Photos by Das Mitchell
Gunter controlled Thursday’s UIL 3A Division II regional final from the opening whistle, rolling to a 45-14 win over district rival Leonard at Kenny Deel Stadium in Melissa. After defeating Leonard 44-0 in the regular season, the Tigers delivered another dominant performance, breaking the game open with two touchdowns in the final minute of the first half to take a 28-0 lead.
Quarterback Knox Gage and receiver Alex Fenner set the tone early with three scoring connections, while David Puga’s 24-yard pick six just before halftime pushed the cushion even further. Gunter added two rushing touchdowns and a field goal to build a 45-0 advantage early in the fourth quarter. Leonard scored twice late but couldn’t slow down a Gunter team that has now outscored its playoff opponents 173-27.
With the victory, Gunter improves to 13-1 and advances to the state semifinals to face the Idalou–Wall winner. Leonard’s season concludes at 9-5.
