Turnovers and stifling defense
frustrated the Wildcats
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ossports_Coach Mike Jenks of Steele High school
Arlington – With time ticking away and trailing 21-17, Brown score the go ahead touchdown from two yards out with 2:29 to go.
In just the 5th year in the school existence, Steele made the best of a rare opportunity.
Cibolo Steele drove 77 yards to earn their first Class 5A Division II State Title by way of defeating the Denton Guyer Wildcats Saturday night in front of more than 37,000 fans at Cowboy Stadium. The game was the second of three championship games played at the stadium.
Not since 2002 has a team from San Antonio won a title in class 5A, the last was Converse Judson.
“Thanks go to God, we got a group of unbelievable kids and we got a group of unbelievable coaches that care about each other. Such a family oriented group,” said Steele’s Coach Mike Jinks.
Steele (14-2) marched 79 on their opening drive to take a 7-0 lead, on Browns 19 yard catch and run. Brown accounted for 58 yards on the drive.
Steele’s Shane Huhn recovered Walsh’s fumble at the 36 of Guyer, but the offense wasn’t able to put points on the board. Soon after, a short punt was helpful in setting up the Wildcats tying touchdown when Walsh’s scampered 16 yards straight up the middle of Steele’s defense.
“Well I knew it would be a four quarter ball game. I knew it would come down to mistakes and it came down to the last possession, they made a great play on the sideline right there and picked up the first down to ice it,” said Denton Guyer’s Coach.
Sensational freshman, Justin Stockton complimented Brown well, keeping Guyer’s defense off balanced while picking up tough yards inside.
The knights put together a 12 play 80 yard drive that watched Brown who napped the MVP honors scored from one yard out on 4th and goal to recapture a seven point lead, 14-7. The stinger suffered in the first quarter when Brown’s arm apparently was hit by a Wildcats helmet causing it to go numb for several minutes wasn’t enough to stop a three touchdown performance, with the last one deciding the outcome.
Brown, one of the top RB in the nation led Steele with 107 yards rushing, two scores on the ground and a 19 yard touchdown reception. He finished the season with 2,599 yards.
A holding penalty assessed against the Knights secondary on 3rd and 7 gave Guyer another chance, in which they took advantage of a 60 yard drive to tie the game at 14 on a 43 yard strike from Walsh to Senior Wide out Josh Stewart.
Stockton fumble at the 35 of Wildcats spoiled the opportunity for Steele to go ahead before the half ended. Guyer ran out the clock to end the quarter.
The only other school to win a state championship after moving from 4A to 5A was Southlake Carroll who accomplished the feat in 2002.
Steele kept the pressure on the Wildcats in the third quarter collecting a 22 yard field goal from Michael Stohlmann to take a 17-14 lead. Mean while the defense led by (MVP Linebacker Ryan Simmons), Defensive linemen Marquis Anderson, Alex Lincoln and Jr. Linebacker Devere Carrington held the high scoring Wildcats offense in check all evening. The Wildcats were averaging nearly 45 points a contest.
“But the memories they’ll last forever, we’ll never forget the days, those days we spent in the locker room hanging out with each other,” said J.W. Walsh Guyer’s Quarterback. These are the days you will never forget as a family.”
The Wildcats held on to their 3 point lead while both defenses came to life before Guyer went ahead on Treavon Walton’s 11 yard run with 7:13 to go in the game.
Brown’s two yard TD run put Steele back in front with 2:29 left.
Guyer drove into the Knights territory but watched their hopes fade away when Kwame Clark intercepted Walsh with 1:31 to go.