By Dr. David Davis
The 2023 regular season has come to a close, and the Shadow Creek Sharks closed out the season with a 9-1 overall record and a share of the District 23-6A title at 6-1 with the Dawson Eagles (6-4, 6-1) and the Pearland Oilers (8-2, 6-1).
The Sharks took care of business in their final regular district game with a 38-7 win over the Strake Jesuit Crusaders.
Now, Shadow Creek will prepare to meet the Clear Springs Chargers in the first round of the Class 6A Region III Div I playoffs on Friday, November 10, at 7:00 p.m. at Freedom Field.
There was never a question about the outcome of this game, as the Sharks used big plays all night to get the 38-7 district win.
The Sharks scored in each quarter, starting with a 1-yard run by junior QB Cobey Sellers to jump out to a 7-0 lead after the PAT was good by Aiden Bui late in the opening period.
Shadow Creek scored again with less than a minute remaining in the first quarter when Sellers hit Rahim Hutchins on a 40-yard scoring strike. Bui hit the PAT, and the Sharks had a 14-0 lead.
With 6:13 left in the second quarter, the Sharks struck again when WR Chris Stewart gathered in another long pass from Sellers, covering 54 yards for another touchdown and a 21-0 advantage.
Bui closed out the first half with a 30-yard field goal for a 24-0 lead at intermission.
Shadow Creek scored once in the third quarter on an 88-yard bomb from Sellers to Stewart to make the score 31-0. Then George Kirkland II got loose on a 70-yard cross-country scoring jaunt to make the final score 38-7 in the fourth period.
Strake Jesuit managed to score on a 72-yard run by Sebastian Mendez late in the third quarter.
The Sharks piled up 378 total yards against the Crusaders.
Sellers was 9-of-18 for 255 yards and three touchdowns.
Kirkland had 83 yards on three carries and one TD.
Stewart had 152 yards on four catches and two scores, while Hutchins had 83 yards on three grabs and a TD.
