No. 6 Carroll vs. No. 7 Guyer heads Top 10 Texas high school football Games of the Week

Video: Top 10 Texas Games of the Week
Guyer vs. Carroll is always a battle.

The road traveled by Guyer (Denton) to this week's District 5-6A midseason showdown has not been easy. In Week 1, the Wildcats scored 60 points and needed almost every one of them to end Aledo's long home winning streak, 60-57. The following week, Guyer survived another scare in beating Cedar Hill, 40-36.

Friday's showdown opponent, Carroll (Southlake) has had a much easier time matching Guyer's record of 4-0 for the season and 1-0 in league play. The Dragons smallest winning margin so far is 15 points.

Guyer, No. 7 in MaxPreps Texas Top 25, hosts No. 6 Carroll for a 7 p.m. kickoff at Denton's C.H. Collins Athletic Complex.

While Carroll was faced with retooling at the skill positions this season, Guyer returned key producers in quarterback Eli Stowers and running back Kaedric Cobbs.

Despite the new faces, the Dragons have only been outscored by Guyer by 15 points and have allowed 60 fewer.

The Guyer-Carroll series is tied at three wins each and the first one to four likely will be this season's 5-6A champ.

Here is a preview of this week's top games. (MaxPreps Texas Top 25 ranking included).

No. 6 Carroll (Southlake) at No. 7 Guyer (Denton)

Carroll: QB Quinn Ewers (6-3, 190), RB Jack Abram (5-10, 185), WR John Manero (6-1, 180), WR Wills Meyer (6-2, 190), LB Graham Faloona (6-3, 190).

Guyer: QB Eli Stowers (6-4, 200), RB/SS Kaedric Cobbs (5-10, 213), WR/CB Seth Meador (5-11, 175), LB/RB Johnathan Jones (5-9, 182), DL/OL Dotun Olanipekun (5-10, 250).

This matchup has been eagerly anticipated since last fall when Carroll's 23-yard trick play touchdown in the final seconds sunk Guyer 33-29. The District 5-6A title is likely the prize for the winner.

Carthage: QB Kai Horton (6-4, 220), RB Jaden Thomas (5-8, 175), WR Kelvontay Dixon (6-0, 180), OL Ty'kiest Crawford (6-8, 336), LB Rayvon Ingram (5-10, 210).

Pleasant Grove: DT Landon Watlington (6-1, 263), DT Marcus Burris (6-5, 253), QB Ben Harmon (6-1, 185), RB/LB Nick Martin (5-11, 197), NG/OL Cameron Weekly (6-0, 315).

Both East Texas foes are unbeaten. Carthage is ranked No. 2 in 4A-1 and Pleasant Grove is No. 1 in 4A-2 and there's no chance of a playoff rematch. Carthage took last year's contest, 28-21, but Pleasant Grove made it to the state title game in its class while Carthage was edged by three points in a state semifinal.

Katy: QB Bronson McClelland (6-1, 205), LB Jaylen Phillips (6-2, 200), WR Jordan Patrick (5-9, 165), RB Ronald Hoff (5-10, 205), OT Dakota White (6-3, 285).

Tompkins: QB Jalen Milroe (6-2, 186), RB Marquis Shoulders (5-9, 150), RB R.J. Smith (6-1, 180), WR Taurean Muhammad (5-11, 170), LB Kobee Madriz (6-0, 196).

It might have gone overlooked that upstart Tompkins (5-0) went three rounds deep in the playoffs last season, the same ending point reached by tradition-rich Katy (4-0). Still, last year's final score (66-13) and an 0-5 series record shows the younger school has a gap to overcome before it can talk about a new sheriff in town.

West Brook: QB Troy Yowman (6-0, 205), RB Jordan Guidry (5-8, 195), RB Jevion Manuel (5-7, 165), WR Joey Pierre (5-10, 150), FS Bryce Anderson (6-0, 185).

United: QB Zemaiah Vaughn (6-3, 170), RB James Wilson III (5-11, 215), TE Devin Hunt (6-3, 220), DL Jakelvin Wise (6-2, 305), WR Abdel Qaiyyim (6-3, 180).

Beaumont bragging rights are stake. In the top-heavy District 21-6A race, these are the only unbeaten teams remaining. United lost the first encounter of the schools last year, 45-10, as West Brook went on to reach the Class 6A-2 state final.

Round Rock: Seth Ford (6-1, 210), RB Israel Morgan (5-10, 180), RB Jordan Smart (5-10, 166,) WR Collin Sullivan (6-2, 200), DB Keegan McDonnell (5-11, 167).

Vandegrift: QB Dru Dawson (5-10, 175), RB Bowen Lewis (5-11, 170), WR/CB Trey Mongauzy (5-8, 155), LB Jivon Parker (5-8, 155), DT/FB Jordan Cochran (5-10, 210).

Vandegrift (5-0) had an unbeaten run to the District 13-6A title in 2018, but Round Rock (4-0) put up a fight last year before falling, 27-24. Vandegrift's defense has posted two shutouts and is allowing an average of eight points per game. Round Rock counters with an offense that is averaging 51 points per game.

Oak: WR/DB Dwight McGlothern Jr. (6-2, 185), QB Montrell Bolton (6-2, 205), RB Charles Garrett (5-9, 191), LB Kaden Kleinert (6-0, 215), DL Chanstyn Thomas (6-2, 260).

Collins: QB Colby Powers (6-4, 240), RB Braelon Bridges (5-9, 180), RB Jonathan Lewis (5-8, 180), WR Tre'veon Petty (5-8, 155), LB Ben Purifoy (6-1, 210).

The rivals each won 10 games a year ago. In this clash last year, Collins blanked Oak 14-0, but Oak later advanced one extra round in the playoffs. The defense of Collins (5-0) has allowed only five touchdowns in five games. Oak (4-1) has excelled in close games with three wins coming by four points or less.

Pearland: QB J.D. Head (6-2, 185), RB Brandon Campbell (5-10, 190), RB Torrance Burgess Jr. (5-7, 165), WR Jeremiah Aaron 5-11, 180, WR Cedric Mitchell (5-11, 175).

Dawson: QB Myles Kitt-Denton (6-1, 188), OL Calib Perez (6-6, 270), RB Bobby Wooden (6-0, 178), FS Blake Smith (5-11, 170), LB Darien Flynn (5-11, 175).

Pearland leads its younger rival in the series with three wins in five games thanks to last year's 56-27 triumph. Dawson (3-1) defeated Strake Jesuit (Houston) in its District 23-6A opener last week while Pearland (4-0) eased past Alief Taylor Houston.

Crowley: RB Dominique Johnson (6-2, 220), WR MJ Tillman (6-2, 180), WR Raylyn Govan (6-0, 160), LB Elijah Deering (6-0, 190), SS Bryson Bonds (6-1, 180).

Azle: QB Drey Owen (6-0, 182), RB Jacob Lee (5-11, 175), WR Eric McAlister (6-3, 185), MLB Jonathan Lester (5-10, 205), CB AJ Gonzales (5-10, 170).

Crowley (5-0) and Azle (4-1) are off to 3-0 starts in District 3-5A-1. Azle has won four in a row since a one-point defeat in its opener, a similar scenario to 2018 when the Hornets followed an opening loss with a 10-game winning streak. While the offensive production of the foes is similar, Crowley has allowed 50 fewer points than Azle.

All Saints: RB Jacob Matlock (5-11, 191), WR Mitch Bothwell (6-5, 230) WR Peyton Kramer (5-10, 165), LB Caimyn Layne (6-1, 225), FS Tony Lacy (6-2, 190).

Prestonwood: QB Jacob Switzer (6-3, 200), RB/LB Randell Holmes (5-10, 170), WR/LB Riley Wilson (6-2, 185), LB Graham Hill (6-3, 205), DL Aeden Combest (6-3, 215).

All Saints (3-1) suffered its first defeat last week, 14-2, to Bishop Dunne (Dallas), and faces another challenge in Prestonwood (4-1). The lone blemish on Prestonwood's record was a seven-point loss to Georgia's Greater Atlanta Christian.

Flatonia: QB Juan Netro (6-0, 190), LB Erek Herrera (5-10, 180), RB Dakory Willis (6-0, 190), RB Chris Johnson (5-10, 180), LB Aiden Gonzales (5-8, 145).

Weimar: RB Ravon'Dre Wicks (5-8, 165), LB Vicente Cabrera (6-0, 185), DB Dylerick Ellison (5-11, 160), G Jagger Fishbeck (6-0, 215), NG Colby Rainosek (5-9, 200).