Friday will end with an intriguing clash between South Oak Cliff and Richmond Randle.
By now, 5A Division II is familiar with South Oak Cliff. The Golden Bears are making their fourth-straight state title game appearance. This group is hungry though after falling to Port Neches-Groves in last year’s title bout.
Randle is brand new to the scene. This is just the third full year of varsity football for the Lions and only their second-ever playoff appearance. On Friday evening, they’ll get their first-ever shot at bringing home a state championship.
Here’s what to watch for on Friday at 7:00 p.m. in the 5A Division II State Title Game.
South Oak Cliff Golden Bears (13-2)
Head Coach: Jason Todd (10th season; 109-28 record)
Distance to AT&T Stadium: 24 miles
2024 Playoff Results
Bi-District: W 52-14 vs. Terrell
Area: W 38-7 vs. Huntsville
Regional Semifinals: W 35-7 vs. Marshall
Regional Final: W 56-14 vs. Port Neches-Groves
State Semifinals: W 37-3 vs. Argyle
Key Players and Storylines
South Oak Cliff is a team on a mission.
No game emphasized that more than the Golden Bears’ 56-14 thumping of Port Neches-Groves in the regional final. The past two seasons, that matchup had been in the state title game.
Randle may have an explosive offense, but it will have its work cut out on Friday. The Golden Bears may allow 12 points per game, but that number is inflated because of a tough non-district schedule. Against 5A opponents, South Oak Cliff has given up just 52 total points in 11 games.
Defensively, the Golden Bears are anchored by Arkansas commit Jayden Shelton and three-star prospect Jamarion Phillips at linebacker. In the trenches, Kordae Houston and Baylor commit Kamauryn Morgan can collapse the pocket from their defensive end positions.
Mama there go that Man @JaydenShe7 with the pick 6 all skills the way he opened up them hips and agility Touchdown SOC 20-3 lead with :26 until halftime @SOCGoldenBearFB @dallasathletics #TheRightCallOnSports pic.twitter.com/CZ4LlHiQEi
— Tarrance Johnson (@The_RightCall) December 14, 2024
And while all that chaos is going on up front, the Golden Bears have guys like defensive back Marcell Gipson and North Dakota State commit cornerback Kendrick Carter who will make quarterbacks think twice before releasing the ball.
The offense may not have the same star power as the defense, but it does have plenty of depth.
The Golden Bears tend to lean on their ground game with Mikail Trotter (999 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns), Damond Williams (596 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns), and Levon Morton (485 rushing yards and eight touchdowns).
Quarterback Carter Kopecky hasn’t put up flashy numbers, but he’s taken care of the football with 1,931 passing yards and 22 touchdowns this season. He’s got a wide variety of options at his disposal with five receivers that have 250 or more yards on the season.
Randle Lions (15-0)
Head Coach: Brian Randle (4th season; 31-9 record)
Distance to AT&T Stadium: 289 miles
2024 Playoff Results
Bi-District: W 63-7 vs. Belton
Area: W 79-0 vs. Elgin
Regional Semifinals: W 28-14 vs. Brenham
Regional Final: W 21-14 vs. Iowa Colony
State Semifinals: W 42-7 vs. Boerne
Key Players and Storylines
It has been a dominant year for the Lions. 13 of their 15 wins have come by 20 points or more.
Now, they’ll face their stiffest test yet against South Oak Cliff.
The question will be can they get four-star running back Landen Williams-Callis (2,002 rushing yards and 42 touchdowns) going against South Oak Cliff’s stacked front seven. If he can find some running lanes along with speed back Sincere Timpson (909 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns), it will be game on.
Check out this cut by 2027 RB Landen Williams-Callis to get out of a tight spot in the backfield and run to daylight for a big gain. @CallisLanden | @RandleFootball pic.twitter.com/0Br7lt3x8c
— Ryan Brauninger (@R_Brauninger) December 8, 2024
Quarterback Tyler Skrabanek can rise to the occasion when called upon too. He threw for 224 yard and two touchdowns in the state semifinal win against Boerne.
Dacorian Rubin (582 receiving yards and six touchdowns) and Sean Smith (499 receiving yards and four touchdowns) have been his go-to targets, but keep an eye on Keilan Sweeny too. He had a passing, rushing, and receiving touchdown in the state semifinals.
Defensively, the Lions will need Texas A&M commit Chace Sims (87 tackles and 28 TFLs) to be disruptive in the trenches along with L’Jalen Miller (70 tackles and 25 TFLs).
Jaquin Parker has a standout at linebacker, while on the backend, Oregon State commit cornerback Blake Thompson and safety Sh’Rhod Revis have been football magnets with five and six interceptions respectively this season.
Final Thoughts
We’ve seen young programs like Paetow and Shadow Creek win state titles in recent years, and Randle certainly has the talent to do it.
However, there’s little margin for error with how South Oak Cliff’s defense has been suffocating opponents.
We’ll learn on Friday night whether Randle can put all the pieces together on the biggest stage or if South Oak Cliff’s experience can pay off down the stretch.
