Photo credit: Stan Martin/SBLive Sports
At least three schools will compete in the state finals at AT&T Stadium this week, with history in the making. Austin LBJ Early College High School, China Spring, and Dallas South Oak Cliff hope to make lasting memories and etch its names in the history books.
Austin LBJ reached the finals for the first time in school history by knocking off Chapel Hill, 38-35. A touchdown reception with nine seconds remaining provided the honors.
Former Austin Reagan high school, now named Northeast, fell to John Tyler, who Earl Campbell led in the 1973 championship game. That marked the last time an Austin ISD school reached the finals before Reagan formed a powerful program that won titles in 67’, 68’ and 1970’.
Last season, LBJ flirted with a berth to gain the championship round but ultimately lost the bid in the semifinals, 31-28, on a walk-off field goal by Lindale. The Jaguars will make its debut Friday morning at 11am against Stephenville in the Class 4A Division I finals.
Dallas South Oak Cliff shares a similar story as LBJ. Not since 1958 has a Dallas ISD team competed for a championship which watched Booker T. Washington win the Prairie View Interscholastic League title. Sunset took home the UIL hardware in 1950. Dallas Carter won the 1988 state championship before later being stripped of the title after an altering grades violation.
The Golden Bears sent shock waves around the state when it trounced defending champion Aledo, 33-28, from the Class 5A Division II regional semifinals. It followed up with wins over Lovejoy 42-20 and Lubbock Cooper, 44-10.
China Spring (15-0) who, advanced to the finals following its 34-9 victory over Cuero, will make its first trip to the championship game since 2007. The Cougars came away with its first and only title in 1978 when it defeated Lexington in the 1A final.