Robinson’s 397 yards lift Eagles to first crown

ARLINGTON — Shawn Robinson had 397 yards total offense and accounted for three touchdowns, leading DeSoto to its first state title with a 38-29 victory over Cibolo Steele in the Class 6A Division II championship game Saturday.

Hobbled by a fourth-quarter injury, Robinson led DeSoto (16-0) on a 73-yard drive to set up the final points, a 24-yard field goal by Cristian Gonzales that made it a twoscore game with 2:06 remaining.

Steele (14-2) pulled within 35-29 early in the fourth quarter on a 20yard run by quarterback Xavier Martin, who ran for two touchdowns and had 182 yards passing with two scores.

Robinson, a TCU pledge, had 210 yards passing and 187 rushing. He gave the Eagles a 14-0 lead on a 17-yard run in the first quarter and had a pair of scoring passes.

DeSoto was making its first appearance in a state final, and it was Steele’s third trip since 2010, when the Knights won their only title.

Robinson crumpled to the turf while running a play after taking a shot to the ribs the previous play. He returned for two drives but clearly was favoring the injury the rest of the game.

The Eagles stopped two drives by the Knights in the fourth quarter, with Nevada pledge Isaiah Stewart forcing a fumble and later knocking down Martin’s last pass in the end zone in the final seconds.

Sixty years after opening, DeSoto’s first trip to state came after four consecutive years of losing to perennial power Allen, the No. 1 team in the final Associated Press poll this year.

DeSoto scored on its first four possessions for a 28-10 halftime lead, including a 28-yard pass from Robinson to KD Nixon on the last play of the first half.

The Eagles took a 7-0 lead on their first possession by going 92 yards on 16 plays. Kelan Walker scored on a 1-yard run.

The Eagles kept the drive alive when Robinson completed a 14yard pass to Emmet Perry on fourth-and-9.