North Shore 16 – Atascocita 13
By Allan Jamail
Humble, TX. – Turner Stadium, Thursday, October 27, 2022 – It was a classic high school football battle for supremacy in a district championship title game between two unbeaten district rivals. Trust me the thousands of fans that packed the stadium were emotionally charged up until the game’s ending. At one point fans on each side of the packed stands got into a shouting battle much like the battle of the bands. Just when one side would shout their team’s rally slogan the opposite stand would try to out shout the other with their team’s slogan, this went on and on.
With Atascocita aware when weeks before North Shore lost their starting quarterback Kaleb Bailey for the season they were anxious to take down the reigning state champs. Backup quarterback David Amador and the Eastside Boys had something else in mind for the Eagles, he ran 46 yds for a TD and passed for a TD. Carlos Dominguez kicked a 3 point field goal.
Just like years ago when the Houston Rockets head coach Rudy Tomjanovich shouted his famous after the game statement on the TV microphone when they won the NBA Championship, “DON’T EVER UNDERESTIMATE THE HEART OF A CHAMPION,” this is what Atascocita learned about the Eastside Boys. Duncanville did too in 2019 when the Mustang’s won the state championship as time expired on a last play the “Hail Mary” pass.
Yogi Berra, baseballs legend and Hall of Famer said, “It ain’t over till it’s over”. So trailing with 6:22 remaining in the game QB David Amador hit a streaking wide receiver Terrence Guillory on a 63 yd TD pass (see photo) for the go-ahead score of 16 – 13.
Still with plenty of time for a comeback the Mustangs defense took matters into their own hands and shut down the Eagles sealing the victory.
The Eagles did what no other team has done to the Mustangs in recent years; they led at halftime and deep into the fourth quarter. Mustangs this season averaged 42 points per game but they only could get 16 points against the rock solid Eagle defense, barley enough for a 3 point win.
The Eastside Boys defense once again proved too tough to run or pass on. The Eagles who averaged 41 points a game only got 13 points.
These two powerhouses will likely meet again in the playoffs because the second place in district team (Atascocita) under the UIL rules will still enter the playoffs. However in the playoffs one loss means final elimination.
The reigning, defending, undisputed Class 6A Division I State Champion — North Shore Mustangs (9-0) play next when they host Kingwood (5-4) for a 6A Region III District 21 battle on this Friday, November 4 @ 7PM. It’s Seniors Night at the GPISD Stadium.
Linda Jamail, Statistician