GAMES
RANKINGS
THE FINAL 48: UIL Football State Championship Preview -- Southlake Carroll vs. Vandegrift (6A-D2)
The 2024 UIL 6A-D2 State Championship is set for this Saturday at 3:00 PM at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, where the Southlake Carroll Dragons (15-0) will face the Vandegrift Vipers (14-1) in what promises to be an electric showdown.
…
Ranked No. 5 in the state (MaxPreps), Southlake Carroll enters the championship game with an undefeated 15-0 record.
Coach Riley Dodge and co. certainly have tenure at this stage, considering they’ve advanced to the Final on 10 prior occasions, and won it all in 8 of them – the last of which was in 2011 (Class 5A-D1).
Fast forward to the present, and the Dragons have shown resilience throughout the postseason, outlasting teams like Mansfield Legacy (69-7), Frenship (49-42), and most recently Longview (20-17) with explosive offense and clutch play.
Carroll's offense revolves around a powerful ground game and an efficient passing attack. While the loss of USC-signee Riley Wormley to a season-ending knee injury in October was a blow, the Dragons have continued to thrive.
Running backs Davis Penn (1,040 all-purpose yards, 20 TDs) and Christian Glenn (510 yards, 7 TDs) have stepped up in his absence, providing a dynamic duo in the backfield.
At quarterback, Angelo Renda has been the driving force. The junior has thrown for 3,550 yards and 36 touchdowns while also rushing for 644 yards and 14 scores, showcasing his dual-threat ability.
His go-to target, junior Brock Boyd (TCU-commit), has been a nightmare for opposing defenses, with 98 catches for 1,690 yards and 18 touchdowns.
If Boyd is covered, Carroll's depth at receiver with sophomores Blake Gunter (43 receptions, 726 yards, 8 TDs) and Brody Knowles (31 receptions, 464 yards, 7 TDs) ensures there’s no shortage of weapons.
Defensively, Carroll is led by a formidable front-seven, including senior Austin Davidge (79 tackles, 9.5 sacks), as well as juniors Zac Hays (66 tackles, 9.5 sacks) and Tennessee-commit Jack Vandorselaer (78 tackles, 7 sacks).
Linebackers Marcus Brouse (82 tackles, 6 TFL) and Robbie Ladd (82 tackles, 6 TFL) anchor the middle, while the secondary – featuring William Chen (77 tackles, 2 INTs) and Luke Bussmann (38 tackles, 6 PD) – provides strong coverage in the backfield.
…
Vandegrift’s impressive 14-1 record speaks to the growth of the program, which has only been around since 2010. After a State Final appearance two years ago, the Vipers are looking to capture their first state championship.
Under the guidance of Coach Drew Sanders, Vandegrift has been a shining example of complementary football, with an offense that averages 43 points per game and a defense that holds opponents to just 14.
Junior quarterback Miles Teodecki has been an enthralling development, as he’s thrown for 3,016 yards and 46 touchdowns, while adding four rushing touchdowns for good measure.
His favorite targets – Brock Chilton (47 receptions, 904 yards, 12 TDs), George Farley (44 receptions, 838 yards, 13 TDs), and Gavin Koester (30 receptions, 431 yards, 7 TDs) – have helped power a high-octane passing attack.
In the backfield, senior tailback Brendan Fournier (Columbia-commit) has been a workhorse, rushing for nearly 1,200 yards and 19 touchdowns. His ability to balance the offense makes Vandegrift a dangerous, multi-dimensional team.
Defensively, Arizona State-bound Daeshon Morgan has been a standout in the trenches, recording 82 tackles, 14 TFL, and 10 sacks.
The Vipers’ linebacker corps, led by Adam Scott (92 tackles, 14 TFL, 3 sacks), Parker Davis (62 tackles, 9 TFL, 6 sacks), and Caleb “CJ” Mooring (69 tackles, 6 TFL, 4 INTs), provides a stout front, while seniors such as break-out star safety Hollister Stephens (104 tackles, 1 INT) and Matthew Draeken (46 tackles, 5 INTs) offer leadership in the secondary.
…
Will Southlake Carroll secure its 9th UIL trophy? Or will Vandegrift make history by claiming its first? Find out this Saturday (3:00 PM) at AT&T Stadium!
CLICK HERE TO STREAM THE GAME WITH VYPE LIVE
Westlake vs. Lake Travis: Stakes raised for “Battle of the Lakes II”
College football celebrated its annual “Rivalry Week” last week – with an understandable special emphasis on a certain little shindig in College Station. To the folks from Westlake and Lake Travis High Schools, however, the revival of the “Lone Star Showdown” was likely little more than an appetizer for the game that really matters the most: the Chaparrals and the Cavaliers meeting for the second time this year in the 6A D1 Region IV Finals/State Quarterfinals.
When they meet at 7:00 Friday at the Kelly Reeves Athletic Complex, it will mark the second consecutive year these two District 26-6A rivals will clash in a sequel with a spot in the state semifinals on the line.
Both teams have turned away rising Austin area 6A powerhouses such as Vandegrift – also playing in a 6A D2 regional final on Friday – and Dripping Springs the past few seasons to remain the top programs in Central Texas.
Both cruised through their regular seasons relatively unscathed. Westlake (12-1) saw its 44-game regular season winning streak halted by a 39-21 loss to Humble Atascocita back on September 13. (Fear not, Chaps fans; the Eagles clash with North Shore on the other side of the 6A D1 bracket. A win Friday might set up a second sequel.)
Junior quarterback Rees Wise (148-219, 2,121 yds., 19 TD, 6 INT; 12 rushing TDs) guided 3rd-year Head Coach Tony Salazar’s club to an undefeated District 26-6A title and playoff wins so far over Vista Ridge (46-17), SA Brennan (24-7) and Buda Johnson (52-14) to reach the rematch.
Senior quarterback Chaston Ditta (194-331, 2,796 yds., 27 TDs, 4 INTs) and junior running back Vann Hopping (192-1,482, 7.7 YPC, 28 TDs) have guided veteran Head Coach Hank Carter’s Lake Travis squad to its own superb season. At 12-1 overall, the Cavs suffered their only loss of the season back on Oct. 25 to – you guessed it – the Chaparrals. That 28-16 Westlake win in 2024’s first “Battle of the Lakes” at Cavaliers Stadium marked their fifth straight victory over Lake Travis.
Lake Travis regrouped quickly with two district wins, followed by playoff victories over Round Rock (41-14), SA Johnson (55-27) and last week over SA East Central (52-7) to get another crack at the Chaps.
The Cavaliers dominated this series up until just under a decade ago, taking 12 straight games from 2008 to 2016 on their way to six state titles (and five straight from 2007-11). Since then, it’s been all Chaps, as Westlake has won the last five meetings on their way to four state titles of their own.
Battle of the Lakes II will showcase Texas High School football at its finest. And with a berth in the state semifinals on the line, there’s much more than bragging rights at stake this time around.