Can’t wait for the upcoming District 9-5A festivities to get underway? Well take a listen to our Sneak Peek at the 2015 Frisco High School Football Season via our Podcast!
Well, you’re patience has paid off and now we’ve finally made it! That’s right, the 2015 Frisco High School Football Season is upon us. Without further ado, here’s a look at this weekend’s matchups…
Wakeland Wolverines @ Lake Dallas Falcons—Fri., 8/28 @ 7:30 PM @ Falcon Stadium
Unlike college football, where the first couple games tend to be one-sided, high school football provides some very tough and even-matched showdowns prior to district play. This season is no different, as the Wakeland Wolverines kick-off their ’15 campaign against the fifth-ranked Lake Dallas Falcons.
Coach Secord’s Wolverines will return 11 starters from last year’s DI bi-district finalists to face a Falcons team that return double-digit starters (13) from DII’s bi-district finalists a year ago.
Key to Wakeland’s success will be finding a way to stop the multi-faceted Falcons offense that is spear-headed by QB Dagan Haehn, one of the area’s finest dual-threat signal-callers.
Frisco High Raccoons @ North Forney—Fri., 8/28 @ 7:30 PM @ City Bank Stadium
On the other end of the spectrum, the Frisco Raccoons find themselves playing the North Forney Falcons, a team coming off a one win season a year ago.
North Forney has plenty of questions on offense—who will be their starting quarterback? Can Jermaine Gardner live up to his potential as the marquee running back?
LB Kiland Beck have his hands full as the ‘Coons will look to wear down the Falcons’ d-line with their relentless, Wing-T offensive attack, led by FBs Idress Ali and Lucas Reynolds.
GOTW: Centennial Titans VS Highland Park—Sat., 8/29 @ 7:00 PM @ Eagle Stadium
10-6A juggernaut, the Highland Park Scots, lost a whopping 19 starters to graduation from last year’s 6A DII area finalists team—including Clayton Woods (UTSA) and Mitchell Kaufman (SMU).
However, the Scots are a tried-and-true team that has a knack for producing top talent year-in and year-out. They’ll be inexperienced, but not bereft of talent, as they’ll be led on offense by RB Stephen Dieb (826 yds, 13 TDs) and on defense by LB Hayden Schnieders (79 tackles).
On the flip-side, Coach Ronny Mullins—in his first year as the HC at Centennial—boasts 14 returning starters from 2014’s bi-district finalists. Amongst the key returners are speedy RB Anthony Pegues, who has his sights set on another 1,800 yard rushing performance.
Although Highland Park will be a very formidable opponent for the Titans, if they can apply pressure on the Scots’ young offense, they have a solid shot at avenging last year’s season opening loss, 47-0, by the Scots.
Heritage Coyotes VS Richardson—Fri., 8/28 @ 7:30 PM @ Frisco ISD Memorial Stadium
The Heritage Coyotes came seemingly out of nowhere a year ago to not only make the playoffs, but to make a deep run—all the way to the regional semifinals. This success was due in no small measure to the one-two punch of WR Bubba Ogebebor and RB Kene Nwangwu, both of whom return to the Coyotes for their senior seasons.
The Richardson Eagles, of District 10-6A, come from a larger district and have the vast personnel to prove it. However, Richardson was largely pedestrian a year ago and graduated many of its stars.
For Heritage to have success, they need to shutdown the Eagles’ passing game, highlighted by QB Michael Johnson and fleet-footed WR Khalil Lacy.
Independence Knights VS Princeton—Thurs., 8/27 @ 7:00 PM @ Toyota Stadium
Fresh off their inaugural season, the Independence Knights will look to start off on the right foot as they take on (DI) 7-4A’s Princeton Panthers. The Panthers put together a strong showing last season, as they were bi-district finalists and return a solid core led by QB Colt Collins and TE Brandon Talley.
For the Knights, last year was just food for fodder for a young core. Now with a full year of 5A football under their belts, you’d best believe that Coach Story will have his team focused and ready to cement last year’s one-win well in the past.
Liberty RedHawks VS Denison—Fri., 8/28 @ 7:00 PM @ Toyota Stadium
The Denison YellowJackets are a very young team that will look to a bevy of underclassmen to keep to propel them past the three-win threshold they’ve been averaging over the last few years.
Denison’s offense returns star WR Steven Wagoner (975 yds, 12 TDs) and their defense will be anchored by S Tre Lyday (105 tackles).
The RedHawks made defense a priority in the off-season as that had been a weakness in years past. Led by LB Gaige Reiter and DB Brandon Steele, look for Liberty to pressure Denison’s offense early and often.
If they can keep the YellowJackets’ offense out of its comfort zone, then it’ll be up to RB Reggie Hubbard and Dimitri Jones to tote the rock and set the pace for the RedHawks.
Lone Star Rangers @ Sherman—Fri., 8/28 @ 7:30 PM @ Bearcat Stadium
Much like the aforementioned North Forney team, the Sherman Bearcats return to the gridiron after a paltry one-win season. Despite registering just one win, Sherman returns some playmakers that excel on both sides of the ball—DB/WR Brayshon Savage, DB/RB Chadd Perry and WR/DB Maliq Owens, just to name a few.
If the Heritage Coyotes were the talk of the postseason last year, then you’ve got to count the Lone Star Rangers as the surprise hit of the regular season; after all, they were making the sizable leap from 3A to 5A—and making it look easy.
The ease of transition was aided by Jason Shelley—a QB of such dual-threat abilities that he already has his fair share of Division I colleges clamoring for his potential services.
