Frisco Emerson defeats McKinney: Live updates of Texas high school football opener (8/29/2024)

Mavericks' defense makes big plays in season-opening win

McKinney faces Guyer in a Texas high school football showdown. / SBLive archive photo

McKinney and Frisco Emerson are set to clash in a 2024 Texas high school football season opener between formidable UIL class 6A Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex foes.

• LIVE TEXAS HS FOOTBALL SCOREBOARD

Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. Central time at the Star in Frisco.

Stay with SBLive for live updates, big play highlights and expert analysis from warmups until well after the final horn. Stay tuned for full postgame coverage. Follow reporter Buck Ringgold (X: @Buck_SBLiveOkla) for live updates from the ground at the Star in Frisco.

LIVE UPDATES: MCKINNEY VS. FRISCO EMERSON

Refresh for latest.

FRISCO EMERSON 17, McKINNEY 7 (FINAL)

POSTGAME

- Emerson outgained McKinney by 4 yards, 245-241. The Mavericks also held the Lions to just 45 yards rushing on 32 carries. Emerson QB DJ Shelton was 10-of-20 passing for 103 yards and a TD while adding 65 yards rushing on 10 carries.

- Frisco Emerson posts a 17-7 win against McKinney.

FOURTH QUARTER

- Emerson puts the finishing touches on this opening night win as senior defensive lineman Cooper Hebert comes up with a sack on fourth down.

- McKinney driving late, as the Lions have the ball inside the Emerson 20 with nearly a minute left.

- FIELD GOAL FRISCO EMERSON: Emerson extends its lead to 10 points as John Pacheco connects on a 27-yard field goal with 3:06 left (Frisco Emerson, 17-7 | 3:06, 4th)

- McKinney flagged for a pair of personal foul penalties. Emerson now has a first-and-goal at the 7.

- A huge third-down pass play for Emerson as QB DJ Shelton hooks up with receiver Kelton Wafer for a big 24-yard gain down to the McKinney 39 with 5:17 left.

- McKinney can't move it and the Lions punt it back to Emerson with 6:41 left.

- Drive stalls for Emerson, and the Mavericks punt it away. McKinney has the ball at its 35 with 7:51 left.

- Emerson's defense forces a punt. Mavericks take over with the ball and with the lead near the 10-minute juncture.

- McKinney with the ball near midfield as the fourth quarter commences.

THIRD QUARTER

- Emerson goes for it on fourth-and-short just beyond midfield but comes up empty. McKinney takes over, trailing by seven as the third quarter concludes.

- Emerson senior LB Lawrence Agape with a huge hit on a McKinney ballcarrier on fourth-and-short. Mavericks take over on downs with time running out in the third.

- Emerson tries another fake punt on fourth down, and once again, McKinney is ready. Lions take over just past midfield inside two minutes left in the third.

- Emerson gets the ball right back, forcing a takeaway, as linebacker Nate Leal elevates high in the air to grab an interception. Mavericks with the ball near midfield in the closing minutes of the third.

- The Emerson TD finished off a drive that covered 89 yards.

- TOUCHDOWN FRISCO EMERSON: Tailback Kameron Lockhart takes a handoff from QB DJ Shelton and scoots in from 30 yards out. John Pacheco adds the PAT, and the Mavericks regain the lead (Frisco Emerson, 14-7 | 4:05, 3rd)

- Emerson driving, as the Mavericks have the ball near the McKinney 30.

- McKinney goes for it on fourth-and-21 at the Emerson 31. Long pass is completed, but Emerson stops the receiver 1 yard short. Mavericks take over, still tied with more than seven minutes left in the third.

- McKinney gets the ball right back as Ja'bree Bickham picks off a pass. Lions have the ball at the Emerson 20 three minutes into the second half.

- McKinney can't take advantage of the great field position and will punt the ball away to Emerson.

- Emerson tries a squib kick to start the second half, but the ball lands right into the hands of a McKinney player. Lions begin the second half with superb field position at their own 45-yard line.

HALFTIME

- McKinney outgained Emerson in the first half, 137-88. All but 10 of the Lions' yards have come through the air, as QB Jeremiah Daoud is 12-of-19 for 127 yards and a TD. Emerson QB DJ Shelton is 4-of-9 for 47 yards and a TD and also has 44 rushing yards on six carries.

- We have reached halftime, as McKinney runs out the rest of the first-half clock and both teams will go into their respective locker rooms deadlocked at 7-all. (7-7 | Half)

SECOND QUARTER

- Emerson was driving near midfield, but McKinney's Bryce Walton intercepts a pass. Lions take over inside a minute remaining until halftime.

- Emerson's defense holds as McKinney goes for it on fourth down near the Emerson 20, but a pass goes incomplete. Mavericks take over with more than a minute left until the break.

- A nice juggling catch by McKinney receiver Jy'dell Pearson, covering 49 yards, puts the Lions down to the Emerson 20 with more than three minutes left in the half.

- A wild series of special teams miscues from both sides. Emerson tried a fake punt deep in its own territory but it was snuffed out. McKinney then tried a field goal attempt from 27 yards out, but it was blocked by the Mavericks' Lawrence Agape. We remain tied entering the midway point of the second quarter.

- TOUCHDOWN McKINNEY: The Lions tie things up as QB Jeremiah Daoud finds an open Khristian Mackintrush all alone in the left side of the end zone for a 20-yard TD. PAT evens things up. (7-7 | 10:12, 2nd)

- End of the first quarter, Emerson with a 7-0 lead. McKinney has the ball inside the Emerson 40 to start the second quarter.

FIRST QUARTER

- TOUCHDOWN FRISCO EMERSON: On the Mavericks' second drive of the game, QB DJ Shelton fires a slant right into the hands of Blake McLane in the end zone from 9 yards out. PAT gives Emerson a 7-0 lead (Frisco Emerson, 7-0 | 5:31, 1st)

- McKinney wearing gold helmets, white jerseys and white pants. Frisco Emerson wearing all light blue.

PREGAME READING

About Mckinney

Key players: LB Riley Pettijohn (6-2, 205, Ohio State commit); DL Jordan Covington (6-4, 250)

It will be the debut game for new McKinney head coach Nate Leonard, who takes over his alma mater following a stint at New Braunfels Canyon. Leonard takes over a Lions’ team that experienced a good deal of success, finishing 9-3 a season ago and will return at least six starters on both sides of the ball, including standout linebacker Riley Pettijohn, who is committed to play at Ohio State.

About Frisco Emerson

Key players: Frisco Emerson, DB Maliek Hawkins (6-1, 195, Oklahoma commit); QB D.J. Shelton (6-3, 215); LB Agape Lawrence (5-10, 210).

Frisco Emerson will also bring back six starters on each side from a team that went 12-3 and reached the 5A DII semifinals, though the Mavericks will have to find a replacement for quarterback Michael Hawkins, who could be seeing some reps as a true freshman at Oklahoma.

—

Stay with SBLive's preseason coverage in the lead up to the 2024 Texas high school football season and the start of games on Thursday.

Who are the 25 best teams in Texas, regardless of classification or association? Here are the SBLive Preseason Texas Power 25 rankings, as well as the 20 winningest active coaches.

Who are the 100 most important high school football players in Texas? We scoured the state and counted down from 100 to 1: Part 1 (100-51) |Part 2 (50-1)

We're taking a position-by-position look at the top players returning in the Lone Star State this fall, starting with 50 quarterbacks, 70 running backs, 40 wide receivers, 25 tight ends, 25 offensive linemen, 30 cornerbacks, 25 safeties, 45 linebackers and 25 kickers/punters.

Who are the most underrated teams in the Lone Star State entering the season? We're taking a look by region at the programs poised to out-perform expectations, starting with North Texas, Southeast Texas and Central Texas.

We examined offseason player movement and the 12 transfers that will have the biggest impact in the fall.

SBLIVE SPORTS LAUNCHES HIGH SCHOOL ON SI

High School On SI will serve as the premier destination for high school sports fans, delivering unparalleled coverage of high school athletics nationwide through in-depth stories, recruiting coverage, rankings, highlights and much more. The launch of a dedicated high school experience expands Sports Illustrated’s reach to even more local communities as fans can now truly follow athletes from “preps to the pros” on a single platform, bringing them closer to the action than ever before.For more information, visitsi.com/high-school.

-- Buck Ringgold | buck@scorebooklive.com | @sblivetx