ARLINGTON, Tex.—Players sprinted to celebrate and embrace one another as 2016 6A-DII champion DeSoto secured their place in Texas high school history.
The Eagles defeated the Cibolo Steele Knights 38-29 to cap off a perfect 16-0 season and capture their first state championship in their prestigious program history.
Pinned deep in their own territory after forcing a three-and-out to open the game, DeSoto quarterback and TCU commit Shawn Robinson found Colorado commit Laviska Shenault Jr. on consecutive plays to get the ball rolling for the Eagles.
DeSoto running back Kelan Walker’s one-yard touchdown run represented the opening score with 5:34 remaining in the first quarter. DeSoto’s first drive spanned 14 plays and 92 yards as the Eagles shook off big-game jitters with no problem.
On their second drive of the game, Steele quarterback, Texas Tech commit, Xavier Martin was sacked by Ashton Brooks on a loss of three. Facing a third-and-one and in desperate need of an offensive catalyst, a bad snap resulted in a loss of twelve and forced Steele to punt on its opening two drives. Brooks finished the first half with one pass broken up and a sack.
The Eagles stayed on the ground during their second drive as big runs by Richie Washington II and Robinson allowed the Eagles to set up shop deep inside Steele territory once again. Robinson sped for the end zone on a 17-yard touchdown to give DeSoto an early 14-0 advantage late in the first quarter.
Steele was finally able to establish the run game, gaining their first, first down of the game with 2:20 to go in the first quarter on a 19-yard run by Steele junior Brenden Brady. Later on in the drive, with Steele facing fourth-and-four, it was Brady who was able to pick up the first down on a spectacular turnaround catch.
Steele eyed the end zone as the Knights advanced within arm’s reach of the goal line. DeSoto’s defense stood the Knights up on back-to-back-to-back plays as the Knights had to settle for a field goal.
With 9:58 to go before the halfway point, Matthew O’Brien put the Knights of Cibolo Steele on the board with a 23-yard field goal.
Robinson and the two-headed monster that is the DeSoto offense continued their domination of the Knights defense as Robinson scrambled for 42 yards.
The following play would be the craziest and possibly most unlucky play for Steele all night.
Robinson was picked off by Jayveon Cardwell who proceeded to return the interception. On the return, Cardwell was hit by DeSoto’s Joshua Jynes, who knocked the ball loose and into the hands of DeSoto’s AJ Smith. DeSoto would retain possession and minutes later, Walker would stroll into the end zone for his second touchdown of the day. DeSoto now lead 21-3 halway through the second quarter.
Following the field goal, the Knights’ offense began to find a rhythm. Another big fourth down pick-up by Brady, Xavier Martin found the end zone for Steele’s first touchdown on a 15-yard run.
Robinson and his Eagles offense had 2:18 to work with as they tried to reclaim an 18-point lead. After a series of running plays and quarterback draws, the clock quickly became an enemy of DeSoto. On the final play of the half, Robinson let out an absolute bullet and found KD Nixon in a tiny window in the back of the end zone for a 28-yard touchdown as time expired.
DeSoto took a 28-10 lead into the locker room at halftime.
DeSoto looked to come out of the gate the same way that they did in the first half; firing. After the kick to open the second half of play went out of bounds, Robinson found an open lane and looked to break away for a big run, but Steele caught a break. During Robinson’s fall, he let go of the ball and Steele escaped the opening drive with no damage done.
Steele’s offense continued the momentum from the first half and picked up a few first downs before finding themselves in a fourth-and-short situation. And then Steele Head Coach Scott Lehnhoff stunned AT&T Stadium with his call.
From punt formation, the Knights long snapper snapped the ball directly to Travell Lumpkin, who powered his way through a few defenders to pick up the first down and keep the drive alive.
On the next play, Steele quarterback Martin showed the crowd of 40,318 why he committed to play Division I football. Martin found CJ Williams, who broke behind the secondary, for a 45-yard passing touchdown. Williams’ ninth and biggest of the year.
With Steele’s momentum at an all-time high following the big touchdown and a sack, Robinson put an end to the momentum shift with a first down run on second second-and-20.
On the same drive, Shenault Jr. took a screen pass and tip-toed down the sideline for a 51-yard touchdown reception to extend the DeSoto lead, once again, to 35-17. 20 minutes remained in the game.
But the Knights would not go down without a fight. The DeSoto front seven, who seemingly lived in the backfield for most of the game, began to chase Martin as the quarterback rolled out. Still scanning downfield for an open receiver, Martin slung a pass to Brady along the sideline. Brady hauled in the pass and made a few defenders miss en route to a 34-yard touchdown pass.
DeSoto clung on to a 35-23 lead after a failed two-point conversion.
Closing the gap on DeSoto’s lead, the Steele defense needed a stop. They got one.
However, an undisciplined penalty for 12 men on the field on the punt gave DeSoto a new life. But, Steele’s defense responded once again.
Subsequently after a massive blow, Robinson fell to the ground on third down, unable to get up under his own power. As Robinson was being helped off the field, his team prepared to punt.
A short punt mixed with a big return, resulted in tremendous field position for Steele. Martin capitalized. The Texas Tech commit scampered for 20 yards and leaped into the corner of the end zone.
Coach Lehnhoff called yet another two-point conversion. A trick play stumped the defense as Martin stood alone in the corner of the end zone, but the quarterback was not able to hang on.
DeSoto’s lead was now six.
Robinson returned to the game for the Eagles, evidently in pain, as the Eagles drive went three-and-out. Robinson finished 17-24 with 222 passing yards, two passing touchdowns on the night. Robinson added 197 yards on the ground and a rushing touchdown, as well.
Steele got the ball back with six minutes to play, needing one touchdown to go ahead. Reports stated that Martin was not fully-healthy either, but like Robinson, the leader would not stay off the field.
On the succeeding play after picking up a first down, catastrophe overcame the Knights. The ball came out and DeSoto recovered deep in enemy territory. Clinging onto a six-point lead, DeSoto looked to its ground attack to run out the clock.
With two minutes remaining, DeSoto encountered a fourth-and-four on the Steele eight-yard line. Eagles’ Head Coach Todd Peterman sent the field goal team out for a 24-yard field goal. The kick narrowly missed the left upright, DeSoto’s lead was now nine.
Needing to score quick, Steele turned to the hook-and-ladder to Brady, which landed Steele at the DeSoto 30 with under a minute and a half remaining. Martin threw a few quick out-routes. First and goal for Steele with under a minute remaining, trailing 38-29.
The DeSoto defense, as they had all season, proved unbreakable in crucial moments as the Eagles batted a pass out of the back of the end zone to secure the 6A-DII state championship.
