FOOTBALL

Stadium against Shoemaker in a 7 p.m. start.

Football schedule includes intradistrict games

This year, for the second season, only the Harker Heights Knights compete in District 12-6A. The Knights will be defending their district title and following the team’s most successful season ever.

They have a new head coach in Mark Humble, leading the Knights following last year’s 9-1 team that was 6-0 in the district and went four rounds into the playoffs making it to the state quarterfinals.

This year’s schedule includes a rematch against Odessa Permian, the only team to beat Harker Heights in the regular season. The Knights host the Panthers this year in a 7 p.m. game Friday, Sept. 15 at Searles

Stadium.

The rest of the Knights’ season includes a home game against Pflugerville Weiss, an away game against Midway, a home game against Hutto, an open date, an away game against Temple, a home matchup against Copperas Cove and a final regular season game at Bryan.

Killeen, Ellison, and Shoemaker play again in District 4-5A with those three teams facing one another in key district matchups.

Last season, Midlothian won the newly formed district with an 8-0 mark during a 12-1 season.

Three teams, Shoemaker, Lake Belton and Red Oak finished with identical 6-2 district records to move to the playoffs.

Shoemaker finished in second place based on wins against Lake Belton and Red Oak. They faced eventual state champion Aledo in the first round of the playoffs and made an early exit.

Ellison was fifth in the district with a 4-4 record and Killeen was sixth at 3-5.

The Chaparral Bobcats played their first season competing in District 115A, Division II.

The Bobcats begin their season against crosstown Killeen Aug. 25 and Shoemaker Sept. 1. They finish their season Friday, Oct. 27 at Searles Sta- andy Zavoina | Herald dium against the district champion Belton Tigers.

Killeen High’s Chris Vargas (28) gets a first down after a catch as he looks to run between Waco’s Oshawn Neal (20) and Tyrone Sumpter Jr. (8) at Leo Buckley Stadium on Nov. 4, 2022.

Chaparral finished sixth in its first season with a 1-5 record, winning against Pflugerville Connally 50-18 at home.

The Belton Tigers won the district with a 6-0 finish, with Elgin, University and Rouse, all recording 4-2 finishes to continue to the playoffs.