Subhead: The record looks ordinary. The schedule was anything but. Friday in Ellis County, one 3-1 team grabs the inside lane behind North Crowley, and the other starts scrambling.
By T-Rohn
Judging Duncanville by its record is like judging a gumbo by the color of the pot. You’ve got to taste what’s inside.
No. 7 Duncanville (4-3) visits No. 8 Waxahachie (6-1) in UIL Week 9 at 7 p.m. Friday at Stuart B. Lumpkins Stadium, per Waxahachie’s schedule. Rankings and records come from MaxPreps. Both teams are 3-1 in District 11-6A, and HS Football Nation says the winner holds the inside track to second place behind North Crowley.
Why 4-3 isn’t really 4-3
Duncanville’s losses came against Allen (26-7) and North Crowley (47-30), HSFN’s top two teams, plus a 21-20 heartbreaker to rival DeSoto on Sept. 12 at the Cotton Bowl, where DeSoto blocked the tying extra point late, per MaxPreps and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Last week the Panthers beat Crowley 28-15.
HSFN calls Friday a must-win. Per HSFN, a loss would leave Duncanville two games back of North Crowley and stuck in a scramble with Red Oak and Lake Ridge for the last playoff berths.
Two games back in November is a long drive. Like I-35 at 5 p.m.: you’ll get there eventually, but you won’t enjoy a single mile.
Waxahachie’s comeback tour
Waxahachie entered October No. 1 in several statewide polls, HSFN noted, before a 42-17 loss to North Crowley. Since then, the Indians beat Coppell 27-24 and routed Red Oak 48-3.
HSFN’s analysis is that North Crowley exposed Waxahachie’s interior run defense, and Friday is the best test of whether that fix holds.
Same opponent, two different lessons
Both teams have already met North Crowley. Duncanville gave up 293 rushing yards in its 47-30 loss, but the Panthers moved the ball early, piling up 209 first-half yards before North Crowley held them to 73 yards and two points after halftime, per HSFN.
Waxahachie was 5-0 and ranked No. 1 in the state when North Crowley won 42-17 at Lumpkins Stadium, The Dallas Morning News and MaxPreps reported. The Indians answered by hanging 48 on Red Oak.
One team got bruised and kept swinging. The other got rattled and came back hot. Both answers count. Friday decides which one counts more.
The computer has opinions
MaxPreps gives Duncanville a 52.1 strength rating, the third-highest among its Texas top 10, three losses and all. Waxahachie sits at 47.0. That’s the computer’s way of saying the Panthers’ record and their real strength are two different stories.
Three losses and the computer still likes you. That’s the most Texas thing a calculator has ever done.
Don’t forget the hardware, either. Duncanville has three state titles: 1998, per UIL records, plus 2022 (28-21 over Galena Park North Shore, per the UIL box score) and 2023 (49-33, again over North Shore, per High School On SI’s game report). Last December, the Panthers came up one fourth-down stop short of title No. 4, falling 10-7 to North Shore, The Dallas Morning News reported. And with Lake Ridge (4-3, 2-2) tied for fourth in 11-6A, Friday’s loser won’t be lonely in the scramble.
The Gumbo Pick (for fun only)
Duncanville 27, Waxahachie 24. That brutal schedule turned the Panthers into battle-tested stew meat, and stew meat travels well.
Like we said up top: taste what’s inside. This one’s got some kick.
Sources
- MaxPreps, Texas UIL Week 9 schedule, rankings and stat leaders (Eric Frantz, Oct. 20, 2026): https://www.maxpreps.com/news/eJkCOPFmTE2ahbQL1OMlxQ/texas-high-school-football-uil-week-9-schedule%2C-live-broadcasts%2C-scores%2C-state-rankings-and-statewide-statistical-leaders.htm
- Waxahachie HS football schedule: https://www.hachiesports.org/sport/football/boys/?tab=schedule
- UIL state championship archive, 1998: https://www.uiltexas.org/historical-archives/athletics/archives/football/playoff_text/98at_bfb.html
- UIL box score, 2022 6A D-I final (Dec. 17, 2022): https://www.uiltexas.org/files/athletics/state-football/boxscores/22FB6AD1.HTM
- High School On SI, 2023 6A D-I final (Dec. 16, 2023): https://www.si.com/high-school/texas/2023/12/16/duncanville-vs-north-shore-live-score-updates-of-texas-high-school-football-championship-12-16-2023
- The Dallas Morning News, 2025 6A D-I final (Dec. 20, 2025): https://www.dallasnews.com/high-school-sports/football/2025/12/20/duncanville-galena-park-north-shore-6a-di-uil-texas-state-championship/
- The Dallas Morning News, “Five thoughts from Week 7” (Myah Taylor, Oct. 10, 2026): https://www.dallasnews.com/high-school-sports/football/article/five-thoughts-week-7-blowouts-shocking-history-22469433.php
- MaxPreps, North Crowley 42, Waxahachie 17 (Aaron Williams, Oct. 9, 2026): https://www.maxpreps.com/news/LDZK-6EcoESPwc9k3OB4JA/high-school-football-no-18-north-crowley-runs-over-waxahachie-42-17-in-the-maxpreps-game-of-the-week-presented-by-t-mobile.htm
- HS Football Nation, Texas Week 9 Power Rankings (John Miller, Oct. 19, 2026): https://hsfootballnation.com/texas-high-school-football-week-9-power-rankings-2026/
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