Waller Bulldogs Beat Aldine Davis Falcons 41-6 in 2026 Season Opener

Waller Bulldogs Beat Aldine Davis Falcons 41-6 in 2026 Season Opener at Daikin Stadium

WALLER, Texas (Aug. 28, 2026) — The Waller High School Bulldogs opened the 2026 Texas high school football season with a 41-6 home win over the Benjamin Davis Falcons (Aldine Davis) on Friday night at Daikin Stadium. Waller led 24-0 at halftime and improved to 1-0. Davis fell to 0-1.

The non-district game was Waller’s first varsity contest of the year and the first look at head coach Marcus Mendoza’s 2026 roster after a 2025 playoff season.

Final score: Waller 41, Davis 6

Waller scored in every quarter. Davis did not score until the fourth.

Tristin “T.K.” Gaines leads Waller offense

Junior quarterback Tristin “T.K.” Gaines (No. 4, Class of 2028) accounted for most of Waller’s production:

• Passing: 13-of-28, 186 yards, 4 touchdowns, 0 interceptions
• Rushing: 11 carries, 161 yards

Ayden Johnson (No. 12) caught 5 passes for 66 yards and 2 touchdowns. Dariyan Smith added 94 total yards. Waller finished with about 186 passing yards and 200 rushing yards. Davis managed 14 rushing yards as a team.

Mendoza said Gaines is the kind of quarterback who creates big plays, but he credited the pieces around him.

“Really good, you know, he’s a dude, he’s a big time playmaker,” Mendoza said. “But the thing about it is we got some big playmakers around him and our O-line did a great job protecting him. He’s going to make those big plays in big moments and he even had a big moment running the ball. And we’re telling him we’ve got to protect himself, but he’s just doing what he does. Players make plays and we put him in a situation to be successful.”

Mendoza: “This is a different team”

Asked what he expects after the season-opening win, Mendoza pointed to last year’s surprise run and this year’s standard.

“Man, I’ve been telling our team and getting to this moment, it’s just exciting to be here,” Mendoza said. “I was telling them, we’re going to execute, we’re going to be great. A lot of people weren’t expecting us to be (in the playoffs) last year and aren’t expecting probably a lot out of us this year. But just going out proving it and showing it, this is a different team. The atmosphere, community is awesome and I think this is going to be a big year for both.”

He still flagged red-zone finishes as the next step.

“We had a couple moments, especially a little bit more offensively,” Mendoza said. “I feel like defensive special teams, they really got good. Offensively, we got in the red zone a few times. I think twice we didn’t score. We’ve got to finish out those drives and make sure that we’re running the ball effectively.”

What the win means for Waller football

• Record: Waller Bulldogs 1-0; Benjamin Davis Falcons 0-1
• Classification: Waller is Class 6A, District 23-6A
• Ranking after Week 1: Waller moved to Texas No. 294 on MaxPreps (up 38 spots), Houston No. 58
• Where to watch: Highlights and a full replay are listed on MaxPreps and the NFHS Network / Texan Live

Next game: Waller at Spring, Friday, Sept. 4

Waller’s next game is a non-district road trip to Spring on Friday, Sept. 4. Spring opened 1-0 with a 40-27 win over Channelview. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Planet Ford Stadium.

Mendoza’s message for that game: raise the standard, not celebrate Week 1.

“Expectation is just rising up to the next level of what we need to do to execute,” he said.

Davis next plays Cypress Lakes.

Quick facts: Waller vs Davis football, Aug. 28, 2026

• Who won? Waller Bulldogs
• Final score: 41-6
• Where: Daikin Stadium (Waller ISD Stadium), Waller, Texas
• When: Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, 7 p.m.
• Game type: Non-district season opener
• Waller head coach: Marcus Mendoza
• Standout player: QB Tristin “T.K.” Gaines — 186 passing yards, 4 TDs, 161 rushing yards

Interview with Waller head coach Marcus Mendoza conducted after the game.