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How will Duncanville handle being the hunted, instead of hunter?
The Duncanville Panthers have become a massive brand in the state of Texas.
Thanks Captain Obvious… but winning a state title just over a year ago in a 28-21 win over North Shore, has made up for the near-misses of the past. It’s put Duncanville on a new level inside and outside the locker room.
“Winning a title really puts that stamp on your program,” coach Reginald Samples said. “It validates that you are one of the best teams in the state of Texas, maybe even the country. You can’t really say that until you win that state title.”
Duncanville is on another collision course with destiny as they face Westfield Saturday at 3 pm at Reeves Stadium in Round Rock in the Class 6A DI Region II Final. The Panthers beat Westfield (28-21) last season in the regional final before earning that coveted state title.
So, now they are the hunted instead of the hunter.
“Trust me, we aren’t looking past what is right in front of us,” he said. “Here’s why. We were trying so hard to beat North Shore in those state games, and lost. Eventually, we beat them. These teams in front of us are the same way. They are trying to knock us off like we were with North Shore. There are only really good teams left and we respect our opponents”
The Panthers are freakishly talented with the likes of QB Keelon Russell (SMU-commit) RB Caden Durham (LSU-commit), WR Dakorien Moore (LSU-commit), OL (Baylor-commit) DE Colin Simmons (Texas-commit), DT Alex January (Texas-commit), DB Ka’Davion Dotson (SMU-commit) walking the hallways. There is nearly a dozen more college commits on the way.
“We try and keep the outside noise to a minimum,” he said. “Yes, there are college recruiters here all the time, but we try and limit the distractions during the season, especially in the playoffs. You can have a bunch of great players, but if you don’t win, that doesn’t build a program. We are here to get kids recruited and we do a great job of that, but when it comes down to it, we’re also here to win ball games for Duncanville High School.”
The star of the Panther Den on the offensive side of the ball is Caden Durham, who has over 1,500 yards and 21 scores for the season. When the Panthers need a big play, he’s the guy.
“Caden started off slow and didn’t have those big stats, because we didn’t need that early on. We were winning by large margins,” Samples said. “In a lot of games, we pulled him by halftime because we knew we were going to need him later. He didn’t pout or anything, he just stayed positive. He’s a winner and all the great ones have another gear. He certainly does. When we have needed plays when the games count, he’s the guy that wants the ball and he delivers.”
With an explosive offense that is averaging nearly 50 points per game, the offense is equally as dynamic. The Panthers are only giving up 10 points a game and are punishing teams.
“We hang our hat on defense and being physical,” Samples said. “I’ve always leaned to the defense side of the ball and I believe defense wins championships.
“When those guys who now star on defense for us came into the program, we could easily have put them on the offensive side of the ball. They would have been really good, but we think put them in the right spot. I think they would agree.”
Unfortunately, so would their opponents.
So, how will Duncanville handle being the defending state champs as the postseason whittles down? With an unmatched swagger and the experience winning their first under Coach Samples, more dangerous than ever before.
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!