Coach Samples Wins Historic Victory For his 1st State Championship. They say the 3rd time is the charm, and same goes for the Duncanville head coach in the 2022 Div I 6A State Title Game last weekend. With more than 300 victories on his resume’ none are more dear to coach “Reggie” than this past weekend when his Duncanville Panthers defeated arch nemesis Galena Park North Shore with a 28-21 victory at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. (Panthers / Mustangs III)
In a rare historical feat this year both Duncanville and DeSoto, of the 11-6A district, are only the second district mates ever to win Texas state championships in the same season. Only LaMarque and Texas City, achieved this feat only a few years ago in 2019.
RB Caden Durham rushed for three touchdowns and the Panthers held off the Mustangs 28-21 in the Class 6A Division 1 state championship. Durham was named offensive MVP of the game and was overcome with emotion at the end the states Championship weekend!
RB Caden Durham was overcame with emotion at the end of the game. He will forever be a Texas High School Football State Champion Photo: Stan Martin
Texas Sports Monthly teams up each Holiday season with our friends at TexasHSFootball.com to compose their annual State Championship Book. This year Duncanville was honored as the State Champion team.
Three of the four state championships between Duncanville and North Shore have now been decided by just one possession.
Chaps completed their 3-pete, but will start off the year without Todd Dodge in 2022. Photo Stan Martin
1. Austin Westlake (6A)
2. Galena Park North Shore (6A)
3. Duncanville (6A)
4. Southlake Carroll (6A)
5. Katy (6A)
6. Allen (6A)
7. Denton Guyer (6A)
8. Lake Travis (6A)
9. South Oak Cliff (5A)
10. College Station (5A)
By Tucker Stephenson
The summer has only just begun, but the eyes of Texas high school football fans are already glancing ahead to the dog days — and more importantly, two-a-days — of August. In a state packed with heavyweight programs that are loaded with NCAA Division I talent and top-tier coaching alike, it’s always tough to try and predict what will happen, but here’s a look at Texas Sports Monthly’s preseason top 10 list for the upcoming 2022 high school football season.
— The three-time defending state champion Westlake Chaparrals come in at No. 1 despite losing QB Cade Klubnik and legendary coach Todd Dodge. Even with those holes to fill, the Chaps look like a full-fledged football factory at this point. Junior Paxton Land will look to fill in at signal caller, and he’ll have reliable targets in senior WRs Jaden Greathouse and Keaton Kubecka. On defense, 6-foot-6 DE Colton Vasek is a nightmare for opposing offensive linemen.
Northshore will look to make it back to Jerry-world in 2022 and I’m sure Nemesis Duncanville will be waiting. Photo: Stan Martin
— At No. 2 is reigning UIL Class 6A Division I state champion Galena Park North Shore, which is bringing back a ton of talent. Sophomore QB Kaleb Bailey returns after an outstanding freshman season, and top wide receiver David Amador is also due back. The Mustangs will look to revamp the defensive side of the ball, but North Shore has plenty of athleticism.
— Duncanville is at No. 3 after losing a tight 17-10 battle to North Shore in last season’s 6A-DI title game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. The Panthers need to replace RB Malachi Medlock, who graduated, but Duncanville’s defense will likely be stout again thanks to players like LB Vernon Grant.
— Southlake Carroll clocks in at No. 4 after suffering a 26-point loss to Duncanville in last year’s playoffs. The Dragons welcome back senior QB Kaden Anderson after he threw for 3,036 yards and 34 TDs a year ago. Running back Owen Allen is also set to return after he ran for 2,145 yards and 32 scores in 2021.
— No. 5 Katy will bring back senior Caleb Koger at QB, as well as the rushing tandem of senior RBs Seth Davis and Dallas Glass, who combined for over 3,600 yards and 48 TDs on the ground last year.
— At No. 6 is the school that boasts the largest enrollment in the Lone Star State, the Allen Eagles. Quarterback Mike Hawkins, who racked up nearly 3,500 yards of offense and 29 total TDs, is set to come back for his junior year.
Allen did not survive South Lake in 2021 but will definitely be back in full force as the states largest school. Photo: Pat Carrigan
— No. 7 Denton Guyer fell to Westlake 40-21 in the 2021 6A-DII state championship game and is reloading in 2022 behind senior QB Jackson Arnold and a solid defense.
— Austin’s other hometown powerhouse, Lake Travis, begins at No. 8 and is hoping that senior QB Bo Edmundson makes the leap to ignite the Cavaliers’ offense. Lake Travis will look to rebuild its receiving corps, although there are plenty of options.
Lake Travis were the 2021 Quarter finals Champs & QB Bo Edmundson (Michigan State commit) will look to finish his Cavs career strong his Senior. Year. Photo Credit Jenna Friedrich
— No. 9 South Oak Cliff, the defending Class 5A Division II state champion, is absolutely loaded coming into 2022 and has the potential to pass several 6A schools in the rankings once games begin. The Bears come into the preseason with 20 players on their roster that have received at least one NCAA Division I scholarship offer.
— College Station comes in at No. 10 despite falling 27-24 to Katy Paetow in overtime of last season’s Class 5A Division I state title contest. The reason for the Cougars’ elevated ranking is simple — senior RB Marquise Collins, who rushed for 2,826 yards and 39 TDs as a junior.
As the Texas baseball team tries to fight its way back to Omaha, Longhorn football fans might feel a little like Yogi Berra as they count down the days until the 2022 season opener on Sept. 3. With another quarterback battle underway and a litany of questions still lingering following Steve Sarksian’s first year at the helm, it certainly feels like deja vu all over again on the 40 Acres.
Texas got off to a solid start in 2021 with a 38-18 thrashing of Louisiana-Lafayette, but a 40-21 drubbing at the hands of Arkansas quickly brought the Longhorns back to Earth. Following wins against in-state opponents Rice, Texas Tech and TCU, though, Sarkisian’s team gave away an early 21-point lead during a crushing 55-48 loss to Oklahoma in the Cotton Bowl.Texas never recovered and lost five more games in a row, including an embarrassing 57-56 overtime setback at home to Kansas, before grinding out a 22-17 win against Kansas State in its season finale to finish with an uninspiring overall record of 5-7.
The Longhorns will have to show much more mental toughness versus a demanding Big 12 schedule in 2022, as well as strengthen both sides of the line of scrimmage. Texas had just one All-Big 12 selection along the offensive or defensive line in 2021, and that was OT Derek Kerstetter, who is now with the Buffalo Bills.At least while QBs Hudson Card — the hometown kid — and Quinn Ewers — the prodigal son — battle it out for starting reps, the Horns can rest easy knowing that all-conference running back Bijan Robinson is due back for his junior year after breaking out for 1,127 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns in addition to 26 catches out of the backfield for 295 yards and another four scores.
Texas is also set to bring back sophomore wide receiver Xavier Worthy, who hauled in 62 passes for 981 yards and 12 TDs last season to lead the team in all three of those categories. In doing so, Worthy became the first Longhorn since Colt McCoy in 2006 to be named the Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year.Senior running back Roschon Johnson is also set to return and can help take some of the carries off Robinson’s crowded plate, especially in short-yardage situations.
On defense, senior DT Keondre Coburn is expected to anchor the D-line, and versatile senior LB DeMarvion Overshown will be back on the weak side.In the secondary, the program once known as “DBU” will look to rebuild with CBs D’Shawn Jamison, Terrance Brooks and Ohio State transfer Ryan Watts. The safety roles will have to be occupied by newcomers, as Texas graduated three experienced performers last season.
The Longhorns are hoping the addition of former TCU defensive guru Gary Patterson will help their defense return to the form it showed when Texas was chasing national championships instead of Alamo Bowl berths.On special teams, the Longhorns will also need to find a new placekicker, although hopes of immediately finding the next Cameron Dicker or Justin Tucker are probably too optimistic. The clock is officially ticking down until kickoff on Saturday, Sept. 3 when the Longhorns welcome Louisiana-Monroe to Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium for their 2022 season debut.
It didn’t take long for Austin FC to establish itself as a legitimate threat within Major League Soccer. Founded in October of 2018, Austin FC’s inaugural 2021 season finished with an overall record of 9-21-4, but the team has surged to fourth place in the Western Conference this year with a mark of 7-4-3 as of Monday, June 6. Thanks to the progress made by Austin FC, head coach Josh Wolff has already had his contract extended through the end of the 2025 campaign. “I’m very grateful to Anthony (Precourt), the Austin FC ownership group and Claudio for their continued faith and confidence,” Wolff said in mid-May. “This is still a young, growing Club but seeing our vision for Austin FC come to life on and off the field has been one of the great honors of my career.
My staff and I will keep working every day to represent the city, and to develop our team both competitively and as human beings. The best is yet to come.”North Austin’s Q2 Stadium has become a rowdy home for the club, which has been embraced by Texas’ Capital City. The venue has also hosted FIFA World Cup qualifying matches, international friendlies and even CONCACAF Gold Cup contests.The leading goal scorer for Austin FC thus far during 2022 is forward Sebastian Driussi. The striker from Buenos Aires, Argentina has put in eight tallies in 14 games played.
Fellow Argentinian forward Maximiliano Urruti has added four goals for Austin FC, while midfielder Diego Fagundez of Uruguay leads the club in assists with seven. Goalkeeper Brad Stuver has started 12 matches for Austin FC and holds a goals against average of 1.35 while sporting a 7-2-3 record. Defenders Julio Cascante, Ruben Gabrielsen, Alexander Ring and Daniel Pereira have helped their keeper with solid work along the back line. Austin FC has an international friendly scheduled for June 11 against Mexican professional squad C.F. Pachuca and will look to bounce back from a 4-1 setback to the LA Galaxy when it resumes its MLS schedule on June 18 in Montreal.
From there, a busy summer continues with MLS matches against Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, New York, San Jose, Kansas City, Colorado, Charlotte and LA. If Austin FC can navigate that tough slate — as well as a brutal Texas summer — then it can perhaps make a push for the MLS Cup Playoffs, which are set to begin in October of 2022.There’s no doubt that it’s an exciting time to be a soccer fan in Austin, where the financial and emotional investments appear to already be paying dividends.
The Spurs’ season may have been over for quite a while, but former San Antonio point guard Derrick White is preparing for the biggest series of his basketball life.
The current Boston Celtics reserve guard was traded from San Antonio in February for a package of players and picks. While White’s offensive stats have been nothing special during his time with the Celtics, his perimeter defense has strengthened Boston — and will no doubt be of the utmost importance as his team tries to contend with guards Stephen Curry and Jordan Poole and small forward Klay Thompson in the NBA Finals.
White’s journey to the biggest stage in the NBA was an improbable one. Born in Parker, Colorado — a suburb of Denver — White signed with the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs (UCCS) out of high school as a 6-foot combo guard. Everything changed when he shot up five inches by the time he reached the NCAA Division II school, and he set new program records for most points and assists in a career during his three seasons with UCCS.
White then transferred to the main campus in Boulder and enjoyed a stellar 2016-17 campaign with the Pac 12’s Buffaloes that included first team all-conference honors.
The Spurs, as they’ve done numerous times over the years, identified White’s potential and targeted him with the 29th overall selection of the 2017 NBA Draft. He immediately went to the G League, where he played for the Austin Spurs and quickly earned a reputation as a cool customer and a lethal 3-point shooter.
White saw some time with San Antonio during his rookie year, but was used sparingly as he made the transition to the NBA game. He was expected to be utilized in a reserve role in his second season, but once again an unforeseen circumstance thrust him into the spotlight from relative obscurity.
This time, White’s big break came in the form of a season-ending injury to another fledgling star — Dejounte Murray. When the point guard tore his ACL in the preseason leading up to the 2018-19 season, many Spurs fans wondered aloud who would be able to replace his defensive prowess in addition to running the offense smoothly from the point guard spot.
Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
White was tabbed as the replacement, but his own foot injury sidelined him until November of 2018 against the Miami Heat. Once he entered the lineup, San Antonio’s perimeter defense was noticeably better, while its offense ran more efficiently than before.
White suffered an injury to his other foot in February of 2019, and some pundits wondered if it would derail the Spurs’ playoff hopes. White answered by leading the Spurs into a matchup with his hometown Denver Nuggets, although San Antonio fell in seven games.
White never again found that same rhythm with the Spurs, and general manager Brian Wright swapped him for Josh Richardson, Romeo Langford and a first-round pick in this year’s draft in mid-February.
The move paid instant dividends for Boston, as White’s defense and ability to draw offensive fouls made the Celtics an even more difficult team to score against. Now, the kid from Colorado will look to help one of the NBA’s most storied dynasties capture title No. 18 against a revamped Golden State squad led by former Spur Steve Kerr.
Texas Sports Monthly is in the Process of Composing our 7th Annual 2022 Kickoff Season Magazine.This year’s Fall Book is a preview of Texas teams that are looking to get back on top of grid-iron glory and make a deep run in the playoffs. Also profiles the Texas Longhorns and the future of Westlake Chaps as coach Todd Dodge made out like a bandit retiring into Texas high School Football glory after a Three-Pete run as State Champs.
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Round Rock, TX; Lake Travis Cavaliers wide receiver Chernet Estes (10) unable catch the pass as North Shore Mustangs defensive back Jacoby Davis (5) defends during the second quarter at the Class 6A Division 1 state semifinal playoff on Saturday, Dec 11 2021, at Kelly Reeves Athletic Center.
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Within the borders of the Lone Star State, the amount of reverence for the name Dave Campbell long ago reached mythical proportions.
How else did his annual summer publication get dubbed “the bible of Texas football” without a trace of sarcasm or hyperbole?
The legendary sportswriter and editor died at age 96 on Friday, Dec. 11 in his Waco home and left behind a legacy as rich and detailed as the magazines he was famous for producing. Campbell, who began piecing together his Texas Football publication from his kitchen table in Waco in 1960, saw it become the go-to guide for all things gridiron-related with regard to his home state.
Greg Tepper, who took over as the managing editor of Dave Campbell’s Texas Football in 2011, said the founder left an indelible mark not only on the sport of football, but the state itself.
“He was a visionary and a pioneer,” Tepper said on Friday. “He was a wizard with a typewriter — an unbelievable writer and editor and a true icon of Texas journalism. All of that is true, but the reason why there’s a hole in our heart today is not because we lost a great editor or a great writer. It’s because we lost Dave.”
A Waco native, Campbell graduated from La Vega High School before enrolling at Baylor University. After earning his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1950, Campbell served as the sports editor of the Waco Tribune from 1953 to 1993.
Prior to that, Campbell served the United States Army in the 14th Armored Division that fought in France and Germany during World War II.
Campbell’s first issue of Texas Football was published in 1960 and featured the Longhorns’ Jack Collins on the cover. Over time, the magazine grew from its humble beginnings to include every college and high school team in Texas — and offered an unprecedented deep dive into the roster of each squad.
Current Westlake head coach Todd Dodge remembered being in the 1980 summer edition of Texas Football as a senior quarterback for Jefferson High School in Port Arthur. Dodge said he got to meet Campbell when he began coaching in the 1990s at Cameron Yoe.
“I think back to the first time I got to meet him and he was such a genuine kind man,” Dodge said. “It was a real thrill for me. As the years progressed, I always made sure to come see him at coaching school and shake his hand and see how he was doing.”
Although Campbell sold the rights to Texas Football in 1985, his name continues to grace the cover of every publication and he still served as the editor-in-chief until his recent passing. Campbell was also an instrumental part of moving the Texas Sports Hall of Fame from Grand Prairie to Waco in order to revive it as well as give it a stronger foothold.
Campbell’s fame grew to a national level as his work earned him respect from coast to coast. He also spent time as the president of the Football Writers Association of America and even took on a role that oversaw the process of Heisman Trophy voting.
But Campbell was a true Texan, in every sense of the word. His gentle smile and willingness to chat about all things football — including his beloved Southwest Conference — will endure as long as student-athletes flock to grocery stores and corner shops to grab a magazine bearing his name.
Austin, Texas —Henderson Engineers, a national building systems design firm, celebrates the one-year anniversary of the June opening of Q2 Stadium, the first ever major league sports venue in Austin, Texas. The Kansas City-based company, which has offices in nearby Dallas and Houston, served as the lead engineer for the $260 million facility that is home to the Austin FC Major League Soccer (MLS) team. In providing architectural lighting, electrical, fire and life safety, mechanical, plumbing, security, and telecom design services, Henderson was keen on elevating the fan experience.
Most striking of all Henderson-designed features are the lighting systems, which enabled Q2 to be the first ever stadium worldwide to be constructed with tunable RGB LED lights from the ground up. As a result, all 402 light fixtures throughout the facility have color changing and color tuning capabilities. The stadium’s operations team can instantaneously shift the lights from white to more than 16 million unique colors, allowing them to illuminate the pitch, the stands, and even attendees in numerous hues and patterns.
“Most stadiums use fireworks to boost excitement, so it’s an amazing experience to watch everything around you change color to red, white, and blue during the national anthem, to rainbow when commemorating PRIDE Month, and so on,” explained MischaHaramia, Henderson’s entertainment practice director who project managed the firm’s work on Q2. “Austin FC fans are ravenous, and the full-color-tunable lights are a great complement to the passion they show for their team at every game. The operations team also really loves the experience it provides, so much so that they host tours for the general public and other major league sports teams to specifically showcase the lighting.”
Adding to Q2’s stimulating atmosphere are several landscaped green spaces surrounding the stadium that serve as outdoor recreation areas on game days and public parks year-round. This includes a terraced 2,500 capacity amphitheater that doubles as a concert venue. To sustainably irrigate the greenery, excess rainwater is diverted from the soccer pitch via piping and pumping systems that were powered by Henderson and stored in nearby ponds, the stormwater catch basins designed by GarzaEMC, the civil engineer on the project. Henderson helped implement a HVAC condensate capture system that stores condensation in a holding tank and pumps it out to irrigate the landscaping as needed. Furthermore, the stadium’s electrical, mechanical, and plumbing systems are fully equipped to allow the facility to install a SubAir System for the pitch if desired in the future to supply fresh air into the root zone to help maintain healthy turfgrass.
“In a relatively dry state like Texas, it’s important to make sure we’re using our natural resources responsibly,” noted Haramia. “We’re proud to have helped provide fans, families, and the surrounding community with beautiful green outdoor spaces that they can enjoy throughout the year while still limiting water usage. The amphitheater is an especially great addition in a city where live music is a beloved part of the local culture. And because we’re diverting rainwater, the City of Austin’s sewer systems are less strained whenever there’s unusually high rainfall or wastewater.”
For a seamless technological experience for fans and the operation team, Henderson provided a public distributed antenna system (DAS) and WiFi throughout the 465,000 square foot venue to boost connectivity and power key stadium technology features including a large LED videoboard. Given the rapidly evolving technological landscape, the systems are designed to be readily adaptable to future innovations.
“Social media, video, and other communication tools are an integral part of the modern sports experience, and we made sure fans are able to engage with the game and each other from virtually every location at the stadium,” said Haramia. “Our venue experts work on projects for every major sports league, giving us firsthand experience on how fast technology is changing and the steps we can take to keep up. So, we consciously provided Q2 with the flexibility to upgrade its WiFi systems, cellular network, and DAS without needing major infrastructure upgrades. That helps ensure the venue can remain at the forefront of tech for years to come.”
The Q2 Stadium project team included Gensler as the lead architect, Walter P Moore as the structural engineer, and Austin Commercial as the general contractor. The facility is LEED Gold certified by the U.S. Green Building Council owing to the sustainability efforts undertaken during design and construction.
Project photos and interview opportunities are available. If interested, contact Mike Achoki at [email protected] or 913-742-5145.
ABOUT HENDERSON
Henderson Companies, Inc. is the 100% employee-owned parent company of Henderson Engineers and Henderson Building Solutions. Henderson Engineers is a national building systems design firm with a wide array of engineering design services and a project portfolio representing a wide range of markets including business, community, retail, healthcare, and venue. Henderson Building Solutions is a construction management and commissioning services firm that provides a seamless bridge between design, construction, and ongoing maintenance. As Henderson, we combine engineering knowledge with in-the-field construction expertise to provide single-source design-build solutions for any project.
Founded in 1970 and 2013 respectively, we’re licensed in all 50 states (plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and British Columbia) and bring buildings to life through our 1,000 employees and 250+ PEs across 12 offices, including New York, Philadelphia, Tampa, Nashville, Bentonville, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City (Lenexa, Kansas, and downtown Kansas City, Missouri), Phoenix, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles. Our vision is to be the firm that builds a better world. We’ve diligently cultivated an inclusive, best-in-class work environment where people can reach their full potential. Our core values drive us to deliver unrivaled service and solutions that make us the team you want to partner with.
ARLINGTON — The Westlake Chaparrals have finished yet another season of Texas high school football unbeaten, unchallenged and unequaled.
Westlake (16-0) capped a rare three-peat after defeating Denton Guyer 40-21 Saturday night at AT&T Stadium in Arlington during the Class 6A Division II state championship game. The win gives legendary head coach Todd Dodge his second career three-peat, as he won in 2004, 2005 and 2006 with Southlake Carroll before claiming titles in 2019, 2020 and 2021 with the Chaps.
It was also the final game for Dodge, who steps away with Westlake riding an incredible 40-game winning streak.
“They’re going down in very rarified air,” Dodge said of his 2021 team. “To win back-to-back-to-back state championships, there’s only about five or six in the history of the state of Texas that have done it, and now we’re going to be a part of that.”
Guyer (14-2) made things interesting with a quick flurry in the first half that led to a surprising 14-13 halftime lead. However, Westlake turned on the afterburners in the last 24 minutes to accelerate past Guyer for good.
The Chaps outscored the Wildcats 27-7 after intermission to hoist yet another championship trophy.
“That was gritty,” Doddge said of his team’s effort in the second half. “I knew these kids had it in them. I knew they were not going to leave this three-year window and be remembered as a team that folded after one bit of adversity. They believed and they fought their tails off against a great Guyer team.”
Wildcats quarterback Jackson Arnold twice answered Westlake scores in the first half, as he ran in a 15-yard touchdown before finding Jace Wilson on a 9-yard score that put Guyer up by a single point at intermission.
The Chaps regrouped out of the locker room and saw Cade Klubnik hit Bryce Chambers for a 15-yard TD pass to give Westlake a 20-14 lead. Guyer rebounded and vaulted ahead once again following a 6-yard scoring run by Arnold, but the Wildcats were held in check for the remainder of the contest.
Meanwhile, Klubnik began to cook.
Arlington, TX; Westlake Chaparrals quarterback Cade Klubnik (6) throws a pass against the Guyer Wildcats during the first quarter at the Class 6A Division 2 state championship playoff on Saturday, Dec 18, 2021, at AT&T Stadium.
After Charlie Barnett set a new state championship game record with a 53-yard field goal to give the Chaparrals a 23-21 edge, the senior signal caller ended the third period with a 69-yard TD strike to Jaden Greathouse.
Klubnik then opened the fourth with a back-breaking score in which he found Greathouse for a 71-yard TD. Mark Sayegh tacked on a late field goal as Westlake cruised to a 19-point win in front of more than 32,000 fans in Arlington.
Klubnik finished the game 14 of 21 passing for 280 yards and four TDs, while Greathouse hauled in seven passes for 236 yards and three scores while setting a new state championship record for receiving yards in a contest and earning Offensive Player of the Game honors.
Klubnik added 66 rushing yards on eight carries.
Westlake’s defense also made history by tying a single-game state championship record with nine total sacks. The Chaps saw defensive ends Colton Vasek and Ethan Burke tally three and two sacks, respectively.
As for Dodge, he said after the game it’s time for him to finally enjoy some family time after helping Westlake build one of the most dominant dynasties in Texas history.
“I’ve got three beautiful grandchildren in the DFW area and I want to be a pawpaw and be around those guys,” Dodge said. “Elizabeth and I, at least here for a little while, are going to act like we’re retired.”
Arlington, TX; Westlake Chaparrals head coach Todd Dodge rallies his team before the game against the Guyer Wildcats at the Class 6A Division 2 state championship playoff on Saturday, Dec 18, 2021, at AT&T Stadium.
ARLINGTON — Argyle’s 49-21 victory over Lindale in the UIL Class 4A Division I state championship felt more like a coronation than an actual competition.
The Eagles (16-0) wrapped up an immaculate 2020 season after jetting to a 28-point lead and cruising to the finish line from there. Along the way, senior running back Tito Byce rushed for 152 yards and found the end zone four times en route to being named the game’s Offensive MVP.
“It’s a joyous event,” Argyle head coach Todd Rodgers said. “I’m proud of my football team. I think they played like champions tonight. They were really focused the entire week. It was amazing to go out there and apply it in such an unusual environment. This is the biggest crowd we’ve played in front of all year. We loved it.”
Argyle left little doubt which team reigned supreme in 4A-I after flexing its potent offense on the opening snap of the contest. The Eagles saw quarterback CJ Rogers toss a 44-yard pass to Cash Walker, and eight plays later, Byce bulldozed his way across the goal line from 1 yard out.
Byce added three more scoring runs prior to halftime, and Argyle took a 28-0 lead into the locker room. Byce capped drives with TD rushes of 4, 2 and 2 yards as the Eagles left Lindale in a cloud of dust at AT&T Stadium.
The performance was even more meaningful for Byce given the fact that he was forced to watch the end of 2019 from the sidelines after suffering a torn ACL.
“It’s been a crazy journey,” Byce said. “I went right to work after I got surgery. All of my teammates and my coaches just pushed me super hard and I had the whole community behind me and it turned out great like we wanted it to.”
Lindale (13-3) broke up the shutout in the third quarter when Sam Peterson tallied a 6-yard TD run, but Argyle was content to trade scores with the Eagles during the second half.
Rogers threw three scores for Argyle after halftime, finding Jasper Lott on throws of 2 and 4 yards in addition to connecting with Ward McCollum for a 43-yard TD strike. The signal caller finished 23-of-30 passing for 357 yards as the Eagles romped to the program’s second state title on the gridiron.
“He’s been a fabulous quarterback and an amazing leader on our team,” Rodgers said of his QB. “I’m glad it all turned out that way for him and the rest of the people that did the work when nobody else was watching.”
Argyle’s defense also held up its end of the bargain by slowing down sensational Lindale running back Jordan Jenkins, who managed 112 tough yards on 26 carries.
“You’re never going to stop a great running back like that,” Rodgers said. “You just need to slow him down a whole bunch and kind of take him out of the game per se. And we were able to do that.”
Following the completion of the contest, Argyle senior defensive back Zach Stewart was named the Defensive MVP after he recorded 6 1/2 total tackles and also broke up a pass. “I think we played all year with an edge,” Stewart said. “We felt we needed to go out and prove ourselves every game, and I think we did that.”
