Looking for a three-peat has never looked so good! Back-to-back 5A State Champions, South Oak Cliff Golden Bears, top the charts in the VYPE DFW 5A Preseason Football Rankings this year. VYPE DFW takes a dive into exactly what fans can expect from the Golden Bears this season.
REWIND
A 23-14 victory against Liberty Hill sealed the deal in the 2021-22 season. After a rocky start last year, followed by a state-championship run and eventual 34-24 victory over Port Neches-Groves the South Oak Cliff Bears have continually improved after each play on the field.
Starting 0-3 last season against eventual 6A state champion Duncanville (23-10), Lancaster (21-3), and DeSoto (42-23), the team knew they had to get it together and do something different throughout the rest of the year. Picking up the pieces and starting fresh, the Golden Bears took on a tough TAPPS opponent in Parish Episcopal and came out with a close 31-28 victory over the then three-time state champions (now four-time). Outscoring their opponents by an impressive, combined 534-241 on the season, the Golden Bears posted 13 straight victories to close out their season and earn a repeat.
LOOKING AHEAD
Returning the likes of Brandon Jones, Rickey Evans, Khalil Ewell, Jamari Cauley, Trey Jackson, Semaj’Dre Gasaway, Hayden Shelton, Bismillah Muhammad, K’Sean Jackson, Kentra Britton, and more, the Golden Bears can be expected to be as dominant as they have been the last two seasons. A strong defense mixed with an offense that starts fast will prove to be one of the biggest strengths for the Golden Bears— high game IQ being another strength.
The team opens their schedule on the road against 6A State Champion Duncanville on September 1 at 7 p.m. where they will put their hard work from summer workouts to the test. Their preseason schedule sees a slew of strong teams such as Lancaster, DeSoto, and four-time TAPPS state champion Parish Episcopal before district play opens on September 21st against Dallas Adamson. Catch this team in action as they hunt for a three-peat!