North Shore came out and did what it’s done all season. Roughed up another opponent. When it needed offense, it scored. When the defense heard its name called, it rolled out the stops.
The Mustangs defense held the high powered Lake Travis offense in check, and North Shore lit up the scoreboard as if it was a Christmas Tree, suffocating the Cavaliers, 51-10 in the Class 6A Division I Semifinals on Saturday evening at NRG Stadium.
With the win, North Shore will be seeking its third title when it meets Duncanville, who upset Allen, 44-35, at AT&T Stadium on Saturday at 7 PM. Allen held the top spot in the USA Today Polls before falling.
The victory puts North Shore in the state finals for the third time in school history. The Mustangs won titles in 2003 (Class 5A Div. I) and 2015 (Class 6A Div. I)
North Shore’s running back Zach Evans scored his second of three touchdowns on a four-yard carry with 6:02 left in the first quarter. It represented the winning score and all it would need the rest of the evening.
The defense not to be out-done pressured Lake Travis offense most of the night behind nose tackle Jordan Revels and its airtight secondary.
Revels and defensive lineman Tony Bradford disrupted the timing of Lake Travis offense and took the pressure off its secondary.
Lake Travis opened the game on offense and took advantage of a 73-yard drive after kicker Hays Mccannon drove a 22-yard kick through the uprights to give its self a 3-0 lead with 10:02 left in the first quarter.
It was not enough to hold off the Mustangs who took two plays to grab the lead when Evans got the edge around the right side and coasted 60 yards to the end zone. The extra point try was blocked. North Shore led 6-3 with 9:34 to go in the first quarter.
North Shore stop the Cavaliers on its next seven possessions leading up the intermission. Constantly under pressure, Lake Travis quarterback Hudson Card was forced into quick decisions resulting in incompletions and punts.
Sophomore quarterback Dematrius Davis guided the Mustangs on a 62-yard drive which was highlighted by a running into the kicker and an offsides penalty assessed against Lake Travis. The infractions setup Evans second touchdown run of the evening as he ran into the end zone from four yards out. That made the score 13-3.
Lake Travis would score a third-quarter touchdown, but it never threatened.
In Other Action
The speedy Beaumont Westbrook Bruins (13-2) jumped out to a 35-17 lead with 2:11 left in the third quarter and held off Westlake’s furious rally to advance to the 6A Division II Finals, 35-30 for the first time since winning the Class 5A Title in 1982.
Longview, a 45-42 winner over Amarillo Tascosa, will meet Westbrook at AT&T Stadium next Saturday at 3 PM for the title.
Receiver Thaddaeus Johnson proved to be a force, grabbing eight passes from quarterback La’Ravien Elia for 204 yards and a touchdown. Tailback Robert McGrue, Jr. added 104 ground yards on 14 carries and accounted for two scores. The second, covering 46 yards through the air on a pass from Deonte Simpson.
Defensive tackle Jared lane recorded two sacks for the Bruins defense.
Westlake, hampered by the injury bug, ends its season at (13-2)
In only its third season of football and the first varsity action, Shadow Creek (15-0) took down San Antonio Wagner, 41-26 to gain a berth in the school’s first Class 5A Division I state final on Saturday in the evening cap of a doubleheader played at NRG Stadium.
The Sharks will try to cap its dream season when it meets Highland Park in the finals at AT&T Stadium in Arlington on Saturday morning at 11 AM.
Ronald Nunnery shocked Thunderbird fans when he caught the ball steaming from a short field goal attempt and bolted 105 yards to paydirt slamming the door closed.
Wagner’s kicker Omar Guevara’s 36-yard field goal attempt may have tied the game at 27, had it not fell short into the hands of Nunnery.
Wagner (13-2) held an edge in first downs (22-8) yardage (395-226) and time of possession (35:09-12:51)
Quarterback Jamarian George had a hand in four touchdowns. Including three rushing, (5, 44 and 58 yards). He threw a 12-yard scoring pass to Jared Jackson. His day concluded passing for 104 yards on 8-of-14 attempts and ten carries, 88-yards and three touchdowns. Kealon Jackson caught five passes for 80 yards.
The Marshall Buffalos avoided its second heartbreak of the week, defeating Corpus Christi Calallen, 19-17 on Friday night in the Class 5A Division II Semifinal at Farris Stadium in San Antonio.
The Buffalos (15-0) played with heavy hearts after learning of teammate and starting safety Drew Conley’s death. Conley was shot and killed by his uncle after an altercation in Southwest Houston.
Marshall moves on to its first final in school history where it will take on Dallas Metroplex power Aledo who thumped WF Ride 63-7, at AT&T Stadium on Friday at 7 PM.
Tailback Devon Achane wouldn’t let the Buffalos leave the field without a win as he broke up the middle of the Wildcats defense and turned on the speed burners in route to an 80-yard touchdown run with 7:00 minutes left, making the score, 19-17.
Achane finished his night with 181 yards on 21 carries and three touchdowns.