When South Oak Cliff started its current run of making Texas state championship games, Richmond Randle had yet to field a varsity program.
But in just its third season as a program, the Lions have made it to Arlington’s AT&T Stadium and playing for a state title. Standing in their way, however, is a team loaded with recent championship pedigree in the Golden Bears.
South Oak Cliff makes its fourth straight trip to the title game Friday, as the Golden Bears take on upstart Randle for the Texas UIL 5A Division II championship.
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RICHMOND RANDLE 24, SOUTH OAK CLIFF 14 HALF
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HALFTIME
– South Oak Cliff, despite trailing by 10, has out-gained Randle so far. Golden Bears have 186 total yards to 137 for the Lions. SOC has 112 yards rushing and 74 passing; Randle with 65 yards rushing and 72 more passing.
– South Oak Cliff runs out the clock to end the first half. The Golden Bears will receive the kickoff to start the second half and they have work to do, as special teams have helped Randle to its 10-point halftime advantage.
SECOND QUARTER
– TOUCHDOWN RANDLE. And the Lions indeed get that momentum back, going 41 yards in four plays after forcing a turnover on downs. All-everything Keilan Sweeny throws an 11-yard pass to Mason Mixon for the score, and the PAT makes it a 10-point Randle advantage late in the half. (Randle, 24-14 | :46, 2nd)
– SOC goes for it on a fourth down at its 41 but a pass goes incomplete. Randle takes over with 2:34 left in the half and the Lions have a chance to tilt momentum back in their favor.
– The SOC defense forces a three-and-out, and Randle will punt. Golden Bears have the ball back with more than four minutes left in the half and having a chance to take the lead after a rough start.
– TOUCHDOWN SOC. A 10-play, 75-yard drive is capped by a 2-yard TD run on third-and-goal from Mikail Trotter. It is a three-point Randle lead now. (Randle, 17-14 | 6:29, 2nd)
– Back comes SOC as the Golden Bears have found an offensive identity. A 17-yard gain by Mikail Trotter on a third-down play gives SOC a first-and-goal at the Randle 9.
– FIELD GOAL RANDLE. Drive stalls for the Lions, but Christian Munguia comes on to try a 44-yard field goal, and he gets it. Randle up by 10 points. (Randle, 17-7 | 10:14, 2nd)
– Randle still on the move as the second period begins, as the Lions are now inside the SOC 30-yard line.
FIRST QUARTER
– Randle shakes off the penalty and gets the ball inside South Oak Cliff territory as the first quarter ends.
– Talented sophomore tailback Landen Williams-Callis darted 65 yards for an apparent Randle TD, but it is called back due to holding.
– TOUCHDOWN SOC. What an answer by the Golden Bears, as they drive 76 yards in 13 plays, taking just more than five minutes off the clock. Carter Kopecky fires a 17-yard pass in the end zone to Jaylen Moore, and Ceasar Olavera adds the PAT. (Randle, 14-7 | 1:38, 1st)
– A third-and-11 for SOC and quarterback Carter Kopecky completes a pass for…12 yards. First down, Golden Bears, at the Randle 15 late in the opening quarter.
– South Oak Cliff starting to make some noise, as the Golden Bears are putting together a sustained drive and are nearing Randle’s 25.
– TOUCHDOWN RANDLE. Lions take advantage of the SOC miscue, and march 21 yards in just four plays. From the 1, Landen Williams-Callis takes a direct snap and takes it in. The Lions are up by two TDs already. (Randle, 14-0 | 6:45, 1st)
– RANDLE RECOVERS FUMBLE. Special teams have been huge already for the Lions. SOC forced Randle to punt, but the returner muffs it, and Randle’s Camron Hypolite makes the recovery near the Golden Bears’ 20. Big chance for Randle to go up two scores here.
– South Oak Cliff goes three-and-out on its opening series and has to punt the ball away. Randle’s offense finally takes the field, already in the lead.
– TOUCHDOWN RANDLE. WOW, WHAT A START for the Lions in their state championship game debut, as Sincere Timpson fields the opening kickoff, fakes a reverse, finds running room downfield and takes it 82 yards for the score just 13 seconds in. Christian Munguia adds the PAT. (Randle, 7-0 | 11:47, 1st)
– South Oak Cliff wins the toss, defers to the second half. Randle will get the ball to start this championship contest.
PREGAME
– Coming to you from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, as South Oak Cliff takes on Richmond Randle in what should be a highly entertaining matchup for the Texas UIL 5A Division II championship.
ABOUT SOUTH OAK CLIFF (13-2)
The Golden Bears won state in back-to-back seasons in 2021-22, but stumbled against Port Neches-Groves in last season’s championship game. SOC then started this season 0-2, albeit losses coming to 6A semifinalists Galena Park North Shore and Duncanville.
Then in their third game, the Golden Bears pulled off a wild win against another 6A semifinal squad in Longview, 45-44. SOC hasn’t dropped a game since, including outscoring its District 5-5AII foes by a whopping 317-7 margin.
In the playoffs, the Golden Bears have taken things to another level, averaging 43.6 points in their five wins. That included a 56-14 win against Port Neches-Groves in the regional finals, getting revenge for last season’s title-game loss.
SOC is led by senior quarterback Carter Kopecky, who has thrown for nearly 1,900 yards and 20 TDs without a single interception, and junior tailback Mikail Trotter, who has more than 1,000 yards on the ground with 16 scores.
The Golden Bear defense, which has given up 11.2 points a game, is led by senior linebacker Jayden Shelton, an Arkansas signee who had 10 tackles, a forced fumble and a pick-6 TD in last week’s semifinal win against Argyle.
ABOUT RICHMOND RANDLE (15-0)
Randle has averaged 51.9 points this season while allowing just 7.6 points, with the Lions ending the regular season with three straight shutouts.
In the playoffs, they have averaged 46.6 points, but unlike the regular season, the Lions had to survive a pair of challenges. That included the regional final against Alvin Iowa Colony, 21-14, the only team to get within single digits of Randle.
The Lions then rolled past Boerne, 42-7, in the semifinals to make their first-ever title game. Among the players to watch include sophomore tailback Landen Williams-Callis, who has rushed for almost 2,000 yards while receiving several offers from major Division I schools, and defensive tackle Chace Sims, a Texas A&M signee.