The Class of 2022 at Waco Live Oak Classical High School didn’t want to go down in history for the wrong reasons.
After a four-year state title drought for the school, the seniors on the team were in danger of being the first class in school history to graduate without a state title.
In the end, the Falcon seniors ended their high school careers on top with a 46-41 victory over Marble Falls Faith Academy in the TAPPS 6-Man Division II Championship game, capping off a 14-0 season.
Despite the victory, the Falcons found themselves in a 12-0 hole early in the second quarter as Faith Academy receiver Ben Martin caught touchdowns of 3 and 19 yards early on.
Live Oak Classical head coach Brice Helton was impressed with the way his team battled through the adversity of an early deficit and said his team wasn’t rattled because of their experience of trailing in games earlier in the season.
“Even in that moment in the state game where we went down by two touchdowns, the boys kept their confidence and knew that ‘hey, we’re fine,’” Helton said. “They just didn’t let the moment get to them.”
First Half
After their slow start, the Falcons responded as running back Albree Sharp found paydirt from two yards out and quarterback Mason Peters found a wide-open Jonathan Buras for a 17-yard score that gave Live Oak Classical a 16-12 halftime lead after two successful two-point kicks by Reed Black.
Second Half
The Falcons continued to assert their authority early in the second half as Peters found Riley Black for a 50-yard score before Justice Ishio added a 28-yard touchdown run on the next Falcon drive to extend the lead to 30-12.
Case Coleman kept the Flames within touching distance with a three-yard touchdown run on their next drive, but Sharp scored on the second play of the fourth quarter for Live Oak Classical to restore its 18-point advantage.
Coleman kept carrying the torch for the Flames with a four-yard touchdown run on their next possession to get the score back to 38-28.
Unfazed, Live Oak Classical used a quick three-play, 47-yard drive finished off by a four-yard run by Will Nicholas to give itself an 18-point advantage that proved insurmountable even as Coleman threw touchdown passes of 13 and 15 yards to Justin Mottle late on.
Final Thoughts
On the day following Live Oak’s state quarterfinal victory over Coram Deo Academy, the Falcon players were riding ATVs for some team bonding.
However, the afternoon soon turned sour as an accident left teammate Eli Herman with a broken arm.
After watching his players fight through that traumatic afternoon and earn the first state title for all the players on the team, Helton was incredibly proud of his group for earning the school’s fifth state title overall.
“To be able to fight through the emotional toll that took on the whole team and to have a group of kids that is resilient enough to fight through that is just something that you don’t forget” Helton said. “As a coach, it’s a perfect ending. You couldn’t have asked for anything better for [the seniors].”
Stats
Passing Yards: 1,717 yards
Rushing Yards: 3,811 yards
Offensive Points Per Game: 64.4 points per game
Points Allowed Per Game: 28.8 points per game
Leading Passer: Mason Peters: 1,692 yards and 43 touchdowns
Leading Rusher: Justice Ishio: 1,458 yards and 30 touchdowns
Leading Receiver: Jonathan Buras: 411 yards and 12 touchdowns
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