Jesuit Drops Non-District Battle with DeSoto: In a contest shortened by inclement weather, Jesuit's potential upset bid against area-ranked No. 4 DeSoto was derailed, 20-10, on Friday evening. The Rangers were led by junior quarterback Kevin Shuman, who threw for 160 yards on 7-of-15 passing. Shuman found senior Nick Hafertepe for an 89-yard touchdown in the first quarter, marking the longest regular season touchdown since Jacob Palisch '17 completed an 89-yard pass to Fletcher Rosenbleeth '18 against W.T. White on October 28, 2016. Senior Travis Whisler added three receptions for a team-high 37 yards while senior Jacob Jowdy posted a team-high five tackles. Junior Nash Corcoran snagged an interception for the Rangers while junior Jhalen Spicer blocked an extra point attempt in the first quarter.
Ranger Receivers Excelling Early: The Jesuit Dallas receiving corps have racked up 29 receptions for 414 yards while accounting for all four Ranger touchdowns this season. Jesuit opened the year with 254 receiving yards against Arlington as junior E.J. Smith snagged four receptions for 80 yards and two touchdowns alongside a five-catch, 79-yard performance by senior Jack Hajdu. Hafertepe's 89-yard touchdown highlighted Jesuit's 160 yard receiving total against DeSoto.
The Last Time they Met: Jesuit and Wylie have met two times since Jesuit's entry into the University Interscholastic League (UIL), splitting the series, 1-1. The Pirates defeated the Rangers, 49-31 in 2008 before Jesuit struck back with a 31-24 victory in 2009. The two squads have met over the past several seasons as scrimmage opponents before making the transition for a two-year, non-district series in 2018 and 2019.
District Dominance: UIL District 9-6A has made an impact in the Metroplex to start the 2018 campaign as four of the district's eight teams have earned a spot in the Dallas Morning News area rankings. Led by top-ranked and defending state champion Allen, Jesuit Dallas is the second-highest ranked team in the district at No. 15, followed by No. 16 Prosper and No. 20 Plano East.
Wylie Aiming for First Win of 2018: The Pirates enter Friday's contest with an 0-2 record after a 38-20 loss to Rockwall-Heath last Friday. Wylie turned the ball over five times against Heath and were held in check on the ground, averaging 2.6 yards per carry. Quarterback Mason Lang enters the third week of the season with a team-leading 182 passing yards and a touchdown, although Rashad Dixon and Malik Ford have also completed touchdown passes this season.
Pirates Hoping for Success in New District: Wylie looks to return to the postseason in 2018 after finishing last season with a 3-7 mark and 2-5 record in district. After competing a district against McKinney ISD, Plano ISD, Allen and Denton Guyer, Wylie was placed with Garland ISD as part of the 2018-20 realignment. The Pirates posted an 8-15 record during their time in district 6-6A, which also marked the first two years of Wylie's tenure in Class 6A.
Up Next: District competition begins next Friday as Jesuit will travel to John Clark Stadium to battle Plano West on Friday, September 21 at 7 p.m. The Wolves enter the third week of the season with an 0-2 record after losses to Frisco Reedy and Flower Mound. The Rangers will return home on Friday, September 28 for a 7 p.m. kickoff against McKinney Boyd.
