Traveling to the state title games? Don't miss our Slovacek's I-35 Showdowns spotlight!

Slovacek's logoTo honor the loyal football fans that travel great distances to support their favorite team, DCTF and our friends from Slovacek’s in West, Texas are proud to present The Slovacek’s I-35 Showdowns of the Week. All of this week’s games are part of the UIL State Football Championships, being held at NRG Stadium in Houston. For each team located north of West, we take a look at what fans need to know about their state title game opponents. Canadian (15-0) vs. Refugio (13-2) 10 a.m. Thursday – 2A Division I State Championship If Canadian fans know about any one Refugio player, it should be: Jaylon Mascorro - junior quarterback: The Bobcats are known for being a well-balanced team, and Mascorro’s versatility in leading the offense is a big reason why. In last week’s semifinal win over Lovelady, he threw for 386 yards and four touchdowns while adding 112 yards and another score on the ground. Albany (14-1) vs. Bremond (15-0) 1 p.m. Thursday –2A Division II State Championship If Albany fans know about any one Bremond player, it should be: Roshauud Paul - junior quarterback: This being a rematch from last year’s title game, Albany fans are anything but unaware of the do-everything Paul, who accounted for 228 total yards in the Tigers’ 28-21 win over the Lions last December – including the game-winning score on a 35-yard run with 1:17 remaining. Brock (15-0) vs. Cameron Yoe (14-1) 5 p.m. Thursday – 3A Division I State Championship If Brock fans know about any one Yoe player, it should be: Traion Smith - senior running back: Smith, who has amassed nearly 7,500 yards in his career, has been powering Yoe to state titles for longer than Brock has been playing varsity football. Last week, his 175 yards and four touchdowns fueled a 40-14 rout of Mathis in the state semifinals – the 22^nd consecutive playoff victory for the Yoemen. Argyle (14-1) vs. Waco La Vega (15-0) 12 p.m. Friday – 4A Division I State Championship If Argyle fans know about any one La Vega player, it should be: Parrish Cobb - senior cornerback: It was Cobb’s work limiting standout Carthage receiver Jackeldric Jackson to just 3 catches for 33 yards that highlighted the Pirates’ 39-3 domination of the Bulldogs in last week’s semifinal. For good measure, he also added touchdown runs of 63 and 13 yards while moonlighting with the La Vega offense. Celina (15-0) vs. West Orange-Stark (14-1) 4 p.m. Friday – 4A Division II State Championship If Celina fans know about any one West Orange-Stark player, it should be: Jack Dallas - junior quarterback: As the only offensive starter returning from the Mustangs’ state finalist team from 2014, Dallas had a lot on his shoulders this year – and he’s delivered in a big way. In last week’s semifinal win over Cuero, he completed nearly 70% of his pass attempts for 268 yards and five touchdowns. Mansfield Lake Ridge (15-0) vs. Richmond George Ranch (15-0) 8 p.m. Friday – 5A Division I State Championship If Lake Ridge fans know about any one George Ranch player, it should be: Darius Anderson - senior running back: Anderson has scored 59 career touchdowns in three varsity seasons, including 30 this year alone. He’s racked up 2,028 rushing yards this fall, including 277 in the Longhorn’s semifinal win over Cedar Park Vista Ridge a week ago. Frisco Lone Star (14-1) vs. Cedar Park (15-0) 12 p.m. Saturday – 5A Division II State Championship If Lone Star fans know about any one Cedar Park player, it should be: Jav Guidry – junior cornerback/running back: One of the most versatile athletes in the state, Guidry is the heart and soul of the Cedar Park defense and one of the most dangerous playmakers the Timberwolves have on offense. In last week’s 38-17 semifinal win over Ridge Point, Guidry found the endzone twice on offense while racking up 150 yards on just 13 touches.