Port Neches-Groves dethrones South Oak Cliff: Live Texas high school football championship updates recap

Can Port Neches Groves upend South Oak Cliff's quest for UIL Class 5A Division II state three-peat?

ARLINGTON, TEXAS - South Oak Cliff and Port Neches Groves are on a crash course for a Texas high school championship showdown on Saturday. 

Can Port Neches Groves spoil the repeat efforts of the Bears, the two-time defending state champs one win away from becoming the 20th team in state history to three-peat?

South Oak Cliff beat PNG 23-14 to win the Class 5A Division II title in 2022.

The matchup is the first on the final day of UIL state championship week at AT&T Stadium. In total, 12 champions will be crowned Wednesday to Saturday — three games per day.

SBLive is taking a closer look at each matchup and will be providing the latest on the ground for every UIL football championship. 

Follow SBLive's Buck Ringgold (@Buck_SBLiveOkla) on the ground in Arlington for the latest live updates on the ground for every UIL football championship. The game is being televised by Bally Sports Southwest and can be accessed with FuboTV.

Refresh this post for the latest score and game updates from the UIL Class 5A Division II championship matchup.

Port Neches-Groves pulls off Texas high school football title upset, brings trophy 'back to the 409'

—

FINAL: PORT NECHES-GROVES 20,SOUTH OAK CLIFF 17

Refresh for latest.

Isaiah Nguyen takes a carry during the first half of the 5A Division II Texas UIL state title on Saturday at AT&T Stadium. The PNG running back  / Photo by Tommy Hays

FINAL: Call it revenge — historic revenge. Port Neches-Groves completes a comeback to defeat two-time defending champ South Oak Cliff 20-17 to win its first UIL 5A Division II state title since 1975.

Shea Adams scored PNG's lone touchdown to retake the lead with 3:32 left in the fourth quarter, and its defense sacked South Oak Cliff twice and turned the Bears over on downs to secure the win. 

The game was a rematch of the 2022 Class 5A Division II title, which South Oak Cliff won 23-14. Scroll down for live updates in chronological order. 

PNG kicker Gio Oceguera was named offensive MVP for breaking a 5A Division II title record by hitting 4 of 4 field goal attempts. He had all of PNG's points up until Adams' late touchdown. Isaiah running back had a game-high 112 yards on 19 attempts and delivered key runs late, including a two-point conversion pitch, to keep PNG's game-winning drive alive.

Danny Green Jr. took 13 carries for 105 yards and two touchdowns — headlined by a 44-yard TD run to put the Bears up 17-9 late in the third. South Oak Cliff team was held to 162 yards of offense. 

—

FOURTH QUARTER

-- South Oak Cliff is stuffed on fourth down — a hook and ladder-turned lateral-fest is stopped near the line of scrimmage, and PNG wins its first state title in 48 years (20-7, PNG | FINAL)

-- PNG sacks Little twice in a row to put South Oak Cliff back facing 4th and 27 with 36 second left to play. Junior Andres Fuentes wreaking havoc on a typically-imposing SOC offense line. 

-- South Oak Cliff takes over with 3:26 left and the Golden Bears are driving. QB William Little scrambles and beats a series of tackles on his feet and gets out of bounds for a six-yard first down run. 

-- PNG's two-point conversion is GOOD. Isaiah Nguyen takes a QB option pitch to the right and spins in for two. What a game. (20-17, PNG | 3:32)

-- Touchdown, Port Neches-Groves. What a time — 3:32 left — to score your first touchdown, and a go-ahead at that. Shea Adams takes a direct snap to the right side and waltzes in for six untouched to give PNG its first lead since the first quarter. (18-17, PNG | 3:32)

-- Connor Bailey takes a shot at the endzone, but a defender draped on London Nunley is flagged for pass interference. Ball goes inside the 3-yard line. Bailey takes another shot, but it's dropped by Noah Washington. 

-- Isaiah Nguyen breaks off back-to-back bruising runs of 16 and 11 yards to get PNG to the SOC 10-yard line. 

-- PNG SURPRISE ONSIDE KICK! Ball is recovered in Golden Bear territory and PNG's offense takes back over with about 7:30 minutes left.

-- South Oak Cliff's defense stands tall, holding PNG to a field goal inside the 5-yard line. After a diving direct snap effort from Shea Adams brought PNG within inches, the team was flagged for a false start. Gio Uceguera 23-yard field goal. 

-- Isaiah Nguyen. Beastquake. The PNG running back goes 14 yards — most of them after contact, with several defenders dragging him — to keep a terrific drive alive. 

-- Massive fourth down conversion from Port Neches Groves from its own 31. Connor Bailey delivers a strike over the middle to Shea Adams for a 12-yard gain. 

THIRD QUARTER

-- Interception ... called back. South Oak Cliff picks off a Connor Bailey deep ball, but it's reversed for pass interference on the defense as the third quarter comes to a close.

-- Isaiah Nguyen comes up massive on third down, taking a screen pass past several defenders for 28 yards entirely by himself. Big play to keep the PNG drive alive. 

-- South Oak Cliff sends a 58-yard punt into PNG territory, but Port Neches Groves opens the next drive with a first down. Connor Bailey tosses a 10-yard slant route zip to Tyson Henry to get past midfield.

-- Touchdown, South Oak Cliff. Danny Green Jr. files a hole up the middle and takes off for a 44-yard TD to cap the Bears' most productive drive of the day — three plays, 85 yards (including 2 for 2 passing from William Little). (17-9, South Oak Cliff | 5:17)

-- South Oak Cliff has the ball to open the second half. Can the Bears offense get going? It managed just 77 yards on 25 plays in the first half. 

SECOND QUARTER

-- Gio Oceguera is busy. He caps PNG's drive after the fumble recovery with another 31-yard field goal. (9-7, PNG | 6:22)

-- Fumble gives PNG the ball back with 7:25 left in the quarter. William Little coughs up the ball. 

-- PNG gets to the goal line and is held to a field goal. Gio Eceguera sends a 21-yard field goal. (7-6, SOC | 8:21)

FIRST QUARTER

-- Shea Adams leaps over the pile to convert on 4th and 1. PNG's drive continues. Two plays later, Connor Bailey hits London Nunley for a 23-yard reception through the middle of the defense to the SOC 40-yard-line. PNG is rolling.

-- Danny Green Jr. goes three yards for a touchdown. Green has 36 yards on five carries in the first quarter. (7-3, South Oak Cliff | 4:39)

-- Port Neches-Groves strikes first. Gio Oceguera kicks a 32-yard field goal. (3-0, PNG | 7:38)

—

PHOTO GALLERY

All photos by Tommy Hays.

Photo by Tommy Hays, SBLive Sports

—

PREGAME READING

Saturday, Dec. 16 at 11 a.m (CT) | AT&T Stadium, Arlington

Dating back to the history of 5A Division II, which started in 1990, this is only the third rematch in consecutive years. Aledo and Fort Bend Marshall did so in 2018 and 2019 — with Aledo winning both. In 2012-13, Katy and Cedar Hill squared off and each won a title. South Oak Cliff has won the past two titles and will look to join Aledo as the only program in 5A-II to win three straight titles. The Golden Bears have won 12 in a row entering this game. Port Neches-Groves enter on a 14-game winning streak. The Indians will look to win the first title in nearly 50 years. The three titles in school history came in 1953, 1955 and 1975.

Here's what happened last year:

South Oak Cliff outlasts Port Neches-Groves to repeat as Texas high school football champions

COACHES

Jason Todd, 8th year at South Oak Cliff

Jeff Joseph, 2nd year at Port Neches-Grove

UIL STATE PLAYOFF ROAD

SOUTH OAK CLIFF — def. Everman, 42-19; def. Melissa, 38-30; def. Midlothian Heritage, 42-31; def. Lucas Lovejoy, 42-0; def. Frisco Emerson, 36-24

PORT NECHES-GROVES — def. Brenham, 37-7; def. Leander Rouse, 51-14; def. Montgomery Lake Creek, 30-27; def. Huntsville, 24-14; def. Liberty Hill, 42-35

PLAYERS TO WATCH

DALLAS SOUTH OAK CLIFF

Danny Green, RB, sr. 

The 6-foot back is hard to takedown and he's been on a tear this postseason with 13 touchdowns in the past five games. He has 21 touchdowns and 1,291 yards this year.one of the best players in the state during the playoffs. He has run for more than 100 yards in every playoff game

I’m lost at some of you over paid college coaches lack of evaluation of talent. How is Danny Green not getting more interest from colleges. All that money to recruit off paper.

— Coach Todd (@SOCFootball1) December 10, 2023

Jamarion Phillips, LB, so.

The 6-foot-1 linebacker already holds an offer from SMU. He has a team-high 21 TFLs and 14 sacks, while adding 87 tackles.Player 3: First Last, position, year

Khalil Ewell, RB, sr.

He’s part of the 1-2 punch with Green. He has one more yard on the season — 1,292 —and had 16 touchdowns. His 9.1 yards per carry is the best on the team with backs with more than 30 carries.

PORT NECHES-GROVES

Connor Bailey, QB, so.

An injury to Shea Adams forced the 10th grader into action and he has responded with 1,474 yards passing with 19 touchdowns and only two interceptions. He threw for a season-high 212 yards in the semifinals.

Max Scroggs, LB, jr.

He leads the team in tackles (81), sacks (3 1/2), forced fumbles (3), fumble recoveries (2), tied for first in quarterback hurries (6) and second in TFL (9 1/2)

Isaiah Nguyen, RB, sr.

He has 11 games of 100 yards for more and had scored 14 touchdowns. He enters with 1,940 yards and if he hits his average of 138 per game, he will get over 2,000 this year.

STAFF PREDICTION

Dallas South Oak Cliff 42, Port Neches-Groves 21 

-- Cody Thorn | @sblivetx

—

MORE #TXHSFB PLAYOFFS:

Vote: What was top play in Texas high school football 2023 state semifinals?

Vote: Who should be SBLive's Texas High School Athlete of the Week? (12/12/2023)

Gilmer vs. Bellville: 2023 Texas high school football 4A Division II championship preview

Anna vs. Chapel Hill: Texas high school football state championship 4A Division I preview

Smithson Valley vs. Aledo: 2023 Texas high school football 5A Division I championship preview

Lead photo by Robbie Rakestraw.