Wylie East senior quarterback Howard Fisher IV will look to lead the Raiders to their second win over Sachse since 2022. Photo by Maddie Smith / C&S Media
By David Wolman
This week marks the halfway point of the regular season for high school football teams in Texas.
First place in District 9-6A will be on the line between Sachse (4-1, 3-0) and Wylie East (4-0, 2-0), with the Raiders looking to remain undefeated, while the Mustangs seek a second consecutive win in the series.
Plano East (4-1, 2-1) has a short week. The Panthers play McKinney Boyd from McKinney ISD Stadium Thursday. Plano East seeks to rebound from its first loss of the season.
Wylie (2-3, 2-1) scored a huge 41-14 win last Friday over South Garland, and the Pirates will look to make it 3-1 on the year against Garland ISD schools when they take on Naaman Forest.
Let’s take a look at the three keys to victory for Wylie East, Sachse, Wylie and Plano East.
Plano East vs. McKinney Boyd, 7 p.m. Thursday, McKinney ISD Stadium
1. Faster start. Plano East dug itself into a 21-3 first-quarter deficit against Prosper last week and was never able to recover in a 42-16 loss to the No. 19-ranked team in the state, according to Maxpreps.com. Overall, the Panthers are well-quipped to start a game faster. Plano East put up 13 first quarter points the previous week against Plano West. In a week-three win against Princeton, Plano East scored 28 points in the second quarter.
2. Seven, not three. Plano West moved the ball at times against a stout Prosper defense but had to settle for three field goals and got just one touchdown. Panthers’ senior kicker Blake Letourneau is ranked No. 1 in Texas and No. 3 nationally on field goals and points. He is a perfect 10-of-10 on field goals (long on 46 yards) and 20-of-20 on extra points.
3. Score at will. McKinney Boyd has had a roller-coaster of a season. In their two wins, the Broncos have held their opponents to 10 points or less. But in their two losses to Wylie East and Prosper, McKinney Boyd has given up an average of 46.5 points.
Sachse vs. Wylie East, 7 p.m. Friday, Wylie ISD Stadium
1. Which team will win the passing game? Both teams have dual-threat quarterbacks who can make a difference with their legs. Wylie East senior quarterback Howard Fisher IV has accounted for 203 rushing yards and seven scores in the Raiders’ running game. First-year Sachse starting QB Dirk Williams Jr. isn’t far off, having tallied three rushing touchdowns and 137 rushing yards. Williams Jr. has found a better rhythm with the Mustangs’ aerial attack over the last few weeks. For the season, he’s thrown for 672 yards and seven touchdowns. But Fisher has been a little more accurate, having accumulated a 64% completion percentage with 11 touchdowns against zero interceptions.
2. Win the battle in the trenches. Ever since Sachse yielded 275 rushing yards in a 31-10 season-opening loss against Coppell, the Mustangs have been stingy against the run. Sachse has allowed 231 total rushing yards during their last four games – all wins – and held all four opponents to less than three yards per carry. The Raiders’ dynamic duo of Fisher IV and senior running back Michael Henderson III will present a unique challenge for the Mustangs. On the flip side, Wylie East will have to limit Sachse senior running back Brendon Haygood, who has 639 rushing yards on the season with seven touchdowns.
3. Protect the quarterbacks. In last year’s 20-7 win for Sachse, the Mustangs’ defensive pressure proved too much for the Raiders. Sachse recorded seven sacks and 19 quarterback hurries, while Wylie East senior Rome Jeffers had the only sack for the Raiders’ defense.
Wylie vs. Naaman Forest, 7 p.m. Friday, Williams Stadium
1. Another big game from Bale. Wylie head coach Jimmy Carter said that senior quarterback Jagger Bale had the best rushing game of his career in last Friday’s 41-14 rout of South Garland. Bale finished with 117 rushing yards on just seven carries, in addition to 218 passing yards and three touchdowns. Senior wide receiver Mitchell George had a big game of his own with 116 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
2. No turnovers. Naaman Forest’s defense forced the issue in last week’s 28-7 win over Garland. The Rangers forced five turnovers, including three interceptions. However, Naaman Forest also struggled with ball security. The Rangers lost four fumbles in the victory. Wylie forced two turnovers in its win over South Garland.
3. Road warriors. Wylie is in search of its first win away from Wylie ISD Stadium. The Pirates are 0-2 on the road this year. They struggled in a 38-0 loss to Flower Mound on Sept. 6 and committed three turnovers in a 44-17 loss against Sachse on Sept. 19. Wylie seeks a third straight win against Naaman Forest. Last year, the Pirates rallied for a 21-14 win over the Rangers.
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