This game will have huge national implications as the winner will have a
great chance to secure the No. 1 spot in the MaxPreps Top 25.
UNLV-bound wide receiver Peyton Zachary led the charge for Carrollton as he hauled in five receptions for 172 yards and a score. Senior running back Cameron Wood scored his 32nd and 33rd rushing touchdown of the season.
After the Wildcats cut the deficit to 11-7, Buford scored 28 unanswered points to clinch a spot in the state championship game for the first time since 2021.
These two met in the AAAAAA semifinals last season and Julian Lewis led Carrollton to a 30-17 win. This will be the fifth playoff matchup for Joey King against Buford during his head coaching career. Buford beat Cartersville 27-3 in the AAAA semifinals in 2014 during Trevor Lawrence’s freshman year. The following season King and Cartersville shutout the Wolves 10-0 in the AAAA state championship game.
The Wolves ended Carrollton’s season in the AAAAAA semifinals during King’s first year with the Trojans. The Wolves won 21-6 en route to winning the school’s 14th state title.
No. 5 Southlake Carroll (Southlake, Texas) added another marquee win to its resume for the second consecutive week with a 51-19 victory over Guyer (Denton, Texas) in the UIL 6A Division 2 quarterfinals. The Dragons have been the best team in the Lone Star State all season and head into next week’s semifinal a perfect 14-0. They will face the winner of DeSoto and Willis. The Eagles are up 34-20 at halftime. Southlake Carroll is still in play for the No. 1 spot in the MaxPreps Top 25. Aaron Frye led No. 22 Clay-Chalkville (Pinson, Ala.) to a 38-21 win over Saraland (Ala.) in the AHSAA 6A state championship game. The senior quarterback completed 8 of 10 passes for 167 yards and two touchdowns to go with 15 carries for 183 yards and three more scores. Brentwood Academy erased a 21-10 third quarter deficit to take a 24-21 lead but the Red Raiders scored the go-ahead touchdown after Briggs Cherry connected with Braxton Rein for a six-yard score with 3:31 left. It capped off a 12-play, 80-yard drive. The only other MaxPreps Top 25 team that played on Thursday was No. 14 Grimsley (Greensboro, N.C.) in the NCHSAA 7A semifinals. The Whirlies extended their win streak to 30 with a 13-7 victory over Weddington (Matthews, N.C.). Junior safety Evander Davis sealed the win with his second interception of the night in the final minute. In Oklahoma, No. 16 Bixby goes for its eighth consecutive state title and 11th since 2014. The Spartans face Owasso on Saturday at Chad Richison Stadium for the 6A-I championship. These two met in last year’s state championship and Bixby won 43-42 in overtime after a successful two-point conversion. They also opened the season against each other and the Spartans rolled to a 49-21 win.
MaxPreps Top 25 National Scoreboard
Idle
Season complete
Idle
Saturday, 2 p.m. at Fort Worth Crowley ISD Stadium
Season complete
Friday, 7 p.m.
Season complete
Season complete
Season complete
Season complete
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14 – 6
3rd Quarter ~8 minutes to go
Provided by MaxPreps Staff Zack Poff.
Season complete
Season complete
Friday, 7:30 p.m.
Idle
Friday, 7 p.m. at University of North Texas
Season complete