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CW33 High School Football Showdown Preview: Lucas Lovejoy vs. Melissa
The CW33 high school football showdown game of the week features two of the area's toughest teams: the Lucas Lovejoy Leopards and the Melissa Cardinals. As these teams gear up for a battle, VYPE DFW takes a look at their seasons so far and what can be expected during this Thursday night matchup!
Lucas Lovejoy Leopards (8-1, 6-0)
The Lovejoy Leopards have put up an incredible record so far this season. Only losing a non-district game against North Crowley, Lovejoy has outscored their opponents by a combined 429-135 on the season. Through non-district play, the Leopards defeated College Station (50-37) and Argyle (42-14) before their loss against North Crowley led them into district play.
In district play, Lovejoy has gone undefeated while shutting out two of their opponents and allowing only one opponent more than one score. Led by Parker Livingstone, Dante Dean, Chase Bogle, Khalin Williams, Sawyer Black, Alexander Franklin, Kari Branch, and more, Lovejoy has posted outstanding district victories over Cranadll (76-0), Princeton (63-0), Denison (47-7), Mesquite Poteet (48-7) and others. The team will look to utilize an aggressive defense on Thursday against Melissa.
Melissa Cardinals (9-0, 6-0)
Undefeated on the season, the Melissa Cardinals have outscored their opponents by a combined 321 points. Shutting down their non-district opponents in three huge victories against Argyle (50-14), China Spring (63-33), and Royse City (39-7), the team was prepared for anything as they headed into their district schedule.
Led by Landen Brandow, Lincoln Dunn, Nathan Adejokun, Nigel Smith, Khristian Turner, Jackson Ford, Trever Ham, Jake Potucek, Gunnar Wilson, and other incredible athletes, Melissa has defeated Crandall (67-28), Terrell (59-28), Princeton (56-13), and others. The team is going to play hard on Thursday as they gear up for Lovejoy.
What To Expect
Last season, Lovejoy put up a strong fight, but ultimately fell 36-35 against Melissa to end district play. This season, the Leopards are looking for revenge. The team is having one of the best defensive seasons of their program and will look to utilize it against Melissa's tough offense. Melissa has worked hard to keep an unblemished record this season. Fans can expect this team to do whatever it takes to set the tone early.
Kick-off is set for 7:35 p.m. at Melissa. If you can't make it out to the game, check out all the action on CW33!
PREVIEW: Melissa travels to Crandall
The Melissa Cardinals have been on a roll this season. The Crandall Pirates have gotten into a routine of winning. These two teams face off on Friday night in their first district match of the season. VYPE DFW dives into what fans can look for in this matchup:
Melissa Cardinals (3-0)
On the hunt this season, the Melissa Cardinals have not posted a single loss. Having outscored their opponents by a combined 98 points in just three games, both sides of the ball are dominant for this Cardinals squad. In non-district play, the Cardinals posted victory after victory with wins over Argyle (50-14), China Spring (63-33), and Royse City (39-7).
Landen Brandow, Steven Hinkel, Alejandro Luna, Grant Taylor, Sayben Dukes, Rayyan Haider, Hayden Solomon, Jacob Wasserman, and others are among the athletes who are getting the job done in Melissa. As they travel to Crandall on Friday, they look to shut down the Pirates.
Crandall Pirates (2-1)
After a 64-10 week one loss to Forney, the Pirates bounced back with back-to-back victories over Kaufman (22-15) and Jacksonville (49-17). Hosting their first district game of the season, Crandall is looking to start with a huge upset over Melissa.
Julius Stoker, Zack Howard, Hayden Chaffin, Derrick Stephens, Joshua Smith, Hudson West, and more make up this team of athletes who are determined to stop Melissa in their tracks.
What To Expect
Crandall shouldn't be slept on. Producing big-time playmakers, the Pirates have grit and passion on Friday nights. They will undoubtedly put up a battle against Melissa. However, this Melissa squad just might be too powerful to overcome. Melissa sets the tone early and makes sure there is no room to catch up for their opponents. Be looking for the Cardinals to make Crandall work on Friday night.
Kick-off is slated for 7:30 p.m. in Crandall.