Offense, offense and more offense was the tale of this epic second meeting between Cedar Hill and DeSoto. Big plays were abundant in this heavyweight rematch between District 7-6A rivals but it was defense and special teams that provided the final nails in the coffin for DeSoto to stave off their district foe 55-41.
In a shootout where both teams combined for 51 first downs and 1,132 yards, the scoreboard read 41-27 in DeSoto’s favor in the fourth quarter. However, Cedar Hill refused to let DeSoto escape AT&T Stadium with a win and to move on to the next round.
Facing a 41-27 deficit, the Longhorns would begin to narrow the margin after quarterback Avery Davis hit OU commit Charleston Rambo on a 10-yard score to be down 41-34.
“They are not going to go down without a fight,” said DeSoto head coach Todd Peterman. “We’ve been up by 21 before and lost to these guys.”
Welcoming the challenge and resilience of Cedar Hill, Shawn Robinson took matters into his own hands as he scored his third rushing touchdown of the night to put DeSoto up 49-34. His counterpart Avery Davis responded with a 66-yard touchdown pass to Rambo to make the score a nail biting 49-41 with 7:33 left in the game.
However, a strip by DeSoto’s Tyler Jackson on Cedar Hill’s punt return and a Kolby Watts scoop and score helped give the Eagles the 55-41 edge that would end up being the final margin. Isaiah Stewart provided the decisive blow, intercepting an Avery Davis pass in the end zone to end Cedar Hill’s hope for a comeback.
“These kids have done spectacular,” Peterman said, “We’ve got a job to do and what we are going to do today is play for tomorrow and that’s it.”
Shawn Robinson finished the night with 329 passing yards and three passing touchdowns while running for an additional 106 yards and three rushing touchdowns.
DeSoto will face Klein Collins in the 6A Division II State Semifinals 4 p.m. next Saturday at Houston’s NRG Stadium.
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Cedar Hill may have lost but not because that #47 didn’t do his part. That kid is great! I’ve been following him in the playoffs and he is a play maker. Where is he going to school? I even like his demeanor after the game. He’s someone to watch.