Germantown, TN -- The No. 3-ranked Collierville football team faced a small setback on Friday night, suffering its first regular-season defeat of 2024 with a narrow 17-13 loss to No. 5 Houston at Principle Toyota Field. The loss snapped the Dragons' impressive nine-game winning streak and cost them the top seed in Region 8 6A heading into next week's TSSAA State Playoffs.

Despite the defeat, the successful season positions Collierville (9-1) to host a first-round playoff game for the first time since 2021.

The game got off to a rocky start for the Dragons with an interception on their opening drive that was returned for a touchdown. Houston capitalized on their momentum, adding a 41-yard field goal in the first quarter to establish an early 10-0 lead.

Collierville did get on the scoreboard in the second quarter with a 43-yard field goal from Grayson Lytton, bringing the halftime score to 10-3 in favor of Houston.

The Dragons rallied in the second half, with Lytton striking again for a 22-yard field goal to narrow the gap to 10-6. Just under six minutes left in the game, Collierville surged ahead when quarterback Grant Troutman connected on a 1-yard touchdown pass to Marshall Smith Jr., giving the Dragons a 13-10 lead.

However, Houston's running back Ladeadrick James responded with a game-changing 38-yard touchdown run, sealing the final score at 17-13 in favor of the Mustangs.

Looking ahead, Collierville will shift its focus to the upcoming playoff matchup against Rossview (8-2), who will make their debut at Dragon Stadium, located in the scenic Landers SportsPlex, next Friday at 7 p.m. Fans can expect another thrilling high school football showdown as the Dragons aim to bounce back and now begin their playoff run.