'LEGEND'ary Win: DeSoto QB Howell Throws 4 TDs, Eagles Dominate C.E. King in UIL 6A Division II State Championship

DeSoto quarterback Legend Howell passed for 280 yards, while five-star USC recruit Ethan "Boobie" Feaster had 167 yards and 2 TDs to lead the Eagles to their fourth title

Levi Payton, Levi Payton | Dec 20, 2025

DeSoto quarterback Legend Howell was named MVP of the UIL 6A Division II state championship after throwing four touchdown passes in a win against C.E. King at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. / MycKena Guerrero

There will be a new Class 6A Division 2 champion this year.

Will it be a team that has been at the pinnacle before in DeSoto? Or will it be first-time finalist Houston C.E. King?

The two clash in the final game of the UIL football season at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, at AT&T Stadium.

DeSoto (12-3) has won three titles, winning in 2016, 2023 and 2023. King, part of Sheldon ISD, is 13-2.

King started playing football in 1955 and this is the best season in program history.

In a unique twist, all four teams in the Class 6A finals are from the same districts — DeSoto and Duncanville from District 11 and North Shore and King from District 23.

What to know

DeSoto enters on a 9-game winning streak, but at one point the Eagles were 3-3 on the season. This campaign started with a 70-28 loss to Creekside in a road game in Georgia. Defending Class 6A Division I champion North Crowley won in Week 2 and in Week 6, Class 6A finalist Duncanville won 48-28 to drop the Eagles to 3-3.

Last week, the Eagles knocked off No. 1-ranked Southlake Carroll 57-44 in Mansfield. SaRod Baker had more than 400 yards of total offense in the game, ending with a 99-yard touchdown run.

In the last two weeks, King has knocked off a pair of former state finalists in Humble Summer Creek (24-21) and Austin Vandegrift (58-41) in the semifinals. That win guaranteed a new state champion and kept Vandegrift from a return trip to Arlington.

The losses this year for the Panthers were against Galena Park North Shore (Class 6A D1 finalist) and Dickinson, which was 13-0 before a loss to North Shore in the playoffs.

Last year, King was only 5-5 and didn’t qualify for the playoffs. Last offseason, Cory Laxen was hired as the coach. He was on staff for three years before the head coach. He played at Rice and spent 10 years at North Shore as an assistant, winning four titles.

Who to know

DeSoto

RB SaRod Baker, jr. — Arguably one of the best players in the state. He’s run for 2,971 yards, with a 9.6 yards per carry average, with 43 TDs. He’s also 20-for-31 passing for 498 yards and 4 TDs and has 20 catches for 343 yards and 4 TDs.

WR/CB Ethan Feaster, sr. — A would-be junior reclassified and is now a USC signee. He has 88 catches for 1,610 yards and 19 TDs. He’s also playing in the secondary for the Eagles.

WR Antron Edmundson, sr. — WR2 has a line of 35/528/9 playing opposite of Feaster.

QB Legend Howell, sr. — He’s thrown for 2,616 yards and 30 TDs with only 3 INTs. Completing 68% of his passes

DB Damarion Ross, sr. — He leads the team with 5 interceptions

OL Jerbralon Stewart, sr. — He signed with New Mexico, one of 7 Texans headed there. He’s a three-year starter

King

ATH Dillon Mitchell, so. — 3-star uncommitted has 14 total TDs. Has 39 catches for 820 yards and 9 scores; ran the ball 29 time sofr 331 yards and 5 TDs.

RB Dionne Sims, sr. — 3-star signed with Rice; Leads the team in rushing with 212 carries for 1,883 yards and 26 TDs.

WR Braylon Lane, jr.,— 3-star uncommitted; has 24 catches for 284 yards and 4 TDs

QB Timothy Potts, sr. — Has thrown for 2,594 yards with 34 TDs and 3 interceptions. Added 11 scores on the ground with 93 carries and 792 yards.

WR LeJerric Clark, sr. — The Panthers' top pass catcher with 43 receptions for 841 yards and 7 TDs.

S Kei'Dryn Edmond, jr. — Has 5 interceptions, 4 forced fumbles, 10 pass breakups, 3 fumble recoveries

LB Damian Broussard, jr. — Top tackler with 111 stops, 11 TFL and 4 sacks

DE Dominick Toulon, sr. — Leads the Panthers with 17 sacks and 32 TFL. Has 95 tackles.

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How to watch

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DeSoto vs. C.E. King: Live score updates from Texas high school football championship game

	1Q	2Q	3Q	4Q	Final
DeSoto	27	21	7	0	55
C.E. King	0	21	0	6	27

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Note: Tonight's game is now slated for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff.

King won the opening toss and deferred, allowing DeSoto to receive the opening kick.

1st Quarter

DeSoto began the game at its own 24.

TOUCHDOWN! DeSoto junior running back Sarod Baker capped a 77-yard drive with a 2-yard run with 7:27 left in the first quarter. DeSoto 7, C.E. King 0

King's first drive began at its own 31, but penalties immediately pushed the offense back 15 yards.

SACK! DeSoto's Ja'den Randle brought the quarterback down to set up fourth-and-30.

PUNT! King booted the ball back to DeSoto. The Eagles took over at their own 43 with 5:35 left in the first.

TOUCHDOWN! On the second play of DeSoto's second possession, Sarod Baker sprinted 53 yards with 4:48 left in the first. DeSoto 14, C.E. King 0

Sarod Baker DeSoto Eagles football state championship game

DeSoto running back Sarod Baker broke free on a 53-yard touchdown run to give the Eagles a 14-0 lead with 4:48 left in the first quarter of the UIL 6A Division II state championship game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. / Cody Thorn

King's second possession began at its own 11.

PUNT BLOCK, TOUCHDOWN! King went three-and-out for the second time in a row and was forced to punt near its own end zone. DeSoto's Ayden Marshall blocked it, and junior linebacker Bryson Briscoe scooped it and scored on a short run with 3:54 left in the first. The PAT failed. DeSoto 20, C.E. King 0

TOUCHDOWN! Five-star receiver Boobie Feaster was left in man-to-man coverage and caught a 63-yard pass from Legend Howell with 12 seconds left in the first to cap a 12-play, 76-yard drive that took 1:51 off the clock. DeSoto 27, C.E. King 0

End 1: DeSoto 27, C.E. King 0

2nd Quarter

TOUCHDOWN! On third down, C.E. King quarterback Timothy Potts flipped a pass to junior Darnell Bradley, who was wide open, for 6 yards with 9:43 left in the half. DeSoto 27, C.E. King 7

TOUCHDOWN! Legend Howell threw a quick receiver screen to his left to Courtly'on Jackson, who reversed course back to the right and sprinted 70 yards with 8:55 left in the half. DeSoto 34, C.E. King 7

Courtly'on Jackson DeSoto Eagles wide receiver

DeSoto Eagles receiver Courtly'on Jackson (13) runs around a block from running back Sarod Baker before sprinting 70 yards for a touchdown to extend the Eagles' lead to 27-7 with 9:43 left in the first half of Saturday's UIL 6A Division II state championship against C.E. King at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. / Cody Thorn

TOUCHDOWN! Panthers senior running back Dionne Sims ran off the left end and raced 29 yards with 7:24 left in the half. DeSoto 34, C.E. King 14

TOUCHDOWN! One play after Legend Howell found Boobie Feaster for 21 yards to convert a third-and-12, Howell hit Feaster for 47 yards and a score with 5:33 left in the half. DeSoto 41, C.E. King 14

KICK RETURN TOUCHDOWN! Panthers sophomore speedster Dillon Mitchell took the ensuing kick return 79 yards with 5:19 left in the half. He was a blur running down the field. DeSoto 41, C.E. King 21

TURNOVER ON DOWNS! With 2:24 left in the half, the Panthers' defense got a huge stop on fourth-and-2, bringing Sarod Baker down after a gain of a yard to give the ball back to King's offense at the DeSoto 39.

PICK SIX, TOUCHDOWN! With C.E. King driving, DeSoto senior free safety Damarion Ross picked off a pass at his own 6, kept his feet in bounds, and raced 94 yards untouched for a TD with 44 seconds left in the half. It was Ross's sixth interception of the season. DeSoto 48, C.E. King 21

Halftime: DeSoto 48, C.E. King 21

Halftime notes: DeSoto has 341 total yards in the first half. ... DeSoto quarterback Legend Howell was 10 of 12 for 213 yards and 3 TDs in the first half. Running back Sarod Baker had 16 carries for 99 yards and 2 TDs. Ethan "Boobie" Feaster had five catches for 139 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

3rd Quarter

C.E. King opened the second half with the ball at its own 47.

TURNOVER ON DOWNS! The Panthers reached the Eagles' 33 before penalties pushed them back. An incomplete pass on fourth down gave the ball back to DeSoto at its own 45 with 8:44 left in the third quarter.

TOUCHDOWN! Legend Howell threw his fourth touchdown pass of the game, finding senior receiver Antron Edmundson for 17 yards with 4:31 left in the third. DeSoto 55, C.E. King 21

TURNOVER ON DOWNS! A dropped pass that would have converted on fourth down gave the ball back to DeSoto at its own 30.

End 3: DeSoto 55, C.E. King 21

4th Quarter

BLOCKED PUNT! DeSoto attempted to punt on the second play of the fourth quarter, but junior Enoch Bell got free and blocked it, giving the Panthers possession at their own 48 with 11:39 left.

TOUCHDOWN! On fourth-and-goal from the 10, Dionne Sims was wide open for a 10-yard pass from Timothy Potts with 8:28 left. The conversion failed. DeSoto 55, C.E. King 27

PUNT! With 6:32 left in the game, DeSoto punted the ball back to King's 30.

PUNT! The Panthers couldn't do anything with their possession and booted it back to DeSoto's 45.

FINAL: DeSoto 55, C.E. King 27

Legend Howell completed 19 of 25 passes for 280 yards and 4 touchdowns to lead DeSoto, while Boobie Feaster had 10 receptions for 167 yards and 2 TDs. Sarod Baker finished with 24 carries for 125 yards and 2 TDs.

King's Dionne Sims rushed 14 times for 102 yards and a touchdown and added a pair of receptions for 23 yards and another score. Quarterback Timothy Potts completed 11 of 25 passes for 159 yards, 2 TDs and an interception.