#1 South Oak Cliff vs #3 North Shore 2026
Galena Park North Shore survived a back-and-forth battle with South Oak Cliff, 23-21, Saturday at the Cotton Bowl in the Roland Parrish Classic. The defending 6A Division I champion North Shore Mustangs jumped out to a 14-0 advantage in the first quarter, with quarterback Ja’Voris Taylor finding La’Damian Defreeze for a 42-yard touchdown and later connecting with Defreeze again for a another touchdown in the first quarter. South Oak Cliff answered with an explosive rushing attack led by Kenneth Young, who broke loose for touchdown runs of 60 and 56 yards as the Golden Bears trimmed the deficit to 14-13 by halftime. Taylor finished 9-of-16 passing for 163 yards and two touchdowns, while Defreeze caught three passes for 72 yards and two scores.
South Oak Cliff continued to build momentum after halftime and eventually produced its biggest stretch of the afternoon. North Shore added a 24-yard field goal from Rey Amezquita in the third quarter, but the Golden Bears responded in the fourth when Demaj Bass broke a 58-yard touchdown run. Jayden Williams then ran in the two-point conversion, giving South Oak Cliff its first lead at 21-17 with 11:03 remaining. Young was the standout for the Golden Bears, finishing with 162 rushing yards on 19 carries and two touchdowns, while Bass provided another huge play with his 58-yard scoring run. Williams also contributed with his legs in critical moments, including a 29-yard fourth-down run that kept one of South Oak Cliff's late drives alive.
North Shore responded immediately when Taylor connected with Demont Jones on a 30-yard touchdown with 8:36 remaining, putting the Mustangs back in front 23-21. From there, North Shore's defense held firm as South Oak Cliff mounted one final push, eventually facing fourth-and-1 in the closing seconds. The Golden Bears' ability to erase a 14-point deficit and take the lead showed the resilience of the defending 5A Division I champions, while North Shore's ability to regain the lead and protect it late demonstrated the poise of the defending 6A Division I champions. The win moved the Mustangs to 3-0, while South Oak Cliff dropped to 0-2, but the 23-21 finish showed just how closely matched two of Texas' championship programs were on the Cotton Bowl stage.
Game Highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=po11diz_TYE
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