ARLINGTON — Despite Aledo High School’s championship pedigree, College Station stood tall and knocked the Bearcats off their throne with a 20-19 loss Saturday afternoon at AT&T Stadium.
“We came in as the underdogs,” running back DaDa Anderson said about College Station’s mentality coming into the game. “We just needed to execute and play like we needed to play. Aledo is a great football team, but we’re also a great football team. Today we came out on top.” Anderson was named the offensive MVP finishing with 99 yards on 14 carries and 2 touchdowns.
Charlton Gladden/TexasHSFootball
The game started off slow offensively, with both teams forced to punt to start the game, but Aledo gained early momentum after a 37-yard College Station field goal slid wide of the goal post. The Bearcats, first drive, however, he stalled and College Station took over and ended the first quarter on its next drive.
The Cougars were threatening when the second quarter started, but Aledo held its ground on third down and held College Station to a field goal to make it 3-0.
Aledo responded on the ensuing drive as Jake Bishop hit Money Parks on a screen pattern for an 18 yard touchdown to put Aledo up 7-3. Both teams stalled on their next possessions before DaDa Anderson broke a 60 yard touchdown run late in the half to take the lead 10-7. College Station would add another field goal to hold a 13-7 lead at halftime.
It only took one play to get Aledo rolling in the second half.
Charlton Gladden/TexasHSFootball
On the very first play, Oklahoma commit Jase McClellan took a handoff 76 yards to pay dirt and tied the game at 13 after a missed point after attempt. McClellan scored again minutes later via a 1-yard run, but the PAT missed again and it remained 19-13.
Before the third quarter ended, Anderson took scored for College Station again from six yards out and retook the lead with the extra point to make the score 20-19 at the end of the third. Both defenses held late in the game and College Station held on to hand Aledo its first state title loss since 1974 when the Bearcats lost to Grapeland 19-18.
“Its unreal,” said Defensive MVP Ben Wolz, who finished with 5.5 total tacks with 2.5 tackles for losses and 1.5 sacks, about winning a state championship. “We were so in the zone. It went by so fast. It feels amazing.”
Aledo ended its season with a 15-1 record while College Station finished 14-2 and was crowned the 5A Division II State Champions.
SCORING SUMMARY
Second Quarter CSHS AHS
Alan Guerrieri 37-yard field goal 3 0
11:50
Money Parks 18-yard pass from Jake Bishop 3 7
(Cole Daniels kick)
8:24
DaDa Anderson 60-yard run 10 7
(Alan Guerrieri kick)
2:25
Alan Guerrieri 26-yard field goal 13 7
11:50
Third Quarter CSHS AHS
Jase McClellan 76-yard run 13 13
(Cole Daniels kick missed)
2:25
Jase McClellan 1-yard run 19 13
(Cole Daniels kick missed)
1:49
DaDa Anderson 6-yard run 19 20
(Alan Guerrieri kick)
2:25
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