DeSoto Dominates Against First-Time State Opponent

The Eagles finished with 444 yards of total offense, including 125 yards and two touchdowns by running back SaRod Baker. (Ari Talton | © 2025 Miss Ari Photography)

AT&T Stadium – The DeSoto High School football program has officially earned bragging rights to its fourth state championship, after defeating C.E. King 55-27 Saturday night.

DeSoto is one of those teams that any football fan can follow and fall for after one quarter. Head Coach Claude Mathis’ high-powered offense and aggressive defense certainly didn’t take a break in acquiring new fans in Saturday evening’s Class 6A, Division II State Title.

Before C.E. King could get settled into its first appearance in a state championship game – DeSoto had already put 27 first quarter points on the board.

The outpouring of DeSoto offense would only continue throughout the night. Quarter back Legend Howell passed for 280 yards and four touchdowns - 167 of those yards and two touchdowns went to standout receiver Eathan Feaster.

The Eagles finished with 444 yards of total offense, including 125 yards and two touchdowns by running back SaRod Baker.

C.E. King, to its credit – never conceded. The Panthers gave glimpses of a 13-3 program with an electrifying 79-yard kickoff return by Dillon Mitchell and tough rushing yards earned by Dionne Sims.

DeSoto was simply the stronger and more complete team.

As the first half drew to a close, there was faint hope of a comeback for the C.E. King faithful. DeSoto failed to convert on a fourth and short, giving C.E. King the ball in DeSoto territory with more than enough time to score. On everyone’s mind was also the fact that DeSoto had the ball first. Should King score quickly, they could turn the competition into a two-score game going into the half and then get the ball back after halftime.

So much possibility, or so the crowd; the journalists; the sidelines thought for a moment. And then – within the blink of an eye – Damarion Ross intercepted a pass and returned it 94-yards for a DeSoto score.

Each time King had a glimmer of hope, DeSoto squelched those dreams with a massive bookend type of play.