ARLINGTON – On Saturday night, the DeSoto Eagles made an emphatic statement to the rest of the Texas high school football world and the country by defeating Humble Summer Creek 74-14 to secure the Class 6A Division II State Championship.
Texas Senator Royce West from the 23rd District spoke to the DeSoto Tribune about the game’s importance and its significance to the southern sector of Dallas.
“It shows the dominance of the southern sector as it relates to football, but we want to see equal dominance not only in athletics but also in academics,” said West.
In the electrifying atmosphere at AT&T Stadium, the Eagles soared higher than ever, silencing critics and doubters alike.
Winning back-to-back state titles with a 22-game win streak, DeSoto asserted why they should be recognized as the number one team in the country.
“It feels great. I lost count, and I wanted to lose count on purpose. I didn’t want to talk about it, but it feels great, man,” said coach Claude Mathis about the streak. “But more importantly, our kids went undefeated, the only team in Texas in Class 6A that’s undefeated. We can say that we’re number one.”
From start to finish, the Eagles dominated the Bulldogs, opening the scoring with a 54-yard touchdown run by Senior Running back Marvin Duffey.
After Summer Creek punted the ball away on its ensuing drive, Junior and four-star running back Deondre Riden Jr. added a 14-yard touchdown, giving the Eagles a 15-0 lead within five minutes.
By halftime, DeSoto’s dominance was evident, with a commanding lead of 46-7 over Summer Creek.
The game’s conclusion saw the Eagles secure back-to-back state titles, breaking the 6A scoring record previously held by Allen Eagles, who scored 63 points in the 2013-14 season.
Senior quarterback and Sam Houston commit DJ Bailey solidified his legacy among DeSoto Eagles greats, leading his team to its second consecutive state title.
Bailey completed 16 of 22 passes for 281 yards and four touchdowns, also running for a touchdown.
“DJ Bailey is legendary,” said Mathis. “He is going to go down in history as probably the best quarterback to ever play at DeSoto. You can’t take anything away from him.”
Bailey was named Offensive MVP for his stellar performance.
On the defensive side, the Eagles held the Bulldogs to just 173 total offensive yards, forcing two turnovers.
Defensive End Keylan Abrams earned the title of Defensive MVP for his role in the blowout win Saturday night.
DeSoto has solidified itself as the best in Texas and the best in the nation, heading into the next season undefeated.