HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: Final score predictions for every UIL state semifinal game

There are two weeks of the Texas high school football season remaining.

In the TRN Sports coverage area, we’re down to one team after Benjamin earned the right to defend its state title last week against Klondike.

The Mustangs play Oglesby for the Class A Division II title at 2 p.m. Wednesday at AT&T Stadium. Zach Duncan, Naomi Skinner and myself will be on hand to cover that game.

I’ll actually be helping all Gannett newspapers in Texas cover any of their teams at the state title games next week. So far, that’s only the two six-man games and the Class 2A Division II championship game. There’s a chance I’ll be covering the Class 2A Division I and Class 3A Division II matchups pending this weekend’s results in semifinal games.

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The TRN Sports “expert panel” is making picks for every semifinal game in the state. And at this point, Cory Hogue has opened up a healthy nine-game lead on me that I’m unlikely to make up. I need to focus more on holding off Tobin McDuff for second place. Tobin has never finished that high in the standings. I don’t want it happening on my watch.

CLASS 6A DIVISION I

Duncanville 34, North Crowley 21 – North Crowley is impressive. I watched a decent amount of their game with Allen last week. But how do you pick against Duncanville? The Panthers have been at another level for years now.

Galena Park North Shore 31, Austin Westlake 21 – And the same can be said for North Shore. Duncanville and North Shore have played for the state title in four of the past five seasons. Might as well project another meeting between the state’s preeminent powers.

CLASS 6A DIVISION II

Southlake Carroll 35, DeSoto 28 – Two more state powers collide in this semifinal matchup. Carroll avenged its only loss of the season in impressive fashion last week, pounding Byron Nelson, 56-7. Carroll is better defensively on paper, giving them an edge for my prediction, but stopping DeSoto’s Division I skill players is a tall task.

Humble Summer Creek 29, Cibolo Steele 21 – Both teams have one loss on their record. Steele’s is a 10-point loss to Lake Travis. Summer Creek’s is a 10-point loss to GP North Shore. No shame in either one. Summer Creek has big time talent on defense.

CLASS 5A DIVISION I

Aledo 50, Forney 20 – Matt Stepp told me this may be the most talented group of skill position players Aledo has ever had. That’s a hell of a statement. The Bearcats have given up their fair share of points recently, but Forney has allowed 81 in the past two weeks. Aledo could light this scoreboard up.

Smithson Valley 34, Brownsville Veterans Memorial 30 – I like Brownsville’s resumè, particularly in the postseason with its upset against PSJA North. But we’ve had Smithson Valley on the pick sheet the past two weeks, and the Rangers have convinced me they will pull out close games.

CLASS 5A DIVISION II

South Oak Cliff 48, Frisco Emerson 24 – What SOC did to Lovejoy last week in a 42-0 victory carries a lot of weight here. You can’t convince me to pick against the Golden Bears the rest of the way now.

Liberty Hill 43, Port Neches-Groves 40 – This is the third straight week Liberty Hill has been an underdog. The Panthers won the last two games by 21 and 14 points, respectively. No one in Liberty Hill believes the Panthers are an underdog. And while they won’t dominate defensively, the Panthers can win a shootout with PNG.

CLASS 4A DIVISION I

Anna 31, Decatur 28 – Decatur’s season began with a loss to Anna. It could end with one, too. Decatur will have the best player on the field with running back Nate Palmer, but Anna’s wins against China Spring, Panther Creek and Stephenville over the past few weeks speak too loudly.

Tyler Chapel Hill 33, San Antonio Davenport 29 – I do think Chapel Hill wins what looks like a tossup on paper, but I may hold a bias here, too. My buddy Steven Offield, who is the former longtime athletic trainer at Hirschi, holds the same position at Chapel Hill now. That’s enough to make me cheer for Chapel Hill.

CLASS 4A DIVISION II

Glen Rose 41, Gilmer 38 – This is going to be a shootout in a matchup no one expected just a week ago. Both teams were underdogs, and of course, Gilmer’s win against defending state champ Carthage sent waves through the state. Gilmer opened the season 0-2. Glen Rose started 1-4. If this truly does turn into a shootout, give me Glen Rose and an explosive passing game.

Bellville 43, Wimberley 21 – Bellville hasn’t been challenged this season. The Brahmas' closest game was last week against Jasper, winning 31-7. Wimberley puts up a tougher fight, but Bellville may have been the favorite to win a state title even if Carthage was still in the mix.

CLASS 3A DIVISION I

Brock 31, Malakoff 27 – Over the past three months, only Paradise has managed to slow down Brock. Malakoff hasn’t been challenged this season. Grandview played them closest in Week 2, 51-21, but Malkoff beat the Zebras, 42-7, two weeks ago. I trust that Brock is more tested. There’s three losses but they were to Pleasant Grove, Wimberley and Gunter. Two of those teams are playing this week.

Edna 27, Franklin 25 – Total tossup on paper. Despite Franklin’s win against Lorena last week, I like what Edna has done more overall. And I’m assuming more of the “expert panel” will take Franklin. Maybe this is a game I can get back.

CLASS 3A DIVISION II

Canadian 40, Gunter 35 – There are many in the Wichita Falls area lamenting that this game isn’t being played somewhere in the area. I know Iowa Park and Vernon were both discussed as possible locations before these two decided to go back to Abilene Christian for the fourth straight year.

This is one of the state’s best playoff rivalries. And both of these teams are being advertised as one of, if not the best these great programs have ever produced.

This feels like the actual 3A D-II state title game. Slowly over the past three weeks, I’ve started to lean more and more toward picking Canadian. Gunter has turned the ball over too much in the postseason. It hasn’t mattered because the Tigers have been so superior on the field. Then there was Jacksboro giving Gunter a scare.

Some will point to the final score of the Wall game last week, but Wall used a ball control offense to keep Canadian off the field. That outcome was never in doubt. Canadian QB Camren Cavalier can give the Tigers problems, and Gunter can’t keep the ball out of his hands.

Daingerfield 30, Tidehaven 23 – So often I prefer the teams with a couple losses. Daingerfield has three, falling to Timpson, Center and Gilmer Harmony. The Tigers shouldn’t have lost to Harmony, but the other two are respectable and give me a gauge on this team. While Tidehaven has allowed 69 points all season, it also hasn’t played the level of schedule Daingerfield has.

CLASS 2A DIVISION I

Stratford 28, Tolar 24 – The challenges have been few for both teams. I thought Hawley could beat Stratford last week and the Elks won 46-6. Tolar hasn’t had a difficult postseason matchup. That’s a credit to them, but also a weaker region. I’ll be helping our sister paper in Amarillo out with coverage of this game and expect to send them a story about Stratford winning a close one.

Timpson 43, Ganado 27 – Ganado has been on a Cinderella run. The Indians were underdogs against Mason and Refugio in the playoffs, winning both games convincingly. The Refugio victory came after losing to the perennial state contenders 30-7 in district. But Timpson and star quarterback Terry Bussey, a Texas A&M commit, can make the clock strike midnight.

CLASS 2A DIVISION II

Albany 36, Sunray 24 – Sunray caught my attention last week by humiliating Clarendon 67-6. I watched Albany destroy Collinsville, 52-14, in person. Albany running back Adam Hill is the real deal. I’m not sure anyone in the classification can stop him.

Mart 48, Chilton 16 – What’s a 2A D-II state title game without Mart? The Panthers aren’t automatic to win the title anymore but they are almost guaranteed to be in the game. Chilton hasn’t come close to facing this level of competition this season.

This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: Final score predictions for every UIL football state semifinal game