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REGIONAL QUARTERFINALS: Sunnyvale vs. Nevada Community
Sunnyvale and Community are set to face off in a tough regional quarterfinals matchup on Friday. After two strong seasons respectively, the teams are ready to put in the work in order to continue on towards the state tournament. VYPE DFW lays out what fans can expect on Friday!
Sunnyvale (18-4-5, 9-2-3)
The Raiders made history as they secured the program's first-ever area championship this season with a 2-1 victory over Williams Prep in playoffs. That victory was only a small sample of what Sunnyvale has spent all season building. The Raiders finished in the third place spot in their district while outscoring their opponents by a combined 68 goals. With victories over the likes of Celina, Mabank, Kaufman, and more, the Raiders have been able to use intelligent and timely offense to continue their drive into the playoffs. In playoffs they posted a 6-0 victory over Melissa before their area championship win over Williams Prep.
Nevada Community (19-2-1, 11-1)
The Braves finished second in their district just behind a strong Celina team. With an 89% winning percentage, the Braves have shown their ability to play smart, play fast, and control a game with what has seemed to be ease all season. With 12 shut-out victories this season, Community's defense has proven that the Braves are consistent in shutting down attacks. So far in playoffs, Community has defeated Terrell (2-1) and Wilmer-Hutchins (1-0).
What To Expect:
Both teams are coming into the game with a sense of drive and urgency. Sunnyvale has shown incredible togetherness this season that has helped their offense remain powerful while their defense communicates thoroughly in oder to shut down their opponents. Community tends to start strong, set the tone, and work hard the rest of the game to maintain their leads.
Fans can expect a close, physical match between these two teams. Sunnyvale is known for being a strong second-half team that comes in ready to finish strong while Community is known for raising the bar from the start. With these two going head-to-head, it's going to come down to the wire! The game is set to begin at 7 p.m. on Friday, April 1st in Wylie.
4 Big Takeaways from Week 11/Week 6
What an exciting week of football that just hit us, and after the dust settled, we have some zone champions, playoff teams set for 4A and below and some very eye-popping blowouts. Let's look back at some of the most intriguing headlines from the week that was.
The Belt Line 3-Peat
For the third straight season, Cedar Hill won the Battle of the Belt Line and for the second straight year, the game came down to the wire as Cedar Hill took down DeSoto 49-42. Cedar Hill, which entered the week ranked No. 10 in the state, got 389 total yards and six total touchdowns from its 4-star, dual-threat quarterback, Kaidon Salter.
The win gave Cedar Hill the 11-6A Zone B title and re-validated its legitimacy as a top team in the state. It knocked off Arlington to start the delayed year and then follow that up by taking down reigning 5A DII state champion Aledo on the road. This win just shows Cedar Hill will be a threat in the playoffs.
Celebrate Like it's 2011
With three games left on the schedule, and sitting at 4-1 in 7-5A DII play, it's looking very likely that Frisco Liberty will be in the playoffs. A win in any of the three games left - at home against Princeton, on the road against Denison and a home finale against Lovejoy - will clinch that playoff spot. With the way quarterback Keldric Luster and his favorite target, Evan Stewart, play together, Liberty could very well be the district champion. It would need some help, but it's very possible
Sprinter's Finish
Take a breath, Nevada Community. Due to scheduling issues, Community opted to take advantage of a UIL rule that requires at least five days between games, which meant Community played all four district games in a 17-day span. Community's 44-23 win on Saturday propelled it to the playoffs, which so happened to be the last 4A DII playoff spot left, according to Texas Football's Matt Stepp.
Now, Community gets five days between games before taking to the road to open the playoffs against No. 10 Glen Rose on Friday.
Rowling Rowlett
Who says you need a pre-district schedule? Let's just go straight into district play, at least if you're Rowlett. Needing a second half comeback against Garland, including a 14-2 run in the 4th quarter, Rowlett was able to finish its zone schedule 3-0 and will get North Garland in its seeding game this coming week. It's quite the turn for a team that was hit by COVID and saw its schedule very delayed.