Billed as the Texas high school football game of the year, the undefeated DeSoto Eagles dethroned the undefeated Duncanville Panthers 49-35.
DeSoto and Duncanville faced off Saturday after Friday’s scheduled game was called due to inclement weather.
The matchup pitted the No. 1-ranked Panthers (7-0) and No. 2 Eagles (7-0) in a showdown between defending UIL Class 6A state champions and district foes.
It didn’t take long for DeSoto to get on the board, scoring on the very first play on a 76-yard pass from star quarterback DJ Bailey to wideout Daylon Singleton.
Duncanville drove down the field but couldn’t punch it in the endzone and had to settle for a field goal to make it 7-3.
The Eagles scored again, this time on a 95-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Singleton.
Duncanville would not go away, scoring on their next two drives and converting a two-point conversion to tie the game at 14.
But the Eagles, as they have done all year long, pulled away before halftime, building a 35-21 lead.
From there, they never looked back.
DeSoto never lost the lead the entire game.
“Straight dominance,” said Corey Borner, DeSoto High School Alumni who was tragically paralyzed in a freak accident while in practice in 2009.
“Loving what I see, great, great ball game by coach Mathis, good play calling and true definition of find a way,” said Borner.
Bailey finished the game, completing 75% of his passes for 258 yards and four touchdowns.
The Eagles were again without running back Deondrae Riden Jr., but it was no problem as senior running back Marvin Duffey continues to carry the load the majority of the time.
Duffey carried the ball 25 times for 103 yards and two touchdowns.
Singleton led the way for the Eagles in receiving, catching the ball six times for 179 yards for two touchdowns.
DeSoto’s defense remained dominant as they have been all season, never allowing more than 35 points in a game.
The Eagles defense forced three turnovers, all fumbles.
Eagles defensive end Keylan Abrams led the defense with six tackles, five of which were sacks.
“I think DeSoto played a very good game, and I give comments to number five, the quarterback,” said Lynn Sharp, a spectator from Aledo High School.
“He held the game together and did a very good job. I think the whole team did a good job. I was a little not overly impressed with Duncanville as far as why they didn’t hold their composure and stay in the game as much as they did.”
DeSoto head coach Claude Mathis and the Eagles have heard all year long how DeSoto would not be able to handle powerhouse Duncanville.
Having lost twice to the Panthers in 2022, Mathis and the Eagles put that notion to rest.
“We get tired of being blasted in the media people talking negative about us I mean, we’ve had enough our kids are better than that,” Mathis told reporters after the game.
“Ease up on social media, on our kids. We had enough, we had enough, and we didn’t take it anymore, and we proved that today.”
“They’re supposed to be the best, they’re supposed to be the best,” said Mathis, “well what about DeSoto.”
DeSoto, now ranked No.1 in the state, have their talons set on Mansfield Thursday to finish out the season.