‘We put Dallas back on the map.’ South Oak Cliff caps season with historic state title
For the past month, the city of Dallas has put in all its support for the South Oak Cliff football program. Looking to make history on Saturday in front of a roaring crowd of 45,769, the Golden Bears came through.
SOC shut down Liberty Hill in the second half to secure the win 23-14 in the Class 5A Division 2 state championship at AT&T Stadium for the program’s first football state title.
SOC captures Dallas ISD its first football state championship since Dallas Washington won a Prairie View Interscholastic League title in 1958.
It’s also Dallas ISD’s first UIL football championship since Dallas Sunset in 1950.
“Shows you the whole city is behind us. It was big not just for South Oak Cliff or Oak Cliff, but for Dallas and we put Dallas back on the map, showing we can play with anyone in the state of Texas,” SOC coach Jason Todd said.
Dallas Carter won a title in 1988, but the UIL took its championship away because the team was playing ineligible players.
Dallas Washington defeated Houston Washington, 35-0, in the 1958 PVIL 3A championship.
Dallas Sunset beat Houston Reagan, 14-6, for a city championship in 1950.
“Represented Dallas ISD and that was our motto long before we started the playoffs. We’re one out of 22 high schools and the other 21 schools had our back,” Todd said. “This isn’t just for this season, but for all the teams in the past.”
Liberty Hill (13-3), back in the state final since 2018, was riding all the momentum after marching down field late in the second quarter to tie the game at halftime.
After forcing a SOC punt, the Panthers started with the ball at their own 13.
Eight plays and 87 yards later, and the game was tied after a 1-yard touchdown run by Andon Thomas with 11 seconds before intermission. Liberty Hill got a chunk of the yardage on a 62-yard run by Joe Pitchford.
But Todd and his staff at SOC made the adjustments and controlled the second half.
The Bears (15-1) held Liberty Hill to 68 yards after halftime.
“Made adjustments at halftime. That was a great team and great offense we played right there,” Todd said. “The kids and coaches had a plan and came out and executed.”
After a scoreless third quarter, SOC capped off a 13-play 79-drive with a Diego Varela 29-yard field goal to give the Bears a 17-14 lead and one they would never give up.
The SOC defense continued to shut down the Panthers and put the icing on the cake with a 17-yard touchdown run from Qualon Farrar with under four minutes left in the game.
SOC then recovered a fumble on the ensuing kickoff and ran out the clock.
“We think of state championships and going through adversity. It’s the end of the road and it was a fitting end,” Todd said. “It tested our character and we were locked in and did things we discussed all year. We came through in the end and didn’t lose our focus.”
SOC quarterback Kevin Henry-Jennings was voted offensive MVP with 144 yards passing and two first-half touchdowns. Abdul Muhammad was defensive MVP with a game-high 13 tackles, seven solo tackles and one pass deflection.
“Means a lot. The whole city of Dallas was behind us and had our back,” Henry-Jennings said. “We kept pushing it.”
Liberty Hill surprised SOC with an onside kick to open the game, but the ball didn’t travel the minimum 10 yards which gave the Bears excellent field position near midfield.
It nearly didn’t cost the Panthers, but SOC was able to convert two fourth downs, including on a 17-yard touchdown pass from Henry-Jennings to Corinthean Coleman to give the Bears a 7-0 lead. The score capped off a 10-play and five-minute drive.
After the teams traded punts, Liberty Hill drove 50 yards to the SOC 18, but the Panthers missed on a 35-yard field goal attempt and the Bears took advantage of the missed opportunity. Liberty Hill also missed a field goal in the third quarter.
SOC responded with a second 10-play drive, this one going 80 yards as Henry-Jennings threw a dime to Jamyri Cauley for a 27-yard touchdown and 14-0 lead with 7:46 left in the second quarter.
Liberty Hill got a much-needed score on the ensuing drive as Thomas bounced off a tackle for a 10-yard touchdown run that trimmed the lead to 14-7 with 4:26 to go.
While Thomas scored both Liberty Hill touchdowns, Pitchford led the offense with 20 carries and 158 yards. The Panthers had just two pass attempts. The Bears gained 270 yards on offense for a SOC squad that beat three teams in the playoffs that were ranked in the final 5A D2 state rankings, No. 1 Aledo, No. 4 Lubbock-Cooper and No. 9 Lucas Lovejoy.
“I’m like a Dallas historian. I’ve coached in Dallas, I went to school in Dallas, everything about me is Dallas,” Todd said. “I’m Dallas born and breed and proud to get this state championship for Dallas.”
This story was originally published December 18, 2021 at 1:46 PM.
