Photo credit, Rod Aydelotte
Arlington – History seemed far, but not out of reach. 1978 marked the last time China Spring upheld the trophy, and 2007 was the last appearance, yet the recent moments have set new heights.
Knowing Gilmer had reached this point last season and packs a worthy resume as any hotbed in Texas, China Spring understood the obstacle the Buckeyes posed by standing in the pathway between its reality.
The Cougars’ defense held Gilmer to seven points. Junior defensive back Gabe Watkins returned a fumble for a touchdown and senior quarterback Major Bowden had a hand in three touchdowns to help China Spring bring home its first title in 43 years by thumping the Gilmer Buckeyes, 31-7 in the Class 4A Division II Finals on Friday night at AT&T Stadium.
“People told us that it was over, and we had the thing won after that third-round game against Carthage,” China Spring’s Brian Bell explained. “We’ve got a mature football team, like I said. We’ve got a mindset that we started since day one, and that’s 1-0 every week. They believe in it.”
Forty-three years had passed, but it’s never too late to celebrate a championship, and that’s what China Spring did.
Bowden stole the show, but Watkins’ 86-yard fumble return touchdown gave the Cougars (16-0) a 14-7 advantage, enough for the victory. The contest, tied 7-7 and appeared it would see its second lead change of the game when Gilmer attempted a field goal. Still, China Spring’s junior defensive back Jacob Mott blocked the field goal attempt, enabling Watkins to scoop up the loose ball and race to the end zone with no time left in the second quarter.
The Cougars’ dominant defense held Gilmer scoreless in the second half, including three turnovers on downs. Line backer Dawson Exline, defensive lineman Keith Njemini, and junior defensive lineman Greg Salazar shut down Gilmer’s talented offense and junior star tailback Ashton Haynes.
Bowden scored three rushing touchdowns behind its drive blocking offensive line on runs of 2, 4, and 14 yards to cushion the Cougars’ lead. The elusive quarterback proved to be a tough cookie to tackle, with the ability to find the tiniest creases. It was not the long scoring runs fans had witnessed in previous games; however, the grind brought positive results.
Bowden led China Spring’s ground game with 191 yards on 34 carries and three scores.
The Buckeyes (14-2), which lost in the finals a year ago to Carthage 70-14, struggled offensively to get much going against the stingy Cougars’ defense. Exline, receiver/defensive back Landon Kuehn, and Salazar were in on stops for loss yards and no gain on Gilmer’s opening frame of the day. The same pressure held the Buckeyes to seven points throughout the evening.
“We missed on some opportunities that put us behind the eight ball,” Buckeyes coach Alan Metzel mentioned.
Buckeyes quarterback Brandon Tennison’s best efforts watched an offense that averaged 480 yards a game, completed 18-of-34 for 136 yards and touchdowns.
Mirror image possessions, including failed field goal attempts, a three and out, and scoring drives that watched both teams score while the other answer displayed the competitive side.
Gilmers’ first drive watched a field goal attempt bounce off the left upright. Soon after China Spring, drove the opposite direction from its 20-yard line to the Gilmer 18, but Buckeyes linebacker Joseph Clark came up with back-to-back stops, dropping defensive back/running back Isaiah Williams for loss and sacking Bowden at the 31. That brought up fourth and 23, setting up a 48-yard field goal attempt that fell short of the goal post while junior receiver/defensive back Rohan Fluellen stood in the end zone, caught the ball, and returned it to the end zone Gilmer 28. The possession eventually stalled.
In addition, Mott, Njmini, and Watkins have all worked to slow Gilmer’s high-powered offense to short gains. The dictation of the defense never allowed the Buckeyes to locate its rhythm.
However, near the midway mark of the second quarter, Gilmer executed a 61-yard drive. After a 23 yard pass to receiver Parker Gilow at the 37 of China Spring, Haynes made up for dropping a screen pass with open field in front by making the best of four consecutive carries. A 17-yard burst to the 20 led to a two-yard touchdown run. Gilmer led, 7-0 following linebacker/kicker Jose Hernandez’s kick.
“They did everything that we asked of them,” Metzel said. “They came back here and came up short, but I could not be more proud of the 2021 Gilmer Buckeyes.”
Before the Cougars answered, Clark’s consistent play stopped Williams for no gain, and Hernandez tackled Williams for a two-yard loss at Gilmer’s 36. But on third and eight, Bowden scrambled 15 yards through the middle of Gilmer’s defense for a first down at the 9-yard line. Three downs later, Bowden bulled through three defenders to record a four-yard scoring run, tying the score 7-7 after Thomas Barr’s extra point kick.
On the ensuing kickoff, the Buckeyes threatened to grab the lead, continued its ground attack as Tennison, Clark, and running back Ladaylon Jackson piled up yards. Tennison hooked up with Gilow for a 27 yard gain at the Cougars 15 coupled with Fluellen’s catch at the 5-yard line. Then Tennison spiked the ball with six seconds left in the second quarter. Still, as the action proceeded, fans had no time to blink as Gilmer sent out its field goal unit.
“We were battling like crazy there in the first half,” said Buckeyes coach Alan Metzel. “Right there at the half where we’re expecting to have this big boost of emotion and feel good, and it flips on us. We struggled to recover from that. Couldn’t get any offensive momentum.”
“We were all kind of hyped-up when we came running into halftime,” China Spring linebacker Brayden Faulkner said. “It was a good momentum booster. Then we also had to jump back in and not get complacent and kind of focus on the next half.”
In the third quarter, China Spring began its surge following Bowden’s 32-yard run to Gilmer’s 33. Bowden and Williams pounded the ball to the 5-yard line, where Barr drilled a 22-yard field goal with 7:25 left in the quarter. The lead increased, 17-7.
The Buckeyes’ mistakes mounted as it suffered three infractions on the same possession, including a false start, delay of game, and holding. Its two following frames resulted in a turnover on downs.
A host of China Spring players tackled Clark for no gain while facing fourth and one. Exline dropped Jackson for a loss, and junior defensive back Tre Hafford broke up a pass to force a turnover on downs.
The Cougars, following possession, watched it punt while Gilmers’ successive two frames resulted in a turnover on downs.
The Cougars’ first of two fourth-quarter scores begin at midfield after the first of three turnovers on downs. The ten-play drive wore down Gilmer’s defense. Bowden and Williams again churned out yards until Bowden’s 14-yard touchdown run concluded the frame as Barr added the PAT, and China Spring led, 24-7. Bowden tacked on a two-yard scoring run to close out the evening as China Spring’s swell 31-7.
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