Week 4 Texas high school football storylines: A test for Southlake Carroll, more from area

Week four of Texas high school football is here.

Here are four storylines to keep an eye on in the greater Fort Worth-area.

A rivalry renewed: Southlake Carroll vs. Euless Trinity

Southlake Carroll and Euless Trinity will renew a rivalry at 7 p.m. Friday at Pennington Field. The Dragons are No. 2 in the Star-Telegram’s Class 6A rankings, while the Trojans have the No. 4 spot.

Both programs have a big reputation in Dallas-Fort Worth football. The Trinity Trojans have taken a step back in recent years, but don’t be surprised if they seriously challenge Southlake Carroll.

Trinity has a physical, large offense line and a relentless run game led by running back Josh Bell, a UTEP commit who scored four touchdowns last week. Quarterback TJ Tupou is tough and relentless.

Keep an eye on the Dragons’ elite run game led by Davis Penn, a Baylor commit, and Riley Wormley, a USC commit who is a Star-Telegram Player of the Week nominee.

Wormley ran for 168 yards and two touchdowns in a victory over Byron Nelson last week.

The Dragons won the last matchup 59-35, extending their series lead to 6-3. Southlake Carrol has dominated the rivalry and is the favorite heading into Friday’s game.

Can North Crowley stay undefeated?

North Crowley, No. 1 in the Star-Telegram Class 6A rankings, has been on a historic run to start the Texas football season, taking down Lancaster, DeSoto and Denton Guyer. The Panthers’ final non-district game of the year is against Rockwall.

The Yellowjackets’ starting quarterback, Landyn Lock, suffered a season-ending torn ACL, so the offense must adjust with Brent Rickert, a very capable backup.

The North Crowley defense led by Ja’Brelle Asberry and Jonathan Cunningham, a Texas commit, will be a huge test for Rickert. The Panthers have done a great job of applying pressure and forcing takeaways.

Quarterback Chris Jimerson Jr. and wide receiver Quentin Gibson will look to further develop their absurdly good chemistry. Gibson has scored three or more touchdowns every week and tallied 253 yards and four touchdowns on only seven receptions in a sizable victory over Denton Guyer.

After the Rockwall game, North Crowley’s schedule becomes much more manageable. The Panthers will be massive favorites against every District 3-6A squad, but that doesn’t mean the rest of the season will be a walk in the park.

Of course, you still need to focus and execute every week to give yourself the best chance to win in December.

Big game Friday: Colleyville Heritage-Mansfield Timberview

Colleyville Heritage, No. 4 in the Star-Telegram Class 5A rankings, will clash with Mansfield Timberview at 7 p.m. Friday at Mustang-Panther Stadium. The Wolves (1-2) lost to Denton Ryan in week two and Argyle to start district play.

Don’t let the record fool you, Mansfield Timebrview can still be a force in Class 5A Division II. The Wolves are the No. 7 ranked team in the Telegram’s Class 5A rankings.

Timberview needs a win over Colleyville Heritage to get back on track and keep hopes of a district title alive. District 3-5A Division II is an extremely challenging group with Colleyville Heritage, Argyle and more, so two losses to start the year would be a massive setback.

Quarterback Bodey Weaver, a Star-Telegram Player of the Week nominee, will lead the Heritage Offense. Look for him to develop as he gains more experience as a varsity starter.

One of Weaver’s main targets will be Braden Blueitt, a Northwestern commit. Don’t be surprised if the Timberview defense does everything possible to contain Blueitt, a dynamic, game-changing threat.

Arlington ISD’s game to watch: Lamar vs. Martin

Arlington Lamar and Arlington Martin’s game was initially scheduled to take place at Choctaw Stadium, but a late schedule change has moved the contest to Cravens Field. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m. on Friday.

The contest between the Vikings and the Warriors could have huge implications in the District 8-6A title race. Martin (0-3) has been struggling lately with losses to Austin Lake Travis, Denton Guyer and Mansfield.

The tough non-district schedule, however, tends to help teams be prepared for district play. The Warriors are still the favorite to repeat as district champions and haven’t lost a district game since 2018.

Martin is ranked No. 7 in the Star-Telegram’s Class 6A rankings. Lamar (1-2) is currently unranked and will look for an upset.

A player to watch is Martin quarterback Brooks Briggance, who had 100 rushing yards, 100 passing yards and three total touchdowns against Mansfield.