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THE RING KING: Is North Shore's Davis the best to ever come out of Houston?

Matt Malatesta
Sep 08, 2020

Dematrius Davis, North Shore

Bradley Collier / VYPE Media

AS THEY SAY IN THE BARBERSHOP, YOUR FAMILY MIGHT LIE AND YOUR FRIENDS MIGHT LIE, BUT ... NUMBERS DON'T LIE.

North Shore has become the face of Texas High School Football winning four state titles since 2003 and standing front-and-center smiling away with a pair of bodacious championship rings is Dematrius Davis.

As he enters his senior season, his legacy is casting a shadow on arguably the greatest high school player in the history of Houston football – Vincent Young of Madison.


The heresy, you say? Well, not so fast.

I started this argument last year with not much traction. People though I was out of my mind, but let's just take a look at the numbers.

Let's take a look at what people are saying.

But let's first understand how all this happened as told by North Shore coach Jon Kay.

"We put Dematrius on the varsity roster at the beginning of his freshman season. You could tell in middle school that he was going to be special, but I wasn't convinced it was going to be as a freshman. We talked with him, the coaching staff and his parents and got everyone on the same page. We wanted to let him develop into a leader. That can work against you as a freshman if you are thrown into the fire with a bunch of older kids. We didn't want him to follow the leader, we wanted him to develop leadership skills.

"We had a plan all along. He was dominant and efficient at the freshman level. I mean dominant. I was still very leery but coach Willie Gaston said he was ready. I was like, let's pump the brakes, but by the end of the season he gave our varsity the best opportunity to win. We started him against Deer Park in our first-round playoff game. I was surprised how quickly he grasped the offense, but I wasn't surprised how quickly he was ready to compete."

The 'Stangs would reach the Regional Finals but were crushed by Katy, 31-3, to end the 2017 season.

Then came the spring where he earned his ultimate stripes.

"In this era of different colored jerseys for the quarterback at practice, we went the other way. The spring before his sophomore season we went full-speed, Class 6A, North Shore vs North Shore football everyday out there in the stadium. Those QBs took a beating. No quick whistles. They had to learn to stand in the pocket against some elite speed and athletes and either sink or swim. I'd go in the training room and see him packed in ice. He gained so much respect from his teammates that spring. He made the sacrifice and gave his sweat and blood.

"That set the stage for 2018 and those kids would follow him through hell."

The 2018 North Shore team could be the best in its school history and the Mustangs cruised to the state championship game to face mighty Duncanville.

Then it happened.

"By the time of the state game, he wasn't a sophomore anymore. He understood the situation," Kay said. "He was cool and collected and we found out right then that no situation is too big for him."

On the last play of the season, Davis finessed a 45-yard Hail Mary into the arms of AJ Carter to beat Duncanville 41-36 before a shocked crowd inside AT&T Stadium.

"Let's say that cemented his legacy," Kay said.

The accolades poured in on the sophomore, who took it in stride. After all the glitter and confetti cleared on the greatest play in Texas High School football history, North Shore went back to work in 2019.

"After losing to Katy in Week 1, he understood that he was going to need to increase his productivity. As a sophomore, it wasn't his to win. He had great weapons and he could spread the ball around and be a facilitator. Last year, we had so many injuries and lost so many great players. He just started taking over games... against Ridge Point... then against Westfield, which is one of the best teams in the state.

"He shouldered the load and found ways for us to win. He just continued to evolve."

With Shadrach Banks and Zach Evans virtually unavailable all season, Davis willed North Shore to another state championship game and a win against Duncanville, again.

It seems like the only thing that can slow Davis down is the COVID-19 virus. With two rings, all the awards to fill his bedroom and his college decision out of the way, Davis is on top of the Texas High School football world.

But the script isn't finished yet.

...

BY THE NUMBERS

Vince Young in Three Years

Passing – 4,860 YDS; 61 TDs

Rushing – 2,764 YDS 38 TDs

Total TDs – 99

Record - 33-6

State Championships - 0

…

Dematrius Davis in Three Years

Passing -- 6,983 yards; 80 TDs

Rushing – 2,172 yards; 31 TDs

Total TDs -- 111

Record -- 37-2

State Championships – 2

...

TALK AROUND TOWN...

GARY JOSEPH

Katy Head Coach

"Before Dematrius Davis came along, I thought Vince Young was the most dominant high school QB I had coached against. His size, speed and strength were unmatched as a high school athlete. Dematrius is just as imposing, with an even better surrounding cast. He is quicker, just as fast, throws the ball more accurately and doesn't make mistakes."

...

ADAM COLEMAN

The Houston Chronicle

"Dematrius Davis is the most accomplished Texas high school football quarterback since Kyler Murray. You probably couldn't even match his career numbers on Madden. If North Shore wins another title with him leading the way, I'd say Davis should be at the top when we speak about the greatest Texas high school football quarterbacks. Honestly, he's already achieved enough to be in the conversation. I bet if you asked Vince Young this question, he'd choose Dematrius."

...

JENNY DIAL CREECH

The Athletic-Houston

"It is truly impossible to choose between the two. I was in college when Vince was in high school, but caught him in person once and knew we wouldn't see talent like his again. That being said, if we are just looking at HS careers, I have to pick Davis because he has two state championships and played such a major role in making those happen."

...

BRIAN PERRONI

247Sports

"Vince Young took an HISD team to the state championship game and it was not a loaded team like Lamar has had. I know he never won a state title but he had a huge arm and was impossible to bring down and if he had had more DI talent surrounding him, Madison very well could have won multiple championships. Young was truly special. If Davis leads North Shore to a third state title, I reserve the right to change me answer."

...

Todd Freed, High School Football Host

"Wow, that's a tough one. Vince Young was a so-called man among boys-type of athlete in his senior season. His playoff outing against North Shore was without question one of the all-time great individual performances in Texas high school football history.

"By the same token, Dematrius Davis has led his team to consecutive Class 6A Division 1 State Championships while posting simply spectacular numbers both on the ground and through the air. All this, with still one season of high school football still to play. So, based on his dual-threat, off-the-chart stats with remarkably a senior season still ahead, I'm going to give a slight nod to Davis. That being said, can I pick them both?

north shore football auburn football vince young texas high school football houston high school football jon kay willie gaston duncanville football zach evans shadrach banks jenny dial creech brian perroni todd freed adam coleman gary joseph katy football dematrius davis

Girls Soccer: Memorial, The Woodlands, Friendswood advance to State Semis

Joshua Koch
10 Apr, 2021

HOUSTON - The champs are back.

Houston Memorial is heading back to the UIL State Tournament for the first time since 2018, which was the same season the Mustangs hoisted that coveted trophy at the end.

Lindley Amarantos watched as her crew defeated Cy-Fair 2-0 on Friday inside the friendly confines of Spring Branch ISD's Tully Stadium, advancing the program back to the State Semifinals.

Read More... Read Less
brooke spinks friendswood girls soccer houston high school sports lindley amarantos marley krach memorial high school memorial mustangs memorial soccer olivia schmidt soccer soccer playoffs state semis the woodlands uil state vype houston high school sports houston high school soccer

Unfinished Business: Kingwood Park punches ticket to State Semifinals with 6-2 win

Joshua Koch
10 Apr, 2021
VYPE Feature powered by Academy Sports + Outdoors: No. 1 Kingwood Park men's soccer rolling in 2021

Kingwood Park is writing its own history.

That's at least how head coach Ryan Searle put it following a 6-2 victory over Pflugerville Hendrickson to punch its ticket to the State Semifinals for the first time since 2011 and the third time in program history.

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kingwood park kingwood park soccer humble isd humble isd soccer houston high school soccer vype houston high school sports houston high school sports ryan searle kingwood park men's soccer

Falcon Power: Huffman punches ticket to State Semis with 1-0 win over Splendora

Joshua Koch
10 Apr, 2021

NEW CANEY - Chris McDermand almost didn't know what to do.

The fifth-year Huffman men's soccer coach hopped a few times down the sideline before bursting into a sprint with his arms spread wide like a Falcon looking for any one of his players to hug. Then the architect of this program watched as yet another gold ball trophy was handed to his players and hoisted into the cool April night air with sounds of pure joy exuding from his team.

McDermand wearing his black Huffman soccer polo matched with black slacks then climbed up onto a trainer's table on the sideline, stepping around the Gatorade coolers and other equipment while he walked down high-fiving nearly every member of the Falcon Loud Crowd before finally laying on the turf and just soaking it all in.

Huffman was heading to state. A 1-0 overtime victory over district rival Splendora on Friday night ensured more history for the Falcon soccer program.

"I was just thinking back to all of the hot days in August and September and just making it through till now," McDermand said about what went through his mind while laying down. "Just how much work these guys put in. We had the biggest crowd we've ever had, so they were right there behind us. I could see them when I was laying down.

"It was nuts. I didn't play a minute and I felt exhausted."

FINAL SCORE (Region III-4A Final) @Athletics_SISD - 0@Huffman_Soccer - 1 @HuffmanISD it's time to gas up the charter bus again!!! Huffman is heading to the #UILState Tournament for the first time in program history. #txhssoccer @Coach_MacHHS @LethalSoccer @KPRC2RandyMc pic.twitter.com/vcOkupV8pU
— VYPE Houston (@vypehouston) April 10, 2021

At the end of regulation, both teams had peppered the nets but to no avail, it would take overtime and maybe even penalty kicks to settle this one.

In the 82nd minute, senior Angel Aguas was fouled in the box, which awarded him a penalty kick, which he buried in the right bottom corner of the net for his 21st score of the year. Goalie Sam Calzada kept a clean sheet for the 10th time this season with numerous saves, pushing him over 100 for the year.

"It feels amazing, we've been working hard all year," Aguas said. "[State] is new to us, it means everything. We have a great team. We're coming for it this year with everything."

Caldaza added: "We just executed what coach had planned for us. I followed his orders and had a clean sheet and we go to the next round."

VYPE Postgame 🎙: @Huffman_Soccer senior Angel Aguas who scored goal 21 of the season and goalie Sam Calzada who registered his 10th shutout of the season talk with VYPE after the win. #txhssoccer @HuffmanISD @Coach_MacHHS @HuffmanHoops @Huffman_Falcons @LethalSoccer pic.twitter.com/XkC4RmottT
— VYPE Houston (@vypehouston) April 10, 2021

This run to the state semifinals for this team is remarkable, not just because of the fact that it is the first time in program history but because the Falcons started the year 5-5-5 and since then have gone 11-2-1, including 5-0 in the playoffs.

"These guys did something the last three or four weeks and just clicked," McDermand said. "We got hot at the right time and they all accepted their roles and bought in. They just made it happen."

Huffman moves on to face Boerne in the State Semifinal which is set to be played at Columbus High School on Tuesday at 7 p.m. The Falcons' men's soccer team joins the men's basketball team as Huffman programs that have advanced to state this year.

VYPE Postgame: @Huffman_Soccer coach Chris McDermand who started this program from scratch five years ago was HYPED after the win. #txhssoccer @HuffmanISD @Huffman_Falcons @Coach_MacHHS @HHSLoudCrowd @HTownHSS @KPRC2RandyMc pic.twitter.com/HfzolRFOgK
— VYPE Houston (@vypehouston) April 10, 2021
angel aguas chris mcdermand houston high school soccer houston high school sports huffman falcons huffman mens soccer sam calzada soccer vype houston high school sports huffman soccer
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