After closing the regular season with stout showings, Harker Heights and Ellison will harness that momentum this week and carry it into the first round of the UIL football playoffs.
Harker Heights (8-2), fresh off its 24-14 win over Temple on Nov. 6 in the District 12-6A finale that tied a scarlet and black bow around the program’s fourth consecutive league title, is set to host Cedar Hill (6-4) at 7 p.m. Friday at Leo Buckley Stadium for a 6A Division II bi-district contest.
Meanwhile, after hanging a season-high 60 points on District 10-5A-II co-champion Waco University on Nov. 7, Ellison (5-5) has its sights on a bi-district road tilt against reigning 5A-II state champion Richmond Randle (10-0) at 7 p.m. Thursday at Traylor Stadium in Rosenberg.
Ellison at Randle
Tickets: https://tinyurl.com/446rr2wp
The Eagles are back in the playoffs for a second straight season, one year after ending a seven-season drought.
“Our quest when we got here was to try to get our program back to where it once was, where it was a mainstay in the Texas high school football playoffs each year. We’ve managed to get that done with another appearance,” said EHS head coach Danny Servance, who’s in Year 5 at the helm. “It’s been a lot of hard work. My hat’s off to our staff, they work their tails off. We have one of the best in the state. The way you win kids over is you have great relationships, and our coaches have done that. We are a big family over here.”
Ellison takes a two-game winning streak into its playoff opener after combining for 109 points in wins over Bryan Rudder (59-13) and University (60-23). Randle has won 26 games in a row, dating back to last year’s season opener.
“We’re very excited to go back to the playoffs for a second straight year,” said EHS senior wide receiver Kae’Andre Sayles, who has 34 catches for 860 yards and 14 touchdowns this season. “We’re going to keep practicing and working hard, doing all the right things, and go try our best.”
Not many around the area have been better than Ellison’s offense, which is conducted by sophomore quarterback Marlyn Smith and averages 466 yards and 41 points per game.
Sayles and fellow senior receivers Prince Hall (59-809-seven) and Juan Ramirez (40-659-seven) have been key factors in helping first-year starter Smith ease into varsity life. Running backs Evan Dowling (86 carries, 583 yards, eight TDs) and Laboris Creagh (44-344-one) add effective balance, and Smith also has 566 yards and 14 TDs rushing.
Smith thanked those players and his offensive line for paving the way, and said he was grateful to be heading to the playoffs as a 10th-grader.
“We’re a strong team, very bonded, and we’ve worked hard for this. It means a lot to make it,” he said. “A lot of people didn’t believe in our program, but, back-to-back, it’s amazing and it’s a statement.”
Defensively, Ellison is led by linebackers Renaldo Johnson (team-high 97 tackles) and Demetrius Perry (92 tackles, seven sacks), defensive end Julius Simon (eight sacks), and defensive back Diondre Bell (three interceptions). Corners Tyler Reed, Zayondre Crable and Marc Eary have two interceptions each.
The Lions’ offense runs through running back Landen Williams-Callis, who’s piled up 2,196 yards and 37 TDs this season for a team that scores 56 points per game. Randle’s defense allowed just 21 points over its final five games.
The winner Thursday plays Hardin Jefferson or Pflugerville Connally in the area round.
Cedar Hill at Harker Heights
Tickets: https://tinyurl.com/y58ecu5n
The Knights will host a playoff game for the second consecutive season and third time in four years, and aim to advance past the first round since playing four rounds in 2022.
“It’s super-special and it’s well-earned because not everybody gets to do that,” HHHS head coach Mark Humble said of the opportunity to host a playoff game in front of what likely will be a loud home crowd. “You get an 11th game of the season and you get to do it in your home stadium. It’s kind of a bonus for our seniors and our team, but most importantly for our parents, our fans and our community. What a blessing it is to get one more at home.”
Harker Heights led 12-6A in total offense (502.5 yards per game) and defense (257.8 yards allowed per game), and overall averaged 36 points for and 18 against across its 10-game regular-season schedule.
Quarterback Hudson Humble was the district’s leading passer with 2,855 yards and 31 touchdowns while completing 75 percent of his passes (197 of 263).
Junior wide receiver Ryan Taylor corralled 68 catches for 1,113 yards and 14 TDs, senior receiver Kristian Nobles added 40 receptions for 643 yards and six scores, and Arshawn Spann recorded 32 catches, 381 yards and four touchdowns. Jaylen Mason was third in 12-6A and topped all KISD running backs with 1,307 yards on the ground. The senior had 12 touchdowns.
“Everybody cares about each other. You have to create bonds off the field to have bonds off the field,” Taylor said.
Linebacker Cooper Howard led all of 12-6A with 132 tackles. Corey McMillan added 88 stops, Malik McKnight had 86 and Pressdon Johnson 75.
The Longhorns, who hail from what’s known as the “District of Doom” in 11-6A that includes fellow playoff teams Waxahachie, Duncanville and DeSoto, scored 24.6 points per game and surrendered 24.3.
“District 11-6A, like 12-6A, is one of the best districts in the state, so just like district play, we’ll have to take care of the football. We’re going to have to take it away, we’re going to have to take advantage of our opportunities, and be super special on special teams –– all the things that have allowed us to be successful,” Humble said. “On the flip side, they are going to want to do all those same things. They are a really good football team. Only great, excellent and elite teams are left, so we’ll have to play great football.”
The winner gets Forney or Garland Naaman Forest nest week in the area round.