FRISCO, TX- The 5A DII Region I title came down to the game between the undefeated Aledo Bearcats and the 11-2 Richland Rebels. The Rebels were making their first appearance in the regional finals but the Bearcats proved to be too much for Richland taking down the Rebels 43-7 on Saturday afternoon at The Star.
“We have to keep playing as a unit.” Aledo defensive end James Williams said on the Aledo defense going into the semifinals. “We have to keep our composure and just stay comfortable in games like these.”
Photo: Sherry Milliken/TexasHSFootball
The game started well for Richland as they drove down the field and scored on a 30- yard touchdown pass from Drew Trent to Kenneth Reeves to put Richland up 7-0. Aledo would respond however, as Oklahoma commit Jase McClellan took it 69 yards for the Bearcat touchdown to even it at 7. Aledo tried to capitalize on a Richland fumble, but the Cole Daniels field goal missed wide and the score remained tied at 7 at the end of the first quarter.
The second quarter got underway and Aledo wasted no time taking the lead. Jake Bishop hit McClellan out of the backfield for the 15-yard touchdown to make it 14-7 Bearcats. After a Richland fumble, Aledo scored again on a 30 yard pass to Beau Mask to extend the lead to 21-7. They would score again in the first half to make it 27-7 at the break.
Aledo got the ball to start the second half and drove down the field taking over eight minutes off the clock on their first drive but stalling at the Richland 1-yard line. On the next play, James Williams tackled Rylee Johnson in the endzone for a safety to give Aledo a 29-7 lead.
The third quarter would end with that score.
Photo: Sherry Milliken/TexasHSFootball
Aledo would strike quickly in the fourth quarter on a 5 yard run by McClellan to make it 36-7. After a Giovanni Torres interception, Aledo struck again on a Bishop pass to Tre Owens to make it 43-7.
“We just stayed calm,” Running back Jase McClellan commented on the offensive performance after a slow first quarter throughout the rest of the game. “We just kept looking forward to the next play. We just came out and played physical and made them play our game.”
Richland’s season ends with an impressive 11-3 record after the loss while Aledo improves to 14-0 and will face Mansfield Legacy at Pennington Field at 2 p.m. next Saturday in the state semifinals.
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