By Ryan Cox
Special to Texas HS Football
Arlington – The Aledo Bearcats were known for their record-breaking offense coming into the 4A Division II state championship game against Brenham. After all, the Bearcats had scored 985 points – shattering the all-time record – in just 15 games.
The difference in the game, however, was Aledo’s shut-down defense and electrifying plays in the second half to propel the Bearcat’s to a 38-10 victory over Brenham.
Offensively, the first quarter was exceptionally slow for both teams offensively. Aledo’s Parker Shaunfield connected on a 33-yard field goal for the only points in the opening quarter.
Tein Pham, Brenham’s freshman kicker, countered with a 22-yard field goal of his own to tie the game at 3-3 with 6:02 left in the second quarter.
Aledo had never trailed in a game all season and they weren’t about to start now.
Daythan Davis provided the games’ first touchdown with his 2-yard run and quarterback Luke Bishop, the offensive MVP of the game, added another before the first half when he found Ryan Newsome for a 28-yard touchdown pass.
Even with a 17-3 halftime lead, the Bearcats had yet to hit their stride offensively. It was only a matter of time before they did, too.
After a scoreless third quarter, Aledo relied on the play-makers that got them to this point of the season to put the game away. Taco Anderson hauled in a 43-yard touchdown pass from Bishop to increase the Aledo lead to 24-3.
The dynamic ability of Newsome showed once again when the junior ran untouched for a 59-yard touchdown run with 9:29 left in the game.
Brenham’s Tre’Vonte Johnson ended Aledo’s 28-0 scoring run when he reeled in a tipped pass in one-on-one coverage and took it 70 yards for the Cubs’ lone touchdown of the game.
Bishop, who finished 6-of-10 passing for 157 yards and three touchdown passes, hit a wide-open Anderson once again, this time from 18 yards out, for the games’ finishing touch.
The Aledo win gave the Bearcats their fifth football state championship, including their fourth since 2009.