The Alvarado (TX) varsity football team will host Eastern Hills (Fort Worth, TX) in a home playoff game on Thursday, November 14, at 7:30 p.m. at the Crowley ISD Multi-Purpose Stadium. This game is part of the 2024 UIL Texas Football State Championships, Conference 4A Division 1 tournament.

Here’s what you need to know:

What: Texas High School Football Playoffs
Who: Alvarado vs Eastern Hills
When: Thursday, November 14, 2024
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Bracket: 2024 UIL Texas Football State Championships – 2024 Football Conference 4A D1
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Game preview: Alvarado vs Eastern Hills

In the world of high school football, the 2024-2025 season has shaped up to be a story of two teams on vastly different paths. Eastern Hills and Alvarado, both representing Texas, have had contrasting campaigns, with Alvarado finishing an undefeated season, while Eastern Hills struggled through a difficult year. Here’s a closer look at the teams’ performances, statistics, and key players.

Team Records and Overview

• Eastern Hills (3-7 Overall, 3-3 District)
  • The Eastern Hills team faced a tough season, ending with a 3-7 overall record. Their district performance was slightly better, at 3-3, but still not enough to make a serious playoff push. They finished with a negative points differential, scoring 206 points while conceding 310.
• Alvarado (10-0 Overall, 5-0 District)
  • In stark contrast, Alvarado had a flawless regular season, finishing 10-0 overall and an impressive 5-0 in district play. Their dominance on both sides of the ball saw them outscoring opponents by a wide margin, with 579 points scored and only 214 allowed.

Scoring Averages: A Huge Gap

When it comes to scoring, the disparity between these two teams is even more apparent.

• Eastern Hills:
  • Average points per game: 20.6
  • Their scoring was spread out fairly evenly across the game, with a low-scoring first quarter (2.0) but improving as the game progressed.
• Alvarado:
  • Average points per game: 57.9
  • Alvarado’s offense was explosive from the outset, with their highest scoring period being the second quarter (18.0). They consistently outpaced their opponents throughout the game, scoring an average of nearly 58 points per contest.

Team Stat Comparison: Alvarado’s Dominance

When comparing overall team statistics, Alvarado clearly holds the upper hand in almost every category:

• Total Yards Per Game:
  • Eastern Hills: Not listed
  • Alvarado: 598.9
  • Alvarado’s offense was near unstoppable, amassing nearly 600 yards per game. This included 317.4 rushing yards per game, supported by 281.5 passing yards.
• Tackles Per Game:
  • Eastern Hills: 68.6
  • Alvarado: Not listed
  • Eastern Hills’ defense made an average of 68.6 tackles per game, but their efforts weren’t enough to counter the offensive juggernaut of Alvarado.
• Sacks Per Game:
  • Eastern Hills: 3.8
  • Alvarado: Not listed
  • Eastern Hills boasted a solid defensive front, led by Anthony Frias, who averaged 1 sack per game.

Player Leaders: Standout Performances

Both teams had standout individual players whose performances were crucial to their respective seasons.

• Eastern Hills:
  • Demarcus Belton (Rushing): Averaged 157.1 yards per game, showcasing his ability to carry the load on offense.
  • Cardea Collier (Passing & Total Yards): A dual threat, Collier accumulated 274.4 passing yards per game, contributing to 388.7 total yards per game.
  • Lance Sansom (Receiving): Led the team with 84.8 receiving yards per game, a key target for Collier.
  • Logan Woolard (Tackles): Averaged 11.2 tackles per game, leading the defense.
• Alvarado:
  • Rushing & Passing Game: Alvarado’s offense revolved around a powerful running game (317.4 yards per game) and a balanced aerial attack (281.5 yards per game), giving them a well-rounded offensive game plan.
  • Cardea Collier (Scoring): With 15 points per game, Collier proved to be a consistent and reliable scorer for Eastern Hills, even if his team’s overall performance didn’t match up to Alvarado’s.

Head-to-Head Comparison

Looking at the head-to-head breakdown, Eastern Hills was unable to score a victory in the matchups against teams that Alvarado faced, with no games played directly between the two in the current season.

Playoff Outlook and Future Prospects

• Eastern Hills:
  • With a 3-7 record, Eastern Hills will not be heading to the playoffs. However, the team has valuable experience this season to build upon and could look forward to improving in the upcoming years with the talents of players like Demarcus Belton and Cardea Collier.
• Alvarado:
  • As the undefeated district champion, Alvarado will head into the playoffs with momentum, hoping to carry their high-scoring offense and strong defense to a deep postseason run. Their perfect regular-season record has set them up for a promising playoff stretch.

Conclusion

While Eastern Hills faced a challenging season, their determination and standout players like Cardea Collier and Demarcus Belton provided glimpses of future potential. In contrast, Alvarado’s 10-0 record speaks volumes about their dominance this season. As both teams look ahead, Alvarado is primed for a deep playoff run, while Eastern Hills will aim to regroup and improve next season.