vs Bryan (6-2), 7 p.m. Friday @ Longhorn Stadium (Cedar Hill)
Rockwall-Heath (8-2) vs Garland (5-3), 7 p.m. Friday @ Wilkerson-Sanders Stadium (Rockwall)
Temple(9-1)vs Waxahachie (5-4), 7:30 p.m. Friday @ Wildcat Stadium (Temple)
5A DIVISION I REGION I
Red Oak (6-2) vs. Justin Northwest (7-3), 7 p.m. Friday @ Goodloe Stadium (Red Oak)
Abilene Cooper (7-1) vs. Mansfield Summit (4-4), 7 p.m. Friday @ Shotwell Stadium (Shotwell)
5A DIVISION I REGION II
Denton Ryan (9-0) vs. Dallas Adams (5-4), 7 p.m. Friday @ Collins Stadium (Denton)
Lancaster (9-0) vs. Frisco Wakeland (6-4), 7 p.m. Friday @ Humphrey Tiger Stadium (Lancaster)
5A DIVISION II REGION I
Fort Worth Southwest (7-3) vs. Canyon Randall (4-5), 6 p.m. Friday @ Clark Stadium (Fort Worth)
Lubbock Cooper (8-1) vs. Fort Worth Polytechnic (4-6), 5 p.m. Friday @ Pirate Stadium (Lubbock)
Grapevine (7-3) vs. Abilene Wylie (4-3), 7 p.m. Friday @ Mustang-Panther Stadium (Grapevine)
5A DIVISION II REGION II
South Oak Cliff (8-2)vs. Arlington Seguin (4-3), 7:30 p.m. Friday @ Kincaide Stadium (Dallas)
Frisco (6-1) vs. Royse City (5-3), 7 p.m. Friday @ Ford Center (Frisco)
Lovejoy (10-0) vs. Greenville (4-4), 7 p.m. Friday @ Leopard Stadium (Lucas)
Mesquite Poteet (7-3) vs. Everman (5-5), 7 p.m. Friday @ Memorial Stadium (Mesquite)
Ennis (8-0) vs. Frisco Liberty (6-4), 7:30 p.m. Friday @ Lion Memorial Stadium (Ennis)
Mansfield Timberview (8-1) vs. Dallas Kimball (7-2), 7 p.m. Friday @ Newsom Stadium (Mansfield)