{"id":3888,"date":"2026-08-11T03:38:35","date_gmt":"2026-08-11T07:38:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sykotyk.com\/football\/?p=3888"},"modified":"2026-08-11T03:42:50","modified_gmt":"2026-08-11T07:42:50","slug":"2025-week-18-texas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.sykotyk.com\/football\/2026\/08\/11\/2025-week-18-texas\/","title":{"rendered":"2025 Week 18 (Texas)"},"content":{"rendered":"

2025 Week 18 (Texas)<\/strong><\/p>\n

\nI’m going to do this recap a bit different than previous weeks. Of the twelve games in Texas, the daily routine was fairly common. So, this will be more about the trip down to Dallas, and the drive home. With some notes and comments about the games.<\/p>\n

Staying in Edmond, Oklahoma for the weekend, I waited until Tuesday to head down to DFW. A single day’s drive was in the plans for the day. Leaving Oklahoma City and traveling southwest through I-44 toward Lawton. Though, shunpiking to see Tuttle and Elgin along the way.<\/p>\n

\n\"2025<\/a><\/p>\n

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\"2025<\/a>\n<\/div>\n

It took a while to find where the stadium was located in Lawton. Though there was a small field near the school, the school does also play some at Cameron University as well.<\/p>\n

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From there, it was a short drive south to Texas. I-44 ends in Wichita Falls where we stopped for gas at Walmart, and lunch at Golden Chick across the street. One of my favorite fast food stops. But only available in the Oklahoma\/Texas area though it’s spreading around.<\/p>\n

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\n\"2025<\/a>\n<\/div>\n

After that, it was a meandering drive down US287 to Decatur and US380 east toward Denton. Stopping at CH Collins Athletic Complex. Avoiding the rest of US380, headed northeast to Aubrey and checked out Chaparral Stadium.<\/p>\n

\n\"2025<\/a>\n<\/div>\n

It was getting late and traffic was the usual nightmare around DFW. From there, I took some back roads east to Prosper, and Prosper ISD Children’s Health Stadium. By this time, it was dark enough, and traffic was still such a pain, that I didn’t get a good photo of it. At least not one worth saving. The trees around the stadium made getting a full shot of the grandstand impossible.<\/p>\n

From there, it was down to the hotel and to prep for the games starting on Wednesday.<\/p>\n

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Press credentials had to be picked up the day of the games each day. And parking was in the main northwest lot. Unlike in years past where it was in eastern grass lot. Maybe it was to be easier since the media entrance was in the northwest corner. However, you still needed to go to will call to get the credentials.<\/p>\n

#71 – Gordon v. Rankin<\/strong><\/p>\n

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#72 – Richland Springs v. Jayton<\/strong><\/p>\n

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#73 – Joaquin v. Hamilton<\/strong><\/p>\n

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It was a very efficient day. Both six-man games ended early. With Jayton narrowly missing the century mark. On the day, Rankin, Joaquin and Hamilton were new teams for me.<\/p>\n

Having a hotel in Dallas meant a longer drive to and from the stadium. But the price was worth it: free.<\/p>\n

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#74 – Shiner v. Muenster<\/strong><\/p>\n

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#75 – Yoakum v. Grandview<\/strong><\/p>\n

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#76 – Newton v. Wall<\/strong><\/p>\n

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The first game of the day was a rematch from 2024. Though not nearly as an exciting finish. Meals were the food vouchers in the pressbox. And that included chili dogs for both meals. Same as it had been for Wednesday.<\/p>\n

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#77 – Kilgore v. Stephenville<\/strong><\/p>\n

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#78 – West Orange-Stark v. Carthage<\/strong><\/p>\n

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#79 – Smithson Valley v. Frisco Lone Star<\/strong><\/p>\n

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I spent the first game upstairs getting caught up on photos from the previous night. Only going down near the end of the game. My primary work each game was getting the postgame photographs and videoing the press conference for the champions. Leaving the first half of the game up to my discretion if I’m down on the field.<\/p>\n

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#80 – Richmond Randle v. Dallas South Oak Cliff<\/strong><\/p>\n

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#81 – Houston North Shore v. Duncanville<\/strong><\/p>\n

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#82 – Houston C.E. King v. DeSoto <\/strong><\/p>\n

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The one game I was least looking forward to was also the biggest. North Shore and Duncanville had squared off so many times now in the state’s biggest classification that at this point it was overkill. But that didn’t make this game uninteresting. I started the game upstairs and finished up the Randle-SOC game, as that was the best projected matchup of the day. However, North Shore-Duncanville started as a slow moving offensive game that blew open with a 10-7 win by North Shore.<\/p>\n

After the game was over, I had a lot to get done before the end of the night. I got as much of the game finished before heading up to the 500 level for another stadium shot to end the season.<\/p>\n

But, I did get there just a tad late for the anthem. But did get a few photos before security had come up demanding that I and another photographer leave. The first time I had faced an issue getting a stadium shot.<\/p>\n

I didn’t stay up there as long as I did in previous finals. As I also had a few photos to finish up. And needed to get the North Shore-Duncanville game finished up. And have time to get downstairs for the end of C.E. King-DeSoto.<\/p>\n

As with the Summer Creek matchup in 2024, DeSoto ran away with this one but C.E. King at least made it somewhat interesting.<\/p>\n

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During my time upstairs, and finished up my end of season tweets. After the final game’s press conference, it was back upstairs to transfer the video file via memory card. And then to get a few things done before heading out.<\/p>\n

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CHAMPIONS<\/strong><\/p>\n

I realized I did not wait long enough to get a photo of the first game’s trophy presentation. I was making sure I was in the media room in time. Though, after the first game I realized I had a lot more time to get situated and was able to stay on the field a bit longer.<\/p>\n

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And then also forgot to stick around on the field for the end of the DeSoto game.<\/p>\n

After spending one last night in the hotel in Dallas, it was up and ready for the long drive home on Sunday. This is a drive I’ve made several times before. Usually in just one day.<\/p>\n

Leaving Texas was a breeze. In Arkansas, we stopped in Forrest City at the Ole Sawmill Cafe. A regular stopping point. Perfect location to get gas and food. And then head out.<\/p>\n

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Driving through Tennessee and Kentucky were uneventful. Making my way into Ohio around 4:30 on Monday morning.<\/p>\n

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Stopping near Columbus to drop off my friend. And though running a little later than I wanted, was just three hours from home.<\/p>\n

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With the sun coming up, the last few hours were easy. And just over 22 hours after leaving Dallas, I pulled in my driveway. Concluding yet another season of high school football games.<\/p>\n

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ECONOMICS<\/strong><\/p>\n

Combined with Week 17, I drove 3,069 total miles from home through Oklahoma and Texas and returned home. Sunday being a single drive of 1,234 miles from Dallas to home.<\/p>\n

Total cost for me was $661.34. Of that, $77.43 was for gas, $289 for food, $74 for tickets and game miscellaneous, while $35 for trip miscellaneous, and $186 total for my half of the hotel expense.<\/p>\n

For Week 18, I saw only 4 new teams. Including Rankin, Joaquin, Hamilton, and Houston C.E. King. <\/p>\n

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PHOTOS OF THE WEEK<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"2025<\/a><\/p>\n

\"2025<\/a><\/p>\n

\"2025<\/a><\/p>\n

\"2025<\/a><\/p>\n

\"2025<\/a><\/p>\n

\"2025<\/a><\/p>\n

\"2025<\/a><\/p>\n

\"2025<\/a><\/p>\n

\"2025<\/a><\/p>\n

\"2025<\/a><\/p>\n

\"2025<\/a><\/p>\n

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2025 Statistics<\/strong><\/p>\n

82 Games
\n162 Teams
\n46 Stadiums
\n12 States<\/p>\n

84 New Teams
\n32 New Stadiums<\/p>\n

1740 different teams
\n565 different stadiums<\/p>\n

1644 total games<\/p>\n

NEXT WEEK<\/strong><\/p>\n

That’s all for the 2025 season. On to 2026. With plans to see games in Idaho as well as mark off a few more bucket list locations.<\/p>\n

For more, and larger, photos from this week, click HERE<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

For photos from previous weeks and seasons, visit http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/sykotyk\/sets\/<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

2025 Week 18 (Texas) I’m going to do this recap a bit different than previous weeks. Of the twelve games in Texas, the daily routine was fairly common. So, this will be more about the trip down to Dallas, and the drive home. With some notes and comments about the games.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3947,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1444,26,19],"tags":[1468,1586,544,976,736,338,6,1584,1254,326,1578,5,1585,979,25,13,1431,1579,1439,1434,324,1577,537,1440,711,1583,977,1264,399,27,1581,1582,1580],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.sykotyk.com\/football\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3888"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.sykotyk.com\/football\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.sykotyk.com\/football\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.sykotyk.com\/football\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.sykotyk.com\/football\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3888"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"http:\/\/www.sykotyk.com\/football\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3888\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3951,"href":"http:\/\/www.sykotyk.com\/football\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3888\/revisions\/3951"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.sykotyk.com\/football\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3947"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.sykotyk.com\/football\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3888"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.sykotyk.com\/football\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3888"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.sykotyk.com\/football\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3888"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}