One more win. That is all that separated state champions from runner-ups. Last weekend, several Longhorns targets were looking to earn that elusive last victory of the football season. Included in this mix, Longhorns signee Ja’Tavion Sanders looked to reach the peak of his high school football career, just one season after coming up just short of a title in 2019.
In addition to Alexander, 2023 four-star linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. had another productive outing for Denton Ryan. For the second consecutive weekend, Hill forced a fumble, this time resulting in a third quarter Ryan Raider touchdown. Also, Hill once again found his way into the end zone with a second quarter rushing touchdown.
In the secondary, 2022 four-star cornerback Austin Jordan was engaged in some lockdown coverage as I only saw him allow one pass completion. Although teammate, Ty Marsh, ended up taking home the game’s Defensive MVP award. Marsh, a safety, finished the game with both a forced fumble and an interception. Despite his great season and playoff run, Marsh only has ten collegiate offers.
Texas signee Ja’Tavion Sanders had five pass receptions on offense, including a fourth quarter touchdown catch.
Overall, Ryan’s star power was far too much for Cedar Park to handle. As a result, Ryan won their first state title since 2002 with a 59-14 victory.
However, Katy’s defense was just as lethal as they only allowed Cedar Hill to score 14 points, compared to Katy’s 51 points. As a result, Katy breezed past Cedar Hill to win their ninth state football title.
Of course, Westlake’s head coach, Todd Dodge, is a former Longhorns quarterback. Additionally, his son, Riley, is Carroll’s head football coach and was a former quality control coach for the Longhorns as well.
Meanwhile, the game’s quarterback battle featured two of the state’s best quarterbacks in the 2022 recruiting cycle. In addition, both Cade Klubnik, and Quinn Ewers, have interest from Texas. Currently, Klubnik is uncommitted, however he has plenty of schools to choose from with 27 college offers. On the flip side, Ewers is committed to Ohio State, however he was briefly committed to the Longhorns while Tom Herman was at the helm.
In the “Dodge Bowl,” both quarterbacks showed the nation why they are so highly rated. For Carroll, Ewers finished the game with 23 completions on 39 passing attempts, and threw for three touchdowns and two interceptions. Additionally, Ewers passed for 351 yards, while Klubnik passed for 220 yards and added 97 rushing yards with his legs. For Westlake, Klubnik finished the game with 18 completions on 20 passing attempts, and had a total of three touchdowns. Ultimately, Klubnik was able to have the last laugh as Westlake beat Carroll 52-34, resulting in their second consecutive football title.
2023 Texas target, Jaden Greathouse, continued to be Klubnik’s deep ball threat as he finished the game with 103 receiving yards and a touchdown reception. However, Carroll’s 2021 three-star wide receiver Brady Boyd stole the show from a receiving standpoint as he amassed 190 receiving yards and two touchdown receptions. Boyd, who is now a Minnesota enrollee, had been terrorizing defensive backs throughout the entirety of the playoffs.
Extra Point:
Championship weekend was an exciting one from a Longhorns perspective. Multiple Longhorns targets contributed to their team’s dominance and showcased how much talent lies within the state. Now that the season has come to an end, it will be interesting to see who Steve Sarkisian will be able to attract to the Texas program.
Also, Denton Ryan’s defense is very fun to watch, and there are multiple Raiders who would be great additions for the Longhorns.
Lastly, the “Dodge Bowl” might have only been a close contest for one half, however it was still very exciting. Both quarterbacks showed excellent pocket presence and made some tough throws. I think that fans in attendance might have very well witnessed the future of the sport. Also, Westlake’s defense continued to show their might with their second half adjustments and SportsCenter-esque plays. In fact, Westlake’s, Michael Taaffe, finished the game with two interceptions, one of which was SportsCenter’s top play.
Miles Logged:
80 (total).
Longhorns Recruiting Notes:
To begin, 2022 four-star safety Jacoby Matthews was re-offered by the new Texas Longhorns coaching regime.
https://twitter.com/RealZachEvans/status/1350127044038975492?s=20
Last Friday, the Longhorns extended an offer to 2022 three-star running back Zach Evans.
https://twitter.com/givens_gunner/status/1351381852729303040?s=20
Last Monday, the Longhorns offered 2022 five-star offensive tackle Gunner Givens.
https://twitter.com/garfield151015/status/1351638967368773634?s=20
On Tuesday, Texas offered 2021 three-star defensive end Garfield Lawrence. Currently, Lawrence is committed to joining the Kansas Jayhawks football team.
https://twitter.com/JarayBledsoe/status/1351642048563195906?s=20
Also on Tuesday, the Longhorns extended an offer to 2022 defensive tackle Jaray Bledsoe.
https://twitter.com/JacobAllen_79/status/1351728461279326208?s=20
Additionally, the Longhorns also offered 2022 four-star offensive tackle Jacob Allen.
