DUNCANVILLE, Texas — There isn't a high school football game in North Texas this season that is bigger than this: No. 9 DeSoto at No. 3 Duncanville.
Two state powers. Two college football factories. Two high-profile head coaches. And a district title on the line.
You can watch the game live on Friday Night Football, on the WFAA YouTube channel and WFAA+:
DeSoto and Duncanville are two of the three best teams in the area. Denton Guyer has to go in the mix with them. But nobody else in the area is in that upper-tier with these three teams. And the long-standing rivalry between the programs only adds to the sizzle in this matchup.
DeSoto is led by junior quarterback D.J. Bailey and his 29-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio, and his superstar receiving corps, headlined by 5-star Texas commit Johntay Cook. The Eagles have no fewer than five future Division I wide receivers in Cook, Cedric Harden, Dahlyn Jones, Crimson Mathis and Daylon Singleton.
DeSoto also features three fantastic running backs that help pace their offense in Deondre Riden, Tre Wisner and Jaden Trawick. The Eagles won the 7-on-7 state championship this past summer, and their embarrassment of riches at the skill positions is exactly why. Their offensive line has also rounded into form quite nicely over the course of the year, clearing the path for their superstars.
Duncanville, meanwhile, features a defense loaded with Division I talent of its own. The leader of that group is 5-star defensive end Colin Simmons. Simmons is the No. 2 rated edge rusher in the junior class, and has 43 scholarship offers. Simmons is one of at least eight Duncanville defensive players that are future Division I players. Safety Kadavion Dotson-Walker is a 4-star prospect with 18 scholarship offers. He links up with a pair of 3-star prospects, Del'Drick Madison and Lamodrick Spencer, to form a very gifted Panthers secondary.
The Desoto offense against the Duncanville defense is worth watching all by itself.
On the flip side of the football, Duncanville is led by their ground game. Four-star running back Caden Durham has 13 scholarship offers, including Alabama, Oklahoma, TCU, and others. He has ran for 718 yards and 12 touchdowns this season behind an offensive line led by 3-star TCU commit right tackle Ben Whitfield, and left tackle Josiah Drake.
The Panthers have their own set of weapons at wide receiver, led by sophomore superstar Dakorien Moore. The 5-star prospect is the No. 11 wide receiver in the sophomore class in America. Along with 3-star prospect Lontrell Turner, the tandem form a high-level pass-catching threat for sophomore quarterback Keelon Russell. Russell is projected to end up as a high-level recruit himself, but was thrust into the starting lineup this season after a season-ending ACL injury for Duncanville's planned starter, Jameir Willis.
Duncanville will counter with a secondary loaded with college prospects. Four-star corner Mario Buford on one side. Three-star Caimon Mathis on the other. Both safeties, Jamarion Ravenell and DeMichael Porter, are Division I-bound as well. The Desoto secondary has the horses to run with Duncanville's elite receivers. That matchup is a juicy one.
Duncanville has won the last four meetings in the series, dating back to 2017. Desoto's last win came in their state championship season in 2016. They've met in the Regional Final in each of the last two years, with Duncanville winning both times. This time, the District 11-6A Championship is on the line.
You can watch the game live on the WFAA YouTube channel or on WFAA+. Our coverage begins with our pregame show at 6:50 p.m., before kickoff at 7 p.m..
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