2021 - 2022 Texas high school football rankings, scores: Week one

Dennis de la Pena has a complete rundown of Texas high school football scores as well as highlights from the first Friday of the 2021 Texas high school football season!

AUSTIN, Texas - Welcome back, high school football fans! Below you will find a complete rundown of Texas high school football scores as well as highlights from the 2021 Texas high school football season:

INSPIRED THRALL BEGINS SEASON WITH BLOWOUT WIN FOLLOWING RECENT DEATH OF HEAD COACH

FOX 7 Football Field Trip: Thrall Tigers

FOX 7's Clif Thornton talks with the Thrall Tigers about their plans for the new season and honoring their head football coach who passed away in June after a long battle with cancer.

Emotions ran high for Thrall's season opener Friday, as the Tigers began a 2021 campaign they've dedicated to the memory of the program's head coach Rick Porter, who passed away in June after a long battle with cancer.

Honoring their late head coach couldn't have gotten off to a better start.

Perhaps inspired by touching the new sign above the team's locker room door that reads "TGOW", or Trust God or Worry (Porter's favorite motto), or the new "RP" decals on the backs of their helmets, the Tigers turned in a performance that would have made Porter proud in a 40-6 season-opening blowout win over Iola. The start to new head coach Aaron Venecek's tenure at Thrall was near perfect. The Tigers' first two drives of the season were each powered by huge plays, big gains on a quarterback keeper by Colter Hill, and a reverse by wide receiver Blair Neighbors, to set up short touchdown runs from running back Tyreke Irvin.

"What a great night for the Thrall community," Thrall head coach Aaron Venecek said via Twitter. "40-6 win is always nice but what a wonderful victory to honor coach Porter and this town."

"FORGOTTEN" LAKE TRAVIS SERVES NOTICE WITH SEASON-OPENING WIN IN TOP TEN MATCH-UP

FOX 7 Football Field Trip: Lake Travis

Lake Travis is a perennial powerhouse that's just inherited one of the state's top receivers. FOX 7 Austin's John Hygh has more.

Given their rival Westlake's back-to-back state titles, feels like Lake Travis might be a tad forgotten, flying under the radar, at least much as the 8th ranked team in Texas can be.

Sure, Westlake may be getting the lions' share of headlines these days, but Lake Travis dealt a more-than-subtle reminder Friday that the six-time state championship program hasn't gone anywhere.

The #8 Cavaliers used an early touchdown from Ohio State-bound wide receiver Caleb Burton, who was making his debut with LT after transferring from Del Valle, and three long touchdown plays from running back DJ Johnson in a 40-28 win over 9th-ranked Arlington Martin.

After winning one of the top Week 1 battles in the state, the Cavaliers get another chance to show they haven't gone anywhere in a Week 2 home date against traditional powerhouse Converse Judson.

DEL VALLE LOSES WILD ONE AT HOME IN DEBUT OF HERALDED HEAD COACH

After former head coach Charles Burton left to take an assistant coach's position at Lake Travis, Del Valle made what many perceived to be an unlikely splash in hiring his replacement, Bobby Acosta, who comes from the prestigious IMG Academy in Florida to take over the Cardinals program.

Acosta might eventually turn a long-struggling Del Valle program into a winner, but the Cardinals' first win under the new head coach will have to wait at least one more week.

Despite Del Valle QB Skyler Hausenfluck throwing for four touchdowns and running for another, the Cards see visiting McNeil score a touchdown in the game's final minute to sneak out of Del Valle with a 40-35 win.

LEANDER OPENS 2021 WITH UPSET WIN OVER CROSSTOWN RIVAL

A once-proud Leander Lions program has fallen on hard times in recent years, including a 2-7 campaign in 2020.

One win does not make a turnaround, but it's a good start, especially when it comes against a crosstown rival.

Leander overcame an early deficit against the Glenn Grizzles to win 20-17 in the season opener at Bible Stadium.

VANDEGRIFT SMASHES RIVAL CEDAR PARK IN SEASON-OPENING BATTLE OF AREA HEAVYWEIGHTS

Another year, another season opener between Austin-area heavyweight rivals Vandegrift and Cedar Park Friday at Monroe Stadium. While both were coming off deep playoff runs in 2020, a 6A region semi-final trip for Vandegrift and a 5A state final appearance for Cedar Park, only one looked the part of a state contender in the 2021 season opener.

Vandegrift used two early defensive takeaways and two early touchdown passes from Brayden Buchanan to Reece Beauchamp to set the tone in a 42-7 blowout win over Cedar Park. New head coach Michael Quintero was making his debut with the Timberwolves. Quintero, who served as a Cedar Park assistant last decade, came back to Cedar Park from Red Oak in July to take over for former T'wolves head coach Carl Abseck.

The Vipers avenged last season's loss to Cedar Park and have won three of the last four meetings.

EAST VIEW KEEPS MOMENTUM FROM DEEP 2020 PLAYOFF RUN IN SEASON-OPENING BLOWOUT OF WESTWOOD

The East View Patriots closed 2020 as one of the Austin area's hottest teams. Looks like they're beginning 2021 the same way.

On the heels of a surprising run to the 5A Division II playoffs' round-of-16 last season, the Patriots dominate 6A Westwood, 41-13, to open 2021 Friday at Reeves Stadium. East View quarterback Peyton Adams hit receiver Michael Sedwick for a 45-yard touchdown to give the Patriots an early 9-0 lead. They held the nine-point lead through three quarters before outscoring the Warriors 19-0 in the fourth quarter.

FOX 7 Friday Football Player of the Week

FOX 7 Friday Football Player of the Week: Lake Travis RB DJ Johnson

This week's FOX 7 Friday Football Player of the Week is Lake Travis running back/linebacker DJ Johnson.

Johnson made plenty of plays on defense, but had an explosive debut on the offensive side of the ball, rushing for 159 yards, had 75 yards receiving, and scored on touchdown plays of 65, 52, and 60 yards in the Cavaliers' 40-28 win over Arlington Martin in a battle of two of the state's top 10 ranked teams in Class 6A.