Predicting area-round football playoff matchups & ranking top WFHS games of last 10 years

I’m a week late on my five favorite Wichita Falls High football games that I’ve covered in my 10 seasons with the Times Record News.

But it was worth the wait.

You can find my Hirschi and Rider lists in the hyperlinks. And remember, I’m not counting any Rider-WFHS games for those two schools’ lists.

5. Canyon 51, WFHS 33 (Nov. 9, 2023)

I remarked that maybe I’ll find a new game to add to my list by delaying these rankings by a week. And sure enough, I did.

The final Coyote football game ever has to be on here.

The game was closer than the final score suggests. Canyon didn’t even take the lead until the first play of the fourth quarter.

It felt like a Coyote upset was in order until late in the third. The game got away from them.

But it was one of the greatest privileges of my career to be the person recording this historic game.

More: Freeman reflects on Old High program's end while navigating WFISD's athletic future

4. WFHS 42, El Paso Parkland 14 (Nov. 22, 2019)

The Coyotes went into this game as 26-point underdogs but never looked the part of an underdog.

Old High’s defense held an explosive Parkland offense that averaged 48 points per game to 14, forcing five turnovers in the process. In fact, it was the fewest points Parkland had scored in more than three years.

The win also set up the historic playoff match between Rider and Wichita Falls High. While Rider won that game convincingly, it was the only playoff matchup in the storied history of the rivalry.

At the time, this was the biggest win of coach Grant Freeman’s career.

3. WFHS 17, Lake Dallas 14 (Nov. 15, 2014)

This was the first Wichita Falls High playoff game I covered, and at the time, I didn’t realize it would be the last for a few years.

O.J. Clark stands out as one of the best all-around football players I’ve ever covered in my career. He impacted all three phases of the game like no other player I’ve seen. It was what he did on special teams that was extraordinary on this night.

Protecting a 17-14 lead, Clark blocked back-to-back field goal attempts in the fourth quarter. Those two blocks preserved a come-from-behind effort by the Coyotes who went down 14-0 in the first quarter but held Lake Dallas to 70 yards in the second half.

More: HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: Previewing all 9 playoff games in Wichita Falls area

2. Decatur 31, WFHS 27 (Oct. 14, 2022)

It’s the “Keo caught it” game.

While Decatur quarterback Preston Escobar’s 2-yard plunge in overtime provided the official winning points, the Coyotes believed they scored the potential game-winning touchdown with 10 seconds left in regulation.

On third-and-7 from the Decatur 12, WFHS senior quarterback John Ledesma threw a fade into the top right corner of the end zone for junior receiver Ke’Ondrae Fleeks.

Fleeks came down with the reception but was ruled out of bounds by the referee. However, a replay on the WFISD YouTube channel shows Fleeks secured the ball with his foot down in the end zone.

Instead, Old High kicked a 30-yard field goal, sending the game to overtime, and Decatur eventually escaped Memorial Stadium with the controversial win.

I was broadcasting the game on WFISD’s YouTube channel. I thought it was a catch. The call made for a great backdrop to an eventual rematch between the Coyotes and Eagles in the fourth round of the playoffs.

Decatur won that matchup 35-21.

1. WFHS 41, Brownwood 19 (Nov. 25, 2022)

The Decatur-WFHS game on this list may have had more drama, but the emotions behind this game put it at the top.

This wasn’t just another win to coach Grant Freeman. It was clearly the most important of his career.

There was a time Freeman’s career goal was to be the head football coach at Brownwood, but circumstances prevented that from happening, and he ended up at Old High instead.

The Coyotes were also 19-point underdogs in this game and trailed 17-12 at halftime. Brownwood’s only points in the second half came on a blocked extra point return.

I also really liked the lead from my game story.

“When it rains, it pours.

And Brownwood got drenched Friday night. Both figuratively and literally.

Wichita Falls High mimicked the steady downpour that fell on Anthony Field for Friday night’s Region I-4A Division I semifinal matchup, washing the heavily-favored Lions out of the postseason with a 41-19 victory.”

On to the picks…

I made up ground on Cory Hogue only to lose it again. I’m back to five games behind him, and it somehow remains Zach Duncan’s fault.

I’ll figure out how later.

Be sure to find all the picks of the “expert panel” below along with our NFL and college picks at the bottom of the article.

Also, we have expanded our picks to include some key matchups outside the Wichita Falls area.

WFISD

Rider 30, Lake Dallas 13 – Bit of a statement win by the Raiders, who are playing at such a high level on defense and feature a very efficient offense.

Hirschi 32, Seminole 28 – On paper, I like Seminole. The Indians would be the picks if I didn’t know much about these two teams. I think it’s tough to beat Hirschi by throwing the ball, and that’s what Seminole does. The Hirschi defense will get more stops.

CLASS 4A AREA

West Plains 45, Graham 43 – The winner may be the last team with the ball. It’s hard to believe West Plains is this good in its second season of existence. And the Wolves have a sophomore at quarterback.

CLASS 3A AREA

Jacksboro 44, Bells 38 – A great game that I wish we had the staff to get to Friday night. Lando Belcher is a couple of weeks removed from his sprained ankle, and his ability to run the ball should be back on display for a Jacksboro offense that is explosive without his legs being a factor.

Holliday 44, Leonard 8 – Eagles get another easy win. And the result of these last two predictions set up a Jacksboro-Holliday third-round matchup that has Zach Duncan frothing at the mouth.

Careful, he’s rabid.

Gunter 50, City View 12 – No one has scored on Gunter since Oct. 6. And only one team scored more than 12 points against the Tigers, and Prosper Walnut Grove didn’t get 24 points on Gunter’s starters. City View is seriously trying to pull the biggest upset in the state.

CLASS 2A AREA

Windthorst 30, Roscoe 27 – Roscoe lacks postseason experience. And while Windthorst is young at QB, Brock Belcher is surrounded by players with playoff skins on the wall.

SIX-MAN AREA

Knox City 66, Happy 12 – There’s some revenge on the mind of the Greyhounds. They had two of their last three seasons ended by Happy. Now they have the upper hand.

Benjamin 68, Newcastle 48 – Newcastle can score and make Benjamin play four quarters for the first time this season. But can the Bobcats survive a shootout with Grayson Rigdon being set loose? No one has done it in two years.

CLASS 5A

Aledo 43, Lubbock-Cooper 26 – This is a big-time Class 5A Division I showdown happening at Memorial Stadium. Definitely worth the price of admission if you don’t feel like traveling for a game Friday. The region still belongs to the Bearcats until someone takes it from them.

Red Oak 30, Amarillo High 20 – Another good 5A D-I game at Memorial Stadium, this one at 2 p.m. Saturday. I’m still siding with the DFW team, although there are some key factors for me (strength of schedule) that does favor Amarillo High. Red Oak is undefeated, while Amarillo is 6-5 and finished third in its district.

Denton Ryan 35, Abilene High 32 – I’m feeling some bias toward DFW teams. I favor Denton Ryan particularly for playing Aledo within 25-19.

Frisco Emerson 43, Canutillo 21 – And I’m definitely feeling a DFW bias when it comes to playing El Paso schools. The winner of this game gets Rider or Lake Dallas next week.

South Oak Cliff 32, Melissa 24 – This is worthy of being for the Region II-5A Division II championship, although Lucas Lovejoy obviously has a lot to say about that. SOC’s only two losses are to Duncanville and DeSoto. The Golden Bears haven’t been tested in a while, but that team has shown it knows how to win big games over the past two seasons.

CLASS 4A

Glen Rose 48, Peryton 14 – It’s not a far trip for Hirschi to scout its potential next opponent with this game in Iowa Park. And it should be lopsided in Glen Rose’s favor.

La Vernia 33, Boerne 27 – How about a South Texas prediction? I’m really testing the knowledge, or guessing ability, of the expert panel with this one. But it’s one of the closest rated matchups in the state according to PigskinPrep.com. Boerne played for a state title last season, but I like La Vernia’s resume better.

Monahans 54, Sweetwater 21 – In my mind, this is an old West Texas district rivalry. I grew up playing against the Loboes and Mustangs. I always disliked the Mustangs more. But that truthfully has no merit with my pick. Monahans averages 54 points a game, and Sweetwater had a hard time stopping anybody. The winner of this one plays Graham next week.

CLASS 3A

Bushland 46, Whitesboro 16 – A Thursday night game in Vernon should lean heavily in Bushland’s favor. Whitesboro was hit pretty hard by graduation and narrowly survived the bi-district round over Jim Ned.

Paradise 48, Dalhart 6 – And here’s a Friday night game in Vernon for local football fans. But it should be another blowout. Although the result of these last two predictions could have Paradise and Bushland playing somewhere in the area next week.

Comanche 30, Scurry-Rosser 24 – The winner of this one gets Gunter or City View. Scurry-Rosser is undefeated, but Comanche may be the best team the Wildcats have faced.

CLASS 2A

Stratford 36, Stamford 30 – Great matchup of Panhandle and Big Country teams. Stratford is undefeated, while Stamford’s lone loss is by four points to defending state champion Hawley. But Stratford has the stronger resume.

Panhandle 41, Hawley 36 – There will be a new Class 2A Division I champion if this prediction holds true. Panhandle averages 57 points per game, and Hawley isn’t as powerful as it was a year ago.

Sunray 34, New Home 31 – Sunray’s two losses are by a combined four points to Stratford and Gruver. No shame there. New Home hasn’t been tested in months. That plays to Sunray’s advantage for a mild upset.

Muenster 30, Wink 27 – Muenster’s 7-4 record is very deceptive. The Hornets opened the season 1-3 with losses to Paradise, Bells and Pottsboro. Wink hasn’t played near the level of competition.

Collinsville 44, Miles 16 – The winner of this game gets Windthorst or Roscoe. And it would be very surprising if it’s not Collinsville.

SIX-MAN REGION

Miami 48, Springlake-Earth 40 – I actually like Springlake-Earth’s strength of schedule better, but Miami has dominated everyone it is supposed to dominate and won a couple close games against stronger opponents. The winner of this game gets Knox City or Happy next week.

Jayton 62, Strawn 14 – The winner of this one gets Benjamin or Newcastle next week. And that should definitely be Jayton.

This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: Wichita Falls area high school football area-round playoff predictions