No. 2 Allen overcomes 15-point deficit to squeeze past No. 4 DeSoto

MESQUITE, Texas — In a shootout of proportions suitable for Texas, two resilient 14-0 high school powerhouses played a game to remember.

In the end it was quarterback Kyler Murray weaving his way through defenders on a 24-yard touchdown run with 11 seconds remaining to give Allen a 42-35 state semifinal victory over DeSoto on a 41-degree Saturday afternoon made colder by a biting 19 mph north wind at Memorial Stadium.

Allen (Texas) (15-0), No. 2 in the MaxPreps Xcellent 25 national rankings and the defending Class 5A Division I state champions, overcame a 15-point deficit with three touchdowns in the final nine minutes.

DeSoto (Texas) (14-1), ranked No. 4 nationally, out-gained Allen by 104 yards despite playing on two fewer days of rest. Icy conditions delayed until Monday its fourth-round playoff win over Trinity (Euless).

At times, the game to decide a berth in the Class 5A Division I state title game — opposite 14-1 Pearland set for 4 p.m. Saturday at AT&T Stadium — took on the look of a personal duel between the quarterbacks, Murray and DeSoto senior Desmon White.

White, a TCU pledge, rushed for 189 yards and four touchdowns and threw for 134 yards and a score. Murray, a junior and the son of former Texas A&M quarterback Kevin Murray, passed for 228 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 143 yards and another score.

"It was two great teams out there,'' said Murray. "Dez is a great player. On that last touchdown, coach just said ‘if you see it, run it.'''

Said Allen coach Tom Westerberg: "Desmon White is awesome. He has been for a couple of years. Kyler is special, too. It was two of the best teams in the state fighting it out and our kids were better in the end.''

The two teams met in the same round a year ago. Allen's return of the second half kickoff for a touchdown in that game helped produce a 51-36 victory.

Another special teams play proved pivotal this time. With the score tied at 35 and just over a minute remaining, Allen was forced to punt into the wind. The punt traveled only about 10 yards, but hit a DeSoto player who never saw the ball. Will Rossy recovered for Allen to give the Eagles a fresh set of downs.

"It was kind of a fluke play,'' said DeSoto coach Claude Mathis. "We work in practice with a call to get away from the ball. That punt was very short.''

The football never left Murray's hands on the final 60 yards of the winning touchdown drive, save for one incomplete pass.

Allen's winning streak, now at 26, looked to be in serious trouble after White scurried around right end for a 5-yard touchdown and a 35-20 lead with 8:37 remaining.

Murray, though, showed Allen wasn't finished, heaving a 68-yard touchdown pass to Jalen Guyton to draw within eight, 35-27, just 14 seconds after the DeSoto score, stopping a few Allen fans in their tracks as they headed for the parking lot.

"We kind of struggled, then hit the big play and that sparked everything,'' said Allen coach Tom Westerberg. "One thing about a momentum, it can change things in a hurry. Our guys hung in there."

The quick strike produced a momentum shift. Penalties and a sack of White left DeSoto on its next series needing 38 yards for a first down.

Allen pulled closer with 5:58 to play when Rossy's fumble after a 14-yard reception was recovered by Josh Pettijohn in the end zone for a touchdown. Allen still needed a two-point conversion for a 35-35 tie and Murray, rolling right, went through several progressions before throwing across field to Guyton. The ball hung up against the wind but Guyton managed to hang on despite a well-timed hit by defensive back Howard Wilson.

Allen, which hadn't trailed since the second quarter of the opening week of the season, saw that 55-quarter streak snapped midway in the second quarter on White's second touchdown run.

White threw a 2-yard touchdown pass to freshman Kadarrian Nixon and went back to him on the conversion pass for DeSoto's 22-17 halftime lead.

DeSoto equaled a school record with 14 wins, first accomplished a year ago.

"It was unfortunate to end like that,'' said Mathis. "I have some great kids. I still can't explain how it happened.''