The North Shore Mustangs vs. the South Oak Cliff Bears is a battle between Houston and Dallas. Last season, both teams made it to the state championship finals in each of their divisions: South Oak Cliff lost to the Port-Neches Grove Indians 20-16, and North Shore lost to the Duncanville Panthers 49-33. Both teams are coming off a runner-up position last year and are looking to get back to the championship game and win this year.
Early on, South Oak Cliff or North Shore had difficulty moving the ball near the end zone, and neither team scored in the 1st quarter. However, once the 2nd quarter started, North Shore found their groove, and quarterback Kaleb Bailey saw wide receiver Cameron Smith open and caught a 43-yard touchdown pass. Two minutes later, Kaleb Bailey kept the snap, found a hole in the middle, and took it to the house on a 63-yard rushing touchdown. North Shore’s defense contributed to the action. Safety Chace Calicut striped the ball, and North Shore recovered it immediately. Running back Chris Thomas scored the third touchdown for North Shore, and South Oak Cliff has not scored one yet. Four minutes left in the 2nd quarter, D’andre Hardeman Jr scored the fourth touchdown with a 4-yard rush, and under a minute left, North Shore gained back possession. Kaleb Bailey again connected with Cameron Smith for his 2nd touchdown of the game, and the score went into the half 35-0.
The second half was not as action-packed as the first half. North Shore let their foot off the brake and focused more on draining the clock and securing their victory. South Oak Cliff fought hard to get on the board, but North Shore’s defense didn’t give up any ground and The Bears could not reach the end zone. The 4th quarter arrived and North Shore took the opportunity to widen the score gap by kicking a 37-yard field goal. This put the nail in the coffin, ending the game, resulting in a final score of 38-0, with North Shore coming out victorious in their season opener.
Next Week
Next Week, South Oak Cliff will be hosting The Duncanville Panthers, the reigning champions of 6A, for their 1st game of the season. North Shore will be traveling to Crowley, Texas, to play against The Crowley Eagles, who are also 1-0, winning on Thursday night against The Birdville Hawks with a tremendous score of 50-14.
