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TICKET PUNCHED: South Oak Cliff continues to seek history
With the chance to continue making history, South Oak Cliff has punched their ticket to the UIL Class 5A Division 2 state title game against Port Neches Groves on Saturday. Looking for a three-peat, the team is as ready as ever to seal the deal with another crown this season. VYPE DFW takes a look at how the team has gotten this far.
Dropping only two games this season in non-district play-- a hard-fought season opener against Duncanville (who is playing in their own state final on Saturday) and DeSoto (also playing in a state final on Saturday)-- the team has been able to post competitive stats against their opponents all season long. With an 87% winning percentage, the Bears have made a name for themselves in high school football and look to continue adding to their legacy. Through district play, South Oak Cliff went undefeated (6-0) to finish at the top of their district standings with victories over the likes of Dallas Wilson, Seagoville, Dallas Kimball, Dallas Spruce, and more.
As the team worked their way into the playoffs, there wasn't a single moment where they waivered from being their typical, dominant selves. Opening playoffs with a huge victory over Everman followed by another over Melissa, fans knew that they were getting the Bears they have watched win titles in the previous season. Continuing strong, South Oak Cliff defeated Midlothian Heritage followed by a shut-out victory over Lucas Lovejoy before putting Frisco Emerson's efforts to a stop last week in a 36-24 semifinal victory. During last week's game, Danny Green Jr. ran for 162 yards and scored two touchdowns on 11 carries. Green, on his second-straight 1,000-yard season, has recorded nearly 1,300 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns this season.
Tested week by week, the Bears have finely tuned their abilities on the field. Green, joined by athletes like Khalil Ewell, Rickey Evans, Daveon Ennis, Damond Williams, Trey Jackson, and others help power the offense to make big plays happen for South Oak Cliff. Jayden Shelton (averaging eight tackles a game), Jamarion Phillips (averaging 6.2 tackles a game with 14 sacks this season), Dewalon Butler (with eight sacks this season), help lead the defense in strength with a wall that opponents have a tough time getting through.
The team faces off against Port Neches Groves on Saturday, December 16th at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. Looking to make more history by becoming the first DFW-area team in a multi-high school district to win three consecutive titles, fans can expect this team to pull out all the stops and hush any naysayers from the minute they step onto the field.
5A D2 STATE SEMIFINALS: Frisco Emerson and South Oak Cliff both set off to make history
History will be made on Friday in the UIL Class 5A Division II State Semifinal match between Frisco Emerson and South Oak Cliff regardless of who wins. As these teams kick things into high gear before the game, VYPE DFW dives into exactly what fans can expect as they prepare to watch these two programs chase a storybook ending to their 2023-24 football season.
Frisco Emerson Mavericks (12-2, 4-2)
The Mavericks are in just their second season of varsity competition. Opening in 2021, Frisco Emerson's team started competing in junior varsity competitions where they posted an undefeated (10-0) season with only underclassmen on the team. Now, those underclassmen make up the juniors and seniors of this varsity program as they enter the program's first semifinal appearance. Last season, the team posted a 9-2 overall record (5-1 in district play) and finished second in their district standings before falling in the first round of playoffs to a talented Colleyville Heritage squad.
This season, Frisco Emerson finished third in their district standings with a 4-2 district record and continued showcasing their tremendous resiliency through the playoffs. Led by the likes of Izzy Bills, Kameron Lockhart, Kylen Evans, Kelton Wafer, and more, the team has a steady and focused offense that shows up every single play. Lockhart has accounted for 24 touchdowns this season while Evans has accounted for 16. Dual-threat quarterback, Mike Hawkins, has also been a force to be reckoned with as he has recorded 72% pass completion rating with 2,878 passing yards and 40 passing touchdowns this season. Hawkins has also shined on the run where he has scored 13 rushing touchdowns on 107 carries for 1,108 rushing yards.
The defense, powered by Kennedy Breedlove, Nate Leal, Keiton Blanton, Agape Lawrence, AJ Johnson, and others, has been quick on their feet while focusing on eliminating targets for their opponents. Sending Grapevine, Canutillo, Wichita Falls Rider, and, last week, Colleyville Heritage packing in the playoffs this season, the Mavericks will continue to strive to be the best as they enter the field on Friday night.
South Oak Cliff Bears (12-2, 6-0)
After becoming Dallas ISD's first high school to win a state title in football in 63 years back in 2021, South Oak Cliff has made it their standard to play great football year in and year out. As they chase more history-- a three-peat in which only 19 other schools have done in UIL history-- they don't focus on what others are saying and, instead, march to the beat of their own drum. Should the team punch its ticket to state and win their third consecutive title, it will become the first Dallas-Fort Worth area team in a multiple high school district to win three titles in a row... and they aren't at all distracted by that notion or possibility.
This season, the Bears dropped only two matches-- a season-opening game against Duncanville (who is playing in their own respective state semifinal match this weekend) and another non-district showdown against DeSoto (another team also playing to punch their ticket to state). Despite their losses, the team has remained focused on the end game... heading back to the playoffs and securing another crown. Outscoring their opponents 579-232 this season, the team has posted incredible victories over TAPPS Fifth consecutive state champions Parish Episcopal, Dallas Adamson, Dallas Kimball, Dallas Wilson, and more as they went undefeated in district play to finish at the top of their district standings.
Led by senior running back Khalil Ewell (who has averaged nearly 94 rushing yards per game and has 19 touchdowns to his name this season), senior running back Danny Green Jr. (who averages roughly 85 yards per game and has 14 of his own scores this season), senior wide receiver Trey Jackson, junior quarterback Carter Kopecky and senior quarterback William Little (who have combined for 29 passing touchdowns on the season), and other talented offensive players, the Bears offense has never had trouble setting the tone through each other their games. The defense-- one of the best in the state-- is led by sophomore Jamarion Phillips (who has recorded 11 sacks this season while averaging nearly 7 tackles a game), Jayden Shelton, Brandon Jackson, Dewalon Butler, Brandon Jones, and others. This defense has only gotten better the closer they inch to the state finals. The team has already eliminated Everman, Melissa, Midlothian Heritage, and-- for the third consecutive season to head to the state semifinals-- Lucas Lovejoy.
What To Expect
High energy. Fans, coaches, and athletes alike all know what sort of implications ride on this game and the kind of history that could be made for both programs. Both teams are explosive out of the tunnel on a Friday night and can be expected to amp up their level of play for the state semifinals. With their own weapons and top-rated athletes, this game can truly go either way.
Prepare for both teams to leave it all on the field on Friday night. Kick-off is slated for 7 p.m. in Frisco, Texas at Ford Center at The Star.