South Oak Cliff Slams the Door, Blanks PNG to Roll Into Next Round
South Oak Cliff entered Friday night with championship expectations, and the Bears played like a team intent on staying in the bracket for a long time. They smothered Port Neches-Groves from the opening whistle to the final horn, walking out with a commanding 28 to 0 shutout that never felt in doubt.
For a program that has spent the season stacking blowouts, this one fit the trend.
Teague Turns Up the Heat
SOC spread the ball around all evening, but the spotlight often found wideout Torrin Teague. The senior torched the PNG secondary for a career-best 156 yards and punctuated his big night with a touchdown grab that helped break the game open.
Levon Morton handled the dirty work between the tackles, grinding out 52 yards and punching in two scores to give the offense balance. Every time the Bears needed a bruising finish, Morton delivered it.
Defense Sets the Tone and Never Lets Go
The backbone of Friday’s win was a defense that refused to yield a single inch. SOC blanketed PNG’s passing game, holding the Indians to under 40 percent completions and swarming every attempt downfield. It marked the seventh straight game in which no opponent has hit even 46 percent through the air.
And when the ball did leave a quarterback’s hand, it often found a Bear.
Jamarion Phillips came away with his first interception of the season, and Marcell Gipson Jr. added another, helping tighten the grip on a game PNG could never solve.
This group has now posted four consecutive shutouts on the road, a staggering feat in playoff football, and one that pushed SOC’s overall record to 13 and 1.
What’s Next
Port Neches-Groves tasted defeat for the first time this season, dropping to 13 and 1, while South Oak Cliff marches on for a heavyweight showdown with Melissa on Friday evening. The Cardinals have been stingy all year, giving up just over 14 points per contest, setting the stage for a clash between a fierce defense and a Bears offense that has hit its stride at the right time.
If SOC’s latest performance is any indication, they won’t shy away from the challenge.
