The Gunter Tigers came into the 3A Division 2 State Championship looking to repeat as state champions and to win the school’s 4th title since 2016. The Tidehaven Tigers were looking to win their school’s first title since 1967.
Neither team was able to move the ball in their first drives. It looked like we might be heading to a scoreless first quarter until Tidehaven star running back, Joseph Dodds, broke free for a long run to the 3-yard line. 3 plays later, Kale Russell hit Dodds for a touchdown to give Tidehaven a 7-0 lead with 4:03 to go in the first quarter.
On the next drive, the Gunter offense started to move the ball, led by QB Walker Overman, but the drive stalled and they had to settle for a field goal to cute the Tidehaven lead to 7-3 with 0:33 to go in the first quarter.
The Tidehaven offense couldn’t get anything going on offense on the next drive, and Gunter quickly had the ball back. It looked like the Gunter drive was stalled, but they converted on a 4th down, and then Walker Overman ran for 38 yards down inside the 5-yard line. Brock Boddie punched the ball in on the next play, giving Tidehaven a 10-7 second-quarter lead. 
Once again, the Tidehaven offense struggled to move the ball and was forced to punt. Gunter broke free on the punt return and looked like they were about to score, but the Tidehaven punter made a tackle at the 21-yard line to prevent the touchdown. Overman led Gunter right back down inside the 5-yard line, and once again, Boddie capped off the drive with a rushing touchdown. Gunter took a 17-7 lead with 4:18 to go in the first half.
Gunter seemed to have taken the momentum, but less than a minute later, Joseph Dodds broke free for a 61-yard touchdown run to cut the Gunter lead to 3. At that point, Dodds had already gained 144 yards rushing and had two total touchdowns.
Tidehaven quickly got the ball back with 1:53 to go in the first half after Gunter went 3 and out on offense. But, on the first play for Tidehaven, Gunter intercepted Tidehaven QB Kale Russell. However, they were unable to move the ball, and the first half ended with Gunter up, 17-14.
Second Half
The second half started out as a defensive battle and a punting contest. Both teams punted on their first two possessions of the second half. Then, with 2:55 to go in the third, Gunter broke the game open with a 68-yard catch and run by Cannon Lemberg.
Tidehaven continued to struggle to gain anything on offense. The Gunter defense keyed in on Dobbs, forcing Tidehaven to attempt to pass, but the passing game was struggling. Two Tidehaven second-half drives stalled out due to intentional grounding calls, and Gunter had the ball driving for a score to put the game away early in the 4th. However, the Tidehaven defense came up big again, forcing a Gunter field goal, and the field goal went wide right. 
Tidehaven was not able to capitalize on the missed Gunter field goal, and Gunter quickly had the ball back. Walker Overman led a drive down the field, and appeared to score a touchdown, but the touchdown call was reversed because the knee of Overman was down a foot shy of the goal line. On the next play, Overman scored and pushed the Gunter lead to 16. The extra point was no good, keeping it a two-score game.
Tidehaven was able to complete a couple of passes on their last drive, but time ran out.
Final Score: Gunter 30 / Tidehaven 14
Walker Overman finished with 149 yards passing, over 170 yards rushing, and 2 touchdowns. He was named the Offensive MVP.
The Defensive MVP award went to Major Thornhill.
CLICK HERE to listen to the Texas HS Football Podcast, with Taylor Arenz
