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Whataburger Team of the Week: North Shore stands tall, tops Duncanville for sixth state banner
Both defenses dictated the tempo from the opening kick, making points a premium throughout. The first half ended in a scoreless gridlock, defined by physical exchanges and disciplined execution on both sides. Field position mattered. Mistakes were magnified.
Head coach Willie Gaston was understandably overcome with emotion at the final whistle, as this championship carried its own weight. Not only did it mark his first title since taking over his alma mater two seasons ago, but it also validated a program eager to remind audiences of its supremacy.
Matthew Ogle (VYPE)
HC Willie Gaston hoists the UIL trophy as the team surrounds him
The breakthrough finally came late in the third quarter. Senior quarterback Kaleb Maryland (Utah State signee) stepped up in a collapsing pocket and delivered a strike downfield, finding senior wideout Jaylen Bocard for a 44-yard touchdown. North Shore later added a fourth-quarter field goal to extend the margin to two scores.
Duncanville responded with 5:33 remaining, cutting the deficit to 10–7 on a 32-yard trick play connection between Trenton Yancey and tight end Zach Turner. But when the moment demanded resolve, North Shore’s defense stood firm, forcing a turnover on downs in the closing seconds to seal the victory.
Senior Za’qwaun Nunn anchored the defensive front with a dominant performance, tallying eight tackles and two sacks while consistently disrupting the pocket. Junior defensive back Tony Guillory was everywhere, finishing with 10 tackles and a pivotal red-zone interception on Duncanville’s opening drive—an effort that earned him State Defensive MVP honors.
While Maryland and Bocard—named Offensive MVP—rightfully drew headlines, senior tailback Hezekiah Johnson quietly delivered a vital performance, grinding out 93 rushing yards in a game dictated by toughness and field position.
When all was said and done, North Shore closed the 2025 campaign at 14–2, securing its sixth state championship—and once again affirming why the Mustangs remain the standard.
THE FINAL 48: UIL Football 2025 State Championship Preview -- North Shore vs. Duncanville (6A-D1)
WHERE: AT&T Stadium -- Arlington, TX
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NORTH SHORE MUSTANGS
In just his third season back at his alma mater, head coach Willie Gaston has once again guided North Shore to a familiar destination. Arlington awaits, as the Mustangs prepare for yet another bid for the UIL banner — a stage they’ve come to know better than most.
North Shore’s 28–6 semifinal victory over Lake Travis at W.W. Thorne Stadium did more than punch a ticket to the title game. It marked the program’s seventh championship appearance since 2015 (eighth overall) and reaffirmed a simple truth across the state: Eastside is still Eastside.
True to form, the 6A-Division I crown will be decided by North Shore (13–2) and Duncanville (12–1), as Saturday amounts to the sixth showdown between the bitter rivals.
While Duncanville has won the last two championship clashes, North Shore still holds a 3–2 edge at State — a layer of familiarity that adds weight to an already loaded rematch. A victory would secure the Mustangs’ first ring since 2021 and the sixth overall in program history.
North Shore Sr. DL Za'qwaun Nunn (#99) & Sr. QB Kaleb Maryland (#7)Bradley C. Collier (VYPE)
Offensively, everything begins with senior quarterback Kaleb Maryland. The Utah State-signee has been the picture of efficiency, compiling 3,266 passing yards and 34 touchdowns while adding 549 yards and 10 scores on the ground.
Maryland has thrived with a balanced receiver room led by senior Jaylen Bocard (1,160 yards, 12 TDs), alongside juniors Aubrey Johnson (720 yds, 6 TDs) and La’Damian Defreeze (444 yds, 6 TDs), as well as senior Dorian Barnes (516 yds, 7 TDs), giving the Mustangs flexibility at every level of the field.
That attack is complemented by senior running back Hezekiah Johnson, who has embraced a starring role behind a sturdy offensive line, eclipsing 1,100 rushing yards with 19 touchdowns.
Meanwhile, on defense, senior linemen Za’qwaun Nunn (LA Tech) and Xavier Waters (Louisiana-Lafayette) anchor a unit that has helped limit opponents to fewer than 16 points per game.
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DUNCANVILLE PANTHERS
The Panthers have rendered last year’s Round 5 loss to eventual 6A-D1 champion North Crowley little more than a footnote in the broader context of their dominance over the past decade. That reset has been evident throughout the postseason, most notably during the Panthers’ recent two-week stretch.
Two weeks ago, Duncanville earned the final say in a heated Region I Final against district counterpart Waxahachie, pulling away late for a 35–27 victory. The Panthers followed that performance with an emphatic statement, dispatching fellow Dallas heavyweight Allen, 31–9, to punch their ticket to the State stage.
Mirroring the storied tenure of North Shore, this weekend signifies the seventh occasion Duncanville (12–1) will be vying for the State crown. The Panthers now chase their fourth title overall — and their first since 2023 — with momentum and balance firmly on their side.
In terms of the weaponry that the Duncanville offense wields, the explosive potential of junior wideout Trenton Yancey cannot be overstated.
The four-star prospect is the definition of versatility, piling up 780 receiving yards and nine touchdowns while adding 388 rushing yards and 10 more scores on the ground. Senior athlete Ayson Theus, a TCU-signee, provides a similar spark, eclipsing 1,000 yards from scrimmage with 10 touchdowns of his own.
Senior quarterback J’Coryon Rivers also deserves significant credit. Thrust into the starting role late in the regular season, Rivers has operated seamlessly under center, throwing for nearly 1,300 yards and 12 touchdowns against just one interception.
With reliable targets like SMU-bound tight end Zachery Turner and a productive run game led by Robert Singleton and Brayden Arnold, Duncanville’s offense has averaged more than 36 points per game.
Defensively, the Panthers have been just as suffocating, allowing fewer than 14 points per contest.
Ole Miss-signee Landon Barnes (10.5 sacks, 23.5 TFL) and Florida-bound KJ Ford (8.5 sacks, 17.5 TFL) headline a disorienting front-seven, supported by Jakohri Johnson and a tackling machine in Jaylyn Manning (120 tackles). On the back end, senior cornerbacks Braylon Edwards (Colorado) and Victor Lincoln (Ole Miss) have turned the secondary into an island unit.