Pleasant Grove ends WO-S’s 40-game run
ARLINGTON — After looking nearly invincible for the past two seasons, it was time for West Orange-Stark’s reign atop Class 4A Division II to end.
The Mustangs’ winning streak of 40 games was broken in a 41-21 loss to Pleasant Grove in the state title game Friday at AT&T Stadium.
The two-time defending state champions had a chance to draw even in the final minute, but quarterback Chaka Watson threw a pair of interceptions returned for touchdowns.
The loss was the Mustangs’ first since Sept. 2015 and their first in the playoffs since the 2014 state final loss to Gilmer.
“You can’t think about all the records and all that stuff right now,” WO-S coach Cornel Thompson said. “We knew it was time for (the streak) to rest.”
The Mustangs (131) trailed for all but 10 seconds in their fourth state title appearance in as many seasons.
Hawks quarterback Ben Harmon found TJ Cole for a 75-yard touchdown pass on the first play on the game.
It was a sign of things to come for Pleasant Grove’s offense in the first half.
West Orange-Stark’s usually sturdy defensive backfield struggled to stop Harmon, who completed his first five passes.
A 3-yard touchdown run from Kavyn Cooper brought the Mustangs within 7-6, but that was as close as they got.
Harmon completed two third-down passes on the ensuing drive and finished off the 10-play drive with a 34-yard touchdown pass to Cole.
West Orange-Stark’s offense struggled to find a rhythm in the first half outside of Cooper’s touchdown. The Mustangs managed just 69 yards of total offense outside of the touchdown drive.
Pleasant Grove (16-0) took a two-possession lead into halftime when Cole ran for a 6-yard touchdown — his third of the game — with 1:04 left in the first half.
“We didn’t get things going fast enough,” senior linebacker Davien Teate said. “I don’t have the words for it right now.”
West Orange Stark’s offense was unable to produce early in the second half. The Mustangs’ first possession of the second half ended in a turnover on downs inside the Pleasant Grove 30-yard line.
Pleasant Grove’s second drive of the half ended up being the one that sunk the Mustangs.
A nine-play, 70-yard drive ended in a 4-yard touchdown run for Bruce Garrett.
The touchdown gave Pleasant Grove a 28-6 lead with 10:02 left in the game.
The Mustangs fought back to within 28-21 with 4:35 left after Watson threw touchdown passes to Jarron Morris and Blake Robinson.
A third-down completion to Xavier Benson on the next drive allowed Pleasant Grove to take almost all of the remaining time off the clock.
Watson and the Mustangs got the ball back with 28 seconds left, but the senior threw an interception on the second play of the drive to seal the loss.
Overall, Pleasant Grove outgained WO-S 359-283.
Watson led the Mustangs with 240 passing yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions.
“It hurts,” Teate said. “To get all the way to the end and lose like that just hurts.”
CARTHAGE 49 KENNEDALE 21
Keaontay Ingram rushed for 163 yards and three touchdowns, and Carthage cruised to a sixth state title after dispatching Kennedale in Friday’s Class 4A Division I Championship at AT&T Stadium.
Six state titles put Carthage in rare company. Wichita Falls, Waco, Stamford, Lake Travis, Daingerfield and Breckenridge also have six.
Aledo, Brownwood, Converse Judson, Odessa Permian and Plano have seven state championships. Celina, Katy and Southlake Carroll have eight.