Even with limited crowds due to COVID-19 restrictions, Texas high school football did not disappoint last week as seven University Interscholastic League champions were crowned at AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys.
Three of the games were decided by one point each, yet it was the most lopsided contest — a 70-14 victory by
Carthage over Gilmer in 4A-2 play — that garnered one of the top individual defensive efforts in title-game history.
Brandon King, a 5-foot-9, 160-pound junior cornerback for Carthage, intercepted four passes, returning two for touchdowns as the Bulldogs (14-0) won their second straight title and eighth in 13 years. All those titles are under Scott Surratt. who owns a 179-28 record and 63-6 in playoffs. He has more state titles than playoff losses.
He's likely never seen a performance quite like King, who returned first-half interceptions 13 and 35 yards for touchdowns, leading a remarkable 63-0 run after Gilmer took a 14-0 lead. Carthage's
Mason Courtney rushed for three touchdowns giving him 30 on the season.
In other Texas state championship play:
*
Tito Byce rushed 29 times for 155 yards and four touchdowns leading
Argyle (16-0) to a 49-21 win over Lindale in 4A-1 action. It was the second title for the Eagles — the first since 2013 — who outscored opponents 770-248 this season and never trailed.
* In one of two 3A title games decided by one point,
Tate Yardley completed a two-point conversion pass to
Zach Henderson in overtime lifting
Jim Ned (Tuscola) to an improbable 29-28 3A-1 win over Halletsville. Jim Ned (14-1) overcame a 21-0 deficit and a 3A finals record 299 yards rushing and three touchdowns by Texas-bound
Jonathon Brooks.
Xavier Wishert rushed for 186 yards and had 12 tackles on defense for Jim Ned, which won its 14th straight game.
*
Reagan Cochran hauled in a 52-yard touchdown pass from
Josh Culwell — his fourth TD pass of the game — with 28 seconds left lifting
Canadian to a wild 35-34 win over Franklin in the 3A-2 championship game. Franklin, which got 139 yards rushing and four touchdowns from
Seth Spiller, took its first lead 34-28 with less than a minute to play on a 37-yard halfback option toss from Spiller to
Braden Smith. It took just two plays for Wildcats (15-1) to take the lead back for good.
*
Ethan Belcher ran in a two-point conversion with 26 seconds remaining, lifting
Windthorst to a 22-21 win over three-time defending champion Mart in the 2A-2 championship. Windthorst (15-1) converted two fourth-down plays to go 75 yards in 3:43 capped with a 1-yard plunge from quarterback
Cy Belcher, Ethan's cousin, to close to 21-20. The Trojans went for the tie, but the extra point kick missed, however Mart lined up offside. With just 1.5 yards to go, Windthorst went for the win Ethan Belcher ran it home to give the Trojans, a heavy underdog, their first title since 2003.
* Shiner (2A-1) and Sterling City (1A-1) were also crowned champions, but the 1A-2 contest between
Balmorhea and
Richland Springs was postponed
due to COVID-19 cases. A makeup date has yet to be determined.
All 13 of the Texas teams ranked in the
MaxPreps Top 50 nationally were victorious Friday or Saturday in Division 5A and 6A second-round playoff action. Those brackets are scheduled to continue this week and conclude in January.
Among the tougher Division 6A-1 games for Top 50 Texas teams were No. 10
Allen, a 20-16 winner over South Graind Prairie and No. 24
DeSoto, a 30-27 winner over Rockwal. No. 50
Bridgeland (Cypress) just got past Dekaney, 47-44, in 6A-2 play.
6-Man 1A D1 