High school football: Preview, How to Watch No. 8 Duncanville vs. No. 20 North Shore

Well, look who's back in the Texas 6A Division I state finals on Saturday? After meeting twice in back-to-back years starting in 2018 — one featuring perhaps the most famous finish in state history — No. 8 Duncanville and No. 20 North Shore (Houston) face off for the 2021 championship at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.

After dropping a 45-3 opener to California juggernaut Mater Dei, Reginald Samples' Duncanville squad probably didn't think this was a possibility. Instead, the Panthers have responding in resounding fashion, winning 13 straight by a 698-120 count, including a rather stunning 35-9 semifinal win over Southlake Carroll last week in the semifinals.

Four-star edge rusher Omari Abor started the game with a strip sack that he scooped up for a 17-yard touchdown on the Dragons' opening possession. Malachi Medlock rushed for 143 yards and a score while senior quarterback Solomon James completed 13-of-13 passes for 158 yards and three touchdowns.

With the win, Duncanville shot up the MaxPreps Top 25 national rankings, from 20. It goes after only its second state title, the last was in 1998.

The Panthers looked like they had one locked up in 2018, but Dematrius Davis Jr. fired an improbable 45-yard Hail Mary touchdown pass to Ajani Carter on the game's final play to give North Shore a remarkable 41-36 victory.

The following year, 47,818 fans anticipated another Instant Texas Class, but the Mustangs once again prevailed behind Davis, who accounted for 206 yards and two touchdowns in a 31-17 triumph. With Davis finally graduated, North Shore seemed a little vulnerable in 2021, but it has outscored opponents 629-216 while going 14-1, its only loss 27-21 to Westview (Houston) on Sept. 10. Since then, they've won 12 straight behind freshman quarterback Kaleb Bailey.

In a 49-21 semifinal win over Lake Travis (Austin), Bailey fired an 83-yard touchdown to David Amador on the game's first play from scrimmage. By the end of the first half, Bailey had two touchdown passes and two TD runs, one a 62-yarder, as the Mustangs were on their way.

Other standouts for North Shore were safety Jayven Anderson (pick-6) and defensive end Kristopher-Ryan Ross, a Texas commit. Other North Shore top recruits are cornerback Denver Harris, defensive lineman Tai Leonard. The Mustangs are after their fifth state title after championships in 2003, 2015, 2018 and 2019.