Celina can secure a playoff berth and tighten the District 4-5A Division II championship race when unbeaten Anna visits Bobcat Stadium on Friday, Oct. 30, at 7:30 p.m.
The Bobcats enter at 7-1 overall and 5-1 in district play. Anna is 8-0 and leads the district at 6-0. A Coyotes victory would clinch the district title, according to the Dallas Morning News’ playoff scenarios.
A Celina win would give both teams one district loss heading into the final week of the regular season. Frisco, which beat Celina 33-20 earlier this month, also remains in the championship race.
Anna holds the No. 17 spot in MaxPreps’ statewide computer rankings, while Celina is No. 30.
The Bobcats rebounded from the Frisco loss by beating Frisco Memorial 28-6 on Oct. 23, the Celina Record reported. Anna stayed unbeaten with a 41-24 victory over Denison that night.
Anna’s offense features senior quarterback Zephyr Kreye and senior running back Juelz Carter. Sophomore receiver Cor’mond Houston averages 72.3 receiving yards per game, according to MaxPreps’ posted statistics.
Celina counters with freshman quarterback Zane LaCrue, who had thrown for 676 yards and seven touchdowns when MaxPreps published its playoff preview Oct. 22. Earlier this season, a District Executive Committee voted 7-0 to uphold his varsity eligibility following questions about his transfer, Yahoo Sports reported.
Running back Evan Koehne had 707 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns through Celina’s first six games, according to an Oct. 13 Dallas Morning News preview. Three of the Bobcats’ six wins at that point had come by three points or fewer.
Both offenses have prominent blockers. Celina’s Peyton Miller, a four-star Florida commitment, and Anna junior Sean Sherman drew attention in the Morning News’ preseason matchup guide. The two listed a combined 58 college offers at the time.
Friday’s game renews a rivalry dating to 1935. Anna has won the teams’ two most recent meetings, according to VYPE DFW.
Celina is playing its first season in Class 5A after moving up from 4A Division I. The program has won nine state championships, most recently in 2024, according to UIL records.
After hosting Anna, the Bobcats close the regular season at Denison on Friday, Nov. 6.
