In what has practically become a tradition, North Shore and Duncanville are set to face off for the UIL Texas Football State Championships.
It’s the fourth time in the last five years these two teams have played against each other, and Duncanville is hoping to turn around a lopsided record in these games — North Shore has won all three. One was a low-scoring affair, one was a two-possession game, and one came down to a Hail Mary. Regardless of how it happened, the Mustangs have had the upper hand in this rivalry.
This year, both teams enter the matchup undefeated. North Shore is ranked No. 8 in the Super 25 and Duncanville right below at No. 9.
In what has become among the best nearly-annual games in the nation, let’s look back at the last three championship matchups.
Kickoff for the 2022 championship is Saturday at 7 p.m. at AT&T Stadium.
More: Previewing the title rematch between Duncanville, North Shore
2018: North Shore wins 41-38
It’s a game players and fans on both sides may never be able to forget. It was capped with a play that Bally Sports Southwest dubbed among the best of the decade.
Four-star quarterback Dematrius Davis, now at Alabama State, launched the ball from around the 46 yard line into the end zone. A.J. Carter, now at Utah State, leapt up with three defenders and a teammate around him and came down with the remarkable catch.
The successful Hail Mary gave North Shore the 41-38 victory, setting the team on a path to win three championships over the next four years with hopes of a fourth title this year.
It was a wild game, one that featured at least 31 players with DI offers. North Shore carried a 29-20 lead into halftime, but Duncanville got the upper hand in the second half, taking a 36-35 lead with just 1:08 remaining in the game.
That was just enough time for Davis, a sophomore at the time, to get North Shore down field and heave the prayer. They won the game, finished 16-0, and earned MaxPreps’ vote for National Champions.
2019: North Shore wins 31-17
The rematch was highlighted by stars on both sides who missed the championship game. North Shore five-star running back Zach Evans was suspended by the team for violation of a cell phone policy, according to Texas HS Football, while North Shore quarterback Ja’Quinden Jackson was out with a torn ACL.
In the end, North Shore’s offensive line and run game kept the team flowing even without Evans, as both Davis and Roger Hagan both broke the 100-yard rushing mark in the 31-17 win.
The Mustangs took the lead in the third quarter after a mishandled punt gave them the ball at the 20-yard line. They got the go-ahead touchdown and then tacked on another on an 84-yard drive.
The game was closer than the final score appeared, but North Shore didn’t need a Hail Mary to pick up this championship.
2021: North Shore wins 17-10
The Texas football scene got a break from these two powerhouses in 2020 when both teams lost in the semifinals, but they were back on top in 2021.
North Shore’s new quarterback Kaleb Bailey did not fade in the lights. The freshman passed for two touchdowns in front of 42,544 fans at AT&T Stadium as he earned offensive MVP honors in North Shore’s 17-10 win.
Bailey went 10-for-13 for 107 yards and rushed for 54 more. He completed a 39-yard touchdown pass to David Amador with just under three minutes left in the game to give the Mustangs the lead. The defense iced the game by preventing the Panthers from matching the touchdown, and North Shore won its third championship in four years.
CHANGING THE ENEGRY 😤
David Amador's 11th TD of the season and possibly his biggest yet. A HUGE 39-yard catch for the TD to put @NSNationFB in front with 2:53 left in the game! @JackBox | @uiltexas | #UILState | #UILonBally pic.twitter.com/JxIC3qkA05
— Bally Sports Southwest (@BallySportsSW) December 18, 2021
Bailey’s weekend wasn’t quite done. The next day, he tweeted that he had received his first college offer.
He’s amassed more offers and another year of experience, but one thing he has yet to pick up is a loss. Will Duncanville get the victory and close out a perfect season? Or will Bailey win his second championship in two years and help North Shore win their fourth in five?
