In the end, a state championship berth was decided by a game-winning field goal.
At first, the contest looked like it was heading into overtime. With :03 left, kicker Gavin Strange hooked his field goal attempt to the right. However, the Dragons were given a second chance five yards closer after Longview was flagged for running into the kicker.
At the buzzer, Southlake got the walk off score, as Strange’s second attempt from the 36-yard line sailed through the uprights.
Southlake Carroll will return to the Class 6A Division II semifinals for the second year in a row, barely squeaking by Longview 20-17 in the Class 6A Division II state semifinal on Saturday afternoon at SMU’s Gerald J. Ford Stadium.
It’s the Dragons 11th State Championship appearance in the program’s history.
The contest started favoring the Lobos, after an interception by linebacker Kason Brooks resulted in a 29-yard field goal by kicker Alexandre Mitchell.
Despite injuries to two Division I running back in Baylor commit Davis Penn and USC commit Riley Wormley, the Dragons run attack continued to go strong. Third-string running back Christian Glenn answered for Carroll, rushing for a 35-yard touchdown, capping off a seven-play drive in the closing moments of the first quarter. Another 35-yard scramble by Glenn set up a 40-yard field goal to give the Dragons the 10-3 advantage.
Longview tied the score at halftime on an 86-yard, 14-play drive, concluding in quarterback Johnny Hamilton’s one-yard sneak in the final minute of the quarter.
Both teams continued to trade blows in the second half; receiver Blaker Gunter nabbed a deep slant for the Dragon on a 63-yard score; the Lobos answered with a running back Kelvin Washington seven-yard scoring run.
Ultimately, Southlake Carroll ran down the clock, giving them the walk-off victory.
The Dragons will meet Vandegrift at 3 p.m. on Saturday at AT&T Stadium.
