MaxPreps Texas Top 25 high school football rankings: No. 1 Duncanville stays on course, holds off Carroll comeback

Duncanville beats Southlake Carroll in Texas 6A Division 1 quarterfinals 3,367 views 3:49

The 35 points scored by Carroll (Southlake) were more than twice the amount allowed by Duncanville in any game this season.

Yet those five touchdowns fell below the amount required in the Class 6A Division I Region I title game Saturday afternoon before a big crowd at McKinney ISD Stadium. Duncanville (14-0), No. 1 for almost the entire season in the MaxPreps Texas Top 25, took another step in its mission to get back to the UIL state final with a 49-35 victory over No. 4 Carroll (13-1).

Panthers' quarterback Ja'Quinden Jackson made Carroll's second-half comeback much more challenging by rushing for three touchdowns and throwing for two more. The Texas pledge gained 312 combined yards.

But Carroll, beaten 51-7 by Duncanville in the same playoff round last year, rallied with the help of onside kicks to pull within seven, 42-35. That's when Trysten Smith iced the game for the Panthers with a 48-yard touchdown run with 2:58 remaining.

Since walking out of AT&T Stadium in a daze a year ago after losing the state title game to North Shore (Houston) 41-36 on a last-second Hail Mary touchdown, Duncanville's focus has been on getting another chance.

Caught in the wake this weekend was Carroll. In two seasons under head coach Riley Dodge, the Dragons are a combined 26-2 with both losses in the fourth round of the playoffs to Duncanville.

Duncanville returns to McKinney's $70 million stadium to face No. 6 Rockwall (12-2) in a 2:30 p.m. Saturday state semifinal.

No. 2 North Shore (13-1), the defending champion, meets No. 8 Lake Travis (Austin) (13-1) in the other semifinal set for 4 p.m. Saturday at Reeves Stadium in Round Rock.

Notable: Wagner (San Antonio), Boerne-Champion (Boerne) and Cooper (Lubbock) are newcomers to the Top 25 this week.

Here is a look at this week's Texas Top 25 going into the state semifinal round:

Kaedric Cobbs, Guyer

Photo by Robbie Rakestraw

2. (2) North Shore (Houston)
Record: 13-1
Last week: Beat Atascocita (Humble) 76-49
Next game: Dec. 14 vs Lake Travis (Austin) at Reeves Stadium, Round Rock

3. (4) Katy
Record: 12-1
Next game: Season over

4. (3) Carroll (Southlake)
Record: 13-1
Last week: Lost to Duncanville 49-35
Next game: Season over

5. (7) Guyer (Denton)
Record: 13-1
Last week: Beat Tascosa (Amarillo) 48-7
Next game: Dec. 14 vs Westfield (Houston) at Sheldon ISD Panther Stadium

6. (5) Rockwall
Record: 12-2
Last week: Beat Prosper 59-42
Next game: Dec. 14 vs Duncanville at McKinney ISD Stadium, McKinney

7. (6) Westfield (Houston)
Record: 13-1
Last week: Beat Jesuit Dallas 38-28
Next game: Dec. 14 vs Guyer (Denton) at Sheldon ISD Panther Stadium

8. (8) Lake Travis (Austin)
Record: 13-1
Last week: Beat Judson (Converse) 48-35
Next game: Dec. 14 vs North Shore (Houston) at Reeves Stadium, Round Rock

9. (9) Westlake (Austin)
Record: 13-1
Last week: Beat Brandeis (San Antonio) 42-14
Next game: Dec. 14 vs Katy Taylor (Katy) at McLane Stadium, Waco

10. (10) Allen
Record: 11-1
Next game: Season over

11. (11) Ryan (Denton)
Record: 14-0
Last week: Beat Colleyville Heritage (Colleyville) 56-10
Next game: Dec. 14 vs Lone Star (Frisco) at Eagle Stadium, Allen

12. (12) Lone Star (Frisco)
Record: 14-0
Last week: Beat Lancaster 38-20
Next game: Dec. 14 vs Ryan (Denton) at Eagle Stadium, Allen

13. (13) Shadow Creek (Pearland)
Record: 14-0
Last week: Beat Manor 59-14
Next game: Dec. 13 vs Wagner (San Antonio) at Alamo Stadium, San Antonio

14. (14) Longview
Record: 11-1
Next game: Season over

15. (21) Fort Bend Marshall (Missouri City)
Record: 13-1
Last week: Beat Manvel 40-10
Next game: Dec. 14 vs Boerne-Champion (Boerne) at Kyle Field, College Station

16. (15) Aledo
Record: 13-1
Last week: Beat Ennis 43-36 (OT)
Next game: Dec. 14 vs Cooper (Lubbock) at Wildcat Stadium, Abilene

17. (17) Highland Park (Dallas)
Record: 11-2
Next game: Season over

18. (18) Judson (Converse)
Record: 12-2
Last week: Lost to Lake Travis (Austin) 48-35
Next game: Season over

19. (19) Cy-Fair (Cypress)
Record: 11-1
Next game: Season over

20. (20) Martin (Arlington)
Record: 11-2
Next game: Season over

21. (16) Manvel
Record: 13-1
Last week: Lost to Fort Bend Marshall (Missouri City) 40-10
Next game: Season over

22. (NR) Wagner (San Antonio)
Record: 13-1
Last week: Beat Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial (Corpus Christi) 74-14
Next game: Dec. 13 vs Shadow Creek (Pearland) at Alamo Stadium, San Antonio

23. (23) Atascocita (Humble)
Record: 12-2
Last week: Lost to North Shore (Houston) 76-49
Next game: Season over

24. (NR) Boerne-Champion (Boerne)
Record: 13-1
Last week: Beat Calallen (Corpus Christi) 49-42
Next game: Dec. 14 vs Fort Bend Marshall (Missouri City) at Kyle Field, College Station

25. (NR) Cooper (Lubbock)
Record: 13-1
Last week: Beat Rider (Wichita Falls) 38-17
Next game: Dec. 14 vs Aledo at Wildcat Stadium, Abilene

Ranking by classification
Class 6A
1. Duncanville (14-0)
2. North Shore (Houston) (13-1)
3. Katy (12-1)
4. Carroll (Southlake) (13-1)
5. Guyer (Denton) (13-1)
6. Rockwall (12-2)
7. Westfield (Houston) (13-1)
8. Lake Travis (Austin) (13-1)
9. Westlake (Austin) (13-1)
10. Allen (11-1)
In Division II, No. 5 Guyer faces No. 7 Westfield with a state championship game berth the prize. Guyer is making its sixth state semifinal appearance in the last 12 years and is led by junior quarterback Eli Stowers, a Texas A&M pledge. Westfield's only blemish a 24-21 loss to No. 2 North Shore and is led by the passing of Cardell Williams (2,593 yards, 28 touchdowns) and the running of Kendal Taylor (1,521 yards, 20 touchdowns). No. 9 Westlake takes on the surprise team, Katy Taylor (Katy), in the other semifinal set for 2 p.m. Saturday at Waco's McLane Stadium.

5A-DI
1. Ryan (Denton) (14-0)
2. Lone Star (Frisco) (14-0)
3. Shadow Creek (Pearland) (14-0)
4. Highland Park (Dallas) (11-2)
5. Wagner (San Antonio) (13-1)
In a state semifinal matchup of heavyweights, No. 1 Ryan and No. 2 Lone Star collide Saturday afternoon at Allen's Eagle Stadium. To the surprise of few, both are 14-0. Lone Star has had the more difficult playoff road in Region II; It needed overtime to get past three-time defending state champion Highland Park (Dallas) in the third round. Ryan is 56-3 over the last four seasons and has made it to the state semifinals each time. Shadow Creek is unbeaten in the other semifinal and will face Wagner, new to the Top Five this week, on Friday night at Alamo Stadium in San Antonio.

5A-2
1. FB Marshall (Missouri City) (13-1)
2. Aledo (13-1)
3. Manvel (13-1)
4. Boerne-Champion (Boerne) (13-1)
5. Cooper (Lubbock) 13-1
Fort Bend Marshall sent a message with its 40-10 thumping of previously unbeaten Manvel in the Region III title game and took over the No. 1 spot this week. The victory avenged a 38-34 Manvel victory in a District 11 contest on Sept. 20. Marshall quarterback Malik Hornsby showed a passing arm not seen in three previous playoff games, throwing for 264 yards to go with his typical output of 135 rushing yards. Turnover-plagued Aledo, which dropped to No. 2, needed overtime to get past Ennis 43-36. Aledo plays Cooper in Abilene at 3 p.m. Saturday while Marshall faces Boerne-Champion (Boerne) at the same time at Kyle Field in College Station.

4A-1
1. Carthage (14-0)
2. La Vega (Waco) (13-1)
3. Lampasas (13-1)
4. Springtown (13-1)
5. Argyle (13-1)
Carthage climbed to the top spot this week by retaining its perfect record in a 24-7 victory over Heritage (Midlothian). Next for Carthage, state champion in 2016 and 2017, is Lampasas on Friday night at Randall Reed Stadium in New Caney. Former No. 1 Argyle was eliminated in the fourth playoff round for the second year in a row by La Vega, 44-20. La Vega moved up one spot to No. 2 with its dominant running game on display. Jar'Que Walton led the way with 198 yards on 24 carries. La Vega, the defending state champ, will meet Springtown on Friday night in Midlothian.

4A-2
1. Greenwood (Midland) (14-0)
2. Pleasant Grove (Texarkana) (13-1)
3. Silsbee (9-3)
4. Wimberley (11-3)
5. Iowa Park (12-2)
No. 1 Greenwood earned a state semifinal date against No. 2 Pleasant Grove with a come-from-behind 36-33 victory over Iowa Park. After falling behind 33-29 with 3:12 remaining, Greenwood rallied with a 45-yard pass from Weston Wilber to Austin Groeschel that set up a scoring run by Trey Cross. An interception by Brody Ray with 33 seconds remaining sealed it. Greenwood and Pleasant Grove meet Friday evening at Ford Center in Frisco.

3A-1
1. Pottsboro (14-0)
2. Grandview (13-1)
3. Brock (12-2)
4. Columbus (12-2)
5. Malakoff (11-2)
Linebacker Jackson Lipscomb batted down a two-point conversion pass in the second overtime to carry No. 1 Pottsboro to a 35-34 victory over Gladewater. Pottsboro faces Brock, a 31-21 winner over Pilot Point, in a state semifinal Thursday night at Ford Center in Frisco. Defending state champion Grandview, a 34-13 victor over Troy, takes on Columbus in the other semifinal Friday night at Reeves Stadium in Round Rock.

3A-2
1. Canadian (14-0)
2. East Bernard (14-0)
3. Gunter (13-1)
4. Pewitt (Omaha) (13-1)
5. Abernathy (12-2)
Hayze Hufstedler's 30-yard touchdown run stood up as the game-winner for No. 1 Canadian in a 35-31 nail-biter over Abernathy. The Canadian defense stopped two Abernathy possessions in the final minutes to set up a fourth consecutive state semifinal against Gunter set for Friday night in Vernon. Gunter, ranked No. 3, advanced with a 27-9 victory over Holliday. In the other semifinal, East Bernard faces Pewitt (Omaha) Friday night at Waco ISD Stadium.

2A-1
1. Refugio (14-0)
2. San Augustine (14-0)
3. Post (14-0)
4. Valley View (12-2)
5. San Saba (13-1)
A pair of 14-0 teams, No. 1 Refugio and No. 2 San Augustine, square off in a state semifinal Thursday night at FCU Stadium in Cypress. Refugio tuned up with a 49-12 elimination of Holland while San Augustine was downing Groveton 48-28. In the other semifinal, unbeaten Post takes on Valley View Thursday evening in Brownwood. Valley View spoiled the unbeaten record of San Saba in the fourth round, 14-12, blocking a 30-yard San Saba field goal try in the final two minutes.

2A-2
1. Stratford (13-1)
2. Falls City (13-1)
3. Mart (11-3)
4. Hamlin (11-2)
5. Bremond (12-2)
Brady Lyssy carried 46 times for 356 yards and five touchdowns to lead Falls City to a 35-28 victory over former No. 1 Bremond. Falls City faces Mart, a 53-7 winner over Muenster on Friday night in Pflugerville. No. 1 Stratford, coming off a 42-13 triumph over Wink, takes on Hamlin Thursday evening in Plainview. Hamlin topped Wellington 43-22.

TAPPS
1. Parish Episcopal (Dallas) (12-1)
2. Trinity Christian (Cedar Hill) (12-1)
3. John Paul II (Plano) (10-4)
4. Nolan Catholic (Fort Worth) (11-1)
5. Regents (Austin) (11-2 )
Parish Episcopal quarterback Preston Stone ran for three touchdowns, passed for another and finished with 297 combined yards to lead his team to the Division I state title with a 42-14 victory over John Paul II. Christian Benson had a big game as well with 187 total yards and two touchdowns. For John Paul II, Grayson James threw for 286 yards and both of his team's touchdowns. In the Division II championship game, Trinity Christian (Cedar Hill) three-peated with a 48-19 triumph over Regents (Austin). Dez Moultrie rushed for 140 yards and Trinity Christian quarterback Shedeur Sanders, the son of retired NFL star Deion Sanders, threw for 209 yards and three scores.