In a physical, back-and-forth matchup, the Pottsboro Cardinals and Grandview Zebras went head to head in the Class 3A, Division I state championship game.
Despite being first to score, Pottsboro was unable to maintain a lead, dropping in a 42-35 loss to Grandview, and the Zebras captured their second state title.
Cy Shope opened up scoring in the first quarter with a 1-yard rushing touchdown for Pottsboro, but it wasn’t long until Grandview answered back with a touchdown of its own.
It wasn’t until after two Grandview touchdowns — both from Tremayne Gullatte — that Pottsboro scored again on a 16-yard touchdown pass from Braden Plyler to Jasek Hooker.
Once again, however, Grandview didn’t take long to respond as Dane Jentsch ran in another touchdown. Pottsboro’s Plyler found Zac Talley for a 25-yard score with less than a minute remaining until halftime, Grandview went into halftime with a 28-21 lead.
The third quarter didn’t see another score until Gullatte snuck a 6-yard rush into the end zone. With under a minute until fourth quarter, Jentsch intercepted a pass from Plyler, but the Zebras couldn’t capitalize and turned the ball over on downs to Pottsboro.
In the fourth quarter, Plyler came up big with a 55-yard touchdown pass to Titus Lyons, cutting Grandview’s lead to a one-score game. After a few three-and-out possessions, Grandview was able to score again with a 20-yard rushing touchdown from Gullatte.
With only 2 minutes remaining, Plyler rushed 19-yards for a Pottsboro touchdown, but time expired without the Cardinals seeing the ball again.
