PHOTO: PHILIP MURRAY
BY BRIAN GOSSET
STATS COURTESY BRANDON MCAULIFFE
Carson James and Carmelo Carter combined for over 400 yards rushing on 57 carries and six touchdowns and Fort Worth Arlington Heights made more history following a 56-41 win over Lubbock Monterey in their Class 5A D1 area round showdown on Thursday at Abilene’s Shotwell Stadium.
Heights (11-1) will face the winner between Aledo and Amarillo Tascosa in the regional semifinals. Aledo and Tascosa play Friday night at Big Springs.
It’s the first time going to Round 3 for Heights football since 1973 – 52 years ago.
Benbrook reached Round 3 last season, but before that Wyatt was the last Fort Worth ISD team to win in the area round back in 2000.
James rushed 31 times for 223 yards and two touchdowns. During Heights’ bi-district win over Brewer, James rushed for 287 yards and four touchdowns.
Carter added 184 yards and four touchdowns on Thursday.
He also threw for 60 yards and one touchdown.
The Yellowjackets led 15-14 after the first quarter and then scored four touchdowns in the second to take a 41-28 lead at the intermission. James rushed for touchdowns from 63 and 7-yards and Carter added a 6-yard TD run. James also passed for a touchdown to Jack Evans.
Monterey pulled within 41-35 in the third quarter until Heights scored back-to-back touchdowns to go back in front 54-35. Carter’s 4-yard TD run extended the Yellowjackets’ lead to 48-35 with 3:48 left in the third quarter.
Carter then hit Evans on a 27-yard TD pass to make it 54-34 with 7:44 to play in the fourth.
Monterey scored with 2:21 to go, but on the extra point, Heights blocked the kick and returned it 97 yards via Ceantae Johnson to bring the score to 56-41.
Heights’ win over Brewer last week was its first playoff win since 2022. The Jackets are also coming off the program’s first district title since 2015. In 1973, Heights was also district champs while going 11-2. In fact, it was happy times for the Jackets’ program – winning district three years in a row from 1972 to 1974 and seven in a eight year stretch. During that span, Heights posted a 71-18-3 record.
