Jalen Hurts will pay for the funeral expenses of Javon Coles, a North Shore High School football player who died after being shot.
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts honored his native Houston home and a cross-town high school opponent in a touching gesture during a tragic situation.
Hurts will pay for the funeral expenses of Jarvon Coles, an 18-year-old football player at North Shore who died after being shot at a party on the night of March 9. Coles’ funeral will be held this coming Saturday.
NFL reporter Ian Rapoport quote-tweeted a post by KHOU 11 News Houston on social media platform X as he broke the news that Hurts would cover the expenses.
Coles was a two-time first-team all-district linebacker, had a 4.1 GPA, and was accepted into 15 colleges, his grandfather Braxton Coles told KHOU 11.
He also said Jarvon was planning to play football at Lamar University.
Hurts attended Channelview High School, a neighboring Houston school. The two have been called rivals in reporting by Rapoport and others, and while North Shore’s dominance has made it a one-sided rivalry, there was certainly more competition when Hurts was at the helm. In 2014, he threw for three touchdowns in a 49-48 win, Channelview’s only victory against the team since at least 2004, as far back as MaxPreps’ records go.
Hurts put the rivalry aside to honor a high school player whose time was cut short.
You cannot measure the impact he had on and off the field in our program. Truly an incredible human being. Prayers needed for his family, our student athletes, our staff and the entire North Shore community. Rest easy Jarvon Coles ❤️ https://t.co/yiHyPKSaj6
North Shore held Westlake to only three completions in the Texas UIL 6A D1 semifinals.
In a season in which North Shore (Houston, Texas) had yet to score fewer than 30 points in a game, the No. 7 Mustangs needed all the defense they could muster to take down No. 15 Westlake (Austin, Texas) in the UIL 6A D1 semifinals.
Behind a superb defensive effort, North Shore beat Westlake 23-14 to secure its fifth appearance in the Texas championship game in the last six years.
The score of a football game often does not tell the story of the game. A glance at it doesn’t depict the battle deep into the fourth quarter. It doesn’t properly explain the importance of two late interceptions by the Mustangs. It doesn’t show how close Westlake came to winning despite completing only three passes in the game.
North Shore took a 17-14 lead in the third quarter when quarterback Kaleb Bailey created the chance to complete a fourth-and-six conversion. He maneuvered around tacklers to complete an eight-yard pass that kept the drive alive and put kicker Jonathan Soto in position to nail a 26-yard field goal.
That lead stood well into the fourth quarter after Westlake had two turnovers on downs, the second of which delivered the ball to North Shore at the Chaparrals’ 39-yard line with about five minutes to play. Despite that, Westlake’s defense held strong, preventing the Mustangs’ fourth-down conversion with about three minutes left that likely would have iced the game if successful.
Westlake had three minutes to recharge an offense that struggled to move the ball against the stout Mustangs’ defense. The Chaparrals averaged only 2.7 yards per play, according to the Houston Chronicle, and sophomore quarterback Rees Wise completed only three of 18 pass attempts for 29 yards and was sacked four times.
The Chaparrals once again could advance, and Wise was intercepted. North Shore returned the ball to around 10-yard line.
The Mustangs, seeing a steeper priority in running out the clock than attempting to force a touchdown or field goal, turned the ball over on downs deep in the Westlake red zone with about 10 seconds to play. The Chaparrals had not shown the offensive ability to drive the ball about 95 yards in 10 seconds, and North Shore trusted it would remain that way.
It did. A screen pass from Wise was tipped and caught by North Shore junior linebacker Charles Ross inside the end zone as time expired, securing the final points of the game:
Westlake finishes its season with a 14-1 record, falling just shy of advancing to the championship.
North Shore, meanwhile, will take on its well-known foe in Duncanville in a postseason matchup that has practically become tradition, with the two teams splitting the games over the last two years.
6A Texas high school football features a massive Super 25 matchup in the semifinal this Saturday!
The Pfield in Pflugerville is back in the spotlight this Saturday as No. 7 North Shore (Houston, Texas) lines up against No. 15 Westlake (Austin, Texas) in a Super 25 showdown.
The 6A-Divison I state semifinal matchup features two undefeated teams from programs that need little introduction to the national stage, a direct result of Texas high school football supremacy — North Shore has five state titles. Westlake has four.
Which teams gets the chance to add another next week?
Westlake enters the game ranked No. 15 in the Super 25 with a defense that has allowed 136 points allowed in 14 games. And while the offense has averaged over 45 points this season—led by sophomore QB Rees Wise and senior RB Jack Kayser—how the Chaparrals create stops on the other side of the ball will be a crucial factor.
And what tough task that will be…
No. 7 North Shore’s 2023 season has been one of the most dominating among the best of the best, with the Mustangs hanging in the top 10 of the Super 25 since September.
Quarterback Kaleb Bailey’s dual-threat ability has created a ton of problems for defensive coordinators—while becoming one of the more uplifting stories this season, a positive turn from his injury during the middle of last year.
His top target out wide is senior Christopher Barnes, who, along with Air Force commit Terrance Guillory, has been effective at boosting a running game—that doesn’t really need the help—featuring D’Andre Hardeman Jr. and Chris Thomas in the backfield.
To top it off—and arguably, a massive reason for the 46 averaged each game—is an offensive line that has steadily improved and impressed this season.
From the other side of the ball, one name headlines the defense: 5-star CB Devin Sanchez. The class of 2024 standout has been electric this year, disrupting offenses while making the surrounding 10 a better unit.
Will it be enough to repeat last year’s 49-34 win over the Chaps?
In the land of 6A Texas football, anything can happen after kickoff.
High school football fans around the nation who are looking to watch the must-see matchup can live stream the game on the NFHS Network.
Westlake Chaparrals quarterback Rees Wise (9) quarterback Paxton Land (7) and tackle Tyler Knape (74) celebrate their 27-14 win against the Dripping Springs Tigers at the District 26-6A football game on Friday, October 13, 2023, at Westlake Chaparral Stadium — West Lake Hills, TX.
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See the Texas high school football schedule for the 6A D1 and 6A D2 quarterfinals.
The quarterfinals are set for the Texas high school playoffs as December nears. Four teams from the Super 25 national rankings remain in the 6A D1 and 6A D2 divisions, meaning these next few weeks may have massive implications not just for the Texas state championships but for how country-wide rankings will land.
While these teams are ranked high, their opponents also have a chance to prove themselves as one of the 25 best teams in the nation. See matchups below and how each team got here, starting with University Interscholastic League (UIL) 6A Div. 1.
Keep an eye on these teams as the opening Super 25 ranking nears.
The 2023 high school football season has arrived, with teams kicking off across the country in August.
That means the first USA TODAY Sports Super 25 is nearing, which marks another start to an iconic franchise that began back in 1982.
Last year’s Super 25 was one of the tightest races of all time, as St. John Bosco narrowly won out over Mater Dei and Bishop Gorman, among others.
How will things stack up this season? Ahead of the opening Super 25, USA TODAY HSS is looking around the country at the five regions we use to create the national rankings:
For the fourth time in five years, North Shore and Duncanville are set to play in the championship. Can Duncanville finally get on top?
In what has practically become a tradition, North Shore and Duncanville are set to face off for the UIL Texas Football State Championships.
It’s the fourth time in the last five years these two teams have played against each other, and Duncanville is hoping to turn around a lopsided record in these games — North Shore has won all three. One was a low-scoring affair, one was a two-possession game, and one came down to a Hail Mary. Regardless of how it happened, the Mustangs have had the upper hand in this rivalry.
This year, both teams enter the matchup undefeated. North Shore is ranked No. 8 in the Super 25 and Duncanville right below at No. 9.
In what has become among the best nearly-annual games in the nation, let’s look back at the last three championship matchups.
Kickoff for the 2022 championship is Saturday at 7 p.m. at AT&T Stadium.
The top 10 Super 25 teams square off in a huge title game in the Lone Star State.
It’s a top-tier high school football matchup this weekend in Texas, where two undefeated and evenly-matched rival Super-25 teams square off in the state championship.
Here is a preview of the Class 6A Division I title game between the Duncanville Panthers and the North Shore Mustangs.
No. 9 Duncanville (14-0)
(Chris Jones-USA TODAY Sports)
The Panthers began the 2022 season with a 23-10 win over South Oak Cliff (Texas). That’s about as close as any opponent got all year, with the exception of Westlake (Texas), who lost by a touchdown. Almost everyone else got blown out, with 10 opponents going down by 30 points or more. Their most recent victim was Prosper (Texas), who they defeated, 41-0.
No. 8 North Shore (15-0)
(PAUL BRICK/CONTRIBUTED)
Meanwhile, the Mustangs had two close shaves all season. In October, they only managed to beat Summer Creek (Texas) by a touchdown and Atascocita (Texas) by a field goal. All the other teams they faced lost by two possessions or more. To advance, North Shore beat Westlake 49-34.
Per the Houston Chronicle, this will be the fourth time in five years these teams meet in this game. North Shore won the last three (2018, 2019 and 2021), and all were decided in the fourth quarter.
The game will be played at the Dallas Cowboys’ home, AT&T Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for Saturday at 7:00 p.m. central.
This week, several other Super 25 teams will be lining up across from each other, setting the stage for more playoff drama. Here are the top-five games on the schedule.
(Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)
California: No. 1 St. John Bosco vs. No. 19 Serra
St. John Bosco (12-1)
To get here the Braves beat out the Monarchs in dramatic fashion last Friday night, winning 24-22 after holding off a late rally by Mater Dei. In the end, it was quality line play that won the day for Bosco. On defense, they stood tall in the red zone with several successful goal line stands. Their offensive line also played a key role in crunch time.
Serra (13-0)
Still undefeated on the season, Serra hasn’t really been challenged since back in Week 2, when they defeated De La Salle (Calif.) by a field goal. The Padres have beaten every team they’ve faced since by at least 12 points, including a 41-14 route of Archbishop Mitty (Calif.) last week.
Florida: No. 4 Central vs. No. 13 American Heritage (12/16)
Central (13-0)
The Rockets began their 2022 campaign with a 20-14 win over IMG Academy (Fla.), getting their journey off on the right foot. That was about as tough as it’s gotten for Central this year. All together, they have beaten seven of their opponents by 30 points or more. Last week they took out Lakewood (Fla.) 39-21 to advance.
American Heritage (13-1)
(USA TODAY Network)
Texas: No. 8 Westlake vs. No. 10 North Shore
Westlake (14-0)
They have some strong competition for the title, but Westlake might be the most-dominant high school football team in the nation this year. Their season began with a 30-point blowout over Ridge Point (Texas) and they haven’t looked back. Along the way, they’ve posted several lopsided wins by scores of 73-7, 66-17, 70-0, 45-0, 70-10 and 58-10. They did it again last week against Brennan (Texas), winning 47-7 on the road.
North Shore (14-0)
While not quite as dominant as Westlake, the Mustangs are also undefeated on the season. They have done it by running up the score on their opponents. They have put up at least 38 points in 12 different games this season. Last week they put up 38 again vs. Atascocita (Texas) in a 31-point landslide.
If you get to this point in the schedule and you still haven’t lose a game, you’re doing something right. The Trojans won their first game this year against Gadsden City (Ala.) 69-7, setting the tone for a dominant campaign. Carrollton boasts one of the top defenses in the country, holding eight opponents to 14 points or less. They beat Colquitt County (Ga.) on Friday, 35-27.
Mill Creek (13-1)
With the exception of a close call Week 1 against Walton (Ga.) and a 12-point loss to Buford (Ga.) in mid-October, Mill Creek has been rolling over their competition all year. They won their next two games by a combined score of 99-0 and have blown out every other opponent by at least 24 points. Last week they beat Milton (Ga.) 48-14.
The only team that’s beaten Basha this season is Liberty (Ariz.), a 35-7 blowout back in early October. Since that point their defense has tightened up considerably, not allowing more than 25 points in a single game. It’s getting better with time, too. To get here Basha pitched a shut out against Chandler (Ariz.) in a 13-0 playoff win last weekend.
Saguaro (9-3)
The Sabercats had a shaky start to their 2022 season, losing their first game and three of their first five matchups overall. However, since then they have gone on a tear, winning seven straight games, including a one-point road victory over Liberty on Saturday, 43-42. That avenged a 26-17 loss to Liberty on September 30, which was the last time Saguaro lost a game.
Kaleb Bailey led North Shore to the biggest Texas high school football championship and then picked up his first offer the next day.
The 6A Division I championship in Texas is the biggest game in the country. Tens of thousands of fans pack into AT&T Stadium to watch two high school teams duke it out, and the winner is anointed the champion of the state—a state that argues it is the biggest and best of all in the high school football landscape.
This past Saturday, it was 42,544 fans who jostled into the NFL stadium to watch North Shore (Houston) and Duncanville (Texas) battle it out for the third time in four years. Like the other two times, North Shore came out on top — but unlike the others, it was a freshman at the helm.
Kaleb Bailey had himself a heck of a weekend, passing for two touchdowns in North Shore’s 17-10 championship victory, being named Offensive MVP of the title game, and then picking up his first college offer the next day.
Win a game like this and it’s no surprise that a school came calling. On Sunday, Bailey tweeted that UTSA gave him his first offer.
After a Great Conversation with @CoachJP3 I Am Extremely Blessed & Honored to say that I have Earned my very 1st Offer from The University of Texas at San Antonio San Antonio
Rivalsreports that seven schools have expressed interest in Bailey, including LSU, Oklahoma, Texas, and Texas A&M. Even if this championship game is all you’ve seen of Bailey, it’s clear why there is interest.
The freshman stood tall on the biggest of stages, completing 10 of 13 passes for 107 yards and a pair of touchdowns and rushing for 54 yards. His second touchdown pass was a dime, a late-game 39-yard throw to David Amador in the end zone. It ended up being the game-winning score.
Doing that at this stage at this age is no small feat. Bailey took the place of Dematrius Davis, North Shore’s four-year starting quarterback who won a pair of state championships before heading to Auburn. But even Davis wasn’t able to win a championship as a freshman.
On Saturday, Bailey and North Shore came through. Running back Xavier Owens rushed 19 times for 72 yards. The defense only allowed one touchdown to a Duncanville team who had scored more than 50 points eight times this season, racked up a 13-game winning streak and outscored opponents 698-120 entering the night. The Mustangs got back to the top of the Texas high school football chain.
Denver Harris announced his signing with Texas A&M after North Shore beat Duncanville for a state championship.
Saturday will be a day five-star North Shore (Texas) cornerback Denver Harris never forgets.
Harris ended his senior season by leading No. 22 North Shore to a state championship over No. 11 Duncanville. Shortly after the game ended, he took to Twitter to announce that he would be staying in the Lone Star State and playing his college football at Texas A&M.
Harris is the No. 17 recruit in the class of 2022, according to 247Sports’ industry-generated Composite rankings and is the fifth five-star prospect to join Texas A&M’s 2022 recruiting class.
Harris ultimately picked Texas A&M over a group of finalists consisting of Alabama, LSU and Texas. The 6-foot-1, 180-pound cornerback starred for North Shore as a senior, bouncing back from a knee injury suffered in last year’s state semifinals. Harris missed the first half of his final season of high school football, but eventually returned to being a full-time player by the beginning of North Shore’s state title run.
“Tall, long cornerback prospect with elite frame potential relative to the position,” 247Sports’ Gabe Brooks said in his scouting report of Harris. Size already gives opposing wideouts problems. Possesses a ton of potential as a jammer. Uses frame to advantage and plays physical brand of coverage.
“Physical nature translates to tackling ability. Light on his feet and sinks hips. Shows impressive redirecting ability, whether in coverage or pursuit. On-field top-end speed looks encouraging. Flashes turn-and-run ability to shadow wideouts in vertical passing game.”
