Here are four teams that aren’t considered favorites to win state football titles, at least not by most people, but could make deep playoff runs:
6A Division I
Arlington Martin
Martin (8-2) has won eight straight games since a nail-biter loss to undefeated Skyline. The only other loss was to another powerhouse, DeSoto, and the Martin defense is much better than at the season’s start. Martin can control the clock with a running game that features Nic Wilson (153 carries for 1,177 yards and 26 TDs).
6A Division II
Mansfield
Since losing to DeSoto a month ago, Mansfield (7-3) has beaten a solid South Grand Prairie team by three touchdowns, stunned defending state champion Cedar Hill and scored 62 against Midlothian. Kennedy Brooks has rushed for 524 yards and 6 TDs in the last two weeks for a team getting hot at the right time.
5A Division I
Rockwall-Heath
The defense for Rockwall-Heath (8-2), featuring star linebacker DeShon Elliott, allowed only 13 points per game in tough District 12-5A. Rockwall-Heath enters the season with a six-game win streak, and its two losses were against district champ Mesquite Poteet and 6A power Euless Trinity.
5A Division II
Lovejoy
After starting the season 0-3, Lovejoy (6-4) rallied to grab a share of the District 10-5A title. Quarterback Bowman Sells threw six interceptions in the first three games and has thrown only four in the last seven. He’s thrown for 33 touchdowns and receiver Aaron Fuller has caught 20 of them.