FORT WORTH, Texas — Jabryce Taylor amassed a record-shattering 226 receiving yards and scored three touchdowns in leading the North All-Stars to a 39-29 victory over the South in the 79th Texas High School Coaches Association All-Star football game Tuesday night at TCU's Amon Carter Stadium.
Jabryce Taylor is headed to SMU
File photo by John Godwin
The rangy Taylor, a Southern Methodist signee from
Lufkin, hauled in 10 catches. His touchdowns covered 24, 64 and 51 yards, the final one putting the North in front 25-21 for the seventh and final lead change of the night.
The previous receiving high was 173 yards by Percy Waddle of the South in 1986. Waddle went on to star at Texas A&M.
"To put on a performance like that, I just had to calm down and do what I did in high school.'' said Taylor, who was named the offensive MVP.
North coach Joseph Gillespie of
Stephenville employed the services of three quarterbacks and all three threw touchdown passes in the second half.
"I'd love to play with any of them another time,'' said Taylor, "but I know that won't happen.''
Late in the game, Taylor, sandwiched between two defenders in tight coverage, managed to come down with a completion that set up the North's final score. All three players seemed to get their hands on the ball.
"That was real hard to come up with,'' Taylor said. "I paid a price for it, but it was worth it.''
Tyler Jones is headed to Texas State.
File photo by Kyle Dantzler
The North's three quarterbacks,
Tyler Jones of Stephenville,
Nic Shimonek of
Mildred (Corsicana) and
Hagen Hutchinson of
Stamford, combined to complete 23 of 32 passes for 417 yards and five touchdowns. Jones (Class 3A) and Hutchinson (Class 1A) led their respective teams to state titles last fall.
Jones is headed for Texas State with Shimonek bound for Iowa and Hutchinson to Midwestern State.
Said Jones of Taylor: "He was a freak. Coaches were telling us that we were all all-stars and we've got to be a freak about it. He was a freak tonight. It was awesome.''
Waddle's receiving record that stood for 26 years was also bested by a second North receiver and a South wideout came close.
The North's Dylan Cantrell of Whitehouse, a Texas Tech recruit, finished for 183 yards on nine catches. He scored twice.
South receiver Keith Ratley of Yoakum had a big night with seven catches for 165 yards and a touchdown.
Oklahoma State signee Jake Hubenak, who quarterbacked Georgetown to a Class 4A state final, kept the South in contention by throwing for 294 yards and a pair of scores.
The North went in front for good when Hutchinson scrambled and found Taylor for a 51-yard score with eight minutes to play.
Two minutes later, the North made it 32-21 when Cantrell scored on a 12-yard throw from Jones.
Tanner Jacobson
File photo by Alik McIntosh
The South made it a one-score game, 32-29, with 4:58 to play when Hubenak hit Darvin Kidsy Jr. in the back of the end zone on a 32-yard connection.
The North sealed it on Shimonek's 9-yard scoring run that increased the lead to 10 points with 2:12 to play.
South linebacker Joshua Price of
Fort Bend Hightower (Missouri City) was named the game's defensive MVP.
North safety
Tanner Jacobson of
Carroll (Southlake) had an interception and linebacker Javon Jones of Mesquite caused the game‘s only fumble.
The victory was the third in a row for the North and it now leads the all-time series 42-31 with six ties.
