Three Fort Worth ISD football teams that spent October beating each other open the Class 5A Division I playoffs this week, and the district race that sorted them was about as close as a standings table allows.
Arlington Heights (9-1) plays Fort Worth Chisholm Trail (6-4) at 7 p.m. Friday at Farrington Field, according to bi-district pairings published by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Wyatt (9-1) meets Denton (8-2) at 7 p.m. Friday. Paschal (4-6) opens first, at 7 p.m. Thursday against Denton Ryan (7-2) at Collins Stadium in Denton.
The top of the district came down to three teams that each beat one of the others. Arlington Heights won 27-22 against Wyatt on Oct. 30. Wyatt had won 34-28 at White Settlement Brewer on Oct. 2.
Brewer then beat Arlington Heights 27-8 on Nov. 5, the Yellow Jackets' only loss of the season, according to MaxPreps. MaxPreps lists Arlington Heights first in the district and Wyatt third, both at 6-1. Brewer hosts Azle on Thursday.
Arlington Heights built its record on defense. The Yellow Jackets allowed 98 points in 10 games and posted five shutouts, including 72-0 at Trimble Tech and 71-0 against North Side. The closest district wins were 28-21 at Paschal on Oct. 2 and the five-point win over Wyatt.
Chisholm Trail enters at 6-4 after finishing third in its district. The Rangers have scored 340 points and allowed 305, and their district losses were 37-34 to Denton and 42-6 to Ryan.
Wyatt's season has been almost as balanced. The Chaparrals scored 447 points and allowed 141, beat Paschal 33-23 on Sept. 18 and finished with a 59-6 win over Polytechnic. Denton (8-2) has won five straight and allowed 142 points, with losses only to Garland Naaman Forest, 21-17, and Denton Ryan, 33-7.
All three Fort Worth ISD opponents come from the same district, and Denton Ryan ran through it. The Raiders went 6-0 in district play, beat Chisholm Trail 42-6 on Nov. 6 and Denton by 26 points in September, and have won six straight. Their losses came early, 35-30 to Mansfield Timberview and 49-17 to Lewisville.
Paschal took the long route. The Panthers started 0-4, with losses to Memorial, Boswell, Weatherford and Wyatt, then went 4-2 the rest of the way. They closed the regular season with wins of 48-26 over South Hills and 62-0 at North Side. Denton Ryan will host Thursday's game.
Two more playoff games will be played on Fort Worth fields. North Crowley (10-0), the 6A Division I champion in 2024, opens in Division II against Lake Belton at 7 p.m. Friday at Crowley ISD Stadium, and Aledo meets Keller Central at 7 p.m. Friday at Eagle Mountain High School, according to the pairings.
Area-round games are scheduled for Nov. 19-21. The 5A Division I state final is set for 11 a.m. Dec. 19 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.
