The semifinals, the toughest round of the Texas high school football playoffs. With a win, a team’s dream of a state championship is within reach. With a loss, well… it’s better luck next year. On Saturday, the state’s top-ranked team, the North Shore Mustangs, looked to eliminate the third-ranked Westlake Chaparrals from the playoffs.
Like always, North Shore’s defense is among the best in the world of high school football, led by 2025 five-star cornerback Devin Sanchez, a Texas target. Additionally, with Longhorns defensive backs coach Terry Joseph and quarterbacks coach AJ Milwee in attendance, the eyes of Texas were glued on North Shore’s secondary. Against Westlake, Sanchez did not disappoint – practically locking down his side of the field and forcing an interception at a critical point in the game with a fourth quarter pass breakup.
Currently, it appears as if Ohio State is the favorite to land Sanchez as the Buckeyes have received a handful of 247Sports Crystal Ball predictions in their favor. Moreover, the North Shore cornerback is scheduled to announce his commitment to an unnamed school during the All-American Bowl on January 6. However, while the Longhorns appear to be on the outside looking in, Sanchez acknowledged to Kirk Bohls of the Austin American-Statesman that Texas still has a chance at winning his recruitment.
Overall, the North Shore defense was a thing of beauty. If you take away running back Jack Kayser’s big home run-hitting touchdown rush to open the second half of action, the Westlake offense struggled to move the ball north and south.
Ultimately, North Shore outlasted Westlake in a defensive slugfest, winning 23-14.
Extra Point:
Unfortunately, Saturday’s game was the last for Chaparrals senior running back Jack Kayser at Westlake. During his three years of play, Kayser tallied a whopping 76 touchdowns, 66 of which were rushing. Next year, Kayser is committed to suiting up for the Army Golden Knights football team.
Lastly, we will see how Sanchez’s recruitment ends up shaking out. While Ohio State likely leads today, the North Shore cornerback still has another year of high school football left in him before he enters the collegiate game. Furthermore, the Longhorns have proven that they are not afraid to give freshmen defensive backs playing time, signaling the potential for an immediate path to the field.
However, before his announcement, Sanchez will be tasked with trying to shut down 2025 five-star wide receiver Dakorien Moore, the nation’s top junior wideout, in this Saturday’s championship game against Duncanville. As you can tell, a matchup between the nation’s top junior wide receiver and cornerback will be must see TV.
If you are curious to hear about the Texas high school football championship matchups, check out our YouTube video above.
Miles Logged:
31 miles (total).
