This game does not make our list because of the closeness or because it was a down to the wire nail-biter, but because of the shocking nature of the contest. The Mart Panthers were the defending Class 2A Division I champions and many were expecting a repeat as the Panthers has just reeled off a 10-0 regular season record.
The Hamilton Bulldogs had other ideas in this Region III Bi-District matchup however, as they used a dominating ground assault and ran away with this one in convincing fashion to hand Mart an early exit from the playoffs.
Number Eleven
Austin Lake Travis 36, Highland Park 34
This game was a classic as the record-setting Lake Travis duo of QB Garrett Gilbert and WR Jason Bird led the Cavaliers against the undefeated Highland Park Scots in the Class 4A Division II State Championship game. The Cavaliers never trailed in this one, but never had a comfortable lead as Highland Park responded each time Lake Travis scored. Trailing 36-34 late in the game, the Scots began a drive that would take them to the Cavaliers 25 yard line. Facing fourth and four the Scots eskewed a game winning field goal due to a stiff breeze, but were denied on their final play as the Cavalier defense stepped up to stop a short pass play, and ran out the remaining 1:35 minutes to seal their first title in school history.
Highland Park QB Winston Gamso threw for 334 yards and two touchdowns in the Class 4A Division II State Championship game, but was outduled by Lake Travis QB Garrett Gilbert, who threw for 359 yards and three scores in the Cavalier's 36-34 victory.
Txprepsfootball.com Photo
Number Ten
Rowlett 37, Allen 32
The Allen Eagles ended the season ranked NO. 3 by the Associated Press after an unblemished 10-0 regular season, and no one saw a first round knockout coming, including the Eagles, who found themselves trailing Rowlett 30-0 before they knew what hit them.
Allen won the regular season meeting between these two, 45-26, and Rowlett limped into the playoffs with a 5-5 record, but behind the rushing of RB Dexter Imade, who had 271 yards, Rowlett surprised Allen with an early blow, and although the Eagles nearly staged a comeback, the state's NO. 3 class 5A team was sent packing in the first round of the playoffs.
Number Nine
Farmersville 27, Tatum 24
Overtime
All that stood between the Tatum Eagles and a third consecutive state championship was the Farmersville Farmers, who entered this game with two losses and was the decided underdog. This was a close contest throughout, and was largely a battle of running backs as Farmers running back Tajh Redwine had 196 yards on 24 carries, and Tatum's Bryce Beall ran 38 times for 222 yards. The Eagles tied the game in the fourth quarter and had the ball first in overtime.
The Farmers held Tatum to a field goal and when given their chance, quarterback Austin Brooks heaved a 23 yard pass to wideout Quincy Roberts, who made a beautiful diving catch to wrap up the victory and secure the Class 2A Division I state title.
Number Eight
China Spring 31, Waco La Vega 28
The Waco La Vega Pirates hammered the China Spring Cougars 42-13 in district 17-3A play during the regular season and few gave the Cougars a chance to win this Class 3A Division II, Region III, Quarterfinal game. Behind running back brothers Kourtney and Chris Parr, the Pirates looked to be on their way to the next round as they took a 28-17 lead midway through the third quarter.
China Spring seized control from there on out however as they controlled the ball for almost 17 minutes in the second half, and with less than two minutes remaining Cougar quarterback Dustin Eskew, who threw for 334 yards and two touchdowns, performed a superman act and dove into the endzone to cinch a surprising victory over the Pirates.
Number Seven
Lewisville Hebron 50, DeSoto 44
4 Overtimes
This game matched a pair of teams with identical two loss records in the Class 5A Division II, Region I, area round of the playoffs. It was a tale of two halves as Hebron outscored DeSoto 14-0 in the first half and DeSoto won the second half 22-8. While the Eagles Cyrus Gray and Chad Winbush combined for 413 yards rushing, the Hebron Hawks relied almost exclusively on the arm of quarterback Tanner Marsh, who threw for 345 yards and five TDs and ran for another. Both teams scored each time they had the ball the first three OT periods,
and it came down to a score in the fourth OT by Hawks RB Absalom Jones, who normally played linebacker, but was pressed into service due to an injury in the third OT to starter Darius Straten.
The Lewisville Hebron Hawks celebrate their 50-44 Class 5A Division II, Region II victory over the DeSoto Eagles, which took four overtimes to settle.
Txprepsfootball.com Photo
Number Six
Canadian 21, Idalou 18
No one knew it at the time, but the Canadian Wildcats were marching toward a Class 2A Division II State Championship. Standing in their way in this quarterfinal game were the undefeated and state ranked Idalou Wildcats. This was a close contest throughout and it all came down to a final drive by Idalou, who drove the ball 66 yards to Canadian's doorstep. Facing fourth down and short yardage, Idalou originally sent the field goal unit out for a game tying field goal try, but after a Canadian timeout the Wildcats opted to go for the victory.
Canadian defenders Clay Cockrell and Brandon Robinson met Idalou's Omar Arguello at the one-inch yard line and Canadian ran out the final 35 seconds to secure the win.
Number Five
Euless Trinity 30, Plano 27
2 Overtimes
This game featured two of the top class 5A teams in the state as both Plano and Euless Trinity entered this semifinal game with identical 13-1 records. Neither was able to seize complete control of this game, and Plano took a 21-17 lead into the fourth quarter. After Plano missed an opportuinity to take a 28-17 lead by throwing an interception in the endzone, Trinity responded with a touchdown to take the lead and appeared to have the game under wraps after stopping Plano, but a Trojan fumble gave the ball back to the Wildcats who kicked a game tying field goal with seconds left to send it to overtime.
Both teams kicked field goals in the first overtime, but Plano came up short on a 41 yard try in the first overtime to set the stage for Trinity kicker Pery Negreiros to hit a 23 yarder and send the Trojans to the championship game.
Number Four
Ennis 37, Waco 34
4 Overtimes
The Waco Lions were heavily favored in this matchup as they ended the season ranked as the NO. 3 class 4A team in the state by the Associated Press and whose only loss was to eventual 5A DII Champion Euless Trinity. Meanwhile, the Ennis Lions lost their last two regular season games and came in with a 6-4 record. Ennis came to play on this day however, as their defense only allowed one touchdown in regulation, and stopped a Waco drive inside their 30 yard line late in the game by forcing a fumble, which left the teams tied at fourteen all at the end of the fourth quarter. Both teams scored touchdowns in the first two overtimes and a field goal in the third overtime.
In the fourth overtime Waco had the ball first and kicked a field goal. When Ennis got it's chance, running back Deonte McDade scampered 13 yards for a touchdown to top off a huge first round upset of a Waco team favored to bring home a state title by many.
A player from Ennis tries to console a member of the Waco Lions, who many thought would make a deep playoff run, after Ennis pulled off a shocking 37-34 victory in the first round of the class 4A playoffs.
Dallas Morning News Photo
Number Three
Rosenberg Lamar Consolidated 33, New Braunfels 27
3 Overtimes
New Braunfels outgained Lamar 382-217 in this Class 4A DII State Semifinal game, but was done in by six turnovers and too much of Consolidated running back Jacquizz Rodgers, who had four touchdowns rushing and caught a game-clinching 34-yard touchdown pass in overtime. Before Rodgers' heroics, Unicorn quarterback Ryan Perez had led his team back from a 13 point deficit to tie the game at 20-all when he hit tight end Spencer Jergins for a touchdown with 14 seconds left in regulation.
Neither team scored in the first overtime as the Mustangs intercepted a Perez pass to thwart a New Braunfels drive and Unicorn linebacker Tom Wort blocked a 35-yard Mustang field goal try. After the two teams traded field goals in the second overtime, a missed 25-yard FG attempt opened the door for the Mustangs and they capitalized with Rodger's TD catch. The Mustangs used the momentum gained from the victory over the previously undefeated Unicorns to take the 4A DII title.
Number Two
San Antonio Madison 38, Smithson Valley 35
The Smithson Valley Rangers took a 28-7 lead into the fourth quarter against the San Antonio Madison Mavericks in this Class 5A DII Quarterfinal game, and no one but no one comes back from a deficit that large against Smithson Valley. Only one problem; no one told the Mavericks, who uncovered an unlikely hero in sophomore WR Nate Askew, who caught almost as many passes (seven) in this game as he had all year, including four fourth quarter touchdowns. Madison closed the gap in the fourth period, but Smithson Valley was still in good shape, leading 35-21 with 2:21 left in the game. At that point trouble reared it's ugly head for the Rangers as a Smithson Valley fumble was converted into another Askew touchdown,
and although Madison failed to recover the ensuing on-side kick, they forced a three and out and scored again with 49 seconds remaining on quarterback Bryan Ehrlich's fifth touchdown toss. In the overtime, Madison's Andrew Green knocked down a pass at the goal line on fourth-and-7 from the 23. Madison then ran the ball on four consecutive plays to set up kicker Sam Vivian, who nailed a 20 yard field goal to seal one of the state's most improbable playoff comeback victories.
Number One
Abilene 22, Southlake Carroll 21
The Southlake Carroll Dragons had never failed to reach the title game since joining class 5A in 2002 and had a 58-game winning streak against Texas teams. Riley Dodge was going for his second title as Carroll's starting quarterback, and he completed all eight of of his passes in leading the Dragons to touchdowns on their first two drives, but he left the game in the second quarter with a separated shoulder. His backup, Kyle Padron, led Carroll to another score in the third quarter and the Dragons appeared to have control of this Class 5A DII Regional tilt.
Abilene did not give up however and scored the next 13 points to take 22-21 lead, capped off by QB Spens Lackey's one yard run with 6:41 left. After the teams exchanged punts, Carroll started its final possession at its own 8 with 2:28 left and drove all the way to Abilene 10-yard line with eight seconds left. Then came disaster; while trying to set up better field goal position, Padron fumbled the center exchange and Abilene recovered to set off a wild celebration as Carroll was denied pursuit of it's fifth title in six years.
Southlake Carroll offensive linemen Jared Acton (54) and Jared Ervin console each other after the Dragon's 22-21 loss at Texas Stadium in the class 5A DII regionals.
MIKE STONE / Special to DMN
Honorable Mention
Class 5A Pflugerville 20, Abilene 14 OT Class 4A Everman 21, Wichita Falls Rider 19 Class 2A Altair Rice 7, Refugio 6 Class A Sunray 22, McCamey 19 OT
