Football: The Woodlands Takes Command as District 13-6A Playoff Race Begins to Take Shape
Highlanders emerge as the team to beat, Conroe builds momentum, and a three-way tie for second sets up a critical week of district football.
Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026 | District 13-6A Football
THE WOODLANDS, Texas — Three weeks into the District 13-6A football season, The Woodlands has established itself as the clear favorite, but the more intriguing storyline may be developing immediately behind the Highlanders.
College Park, Grand Oaks and Conroe enter the fourth week of district competition tied for second place, each with a 2-1 record. With four games remaining and only four playoff berths available, the district race is beginning to separate teams that can challenge for the championship from those fighting to extend their seasons.
The Woodlands has been the most convincing team in district play, but Conroe's offensive resurgence, College Park's response to a rivalry loss and Grand Oaks' narrow homecoming victory suggest the remaining playoff positions are far from settled.
The Woodlands: More than just an unbeaten record
The Highlanders' 54-14 victory over Willis on Friday may have been their most convincing district performance yet, particularly considering the opponent.
Willis entered the matchup with a 4-1 overall record, having scored 51 points against Grand Oaks the previous week. Against The Woodlands, the Wildkats trailed 34-7 at halftime and never recovered.
The result also snapped Willis' eight-game road winning streak dating to last season.
The Woodlands has now won five consecutive games since a one-point season-opening loss to Bridgeland. Its three district victories have come by a combined 131 points.
Those numbers reveal something important: the Highlanders aren't simply surviving against district opponents. They are controlling games early and preventing opponents from making them competitive.
And while the offense gets plenty of attention, the defensive improvement deserves equal consideration. After allowing 69 combined points in their first two games, the Highlanders have surrendered just 34 over their past four contests.
The Woodlands appears to have both the offensive firepower and defensive consistency necessary for a deep postseason run. The real question may not be whether the Highlanders reach the playoffs, but whether any district opponent can challenge them over four quarters.
Grand Oaks: A win that raises questions
Grand Oaks' 26-22 victory over Oak Ridge accomplished what the Grizzlies needed most: a return to the win column after a 51-21 loss to Willis.
But the four-point margin also leaves questions about how Grand Oaks matches up against the district's strongest teams.
Running back Kaden Carter provided one of the game's biggest offensive contributions, rushing for 105 yards and a touchdown on just nine carries, including a 65-yard run. Receiver Darnell Jackson Jr. added 65 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
Defensively, Tavarus Curry recorded 2.5 sacks, while Karter Ross contributed 15 tackles and half a sack.
The Grizzlies have now won three consecutive meetings against Oak Ridge and seven straight home games dating to last season.
Still, their district performances have been uneven. Grand Oaks opened with a 41-25 victory over Conroe, struggled defensively against Willis and then needed a competitive fourth quarter against Oak Ridge.
The Grizzlies have demonstrated they can win close games. Whether they can produce the same level of execution consistently against the district's leading contenders is a different question.
Grand Oaks remains in a favorable playoff position, but the Grizzlies have work to do before they can be considered a legitimate threat to The Woodlands.
College Park: An impressive rebound, but a tougher test awaits
College Park's 56-0 victory at Cleveland was exactly the kind of response the Cavaliers needed following their 39-7 loss to The Woodlands in the War of the Woods rivalry.
Senior quarterback C. Hughes completed 13 of 17 passes for 184 yards and three touchdowns without an interception. Senior running back Kaylen Stephens rushed for 73 yards and three touchdowns on eight carries, while Brian Snodgrass caught seven passes for 100 yards and two scores.
The offensive balance was encouraging. College Park produced eight touchdowns, including five on the ground, while completing 80% of its passes as a team.
But the Cavaliers' biggest test is still ahead.
Cleveland has struggled offensively, scoring just 31 points across its last four games, so the shutout alone does not establish College Park as a championship contender.
Friday's home matchup against Conroe should offer a much better indication of where College Park stands.
The Cavaliers are capable of scoring quickly, but they'll face a Conroe offense that has found its rhythm over the past two weeks. Another strong performance would make College Park's earlier loss to The Woodlands look more like a setback than a defining moment in its season.
Conroe: The district's most interesting turnaround
Perhaps no team has changed the conversation around its season more dramatically than Conroe.
After opening district play with a 41-25 loss to Grand Oaks, the Tigers have responded with consecutive victories over Oak Ridge and Caney Creek, scoring 42 and 63 points, respectively.
That's 105 points over two games, an average of 52.5 per contest. Thursday's 63-point outburst was a season high and helped Conroe improve to 3-3 overall.
The improvement is significant, but context matters.
Oak Ridge and Caney Creek both have losing overall records, and the Tigers have yet to demonstrate that their recent offensive production will translate against one of the district's stronger teams.
That makes the upcoming trip to College Park particularly compelling.
A victory would give Conroe three consecutive district wins and, more importantly, a head-to-head advantage over one of its direct playoff competitors.
Conroe entered district play with something to prove. The Tigers now have an opportunity to demonstrate that their recent improvement is more than the product of favorable matchups.
Oak Ridge and Willis: Two teams facing a pivotal Friday
Among the four teams currently outside the playoff positions, Oak Ridge and Willis appear to have the most immediate opportunity to change the standings.
Their Friday meeting carries considerable implications.
Oak Ridge's 26-22 loss to Grand Oaks was disappointing, but it represented a competitive effort against a team ranked substantially higher by MaxPreps. The War Eagles entered the game ranked No. 639 in Texas, compared with No. 249 for Grand Oaks.
Willis, meanwhile, presents an unusual challenge. The Wildkats have a winning overall record of 4-2 and have demonstrated considerable offensive potential, including their 51-21 victory against Grand Oaks. Yet they are just 1-2 in district competition.
Willis is also ranked No. 48 in the MaxPreps Texas rankings cited in its latest recap, well ahead of Oak Ridge.
The rankings make Willis the favorite, but Grand Oaks provides an interesting common-opponent comparison: Willis defeated the Grizzlies by 30 points, while Oak Ridge lost by just four.
That does not mean the War Eagles should be expected to win. It does suggest Friday's matchup deserves more attention than the district standings alone might indicate.
For Oak Ridge, a victory would restore its playoff prospects. For Willis, another district loss would make an already difficult road to the postseason considerably more complicated.
Of the four district matchups scheduled for October 15-16, Conroe at College Park has the greatest potential to reshape the playoff race.
Both teams have recovered from early district defeats. Both feature offenses coming off dominant performances, and both need a signature win against a direct playoff competitor.
College Park should enter as the favorite based on its stronger MaxPreps ranking and home-field advantage. But Conroe's recent scoring surge makes this far from a routine matchup.
The winner moves to 3-1 in district play and gains valuable separation in the playoff standings. The loser falls to 2-2 with just three games remaining.
The bigger picture: A championship favorite and a race for three spots
The Woodlands has earned its position atop District 13-6A. Its offense is productive, its defense is improving, and none of its first three district opponents has seriously threatened the Highlanders.
College Park appears to have the strongest combination of talent and overall performance among the teams immediately behind The Woodlands, but the Cavaliers need a meaningful win against another contender.
Conroe has the most momentum to prove legitimate, while Grand Oaks has already demonstrated an ability to win the close games that often determine playoff qualification.
Willis remains the wild card. Despite its 1-2 district record, its overall performance and high state ranking suggest a team capable of disrupting the current order.
The editorial assessment: The Woodlands is the clear championship favorite. College Park, Grand Oaks and Conroe are best positioned for the remaining three playoff spots, but Willis has enough talent to make that race uncomfortable for everyone involved.
Three games into a seven-game district schedule, no playoff berth is settled. The next two weeks should provide a much clearer picture of which programs are legitimate postseason contenders — and which will be left chasing the final available spot.
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