Then there were nine.
Nine of Grayson County’s 13 high school football teams — including four district champions — qualified for the University Interscholastic League state playoffs.
Bells, Collinsville, Gunter and Van Alstyne each won district championships while going unbeaten in league play. Howe, Tioga, Tom Bean and Whitesboro each finished second, while Whitewright finished third.
VAN ALSTYNE (9-1) VS. VENUS (0-10)
The Panthers began their Class 4A-Division II playoff quest in a bi-district contest against winless Venus on Thursday night at Tom Kimbrough Stadium in Murphy.
Van Alstyne entered the game as the District 6-4A-Division II champion after defeating Sanger, 49-28, while Venus dropped a 76-0 decision at Glen Rose in the District 5-4A-Division II finale for both teams.
The Bulldogs compete in a four-team district in which all four teams qualified for the state playoffs. The district was originally a five-team league, but Dallas Uplift Hampton Prep decided not to participate in UIL sports before the start of the season.
In the Panthers’ win over Sanger, Cason Howard passed for 392 yards and four touchdowns while rushing for 70 yards and two scores.
Cayden Benedict (six catches, 141 yards, two receiving touchdowns, four carries for 34 yards and a rushing touchdown), Amyrion (two catches, 114 yards, two receiving touchdowns) and Xavier Vidaurri (five catches, 88 receiving yards, six carries for 37 yards) also contributed.
GUNTER (9-1) VS. GROESBECK (5-5)
The Tigers and Goats squared off Thursday night in a Class 3A-Division I bi-district contest at Mesquite Memorial Stadium.
Gunter entered the contest coming off a 54-16 rout of Pilot Point, while Groesbeck had a bye last week.
The Goats’ previous contest was a 77-27 loss to Whitney on Oct. 30. Groesbeck finished fourth in District 6-3A-Division I.
In the Tigers’ win over Pilot Point, quarterback Tristan Barton (seven carries, 63 yards, two rushing touchdowns, 80 passing yards and a touchdown) and Jayden Stogsdill (nine carries, 69 yards, touchdown) led the way.
Blake Boland (three carries, 53 yards, rushing touchdown), Rhys Dainauski (touchdown reception), Derrion Jeter (touchdown reception) and David Puga (touchdown run) also contributed.
BELLS (8-2) VS. LONE OAK (3-7)
The Panthers and Buffaloes meet in a Class 3A-Division II bi-district game at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Kimbrough Stadium in Murphy.
Bells ran past Callisburg, 54-6, while Lone Oak lost to Edgewood, 54-22, last week.
The Buffaloes finished fourth in District 8-3A-Division II. Quarterback Colt Bowman leads the Lone Oak offense with 1,264 passing yards and seven touchdowns to go along with 964 rushing yards and 11 scores.
In the Panthers’ rout of Callisburg, they gained all their offensive yardage on the ground. It marked the eighth time in 10 games Bells had gained all its yardage through the running game.
Asa Curtis led the way for the Panthers with 100 yards and three touchdowns on three carries.
Waylon Mutchler (two carries, 58 yards, touchdown), Jax Pitt (three carries, 44 yards, touchdown), Westin Hicks (three carries, 38 yards, touchdown) and Jace Weger (two carries, 36 yards, touchdown) also contributed to the running game.
HOWE (7-3) VS. QUITMAN (5-5)
A battle of Bulldogs will take place at 7:30 p.m. Friday when Howe and Quitman meet in Honey Grove in a Class 3A-Division II bi-district playoff contest.
Howe handled Leonard, 37-7, while Quitman defeated Chisum, 48-13, last week.
Howe was led by Deacon Bender (170 passing yards, two touchdowns), Riken Cross (five catches, 64 yards, receiving touchdown, six carries for 48 yards and a rushing touchdown) and Rylan Strong (seven carries, 63 rushing yards, 98-yard interception return for a touchdown).
Gunner Owen also contributed a touchdown run.
TIOGA (7-3) VS. ANSON (6-4)
The Bulldogs and Tigers meet at 7 p.m. Friday in Graham in a Class 2A-Division I bi-district contest.
Tioga shut out Nocona, 50-0, while Anson defeated Hico, 45-21, last week.
The Tigers finished third in District 5-2A-Division I. Anson is led by running back Levii Diaz (714 rushing yards, six touchdowns), quarterback Grayson Feagin (2,179 passing yards, 25 touchdowns, 362 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns) and receiver Malachi St. John (69 catches, 970 yards, 10 touchdowns).
In the Bulldogs’ win over Nocona, Camden Stephens (355 passing yards, six touchdowns, 12 carries for 87 yards and a rushing touchdown) and Jaxson Hurst (11 catches, 174 yards, two touchdowns) led the way.
Quesyn Arrington (eight catches, 109 yards, touchdown), Calan Sweeney (three catches, 40 yards, two touchdowns) and Kyson Kirkland (three catches, 24 yards, touchdown) also contributed to the passing game.
TOM BEAN (7-3) VS. HAWKINS (7-3)
The Tomcats and Hawks met Thursday night in Kaufman in a Class 2A-Division I bi-district playoff game.
Tom Bean defeated Trenton, 33-6, while Hawkins lost to Frankston, 55-20, last week.
Henry Cheek (310 passing yards, two touchdowns, five carries for 44 yards and a rushing touchdown) and Tatum Hanson (eight catches, 83 yards, two receiving touchdowns, 12 carries for 83 yards and two rushing touchdowns) led the way for the Tomcats against Trenton.
Cain Pearson also contributed 11 catches for 187 yards.
WHITEWRIGHT (6-4) VS. FRANKSTON (8-1)
The Tigers and Indians met Thursday night in Mabank in a Class 2A-Division I bi-district playoff contest.
Whitewright ran past Wolfe City, 41-10, while Frankston defeated Hawkins, 55-20, last week.
The Indians’ only loss was to District 10-2A-Division I champion Carlisle. Frankston won seven straight contests before losing to Carlisle, 48-27, on Oct. 30.
Colt Parker led the way for the Tigers against Wolfe City with 96 yards and two touchdowns on eight carries. He also passed for 62 yards and a touchdown.
Tyler Latimer (40-yard touchdown reception), Maddox Smart (95-yard kickoff return for a touchdown) and Nick Ulmer (33-yard interception return for a touchdown) also contributed.