CW33 High School Football Showdown Shifts to Thursday Nights
CW33 is the television home of Dallas-Fort Worth high school football again in 2021. The station will feature live Thursday night action for all 11 weeks of the regular season, followed by playoff coverage through the UIL’s state semifinal round.
The regular season begins on Thursday, August 26, when Denton Guyer hosts Hebron. Guyer returns 14 starters from last season’s Class 6A-II state semifinalist team, including DB Marquan Pope and WR Jace Wilson. Hebron is fresh off winning the Division I 7-on-7 state championship this summer.
Three-time defending state champion Aledo treks to Frisco’s Toyota Stadium on Sept. 2 for a matchup with the Lone Star Rangers. The game features a pair of student-athletes who will be part of the Bedlam Series in future years. Aledo TE Jason Llewellyn is an Oklahoma commit, while Lone Star QB Garret Rangel is set to attend Oklahoma State.
The Denton Braswell Bengals finished one victory shy of the playoffs last season. They’ll continue their preparation for one of the toughest districts in the state on Sept. 9 with a visit to Garland’s Homer B. Johnson Stadium for a battle with the Sachse Mustangs. QB Alex Orji racked up 27 total touchdowns en route to a postseason bid in 2020.
Non-district coverage concludes on Sept. 16 with McKinney Boyd at Byron Nelson. The Broncos return district MVP Ethan Wesloski and big-time playmaker Jimmy Fex as part of a stout defensive attack. The Bobcats are expected to be back in the playoffs and have 12 returning starters.
District action begins with a rivalry matchup between Trinity and L.D. Bell on Sept. 23. The Trojans and Blue Raiders will meet at Globe Life Park in Arlington, former home of the Texas Rangers. Trinity student-athlete Ollie Gordon moves from RB to QB after rushing for 28 touchdowns last year. Bell’s lineup is headlined by an outstanding offensive line, including Arturo Romero and Colton Panther.
Flower Mound Marcus went undefeated in last year’s regular season, but faltered in the playoffs after elite QB Garrett Nussmeier was unable to play due to injury. While Nussmeier’s now at LSU, the Marauders are still incredibly strong. They’ll visit Plano on Sept. 30. A pair of top-notch defensive backs, John Lyons and Jermaine Jamabo, will work to slowdown the Marcus passing attack.
On Oct. 7, The Colony Cougars meet Denton Ryan. The Raiders finished 2020 with a 15-0 record as Class 5A-Division I state champion. They’re poised to repeat thanks to senior leaders such as WR Michael Davis and DL Mason Davis.
Oct. 14 features Garland Naaman Forest hosting Wylie. The Rangers are the defending District 9-6A champions, led by third-year head coach Jesse Perales. The Pirates advanced to the postseason last year and have big expectations for a solid group of receivers, including Seth Kramer and Cam Pruitt.
Northwest Eaton hopes to slay Goliath on Oct. 21, as Southlake Carroll pays a visit. The Dragons, who reached the Class 6A-Division I state championship game last season, feature QB Quinn Ewers. The Ohio State commit threw for 28 touchdowns in only seven games. Eaton’s only loss in district play was to Carroll, and the Eagles proceeded to go three rounds deep into the playoffs.
Oct. 28 brings a visit to the most historic high school football venue in the area, Fort Worth ISD’s Farrington Field, which hosted its first game in 1939. That night’s matchup features Fort Worth North Side and Carrollton Creekview. The Steers have earned playoff bids in back-to-back campaigns for the first time since 1936 and 1937, predating the facility.
CW33’s coverage of the regular season concludes on Thursday, Nov. 4. That week’s televised matchup will be determined at a later date, allowing the station to feature a game that has bearing on a district championship or playoff berth.
Postseason play begins the following weekend. CW33 is set to cover Dallas-Fort Worth teams through the state semifinal round.
Play-by-play broadcaster Doug Anderson and analyst LaDarrin McLane return to the broadcast booth for their 17th year calling high school football games together on local television. Chris Mycoskie continues his role as sideline reporter.
