If you were sitting in the stands at AT&T Stadium this past December, you probably felt that weird energy in the air. Texas high school football is usually about the blue bloods—the Westlakes, the Southlake Carrolls, the DeSotos—doing exactly what they always do. Winning. But the texas high school football playoffs 2024 scores told a completely different story this time around. It was the year the "little guys" (if you can call a 6A powerhouse a little guy) decided they were tired of the same old ending.
Honestly, it was a bit of a shock.
Take North Crowley. They didn't just beat Austin Westlake; they absolutely dismantled them. We are talking about a 50-21 scoreline that nobody saw coming. Westlake is a machine, a program that usually treats the playoffs like a light jog before holding up a trophy. But North Crowley rolled up 640 yards of offense. That’s not just a win; that’s a statement that the power dynamic in North Texas has officially shifted.
The Night the Giants Fell: 6A and 5A Breakdown
Most people expected Duncanville or DeSoto to be the ones standing at the end. That’s the safe bet, right? But the 2024 bracket was a minefield.
In Class 6A Division I, North Crowley’s 50-21 win over Westlake was the headline, but don't overlook what happened in Division II. Austin Vandegrift finally climbed the mountain. They faced a Southlake Carroll team that looked invincible all year. The Vipers' defense was the story there, holding the Dragons to just 17 points in a 24-17 nail-biter. It was Vandegrift's first state title, and you could see the years of frustration melting away on that sideline.
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Then you have the 5A drama.
Richmond Randle. A three-year-old program. Three years! They were playing against South Oak Cliff, a team that practically lives at AT&T Stadium in December. SOC has the pedigree, the fans, and the rings. But Randle didn't care. In a game that featured multiple lead changes and a kickoff return for a touchdown that basically sucked the air out of the building, Randle walked away with a 38-35 victory.
A Quick Look at the 2024 State Championship Scores
If you missed the live updates, here is how the biggest games of the year shook out:
North Crowley 50, Austin Westlake 21 (6A D1)
Austin Vandegrift 24, Southlake Carroll 17 (6A D2)
Smithson Valley 32, Highland Park 20 (5A D1)
Richmond Randle 38, South Oak Cliff 35 (5A D2)
Celina 55, Kilgore 21 (4A D1)
Carthage 28, La Vega 14 (4A D2)
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Why the Scoreboards Looked So Different This Year
The lopsided scores in some of these games, like Celina putting up 55 on Kilgore, suggest a gap in talent, but it was actually about momentum. Texas high school football is 90% psychological. Once a team like Celina gets a two-touchdown lead, the "tradition" of the program takes over.
But for teams like Smithson Valley, the texas high school football playoffs 2024 scores represented something more personal. Coach Larry Hill had been chasing a ring for decades. Seeing them beat Highland Park 32-20 was sorta poetic. Highland Park is the winningest program in the history of the state, but Smithson Valley's defense turned them over and forced them into mistakes we haven't seen from the Scots in years.
The Small Town Legends
Down in the lower divisions, things got even weirder.
In 2A Division I, Ganado and Stamford played a triple-overtime thriller. If you haven't seen the highlights of that 30-28 Ganado win, go find them. It was pure Texas grit. In the six-man world, Gordon and Jayton continued their absolute dominance. Gordon ended their game against Whiteface in the third quarter via the mercy rule (70-24). Jayton did the same to Oakwood, ending it at halftime with a 54-8 score.
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Six-man football is basically a different sport, but the intensity in those small towns like Gordon is every bit as high as it is in Fort Worth or Austin.
What We Learned from the 2024 Postseason
It's easy to look at the scores and think it was just another year of football. But 2024 showed us that the "transfer portal" culture and the way kids are specializing earlier is changing the parity of the game. You've got programs like North Crowley and Richmond Randle rising to the top almost overnight.
The dominance of the "Big Three" (Duncanville, DeSoto, Westlake) isn't gone, but it's definitely being challenged.
- Defense still wins, but only if you can score 30. The days of winning a state title with a 10-7 score are mostly over. Even the defensive masterpieces this year required the winning team to find explosive plays.
- Pedigree matters until it doesn't. Southlake Carroll and Highland Park had the history, but Vandegrift and Smithson Valley had the hunger.
- The Mercy Rule is alive and well. In the 1A divisions, if you aren't elite, you're going home early.
Basically, if you're a fan, you've realized that the "safe bets" aren't safe anymore. The 2024 playoffs were a reminder that on any given Friday (or Saturday at the Jerry Dome), a three-year-old school can take down a dynasty.
To stay ahead for the 2025 season, start tracking the returning starters for North Crowley and Vandegrift now. The shift in power we saw in the texas high school football playoffs 2024 scores is likely to continue as these newer programs solidify their recruiting and coaching staffs. Keep an eye on the realignment news coming out this spring, as it will completely redraw the path to Arlington for these teams next November.