Texas high school football playoff roundup: 10 best 2023 UIL Class 2A-4A regional semifinal games

Everything you missed in third round of UIL state football playoffs

The regional semifinal round of the Texas high school football playoffs wrapped up a busy, matchup-laden first day on Friday. As games finish up Saturday, SBLive is taking a closer look at the top finishes across all 12 UIL playoff brackets.

First, we took a look at the Class 5A brackets, examining the most compelling finishes and biggest games of the third postseason round. 

Texas high school football playoff scores: UIL regional semifinal live updates (11/25/2023)

Now, we're zeroing in on Classes 2A through 4A. 

Here are 10 Class 2A-4A regional semifinal round games you should not have missed:

CARTHAGE RALLIES TO BEAT TEXARKANA PLEASANT GROVE

Defending Class 4A Division II state champion Carthage had to rally to stay alive, beating Texarkana Pleasant Grove 34-31 on Friday afternoon in Longview.

Benny Smith’s 12-yard touchdown run was the difference with 4:02 left, helping the Bulldogs (13-0) run its win streak to 29 in a row.

Texarkana Pleasant Grove (12-1) held a 28-14 lead after one possession in the third quarter. The Bulldogs rallied to forge a tie at 28-all when Jett Surratt threw a 70-yard touchdown to Bradan Manning and Smith’s 2-yard score tied the game with 5:27 left in the third.

The Hawks grabbed a 31-28 lead with 10:33 left on Caleb Jones’ 32-yard field goal before Smith’s game-winner.

Surratt passed for 198 yards and two scores, both to Manning. KJ Edwards ran for a career-high 269 yards and a touchdown for Carthage.

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LORENA KNOCKS OFF DIVISION I NO. 1

No. 7-ranked Lorena beat No. 1 Columbus, 42-21, in a Class 3A Division I regional semifinal game on Friday in Hutto.

Braylon Henry ran for 204 yards and five touchdowns for the Leopards (11-2). He has scored five touchdowns five times this season.

Columbus (12-1) jumped ahead 14-0 early but Lorena scored the next 42.

Lorena's defense held Baylor pledge Adam Schobel to 3 of 11 passing for 78 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.

Next up for Lorena is a showdown with defending state champion Franklin at 7 p.m. Frida at Georgetown ISD Athletic Complex

Lorena beat Franklin 52-49 in the regular season to break a 39-game winning streak. 

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GILMER USES 2ND HALF COMEBACK TO BEAT AUBREY

Gilmer overcame a halftime deficit in a 34-21 win over Aubrey on Friday at Memorial Stadium on Friday in Commerce in a Class 4A Division II regional semifinal game.

The No. 10-ranked Buckeyes outscored Aubrey 17-0 in the second half. That snapped the Chaparrals’ 8-game winning streak and finished 8-4.

Aron Bell had an 87-yard interception return for a score to seal the win for Gilmer in the fourth. The Buckeyes (10-3) took a 24-21 lead in the third quarter on a 7-yard touchdown by Will Henderson. He finished with 153 yards on 24 carries.

Jaedon Bogar threw two touchdown passes to Tyler Brown for Aubrey, but Bogar was injured late in the game.

Gilmer faces Carthage at 7 p.m. Friday at Rose Stadium in Tyler. Over the past 5 years, Gilmer is 0-6 against Carthage — losing twice in the postseason.

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JACKSBORO WINS IN OT

In a high-scoring shootout, Jacksboro beat Holliday, 49-48, on Friday in a Class 3A Division II regional semifinal game.

Lando Belcher threw four touchdowns for the No. 9-ranked Tigers but his biggest completion was to Kasey Swan on the 2-point conversion to seal the win.

No. 7-ranked Holliday (11-2) scored first on a run by Grant Cox. The loss snapped the Eagles’ 10-game winning streak.

Belcher also threw a two-point conversion with 54 seconds left that forged a 41-all tie. The senior was 21 of 28 for 414 yards and four touchdowns — two to Cannon Valenzuela.

The Tigers (13-0) earn a rematch with Gunter in the regional finals next week. That game is set for 7 p.m. on Friday at C.H. Collins Stadium in Denton.

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BROWNWOOD PULLS AWAY FROM SPRINGTOWN

Up by three points going into the fourth, No. 6-ranked Brownwood surged ahead to beat Springtown 37-17 on Friday in a Class 4A Division I playoff game on Friday night at Crowley ISD Stadium in Fort Worth.

Brownwood (12-2) got a pair of touchdowns in the fourth quarter. Ike Hall had a 1-yard run for a score, while Zakk Zabecki had an interception return. In between those scores, Junior Martinez hit a 35-yard field goal.

All three scores came in the final 4 minutes of play.

The Porcupines (9-4) pulled within 20-17 with 4 seconds left in the third on a 1-yard touchdown run by Nathan Johnson.

Hall threw two touchdowns to Carson Noe and finished with two scores on the ground.

The Lions face Decatur (9-4) in the regional finals. 

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BELLVILLE UPENDS NO. 2 SILSBEE

The No. 6-ranked Bellville Brahmas rolled to a 61-7 win over No. 2-ranked Silsbee on Friday night in a Class 4A Division II regional semifinal game at Planet Ford Stadium in Spring.

Bellville had 44 points in the first half and had a 61-0 lead at one point in the second half.

D.D. Murray and Sam Hranicky had two touchdown runs each, while quarterback Zach Leuschner had a touchdown run and a touchdown pass. The Brahmas' defense also got into the scoring with safety and a 52-yard interception return by Connor Gaines. Hranicky ran for 154 yards, while Murray had 132 yards.

Silsbee ended the year with a 12-1 mark.

Bellville (13-0) will face Jasper in the regional finals on Friday at Woodforest Bank Stadium in Shenandoah.

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STEPHENVILLE ESCAPES WITH VICTORY AGAINST CELINA

In a low-scoring contest, the Stephenville Yellowjackets won a Class 4A Division I showdown against Celina, 7-3 at Vernon Newsom Stadium in Mansfield.

The No. 5-ranked Yellowjackets got an 11-yard touchdown pass from Tristian Gentry to quarterback Ryan Gafford on a reverse with 1:02 to play in the third for the only touchdown in the game on Friday.

No. 10-ranked Celina (11-2) took a 3-0 lead in the first quarter on Braden Johnson’s 21-yard field goal. In the third quarter, the Bobcats had a pass in the end zone intercepted by Mason Floyd.

Stephenville faces Anna at 7:30 p.m. on Friday at Birdville Fine Arts/Athletic Complex in North Richland Hills.

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GARRISON THUMPS COOPER, SETS UP TIMPSON REMATCH

The top two teams in District 11-2A will face off in the regional finals.

Garrison posted a 47-20 win over Cooper on Friday to improve to 12-1 on the season. The win sends them into a showdown with Timpson next Thursday at Lobo Stadium in Longview. Timpson won the first meeting on Nov. 3, 35-26.

Garrison set up the rematch behind three touchdowns from Brayden Davidson. The Bulldogs quarterback completed 5 of 8 passes but three were touchdowns. JaChristopher Shepherd had two of those three touchdowns. On the ground, Javien Black ran for 112 yards and two scores for Garrison.

Cooper had a 10-game winning streak heading into the game and finished 11-2.

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FALLS CITY ESCAPES WITH VICTORY

Falls City gave up a late touchdown but Bremond missed the extra point in the fourth quarter and the Beavers escaped with a 21-20 win on Friday in a Class 2A Division II regional semifinal.

Falls City (10-3) advances to face Chilton (12-1) on Friday at Shelton Stadium in Buda.

Falls City quarterback Braylon Johnson ran for two touchdowns. Bremond quarterback Koben Zan ran for two scores and threw another for the Tigers (9-4).

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ANNA SCORES LATE, BEATS FRISCO PANTHER CREEK

Ziondre Williams tossed a touchdown in the final seconds to lift Anna to a 42-38 win over Frisco Panther Creek In a Class 4A Division I regional semifinal on Friday at the Ford Center in Frisco.

The sophomore dual-threat quarterback had a 30-yard touchdown to Jacob Emmers that proved to be the difference. Williams threw for 243 yards and three touchdowns — all to Emmers — and ran for a score as well.

Braxton Roberts threw two touchdowns and ran for another in the loss for Panther Creek (11-2).

Anna (12-1) has won 10 in a row heading into the regional finals against Stephenville.

-- Cody Thorn | @sblivetx

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