The 3A Playoffs were nothing short of chaotic this year. Canadian was ranked as the number one team in 3A Division II, but there were plenty of upsets elsewhere as #6 Franklin, #6 Jim Ned, and unranked Hallettsville defied experts and secured spots in the state title games.
That unpredictability could very well continue right into AT&T Stadium, meaning these games are two that definitely shouldn’t be missed. Here are the key players and storylines for Thursday afternoon and evening in Arlington.
3A Division II: Canadian Wildcats (14-1) vs. Franklin Lions (12-2) Thursday 3.pm.
Last Season: Gunter 43-22 Omaha Pewitt
Tale of the Tape: Canadian has gotten rather familiar with playing on the big stage, earning six state title game appearances and winning four state championships since 2007. The Wildcats have been an absolute freight train this year with an average margin of victory of 49 points from the 13 games that they have played. Franklin, meanwhile, is making just its second ever state title game appearance after its first ended in defeat to Waskom 33-21 back in 2015. The Lions lost their first two games this year but responded after that, rattling off twelve straight victories, including a nail-biting 14-13 win over Waskom in the semifinals.
Players to Watch: The Wildcat offense runs through a quartet of experienced seniors. Josh Culwell has led the way from behind center for the Wildcats this season with 3,505 passing yards and 45 touchdowns to just nine interceptions this year. “I have a tremendous amount of respect for Josh Culwell. Josh went through some adversity in 2019. In our second game of the year Josh broke his foot, effectively ending his season. He had to have surgery and worked extremely hard to be ready for the 2020 season,” Canadian head coach Chris Koetting said. “Josh is a tremendous leader and one of the hardest worker[s] on our team. Josh has excellent arm talent and has proved to be very accurate. He has put up good numbers all year long. We haven’t ran him a lot, but, as of late, he has proved to be a really good runner. Josh is the total package and everything that you would want in the leader of your offense. I really do believe that Josh has the ability to play at the next level as well.” Culwell has some veteran presence helping him out at receiver as Twister Kelton, a four-year letterman, and tight end Reagan Cochran, a three-year letterman who also stars at linebacker, lead the team with 1,072 receiving yards and 779 receiving yards respectively. Running back Hayze Hufstedler, another four year letterman, has paced the team’s rushing attack with 1,842 rushing yards and 30 touchdowns this season. On the other side of the ball, the defense is commanded by another group of skilled seniors. Linebacker Ethan Jackson leads the team with 150 total tackles, while Colton Cooper anchors the defensive line and paces the team with 12 sacks this year. This moment will certainly not be too big for this experienced group of Wildcats, meaning it is going to be a tough task for Franklin to take them down.
The Lions can certainly perform in the clutch though as a 33-yard pass from quarterback Marcus Wade to Hayden Helton with three minutes to go secured Franklin’s first trip to the state title game in five years. However, the Lions do most of their damage on the ground with that pass by Wade being only one of two that they completed on the night. That ground game is powered by the four talented backs the Lions have leading their slot-T rushing attack. Sophomore Bryson Washington led the team with 76 yards last week and has seven rushing touchdowns in the playoffs. Malcolm Murphy was the second leading rusher with 72 yards against Waskom and has been a versatile player for the Lions with two rushing touchdowns, two receiving touchdowns, and a punt return touchdown in the postseason. Senior Seth Spiller and junior Bobby Washington have been the two other key rushers in the backfield with six and seven touchdowns during the playoffs respectively. The Lions have used the motto 164 all year long to represent the mileage needed to get to AT&T Stadium. Now that they have reached the big stage, all eyes will be on the Lions and their slot-T offense.
The Wildcats haven’t won by a margin by less than 27 points since they lost to Iowa Park back in week two meaning Franklin will need its slot-T rushing attack to thrive again on Thursday if it is to have a chance against this veteran-led Canadian side.
3A Division I: Jim Ned Indians (13-1) vs. Hallettsville Brahmas (13-2) Thursday 7 p.m.
Last Season: Grandview 42-35 Pottsboro
Tale of the Tape: History will be made Thursday night as one of Jim Ned and Hallettsville will bring hope its first ever state title. The Indians are making their second ever title game appearance after they were knocked off 28-7 by San Augustine in 2003 in their first trip, while the Brahmas are playing on the grandest stage of Texas high school football for the first time ever. Jim Ned has won 13 games in a row heading into this one and knocked off #1 Brock 19-16 en route to the state title game. The Brahmas, meanwhile, will be seeking revenge in this contest after Jim Ned knocked them off 24-21 back on October 2nd in non-district play.
Players to Watch: The Jim Ned offense centers around junior Xavier Wishert. He has rushed for 2,144 yards and 32 touchdowns this season, including 180 yards in the semifinal victory over Mount Vernon. “Xavier is not only a really good football player, he is a better person. He is the heartbeat of both sides of the ball. His enthusiasm and leadership has been a big part of our team’s success this year,” Jim Ned assistant coach Shawn Cullins said. “Aside from all the stats and school records he has broken, his ability to put us on his back and carry us to victory in some important and tight ball games has been priceless.” Joining Wishert in the backfield is junior quarterback Tate Yardley, who has amassed 1,767 passing yards and 16 touchdowns on the season. When the Indians do go through the air, look for Braden Lewis and Zach Henderson to be involved as they are the top two receivers on the team with 423 and 422 receiving yards on the year respectively. Wishert has been just a big of a threat defensively with 97 tackles this season. That is second on the team only to breakout sophomore linebacker Tanner Hussman, who has had an impressive season with 98 total tackles. In passing situations, look for defensive end Austin Martin to put pressure on the Brahmas. He has been a menace to opposing offenses all year long, racking up 23 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks.
The Hallettsville offense almost exclusively runs through Texas commit senior running back Jonathon Brooks. Brooks has rushed for 1,420 yards just in the playoffs, including a 501-yard performance in the third round win over Lorena. When the Brahmas do turn to the passing game, they rely on junior Trace Patek behind center. Patek has thrown for 475 yards during the playoffs and can move when needed, rushing for 116 yards in the past five games. Out wide, senior receiver Ty Gerke has been a steady presence for Patek in the passing game with 113 receiving yards on 10 catches during the playoffs. Defensively, Brooks is a playmaker as well as he came up with two interceptions against Llano is the semifinal victory.
With Brooks and Wishert playing such big roles on both sides of the ball for their respective teams, this game could very well come down to which player has the bigger game. One thing is for sure, however. This game will be one for the history books for the winning team as they will head home with their first ever state title.
