It’s a Texas District 11-6A, Region II headliner this Friday as No. 3 Duncanville travels to take on No. 12 DeSoto.
The Panthers are 7-0 on the year and continuing an impressive streak from last season’s 15-0 team that finished No. 5 in the USA TODAY High School Sports Super 25.
Led by junior four-star QB Keelon Russell and LSU commits Caden Durham in the backfield—who ran for 309 yards and five touchdowns in the 2022 game—and 5-star Dakorien Moore out wide, the offense has been one of the best in 2023, averaging just over 50 points per game.
And that type of output is more than enough for a defense with four shutouts this season and a massively talented group full of college prospects, including 5-star standouts Colin Simmons and Kevin Ford Jr.
But don’t overlook DeSoto, which is has progressed mightily from the team that took the field in the 41-17 loss last year.
The Eagles’ offense features the same type of dynamic spread that has run through a tough Texas HS football schedule, also lighting up the scoreboard to the tune of 50 points per game.
Sam Houston State commit D.J. Bailey has been a steady leader at quarterback, with Marvin Duffey and freshman Kingstin McAdams filling in nicely for 4-star running back Deondrae Riden, who has battled injuries. It’s a young group of playmakers out wide, led by 4-star SMU commit Daylon Singleton (class of 2025), and back in the trenches—what might be one of the most significant factors for DeSoto—is an impressive offensive line with 6-foot-7 Byron Washington and 6-foot-4 Ronnell McLain at the forefront.
From the other side of the ball—much like Duncanville—the defense can create nightmares for the opposition, and has only allowed an average of 13 points per game.
Will it be enough to flip the script on 2022’s outcome under the Friday Night Lights?
High school football fans around the nation who are looking to watch the Super 25 matchup can live stream the game on the NFHS Network.
(USA TODAY Network)
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