A year ago in this game, Port Neches-Groves led South Oak Cliff 17-5 late in the second quarter. The Golden Bears promptly rattled off 29-straight points to eventually secure their second-straight title.
This year, the two teams with their extremely passionate fanbases will renew acquaintances.
South Oak Cliff is looking for its third-straight title, while Port Neches-Groves hasn’t won a title since 1953.
It will be a milestone victory for whoever ends up on top. Here’s what to watch for on 11 a.m. Saturday in the 5A Division II title game.
South Oak Cliff Golden Bears (13-2)
Head Coach: Jason Todd (9th season; 96-25)
Distance to AT&T Stadium: 24 miles
2023 Playoff Results
Bi-District: W 42-19 vs. Everman
Area: W 38-30 vs. Melissa
Regional Semifinals: W 42-31 vs. Midlothian Heritage
Regional Final: W 42-0 vs. Lovejoy
State Semifinals: W 36-24 vs. Frisco Emerson
Key Players and Storylines
Whether it be Melissa, Lovejoy, or Frisco Emerson, the Golden Bears dispatched several potential 5A Division II state contenders in its playoff run.
A year ago, Port Neches-Groves frustrated South Oak Cliff’s rushing attack, holding the Golden Bears to just 100 yards on 38 carries.
The Golden Bears will likely try to keep the ball on the ground again with their one-two punch of Danny Green Jr. (1,183 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns) and Khalil Ewell (1,346 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns). Green racked up 162 yards last week on just eleven carries.
For the second-straight year, William Little will lead South Oak Cliff at quarterback. He threw for 235 yards in last year’s title game. Among the weapons at his disposal are Texas Southern commit Rickey Evans (553 receiving yards and five touchdowns) and Arizona State commit Elijah Baesa (254 receiving yards and five touchdowns).
Defensively, the Golden Bears are stacked. Jayden Shelton (112 tackles, 12 TFLs), a three-star prospect, sophomore Jamarion Phillips (87 tackles, 21 TFLs) and UL-Monroe commit Brandon Jones (84 tackles, 14 TFLs) are quite the formidable trio at linebacker.
Jones also leads the team in interceptions with four, while in the secondary, the Golden Bears have cornerback Kerry Williams. a three-star prospect committed to North Texas.
Port Neches-Groves Indians (14-1)
Head Coach: Jeff Joseph (2nd season; 27-4)
Distance to AT&T Stadium: 314 miles
2023 Playoff Results
Bi-District: W 37-7 vs. Brenham
Area: W 51-14 vs. Rouse
Regional Semifinal: W 30-27 vs. Lake Creek
Regional Final: W 24-14 vs. Huntsville
State Semifinals: W 42-35 vs. Liberty Hill
Key Players and Storylines
A year ago, the Indians got back to the state title game for the first time since 1999. However, they’ve lost each of their last four title game appearances. The only state championship they have is from their first appearance all the way back in 1953.
They’ll likely have a similar approach to what they did last year: feed Isaiah Nguyen early and often. He rushed for 154 yards on 22 carries in last year’s title game. So far this season, he has rushed for 1,940 yards and 14 touchdowns.
It’s not just a one-man show though. Blair Chatagnier has 1,180 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns on the year, giving the Indians the opportunity to spell Nguyen when needed.
At quarterback, sophomore quarterback Connor Bailey has stepped into the starting role. He threw for 212 yards and three touchdowns last week. Impressively, he only has two interceptions on the season compared to 19 touchdowns. His go-to receiver is junior London Nunley. He has nearly two times as many catches as anyone else on the team (41 catches for 714 yards and 11 touchdowns).
Defensively, the Indians got plenty of practice stopping the run last week against Liberty Hill’s slot-T offense. They’ll need players like linebacker Max Scroggs (81 tackles, 9.5 TFLs) and defensive lineman Juan Cabrera (74 tackles and 10 TFLs) to make plays in the front seven to prevent the Golden Bears from imposing their will on the ground. When South Oak Cliff does turn to its passing attack, keep an eye on safety Kameron Droddy. He has five interceptions so far this season.
Final Thoughts
Against the back-to-back defending champs, Port Neches-Groves head coach Jeff Joseph said his team must avoid beating itself. The Indians will look to win the turnover battle and avoid potential drive-killing penalties on Saturday.
Both of these teams want to run the football. That means this game will likely be decided in the trenches as both teams look to pave the way for their running backs to have a big night on the ground.
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