The field was soaked with tears of the fallen champions.
For the first time in three years, the Scots would not get a chance to battle for the state championship. In a tense overtime, the Scots failed to score on the first possession, leaving the Lone Star Rangers to decide the fate of the game.
On the Rangers’ possession, running back Jaden Nixon ran for 18-yards on first down to score a touchdown.
Senior Cole Filley comforts senior Chandler Morris after Lone Star scores the final winning touchdown.
The final score was 33-37 and, just like that, the Scots’ season was over.
“It’s always emotional when you put all the effort and preparation into a game and come up short,” head football coach Randy Allen said. “Our team had done everything they could to win the game, and they were very disappointed when we didn’t win.”
During the first two quarters of the game, quarterback Chandler Morris, senior, scored two of his three touchdowns. The teams were tied at 10 in the first quarter and then at 17 when halftime arrived. For a moment in the third quarter, the Scots clenched the lead, but the Rangers came back to end the game at 33-33 before overtime.
“We couldn’t have had a better team, and we couldn’t have had a better experience with football,” Allen said. “They gave tremendous effort and prepared as well as anyone has ever prepared for a football game.”
Senior Andrew Bonnet chases after Lone Star quarterback Garret Rangel.
Earlier this season, Lone Star, ranked number one in the state, stripped the Scots of their historic winning streak, so the boys’ preparation for this rematch was fierce.
“I’ve never seen our guys give more effort then they gave in that game,” Allen said. The only way I can explain it was that it appeared that it was Lone Star’s year because somethings went their way in the game.”
The loss hit the seniors especially hard. After three previous state titles, this game marked the first playoff game senior players ever lost. Captain Prince Dorbah, a senior who played in two state championship games, said despite the loss, he doesn’t regret his or his team’s performance in the game.
“I played my heart out, and there’s nothing I can really do,” he said. “It just is what it is.”
Although the boys did not bring home a fourth consecutive state, the Scots still hold the state record for the longest consecutive state title. Additionally, the team earned Allen his 400th win this season. Both of these accomplishments are largely owed to the seniors, whose high school careers ended the night of the regional game.
“The seniors were great leaders,” Allen said. “They were fun to coach, and I know they left the football program better than they found it.”
