North Shore's Kaleb Bailey named SBLive's Texas High School Football Newcomer of the Year
Despite being tapped as his team’s primary starter midway through his freshman season, Kaleb Bailey helped lead Galena Park North Shore back to the top of the Texas high school football world.
Bailey’s sensational breakout season powered the Mustangs to a fourth consecutive District 21-6A title, one of the state’s toughest districts, and the program’s third Class 6A Division I state championship in the last four years, earning him SBLive’s 2021 Texas Football Newcomer of the Year award.
“It's not easy to play football at North Shore, it really isn't,” North Shore head coach Jon Kay said. “And that's why we try to give as much credit to the parents as we can, because you know, the sacrifices that they make to make sure that their kids are at that school and doing the work is necessary to compete at this level. It ain't for everybody.”
Bailey met the challenge and proved to be a dynamic force under center for the Mustangs, using his arm strength and elusiveness on his feet to keep opposing defenders on their toes.
- SBLIVE’S ALL-REGION TEAMS:
- CENTRAL TEXAS | EAST TEXAS | NORTH TEXAS | SOUTH TEXAS | WEST TEXAS
The freshman ran for 783 yards and seven rushing touchdowns on 110 carries and finished with a 10-0 record as a starter after taking over as North Shore’s primary signal caller midway through its district slate.
He also racked up 928 passing yards and 12 touchdown passes on a 61-of-90 completion rate. Bailey frequently connected with his older brother Jhalyn Bailey, a senior receiver, who helped him acclimate to the competition and expectations of top-tier Texas high school football.
“I don't think anybody understands that more than a brother,” Kay said. “They respect and they understand what it takes to grind through this program week after week, practice after practice. So whether you're talking about how Torion (Bradford) handed it down to Kaleb (Cain), or you're talking about Jhalyn (Bailey) now handing it down to Kaleb (Bailey), you know, it's one of those things that I think because there's so much invested, it makes it just that much more special.”
Bailey, who will return alongside several of North Shore’s most impactful offensive players next fall, also picked up his first Division I offer from UTSA following the Mustangs’ victory in the 6A DI state title game.
He was named the game’s Offensive MVP after throwing for 107 yards and the game’s only two passing touchdowns on 10-of-13 passing and running 11 times for 71 rushing yards. The freshman also tossed the game-winning 39-yard touchdown pass against Duncanville late in the fourth quarter.
Bailey picked up a second offer from Purdue, his first from a Power Five program, in late January too.
Jhalyn Bailey, meanwhile, committed to Harding University in late January after also receiving offers from Colorado and New Mexico.
MORE AWARDS:
Westlake’s Klubnik, Dodge named SBLive’s Texas Football Player and Coach of the Year
Lambert named SBLive’s Texas Football Offensive Player of the Year
Holmes named SBLive's Texas Football Defensive Player of the Year
