Thursday night's must-see Texas high school football games for Week 4

Last week marked the first full slate of Texas high school games this season, and the schedule lived up to the hype. But the return to normality didn’t last long – there are 216 teams on a bye this week, and several teams played in some rare Wednesday action. Regardless, there is still a strong slate of games Thursday night – here are a few that stand out in Week 4. Frisco Lone Star (3-0) vs. Denton Ryan (3-0) Denton Ryan has navigated through what was supposed to be a tough first three games with little to no resistance, as Oklahoma State pledge Spencer Sanders (993 total yards, 14 TDs) has the Raiders’ offense firing on all cylinders. While Ryan is averaging just under 50 points per game, Lone Star may be the team that finally gives the Raiders a run for their money. Former Allen running back Kirby Bennett (313 yards, 6 TDs) is averaging more than 8 yards per carry, and forms a solid one-two punch in the backfield with quarterback MJ Rivers (515 total yards, 5 TDs). The teams combined for 85 points a year ago in a 51-34 Ryan win, and the rematch will likely turn into another shootout at The Star as the teams look to their star players to pave the way to a 4-0 start. It marks the final non-district game for both Ryan and Lone Star, and will be an exciting clash of state powers. Manvel (1-0) vs. Galena Park North Shore (0-1) Manvel made a big statement a week ago when the Mavericks crushed Pearland 45-7 without their starting quarterback, North Texas commit Kason Martin. The offense didn’t miss a beat in his absence, as junior Josh Coltrin stepped in to complete 70 percent of his passes for 103 yards and a touchdown. The real damage came on the ground though, as Manvel piled up 362 yards and five TDs behind the trio of Jalen Preston (112 yards, 3 TDs), Ladarius Owens (101 yards, 1 TD) and Garrison Johnson (89 yards, 1 TD). Manvel will turn to that powerful rushing attack again against North Shore, which is looking for its first win after running into a stout Spring Westfield defense last week. North Shore struggled to take care of the ball as Spring Westfield forced five turnovers, and that’s something the Mustangs will have to fix against an unforgiving Manvel squad. This game is another that will have a playoff atmosphere early in the season. Abilene (0-3) vs. Odessa (2-1) Odessa’s start to the season is one of the top storylines in the state so far, as the team has matched its win total from the 2015 and 2016 season through just three games. All three of the Bronchos games have been decided by a touchdown or less, including last week’s heartbreaking 21-20 loss to Lubbock Coronado. Abilene, on the other hand, has struggled out of the gate and is coming off a disappointing 49-35 loss to Abilene Cooper in the Crosstown Showdown. For Odessa, the game gives the team an opportunity to prove it has the ability to compete for a playoff spot this season. Abilene, which has won 27 games over the last three years, is simply looking for that elusive first win this season and needs something to build on with District 3-6A play looming. The Eagles will lean heavily on quarterback Andrew Ezzell (616 yards, 8 TDs) and WR Rae Millsap (341 yards, 6 TDs) to snap their losing streak. Odessa has thrived through QB Trey Smith (574 total yards, 8 TDs) and RB Josh Lara (310 yards, 2 TDs), who will be equally as important in this game. Klein Collins (1-0) vs. Atascocita (1-0) After finally getting back on to the field for the first time last week, No. 8 Klein Collins and No. 9 Atascocita will meet in a top 10 showdown for their second game of the season. Collins knocked off then No. 13 Houston Lamar 23-14 in its opener behind the play of quarterback Carter Rhyne, who accounted for 207 yards and two touchdowns. The Eagles had to rely on the play of their defense to knock off Klein Oak in their opener, as the offense struggled while scoring just two touchdowns in the 24-12 win. Atascocita needed a defensive and special teams score to walk away with the win after managing just 110 yards of offense. The Eagles will be looking to get that unit going while aiming for another strong defensive effort against Klein Collins. Atascocita won the last two meetings between the schools by a combined eight points, including a 32-27 victory in the first round of the 2015 playoffs. Fort Bend Marshall (0-1) vs. Fort Bend Hightower (0-1) After entering the season as one of the more highly regarded teams in Class 5A, Fort Bend Marshall stumbled in its season opener against Klein last week. The Buffaloes fell 27-7, failing to put their once explosive offense on display. Fort Bend Hightower is coming off a disappointing offensive performance of its own, as the Hurricanes lost to Spring 20-6. With a game under their belt, both teams will be looking to get off to a faster start offensively this week. Marshall has the experience edge in this game, with 18 starters returning from last year’s 11-win team that went all the way to the 5A DII regional final. Look for quarterback Jabari James and the rest of the offense to bounce back and return to form, as the Buffaloes look to put one in the win column before the district opener against Galena Park next week.

— –– —