Our first UIL State Finals match-up featured the Aledo High School Bearcats and the Crosby High School Cougars. Aledo isn’t just looking for a State Title, they are looking to complete their attempt at a three-peat and the 10th State Title in school history.
Crosby would get things going in a hurry matching down the field in exactly three minutes. Deniquez Dunn completed a quick slant to Jaylen Herman for the first touchdown of the night. With nine minutes left in the first quarter, the Cougars led 7-0.
Alabama commit JoJo Earle wouldn’t let Aledo be down for long. He would break off a 75-yard touchdown run off a screen pass. In less than a minute the Bearcats would tie the game 7-7. The Bearcats defense would force the Cougars to punt, but gave up a costly roughing the kicker penalty. Deniquez Dunn would throw a bomb down the field to Irvin Paige III setting them up in scoring range. A few plays later Reggie Branch would punch in a three-yard touchdown run.
Aledos’ game plan was clear from the jump, get Earle the ball. He would even line up as the wildcat quarterback multiple times on the next drive. With Earle in at QB, DeMarco Roberts would take the option hand off and score from 17-yards out.
The first quarter would end 14-14 with the Bearcats looking to break the tie. DeMarco Roberts helped Aledo get out of trouble with a miraculous run to set the Bearcats inside the Cougars 20-yard line. A few plays later he would punch in his second touchdown of the night from five-yards out.
The Cougars would try and tie the game back up but Grant Mooney would come up with a huge interception. Aledo would take over at their own 45-yard line with 6:23 left in the half. Roberts would continue right where he left off, scoring on a 30-yard touchdown run a few plays later. That would give him three touchdowns in the first half, and Aledo a 28-14 lead.
Crosby High School looked to be in good position after a costly penalty on Aledo. Fortunately for the Bearcats their defense would come up big with back to back tackles for loss. This forced the Cougars to attempt a 40-yard field goal, which they would miss.
Fowler-Nicolosi & Jalen Pope would connect a few times on the next drive and help the Bearcats get down the field quickly. DeMarco Roberts would cap off his huge first half with a 19-yard touchdown to put the Bearcats up 35-14 right before halftime.
Aledo would get the ball to start the third quarter, and begin to grind down the clock. They’d take nearly half the quarter marching down the field. As he has all night, DeMarco Roberts would cap off the scoring drive with a leaping end zone attempt. 42-14 with 7 minutes left
Crosby would be able to put up more points, but not enough to make the game interesting. Aledo and DeMarco Roberts would continue their rushing on-slaught and finish with six rushing touchdowns in the game. The score would read 56-21 by the time the clock hit 0:00 as Aledo captured their third straight State Title.
DeMarco Roberts would finish the game with 225 yards rushing and six touchdowns. That is the most touchdowns from one player in a 5A State Finals game since Johnathan Gray had eight in 2011. Roberts would unsurprisingly take home the Offensive MVP of the game. Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi would finish the game with two passing touchdowns. Congratulations to Aledo High School on a hard fought season, and your newest trophy in the trophy case.
