Texas high school football playoffs: 2023 UIL Class 5A bi-district roundup
As the opening round of the Texas high school football playoffs continued across the Lone Star State, SBLive Texas is keeping tabs on the latest scores, top storylines and best performances throughout the bi-district round.
After examining the top finishes in UIL Class 6A Division I, Class 6A Division II and Classes 1A-4A, we're taking a closer look at the top games in Class 5A.
The bi-district round runs through Saturday, the area round is Nov. 16-18, regionals are Nov. 23-25, the regional quarterfinals Nov. 30-Dec. 2, setting up state championship week: semifinals and finals Dec. 7-9 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.
Stay up on the final SBLive Texas Power 25 rankings, SBLive's South Texas Top 25 and SBLive's computer rankings for each classification.
Here are eight first round games spanning both the Class 5A Division I and Division II brackets you should not have missed:
BEST OF THE BRACKET: CLASS 5A
ADAMS RETURNS, PORT NECHES-GROVES ROLLS
The Indians, last year’s Division II state runners-up, opened the postseason with a win and the return of quarterback Shea Adams.
In his first game since Sept. 8, he had three touchdowns as the Indians won 37-7 in a Class 5A Division II bi-district championship game. He had scoring runs of 5 and 1 yards in the first half, helping the Indians (10-1) take a 17-7 lead at the break.
Winners of 10 in a row, Port Neches-Groves got an early turnover and then a touchdown pass from Connor Bailey to London Nunley for 13 yards. Bailey filled in for Adams when he was hurt.
Adams came back in and added a 10-yard touchdown run in the fourth
Port Neches-Groves faces Leander Rouse – 55-27 winners over McCallum – in the next round.
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MELISSA REBOUNDS IN PLAYOFF DEBUT
The No. 15 team in Texas got a big game from Trever Ham in a bi-district championship rebound victory at home, a week after dropping a district title showdown to ranked Lovejoy.
Ham threw for 261 yards and 5 touchdowns to help the Cardinals (10-1) overcome an early 7-0 deficit. Ham hit Gunnar Wilson for a 3-yard touchdown on the next drive and the game was tied.
Nathan Adejokun had a pair of scores, including a 10-yarder that broke the tie and the Cardinals never trailed.
The Cardinals have won 11 games the past three years and will need to beat a defending state champion – South Oak Cliff – to keep that streak going. The Bears beat Melissa 30-16 last year.
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SOUTH OAK CLIFF REVS, ROLLS OVER EVERMAN
The No. 12 Bears pulled away after a slow start – up 9-6 after the first quarter – to roll to a win on Thursday in a bi-district game.
Khalil Ewell and Danny Green combined for 262 yards rushing and four touchdowns for South Oak Cliff (9-2). Elwell had three touchdowns, including on the opening play of the second quarter. Everman (6-5) pulled within three points later in the second
Elwell gave the Bears – No. 4 in the Associated Press Division II poll – a 23-13 lead at the break after the defense got a turnover.
South Oak Cliff will play state-ranked Melissa in a rematch from last year’s postseason at The Star in Frisco on Saturday.
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MONTGOMEREY LAKE CREEK ROLLS
After falling behind 7-0 early, the AP top-ranked 5A D-II team scored the next 53 to secure a bi-district title.
Lake Creek (11-0) scored nine points in the first to grab the lead and a 31-point second quarter helped the Lions pull away.
Eli Morcos threw two touchdown passes for the Lions, while junior running back Tyvonn Byars ran for two scores. Elijah Naziruddin had two touchdown catches and ran for another.
The Lions will play Austin Crockett next week. Crockett picked up the school’s second-ever playoff win on Friday, a 14-13 victory over Waco University.
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SMITHSON VALLEY TAKES TO AIR IN BIG WIN
The Rangers ran its win streak to 10 in a row with a win against the Eagles (5-6) in a bi-district game.
Ryland Walker threw a 60-yard and 54-yard touchdown to Jackson Duffey in the win for No. 25-ranked Smithson Valley (10-1). Walker added a touchdown run in the third quarter.
Clay Amaya hit a pair of field goals for the Rangers, including a 56-yarder.
Smithson Valley will face Magnolia West (7-4) next week.
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BLACKSTOCK, LONE STAR BLAST W.T. WHITE
The Rangers scored all 49 points in the first half and cruised to their 10th straight win in a row on Thursday.
Senior Collin Blackstock threw for 258 yards and 5 touchdowns for Lone Star. He completed 12 of 19 passes with four different receivers catching touchdowns.
Bryson Jones was the top target with a pair of scores, finishing with 187 yards on 5 catches from Blackstock. Demetrius Troupe had 9 catches for 174 yards and two scores for the Longhorns.
Lone Star will face Forney – 44-7 winners over Port Arthur Memorial on Friday – in the next round.
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LOVEJOY RIDES MOMENTUM INTO AREA ROUND
The No. 14-ranked Leopards got three touchdowns from Khalin Williams in a playoff win on Friday at home.
Lovejoy (10-1) got a pair of scores from Williams in the first half and led 14-6 at the break. He ran for 120 yards in the win.
The Leopards will play Ennis (6-5) next week.
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MIDLOTHIAN THUMPS WILSON
In a Class 5A Division II playoff game on Thursday, Carter Rutenbar threw four touchdowns – two to Ryan Satterwhite and two to Stetson Sarratt.
The No. 2 team in the AP poll also got a pair of touchdown runs from Clyde Wilson. Heritage (11-0) faces Marshall in the next round. Marshall won 28-20 against Denison on Friday.
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KREKELER POWERS ARGYLE PAST O.D. WYATT
Jake Krekeler ran for four touchdowns and 159 yards to help the Eagles pick up a win in a Class 5A Division II bi-district game on Thursday.
The Eagles (8-2) have won eight in a row with the only losses coming to state-ranked Melissa and Lucas Lovejoy.
Argyle plays against Abilene Wylie in the next round. Wylie beat El Paso Andress, 55-7.
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ALEDO WINS 25TH IN A ROW
The defending 5A Division I state champions opened its title defense by winning its 25th straight game, beating Killeen Shoemaker 27-6.
The Bearcats (11-0) advance to a showdown with Lubbock-Cooper – 67-7 winners over El Paso Parkland – next week.
-- Cody Thorn | @sblivetx
