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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.
GAME PREVIEW: South Oak Cliff vs. Dallas Spruce
In their second week of district play, the South Oak Cliff Bears are headed into a matchup against the Dallas Spruce Timberwolves. With both teams fighting for another victory to add to their record, VYPE DFW takes a look at their seasons and what fans can expect heading into this Friday night battle!
South Oak Cliff Bears (3-2, 1-0)
Focused on their season, the Bears haven't had the start that they expected. Opening play in a 34-13 loss on the road to Duncanville, South Oak Cliff immediately bounced back for a 42-21 home opening victory against Lancaster. Week three saw a disappointing loss to DeSoto (54-14), the Bears pulled themselves back up for a final non-district victory over Parish Episcopal (49-14).
Last week, South Oak Cliff opened district play against Dallas Adamson in a 55-0 victory. Carter Kopecy tallied over 300 passing yards (340) and six passing touchdowns in the victory. Daveon Ennis led the team in receiving with 87 yards and one touchdown while Trey Jackson wasn't far behind with 73 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Others at the end of Kopecy's touchdown passes included Rickey Evans (who recorded 53 receiving yards, one touchdown), Jaylen Moore (33 receiving yards, one touchdown), and Eli Baesa (20 receiving yards, one touchdown). The team will look to showcase offensive power over Spruce on Friday night.
Dallas Spruce Timberwolves (3-2, 0-1)
A little bit different of a start to the season than the Bears, Dallas Spruce opened up their schedule with three consecutive victories. A home-opening 44-0 shut-out victory over Fort Worth Polytechnic followed by a convincing 46-6 victory on the road against Dallas Roosevelt left the Timberwolves feeling confident early in the season. Week three saw another non-district win for the Timberwolves as they outlasted North Dallas in a 21-17 battle. During their final non-district matchup, the team fell in a tough loss to Seagoville (44-7).
Last week, the team opened district play against Dallas Kimball. Fighting hard through tough moments, the Timberwolves eventually fell in a 38-15 loss. Led by Jaylon Warren, Kelvin Jones, Evan Fairley, Xzavion Beard, Vinyuan Coehn, and others, the team will look to improve against South Oak Cliff on Friday.
What To Expect
Last season, South Oak Cliff hosted Dallas Spruce in a 48-0 shut-out victory over the Timberwolves. Looking to remain dominant in their district and seeking another state title, fans can expect the Bears to enter the game ready to set the tone, take charge, and pull away. Fired up and ready to showcase their ability to hang with the big dogs, Dallas Spruce just might have a few tricks up their sleeve. Looking to post their first victory in a couple of weeks (and their first in district play), the team will fight hard against South Oak Cliff.
Kick-off is slated for 7:30 p.m. on Friday, September 29 at Pleasant Grove High School.