High School

Texas high school football: Melissa announces 2025 schedule

The Cardinals will look to return to 5A Division II playoffs after 6-4 mark in 2024

Cody Thorn

Melissa's Jeremiah Tabor dives for yardage in a game against Lucas Lovejoy on Oct. 4, 2024.
Melissa's Jeremiah Tabor dives for yardage in a game against Lucas Lovejoy on Oct. 4, 2024. / Michael Horbovetz

The Melissa Cardinals football schedule in the fall of 2025 will look very similar to last year's slate.

The difference will be in Week 1, when the Cardinals play Don Bosco Prep from Ramsey, New Jersey on Aug. 29. The Ironmen were state runners-up last year.

In 2024, Melissa opened against Parkview from Little Rock, Arkansas.

A non-district game against Frisco is next before the Cardinals move into District 4-5A Division II play.

That has been referred to as the District of Doom with schools such as Lucas Lovejoy, Prosper Walnut Grove, Anna, Frisco Emerson and Melissa battling for the four playoff spots. 

Last year, Melissa was the team looking on the outside of the playoff photo despite a 6-4 mark. 

Melissa and Emerson were both 5-3 in district play. The Cardinals lost by three to Emerson, by three to Lovejoy and by 9 to Walnut Grove.

It was the first time since 2015 that Melissa missed the playoffs.

The Cardinals were in the quarterfinals two of the three previous years.

Melissa lost a lot of all-district performers to graduation, but will have some key pieces back as well.

Last year, junior linebacker Max Corbin was the co-defensive newcomer of the year. 

He had 40 tackles, 9 TFL, 3 sacks, 4 PBU and 2 interceptions, both returned for touchdowns. 

Running back Jeremiah ‘Bear’ Tabor is also back. The freshman ran for a team-high 785 yards and his 6 TDs were second on the team.

Tabor was the district offensive newcomer of the year and holds offers from Baylor, Oklahoma State, Purdue, Texas Tech and UTSA.

All-district picks Zayd Shaheed, Max Wright, Uche Dimpka, Dalton Dababneh and Xavier Ramirez were all underclassmen in 2024. Junior wide receiver Jacob Swain is also generating a lot of Division I interest.

2025 Schedule

Aug. 29 vs. Don Bosco (NJ) Prep 

Sept. 5 vs. Frisco 

Sept. 12 at Frisco Memorial 

Sept. 19 vs. Frisco Liberty 

Sept. 26 at Anna

Oct. 3 vs. Lucas Lovejoy

Oct. 10 BYE

Oct. 17 at Frisco Independence

Oct. 24. vs. Frisco Emerson 

Oct. 31 at Prosper Walnut Grove

Nov. 7 vs. Denison 

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Cody Thorn
CODY THORN

Cody Thorn is a veteran journalist who covers high school sports across the state of Texas and Missouri. He is based in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and has covered sports and news since 1999.

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