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TICKET PUNCHED: Duncanville preps for North Shore... again
It's a tale almost as old as time-- Duncanville is set to take on Galena Park North Shore in the UIL Class 6A Division 1 State Title game... again. This will be these two teams' fifth meeting in the state title game since 2018-- North Shore leads 3-1 in title match meet-ups. VYPE DFW takes a look at how the Panthers made it back to the big stage:
Having lost only one game all season-- a 49-35 district showdown against DeSoto (who is also playing in their own respective state title match on Saturday), the team has put up incredible stats this season. Outscoring their opponents by nearly 600 points combined this season, the Panthers are back at the top and ready to complete the season with another crown as they prepare to face North Shore in the UIL Class 6A Division 1 state title match-up on Saturday, December 16th.
With playoff victories over the likes of Hutto, Rockwall-Heath, The Woodlands, Westfield, and last week's state semifinal victory over North Crowley, Duncanville has not waivered on its path to success. Led by Caden Durham (who recorded 226 rushing yards and five touchdowns in the state semifinal), Keelon Russell (who recorded 141 passing yards and one passing touchdown last week), Dakorien Moore, Maximus Denson, and others, the Panthers routed North Crowley 52-10 to punch their ticket to the state title game.
As the Panthers prepare to take on North Shore, fans can expect to see the likes of Durham, Russell, Moore, and Denison continuing to sharpen their skill ahead of the big game. With an explosive offense backed by a defense that continually shuts down their opponents' efforts, this team has long been a force to be reckoned with. Last season, Duncanville finally secured a state title victory over North Shore. This year, the team will look to repeat. "We are focused on the next game and finishing successfully," said head coach Reginald Samples following the semifinal victory over North Crowley.
Kick-off is slated for 3 p.m. on Saturday, December 16th at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
CW33 High School Football Showdown Preview: Duncanville vs. Mansfield
It's week eight of Texas High School Football and plenty of teams are still working their athleticism on the field. Two of those teams include an undefeated Duncanville and a Mansfield High School team that has only one loss to their name so far this season. This week, the two teams go head-to-head in the CW33 High School Football Showdown game of the week. VYPE DFW takes a deep dive into their seasons so far and what fans can expect heading into Friday night's game:
Duncanville Panthers (5-0, 3-0)
After winning the 6A State Title last season, Duncanville has powered their way to a booming start in the 2023-24 football season. Opening their year with a 34-13 victory over two-time defending state champion South Oak Cliff followed by a 44-0 victory over Florida's Rockledge, the team was able to head into district play unscathed and ready to showcase their ability to be dominant yet again this season.
Through district play, the team has allowed only 10 points against them. A 76-0 district-opening victory over Mansfield Lake Ridge and a 56-0 district victory over Cedar Hill was just the start to the Panthers' campaign in their 2023 district schedule. Last week, coming off of a BYE, the Panthers traveled to Waxahachie where the team came out on top with a 44-10 score. Led by talent like Dakorien Moore who has averaged nearly 145 receiving yards per game this season, Caden Durham, Jaqualon Armstrong, Keelon Russell, Ayson Theus, Zach Turner, and others, this offense knows how to score early to set the tone in any given game. Meanwhile, a nearly unstoppable defense led by Tyderick Brown, Javion Holiday, Colin Simmons, KJ Ford, and more has helped put a stop to the pace of opponents through each game. The Panthers will look to be a force on Friday night in Mansfield.
Mansfield Tigers (5-1, 2-1)
Mansfield went on a 5-0 run to start the season with non-district victories over Waco Midway (42-31), Mansfield Summit (39-37), and South Grand Prairie (49-29). Utilizing their ability to work hard and battle through matches against tough opponents, the Tigers were able to enter district play well-versed in putting up a fight and pulling away with a victory.
The Tigers secured a 42-31 district-opening victory over Mansfield Legacy before posting a hard-fought 35-33 victory over Mansfield Lake Ridge. Last week, in a battle through adversity, Mansfield fell 47-14 against a strong Cedar Hill team. Led by James Johnson who has averaged 110 rushing yards per game, Marquise Hubbard, Jacobe Hayes, Tim Abraham, Zion Robinson, and others, the Tigers offense knows how to fight against tough defenses and make statement plays that lead to timely scores in the endzone. Furthermore, the Tigers' defense is led by David Hogg, Isaac Howard, and others who utilize a great game IQ in order to put up a wall against opponents each week.
What To Expect
Duncanville isn't going to go down without a fight-- if they go down at all. On the quest for another state title, there is going to be little room for doubt as they trample over their opponents with confidence. Looking to deliver a second loss to Mansfield, the Panthers are going to do anything and everything in order to pull away early on Friday night. However, Mansfield is known for fighting hard against really great teams. They aren't going to make Friday night's matchup a cakewalk for Duncanville. Fans can expect this Tigers' squad-- with 8 returners from last season's Bi-District qualifying team-- to put up a battle against a dominating Panthers' offense.
Kick-off is slated for 7 p.m. at RL Anderson Stadium in Mansfield, Texas. If you're not able to make the game, be sure you tune in on CW33 for all the action!