On to the final
Defense stymies Eagles to clinch spot in title game
The Woodlands pulls off a shocker, beating heavy favorite Allen to advance to the Class 6A Division I final, while all four other area teams lose their semifinal matchups.
AUSTIN — It has taken 13 years, but The Woodlands is headed back to the state championship game.
The Highlanders were widely considered the underdogs in Saturday’s Class 6ADivision I state semifinal matchup against Allen at the Darrell K. Royal Stadium, but they did just about everything right — holding a run-heavy Eagles offense to 81 yards on the ground and making big plays on the way to a 36-28 victory over Allen.
The Highlanders will face Lake Travis (14-1) at 8 p.m. Saturday at AT&T-Stadium in Arlington for the 6A Division I state crown.
“Allen had that run of three consecutive state championships in 2012, 13 and 14,” The Woodlands coach Mark Schmid said. “And (this season) they were ranked No. 1 in the state, so we had to be the underdogs. But our kids have faced big opponents all year, and they’ve never felt like they were the underdogs.
“It is huge to be able to beat a great football team. To beat an undefeated team, especially an Allen team, is sweet.”
The Woodlands (15-0) has been playing well all season, prevailing despite the loss of senior linebacker Grant Milton, who was hospitalized two weeks ago after suffering a serious head injury in the victory over Austin Bowie. Milton, who remains comatose, has become the driving force behind the Highlanders’ playoff run.
“We’ve been playing that way all year, but we’ve picked it up in the playoffs,” defensive lineman Michael Purcell said. “We are peaking — and this is the perfect time to peak. We’ve definitely been playing inspired with what happened to Milton. We are just playing for the team, the school and for him.”
Allen (14-1) tried to set the tone early and began the game with a 14-play, drive. But the Eagles were turned away in the red zone and had to settle for a 32yard field-goal attempt. The Woodlands’ Christopher Stewart broke through the Allen offensive line and blocked Michael Ewton’s kick.
The Highlanders responded by driving 80 yards in 11 plays — ending with a 7-yard touchdown run by Carlos Ramosto give The Woodlands a 7-0 lead with 4:26 remaining in the quarter.
A 39-yard field goal by Lockhart West gave the Highlanders a 10-0 lead in the first five seconds of the second quarter.
A 68-yard touchdown pass from Eric Schmid to Dylan Casey with 3:17 left in the half and a 24-yard field goal from West gave the Highlanders a 20-3 advantage at halftime. Schmid hit Kesean Carter for a 72-yard touchdown strike on the Highlanders’ opening drive of the second half.
Carter led the Highlanders with nine catches for 183 yards and a touchdown, while Casey had 140 yards on five catches. Schmid passed for 369 yards and three touchdowns.
But Allen didn’t go quietly.
The Eagles’ defense forced three consecutive punts and Mitchell Jonke found Theo Wease for a 30-yard touchdown with 7:19 left in the third quarter. Ewton nailed a 37-yard field goal to make it 26-13 at the 3:10 left mark.
But Purcell finished with six total tackles, 2½ sacks, three tackles for a loss and a pass breakup as the defense held off the Allen rally.
“He played a heck of a game tonight,” Mark Schmid said. “He is worn out. There isn’t anything left in him — he gave it his all. Hekept putting pressure on the quarterback, and wedid a great job of stopping their run game.”