PORTER, Texas — It wasn’t easy but the Newton Eagles found a way to get it done, pulling away from Boling 56-28 to advance to the 3A Division II state championship. The Boling Bulldogs looked to set up a rematch with Gunter in the state championship, but Newton (14-0) would not let up to extend their undefeated season.
The first quarter was dominated by the Bulldogs the first quarter, jumping out to an early two-score lead. Newton started slow as they were forced to punt on their first possession and pinned the Bulldogs at their own half yard line. But quarterback and Alabama commit Vernon Jackson showed why he’s such an elite talent, leading his team on a 99-yard touchdown drive.
The Eagles couldn’t handle the ensuing kickoff, giving Jackson and his Bulldogs the opportunity to jump out to an early 14-0 lead.
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Despite that slow start, Newton’s high-octane offense got into gear marching down to field to score. It would be the start of an impressive run for the Eagles. Turnovers proved crucial as both teams had trouble holding on to the ball, but Newton was jumping on everything as well.
On the ensuing Boling possession, the Bulldogs made their own mistake as they fumbled inside their five-yard line. The Eagles were able to tie it up and get the two-point conversion to tie the game at 14.
Vernon Jackson wouldn’t let Newton get the upper hand, gashing the Eagles for a 46-yard touchdown to retake the lead early in the second quarter.
“They threw some new schemes at us,” Newton Head Coach W.T. Johnston said after the game, “Our mentality was ‘just get to halftime’ and stop him [Jackson] as much as possible so we can come back.”
Minutes later, Boling made a crucial mistake, fumbling for the second time on the night. Newton was able to score again once again came back, but failed the two-point conversion.
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Newton used some trickery to take their first lead of the game with 3:23 before the half. Quarterback Josh Foster threw a curl route to Noah Williams, who handed it to standout running back Darwin Barlow took it 59 yards for a combined 69-yard hook and ladder touchdown. Newton tacked on another touchdown at the end of the half, a 23-yard pass to Williams, to extend their lead 33-21.
“You couldn’t have started a game any worse than we did,” Johnston said, “But we didn’t blink, kids never blinked, they don’t think anybody can beat them.”
Newton made all the right adjustments at the half to pull away. Meanwhile, turnovers continued to kill Boling, as a promising drive was killed by a rare Jackson fumble. It had seemed the Bulldogs their own defensive adjustments, forcing Newton to punt. Jackson converted on a fourth down, his second fourth down conversion taken for a touchdown, a 19-yard bruiser to bring the Bulldogs within five points.
Newton didn’t flinch as Darwin Barlow showed his speed scoring back-to-back touchdowns, converted two point conversions on their next two scores and running back Kevin Watson added another touchdown to put the game out of reach 56-28 early in the fourth quarter.
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Newton advances to their fifth state championship and the first for W.T. Johnson since a his first since a near-fatal lung disease almost killed him.
“I didn’t think I would ever get a chance, from where I came from, I was on my deathbed, I was dying I was dead, they gave me no chances to live and that’s what I’m trying to take in” said the emotional Johnston.
Darwin Barlow and the Newton offense started slow, but they never blinked, returning to their high-scoring form late in the second quarter, and carried that momentum to pull away in the second half.
“I think it was just nerves, one game away from the state championship that killed us early,” said Barlow who finished with 160 rushing yards, 59 receiving yards and three touchdowns.
Newton now advances to play the reigning state champion Gunter Tigers on Thursday at 3 p.m. CST at AT&T Stadium.
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