Denney Faith led the Albany Lions back to the 2A Division 2 State title game, looking to repeat as champions and to claim his 360th career Texas high school football win. On the other sideline, the Mart Panthers were looking to claim their school’s 8th state championship, and Head Coach Kevin Hoffman was looking to capture his 122nd win as the coach of Martin his 9th season with the school. 
The first play of the game, after the kickoff, set the defensive tone for this game. Mart attempted to go deep, but Albany intercepted the ball. However, Albany was not able to move the ball, and punted back to Mart.
Mart got the scoring started when Armando Chavez connected on a 38-yard field goal to put Mart up 3-0 with 6:51 to go in the first. Then, less than a minute later, they forced an Albany interception, and looked to take a two-score lead. But, the Albany defense stepped up, made a stop, and got the ball right back to their offense.
The score was still 3-0 going into the second quarter when Albany got on the board with a big play. Adam Hill broke free for a 52-yard touchdown run, which put the Lions up 7-3 with 10:48 to go in the first half. The Albany defense then made another quick stop, and the Lions moved the ball back down into scoring position. However, the drive stalled, and the Lions missed a 31-yard field goal.
Albany Takes Control
On the next Mart drive, De’Montrel Medlock dropped back deep to pass, and the ball slipped out of his hands and was recovered by Albany at the Mart 41-yard line with 2:40 to go in the first half. Less than a minute later, Albany found the engine again on a 37-yard touchdown pass from Chip Chambers to Branson Beal.
Mart got the ball back with just under 2 minutes to go, but was unable to gain positive yards on first or second down. Albany used two timeouts to stop the clock after each play. Then, after an incomplete pass on third down, Albany had the ball back. With 0:11 to go in the half, Adam Hill caught a short pass from Chambers to put the Lions up 21-3 going into halftime.
The second half was a defensive battle. The Lion’s defense was disciplined, aggressive, and hard-hitting. They knocked Panthers QB Medlock down anytime he dropped back, and worth noting, in a noticeable act of good sportsmanship, the Lions defenders offered a hand to help Medlock up anytime they knocked him down. The Panther’s defense was great in the second half, too. They gave relentless effort and are a team that is very quick to the ball.
Neither team could move the ball in the second half. The Albany offense that had scored 21 points in the second quarter was not able to sustain a drive longer than 1:34 in their first 4 drives of the second half. Then, with 8:27 to go in the game, Mart got their first touchdown on a 7-yard JD Bell run. 
On the next Albany drive, the biggest play of the second half happened. Adam Hill took the shotgun snap, and he bobbled the snap. It looked like Mart would recover the ball and be able to return it, but Hill regained control off the ball, then he plowed into and through multiple Mart defended, losing his helmet in the process, as he dove forward for a first down. Albany would eventually turn it over on downs two minutes later, but the play saved the game for the Lions.
After the Panthers turned the ball over on downs with 2:56 to go, Albany picked up a few first downs, and Hill put the game away with his third touchdown on a tough run to secure the 28-10 win.
Final Score: Albany 28 / Mart 10
Adam Hill was named the UIL Offensive MVP and is our Texas HS Football MVP.
The UIL Defensive MVP went to Zane Waggoner.
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