Mr. Gatti’s Showdown: Previewing this week’s Fort Worth rivalry game

GattisShowdown2Trimble Tech and Arlington Heights are coming off significantly different games as they enter the second Mr. Gatti’s Showdown of the season. For the Bulldogs (4-3, 2-2), the game provides an opportunity to bounce back from a 56-25 blowout loss to Southwest last week. On the other side, Heights (5-2, 3-1) dominated North Side 77-0 and is on a roll entering the game. The Bulldogs have a winning record at this point in the season, but all four wins have come against teams below .500. Tech has played three teams with a winning record, and has lost all three by an average margin of 40 points. Heights had one bad loss to Red Oak (2-5, 0-4) in week two, and its only other loss was a 25-21 game against undefeated South Hills. Tech hasn’t beaten Heights in the team’s last eight matchups dating back to 2004, and most of the games haven’t even been close. For that to change this year, the Bulldogs will need a big game from their dynamic duo in the backfield. Junior quarterback Vince Burton has 1,094 yards and 11 touchdowns through the air to go with 324 yards and six touchdowns on the ground, and Keishawn Everly has 571 yards and six touchdowns rushing, as well. For Arlington Heights, it’s all about sophomore Jaiden Zackery. The dual-threat quarterback has racked up 16 total touchdowns with 800 yards through the air and 431 on the ground, and is the most important part of the Yellowjackets offense. Senior wide receiver Tariq Woolen has offers from Houston, North Texas and Texas State among others, and has hauled in 5 touchdowns and 336 yards so far this year. Defensively, Heights holds a significant advantage in the game. The Yellowjackets are holding teams to less than 14 points per game this season behind the leadership of seniors Mark Brown, Kerry Coleman and James Thompson. The Bulldogs will have to tighten down defensively to remain in the game, as they have given up an average of more than 32 ppg. Trimble Tech returned just two starters from last season’s defensive unit – Kameron Dixon and Cordell Palmer – and both players will need to play well this week. The game has more implications than just a typical rivalry matchup, as both teams are fighting for playoff positioning in District 7-5A. Arlington Heights is in a three-way tie for second place in district, while Trimble Tech sits in fifth place looking to move up into the fourth and final playoff slot before the season ends. Both teams could use a victory, making the rivalry that much more meaningful this season.