For some Dallas-area football teams, the regional finals present a rematch with a familiar foe

Brandon Schmidt knows what his Prosper Football team would have to do differently if he switched to Denton Guyer.

“On the offensive side of the ball we didn’t play well at all in this game,” said Schmidt, whose team had lost to Guyer on October 1 35: 7. “Too many mental mistakes. Too many physical, technical errors. “

Aside from extensive developments in time travel, nothing about Prosper’s loss can be changed. However, on Saturday it can get as close to it as possible.

Prosper and Guyer, both District 5-6A teams, will play in the 6A-I Region I final at 1:00 p.m. at Allen Eagle Stadium. It’s one of 15 regular season rematches to be played nationwide in the fourth round of the playoffs this week, and one of four in the Dallas area.

Duncanville and DeSoto play in the finals of 6A-I Region II on Saturday. Duncanville (11-1) defeated DeSoto (11-2) 42-21 on September 17th. Mansfield Summit (10-3) and Colleyville Heritage (12-1) will play a rematch of their October 15th game – a 35-34 Heritage win – in the 5A-I Region I final on Friday. Aubrey (12: 1) hopes to avenge a 49:14 defeat against Celina (11: 1) on October 8, when the two play in the final of 4A-II Region I on Friday.

Where do the coaches stand so deeply into the national tournament in a district rematch? It depends who you ask.

Denton Guyer High School wide receiver Grayson Obara (19) tries to escape from Prosper High School linebacker Herman Lee (22) after a catch in the first half when Prosper High School beat Denton Guyer High School in a District 5-6A Football Game at Children’s hosted Health Stadium in Prosper on Friday evening, October 30, 2020. (Stewart F. House / Special Contributor)(Stewart F. House / Special Contributor)

“To say I don’t like it means we’re not excited,” said Guyer coach Rodney Webb. “I think the honest answer is that I’m kind of indifferent. I would like to say that playing against one team twice in one season is a unique challenge for both teams, I think. “

Guyer and Prosper are not only playing for the second time this season, but for the fourth time in two years. In addition to this year’s game of the 6th week, the two played in the regular season and area round last year. Guyer won all three games.

“It’s good from a standpoint, there’s a lot of familiarity,” said Webb. “The downside is that there is a lot of familiarity.”

Both Webb and Schmidt said a team as deep in the season is what it is. Both will work some new wrinkles into their respective fixtures to offer some fresh, unseen looks, but not much can change a team’s established identity. Webb described it as a delicate balance where he wants to install some new levels of preparation and planning to disrupt the opponent but not too much to distract his own team.

In any case, however, it must be argued that the teams that play on Friday and Saturday are not the same teams that played in the showdowns at the start of the season.

In the rematch between Guyer and Prosper, junior quarterbacks Jackson Arnold of Guyer and Harrison Rosar of Prosper had each made just five starts before the game in week 6. With a full season each and 60 combined touchdown passes, the dynamic of each attack has grown. DeSoto was without senior running back Chris Henley Jr. – who stormed for 1,113 yards and 15 touchdowns – when it played against Duncanville against 11-6A. Aubrey was four starters short when it lost to Celina.

“Both teams have evolved,” Webb said of Guyer and Prosper. “The staff has changed slightly in both teams. Even in the sixth game of the season you are often not even sure what you are good at. “

Schmidt, whose team has won six out of seven since the Guyer defeat: “I expect that Guyer will see a different team on Saturday than they saw from us seven weeks ago.”

Mansfield Summit and Colleyville Heritage, two 4-5A Div. I schools, which include the city of Fort Worth, have played twice in the last year and would have played three times in 2020 without a regular season cancellation. Summit beat Heritage 34-31 in last season’s regional semifinals. Heritage returned the favor this year with a points win.

Summit head coach Channon Hall, however, is focused on the bigger picture.

“You like it just because it means you’re moving forward,” Hall said. “Every time you do that, you count your blessings and are happy to play against any opponent.”

Celina High School head coach Bill Elliott wonders why a first-half touchdown was recalled on penalty when Melissa High School hosted Celina High School at Cardinal Field in Melissa on Friday night, August 27, 2021 . (Stewart F. House / Special.) Contributor)(Stewart F. House / Special Contributor)

What do you think of that, Celina trainer Bill Elliot?

“To be honest,” said Elliot. “No, I do not do it [like it]. I don’t. It’s like a game of traps for me because we beat them last time. You worry that your kids will stop by, look over it and not prepare well. We talked a lot about it this week. “

Celina, an eight-time national champion, has won seven of the last eight games against the 4-4A Div. II. Enemy Aubrey, including a 49-14 victory this October. Conventional wisdom suggests that Celina is in a good position to make it to eight out of nine.

This is what worries Elliot, who saw that powers Aledo and Highland Park fell victim to upheavals in the previous play-offs, losing six defending champions last Saturday alone.

“The whole football landscape this year, going from the NFL to college to high school, there was so much excitement, so many teams being dropped when everyone thought it would be a win,” said Elliot. “Look at the cowboys, how often has that happened to them this year?”

In the office of Aubrey head coach Keith Ivy, the match ball from his team’s last win against Celina – a 36-27 decision in 2020 – sits prominently on a shelf next to his desk. He and his upstart Aubrey team will be ready.

“I know we’re going to be the big underdog,” Ivy said. “I saw a 14 point dog, 9 point whatever it is. None of this is important to us. “

***

Known enemies

Teams	Beginning of this season
Duncanville vs. DeSoto	Duncanville 42, DeSoto 21
Denton Guyer vs. Prosper	Denton Guyer 35, Prosper 7
Colleyville Heritage vs. Mansfield Summit	Colleyville Heritage 35, Mansfield Summit 34
Celina vs. Aubrey	Celina 49, Aubrey 14th

More high school coverage from The Dallas Morning News can be found here.

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