Two seasons ago, Frisco Emerson impressed the Texas high school football world with a 9-2 finish and historic 3-0 start in its first varsity season.
In 2023, Frisco Panther Creek went 11–2 and won a district title just a year after the school opened.
Now neighboring Prosper Walnut Grove, which welcomed students for the first time last fall, is the latest newly-opened school in Collin County to experience early football success. Walnut Grove is off to a 3-0 start this season and upset Emerson 29-28 last week to open District 4-5AII play. Emerson was a 5A Division II state semifinalist in 2023.
Last season, Walnut Grove played an outlaw schedule that included matchups against notable names like defending 3A Division II state champion Gunter, 4A state power Celina, defending 4A Division II state champion Gilmer and Anna, the 2023 4A Division I state champion. Walnut Grove traveled about 3,000 miles to complete its schedule, coach Tommy Allison said.
The program ended its season in October with a 3–7 record, but had a long offseason ahead to make necessary improvements.
“We saw that we needed to get bigger and faster and stronger,” Allison said. “We needed to get physically and mentally tougher.”
Allison became Walnut Grove’s first coach after serving as the offensive coordinator at Waco Midway. He said the Walnut Grove job stood out to him, in part because of the school’s newness.
“A lot of times, when you start a new program, there are already traditions in place, habits in place,” Allison said. “This was a unique situation in which there was nothing. It’s a clean slate. You get to brand it and build the culture from the ground up.”
Walnut Grove pulled students from Prosper High and Prosper Rock Hill to populate the new school, Allison said.
“Being able to take athletes from both schools and build camaraderie, build a team, build a sense of family is a big step in trying to build your culture and your program” Allison said.
Fast-growing Prosper ISD will open another high school, Prosper Richland, next fall. Prosper ISD’s 2022 annual report forecasts a total student enrollment of 36,620 for the 2027-28 school year.
That level of growth could correlate to even more rising football programs in Prosper ISD, which boasts high-quality facilities and hopes to add additional ones in the future.
“The football in North Texas is unbelievable. It is so competitive. You have so many great players,” Allison said. “There’s nothing like it. It’s been a great opportunity and I’m just truly blessed to be a part of it.”
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