SAN ANTONIO — Fittingly, the District 26-6A title race has come down to the final week of the regular season.
Preseason favorite Judson, 9-0 overall and 6-0 in district, plays Clemens (8-1, 6-0) for the 26-6A championship Friday night at Rutledge Stadium.
Judson, No. 1 in the KENS5.com Class 6A area rankings, is the league's defending champion and will be seeking to finish a regular season 10-0 for the 11th time in school history. The Rockets finished 12-1 last year after losing to Austin Lake Travis in the 6A Division I state quarterfinals.
No. 3 Clemens has won six consecutive games since losing to Reagan 35-28 in its third game of the season. Judson beat Clemens 49-7 last year in the regular-season final for both teams.
Clemens lost to Austin Westlake 28-14 in the first round of the 6A Division II playoffs, finishing 6-5.
In another game with championship implications, No. 7 Madison can win its second straight 27-6A title with a victory against No. 9 Johnson on Friday night at Heroes Stadium.
Madison (7-2) leads the 27-6A race with a 6-0 record, and Johnson (6-3) and Roosevelt (8-1) are both 5-1. All three have clinched playoff spots.
KENS5.com Area High School Football Rankings
CLASS 6A
1. Judson (9-0)
District: 26-6A
Ranking last week: No. 1
Last week: Defeated East Central 49-9
The skinny: Rockets QB Mike Chandler completed 14 of 21 passes for 178 yards and two touchdowns.
This week: vs.No. 3 Clemens, Friday, 7:30 p.m., Lehnhoff Stadium
2. Brandeis (9-0)
District: 28-6A
Ranking last week: No. 2
Last week: Defeated Jay 35-14
The skinny: Broncos QB Jordan Battles racked up 245 yards of total offense, ran for three TDs and passed for another one.
This week: vs. Taft, Saturday, 7 p.m., Farris Stadium
3. Clemens (8-1)
District: 26-6A
Ranking last week: No. 3
Last week: Defeated New Braunfels 30-20
The skinny: Clemens QB Max Didomenico rushed for 119 yards and one TD on 21 carries and passed for another score.
This week: vs. No. 1 Judson, Friday, 7:30 p.m., Lehnhoff Stadium
4. Steele (7-2)
District: 26-6A
Ranking last week: No. 4
Last week: Defeated New Braunfels Canyon 34-7
The skinny: Knights QB Wyatt Begeal had a stellar game, completing 18 of 21 passes for 370 yards and five TDs.
This week: at East Central, Friday, 7:30 p.m.
5. Roosevelt (8-1)
District: 27-6A
Ranking last week: No. 5
Last week: Defeated LEE 56-7
The skinny: Roosevelt QB Dewayne Coleman passed for 103 yards and two TDs and ran for two other TDs on only three carries.
This week: vs. Churchill, Thursday, 7 p.m., Heroes Stadium
6. O’Connor (7-2)
District: 28-6A
Ranking last week: No. 6
Last week: Defeated Brennan 42-28
The skinny: Running back Zion Taylor carried the O'Connor offense, rushing for 189 yards and three TDs on 30 carries and adding a scoring reception.
This week: vs. Stevens, Thursday, 7 p.m., Farris Stadium
7. Madison (7-2)
District: 27-6A
Ranking last week: No. 8
Last week: Defeated South San 35-7
The skinny: Mavericks outgained the Bobcats 312-43 in total offensive yardage.
This week: vs. No. 9 Johnson, Friday, 7:30 p.m., Heroes Stadium
8. Brennan (7-2)
District: 28-6A
Ranking last week: No. 7
Last week: Lost to O'Connor 42-28
The skinny: Bears lost despite outgaining the Panthers 376-277 in total offensive yardage.
This week: vs. Holmes, Thursday, 7 p.m., Gustafson Stadium
9. Johnson (6-3)
District: 27-6A
Ranking last week: No. 9
Last week: Defeated Churchill 14-13
The skinny: Alonso Fajardo's extra-point kick after Ty Reasoner threw to Shane Johnson for a 27-yard TD with 1:40 left kept the Jaguars' title hopes alive.
This week: vs. No. 7 Madison, Friday, 7:30 p.m., Heroes Stadium
10. Smithson Valley (5-4)
District: 26-6A
Ranking last week: No. 10
Last week: Defeated San Marcos 42-7
The skinny: Rangers running back Greg Eggleston rushed for 137 yards and three TDs on 11 carries.
This week: vs. New Braunfels, Friday, 7:30 p.m., Ranger Stadium
Dropped out of rankings: None
SUB-6A AREA RANKINGS
1. Wagner (9-1)
District: 13-5A / Division I
Ranking last week: No. 1
Last week: Defeated Veterans Memorial 46-30
The skinny: Thunderbirds clinched their second consecutive district championship.
This week: Open
2. Kerrville Tivy (8-1)
District: 14-5A / Division II
Ranking last week: No. 2
Last week: Defeated Lockhart 31-13
The skinny: Tivy QB Trapper Pannell completed 18 of 32 passes for 198 yards and four TDs..
This week: at Medina Valley, Friday, 7:30 p.m.
3. Boerne Champion (8-1)
District: 14-5A / Division II
Ranking last week: No. 3
Last week: Defeated Memorial 52-0
The skinny: Chargers QB Luke Boyers passed for 145 yards and two TDs.
This week: vs. Alamo Heights, Friday, 7:30 p.m., Boerne ISD Stadium
4. Harlan (9-0)
District: 14-5A / Division I
Ranking last week: No. 4
Last week: Defeated Southwest 38-7
The skinny: Harlan running back Aubrey McDade rushed for 259 yards and four TDs on 25 carries.
This week: vs. Laredo Martin, Saturday, 7:30 p.m., Gustafson Stadium
5. Veterans Memorial (7-2)
District: 13-5A / Division I
Ranking last week: No. 5
Last week: Lost to Wagner 46-30
The skinny: Patriots QB Khaliq Paulette rushed for 140 yards and one TD on 12 carries
This week: vs. Sam Houston, Friday, 7:30 p.m., Rutledge Stadium
6. Navarro (9-0)
District: 13-4A / Division II
Ranking last week: No. 6
Last week: Defeated Cuero 22-14
The skinny: Panthers running back Euler DeLeon rushed for 180 yards and one TD on 14 carries.
This week: at Bandera, Friday, 7:30 p.m.
7. Bandera (8-1)
District: 13-4A / Division II
Ranking last week: No. 8
Last week: Defeated Austin Eastside Memorial 49-6
The skinny: Bulldogs stayed in the hunt for the district title with the win.
This week: vs. Navarro, Friday, 7:30 p.m., Bandera
8. Antonian (6-3)
District: TAPPS District 3 / Division I
Ranking last week: 9
Last week: Defeated Houston St. Pius 44-26
The skinny: Apaches QB Khalil Warfield had 256 yards of total offense, ran for two TDs and passed for another one.
This week: at Central Catholic, Friday, 7:30 p.m.
9. Boerne (6-2)
District: 15-4A / Division I
Ranking last week: No. 10
Last week: Defeated La Vernia 34-27
The skinny: Greyhounds QB Rashawn Galloway completed 20 of 41 passes for 349 yards and three TDs and ran for two TDs.
This week: vs. Gonzales, Thursday, 7 p.m., Boerne ISD Stadium
10. Fredericksburg (6-3)
District: 14-4A / Division I
Ranking last week: NR
Last week: Defeated Burnet 10-7
The skinny: Battlin' Billies play Lampasas for the district title.
This week: vs. Lampasas, Friday, 7:30 p.m., Fredericksburg
Dropped out of rankings: No. 7 Southside (6-3)
Entered rankings: No. 10 Fredericksburg (6-3)