The Castleberry Lions (3-2) have kicked off the season in good shape after experiencing a 1-4 start last year. At the beginning of the year, the Lions reported 25 returning lettermen including 15 starters – 9 on offense and 6 on defense after going 3-7.
So far this season the Lions have lost to #19 Benbrook (5-0) 42-35; beat FTW South Hills (1-5) 45-0; beat Bridgeport (2-3) 27-14, beat FtW Diamond Hill-Jarvis (0-5) 63-0; and, lost to Ferris (2-3) 49-35. This is their best start since 2018.
Castleberry has proved through five games that they can score, averaging just over 40 points per game. Twenty-three touchdowns were made rushing while running the ball for an average of 312 yards per game. Four touchdowns were made by passing while throwing the ball for an average of 94 yards per game.
Castleberry’s star player is running back Isaiah Ford (Jr), who is averaging 210 yards per game, 7.7 yards per carry, and 14 touchdowns. He is closing in on the 1,000-yard mark with 839 total yards. This puts him #9 on the list of top Division 4A rushing leaders in Texas.
It will not be a game of the past.
According to Lone Star Football Network, Kennedale and Castleberry have played at least 13 times dating back to 1957 when the Wildcats were suffering through a 2-7 season. Castleberry won that game 58-12. (Note: Some season records are incomplete on Lone Star Football so there may have been other games.) In 2012 Kennedale began a series that has played out every year since. The Wildcats have bested the Lions each time, often by huge margins.
Castleberry will be eager to test the Cats, who, based on their record, are an open target. It is hard to judge any team simply by the pre-district record, but Castleberry has shown early strength with their running game. The match-up promises a good offense running right into Kennedale’s strength, its defense.
A little Castleberry football history.
The earliest records posted on River Oaks Castleberry show a team was fielded in the 1957 school year. Over the years, there have been several teams with solid winning records but it has been a struggle for the Lions to stay above .500 ball. Back in the 1980’s Head Coach Trent Detamore managed to establish a winning program. Current Head Coach Juan Sliva has had some success with a 7-4 record in 2019 but that has been the Lions’ best since.
Castleberry has found more success with soccer. The Castleberry boys soccer program started in the 2016-17 season and has made the playoffs 6 times, finishing seasons twice in the state’s final four, twice in the regional quarterfinals, and twice in the area.
Castleberry is one of the smallest ISDs per land size in Texas.
Castleberry ISD, also referred to as River Oaks Castleberry or Fort Worth Castleberry is a 4A school district surrounded by Fort Worth ISD on three sides and Lake Worth ISD on its northern border. It does include the city of River Oaks along with parts of the cities of Fort Worth and Samson Park.
It is approximately 5.4 square miles in land size making it just one of a handful of public school districts that size in Texas. Castleberry ISD along with Tarrant County partners, Kennedale ISD with 10.6 square miles, and Lake Worth ISD with 8.6, are among 11 public schools out of 1022 in the state with less than 11 square miles. In contrast Alvarado ISD has 98 sq miles, Aledo ISD 132, Arlington ISD 88, Godley ISD 124, and Fort Worth ISD 210. Next door, Everman ISD comes in at 18 sq miles. According to the Texas Education Agency (TEA) in 2023, Texas public districts ranged in size from less than one square mile to nearly five thousand square miles. (Note: Charter and Special schools do not have geographic boundaries and are not included in this count.)
TEA lists Castleberry High School with an enrollment of 1120 students. Others in District 10/4A reported the following high school enrollments: Lake Worth 961, Carrollton Ranchview 959, Kennedale 1006, Life Waxahachie 1103, and Alvarado 1202.
It is the first district game for both teams and for Kennedale, it is Homecoming at Wildcat Stadium in Kennedale, Kickoff set for 7:00 pm.
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