Eagles win 3rd straight undefeated district title
No. 10 Atascocita extended its district winning streak to 26 games after defeating Humble 42-7 Friday night in the District 22-6A finale at Turner Stadium.
The Eagles won their third straight undefeated district title, which is a school record.
“It’s a good thing because you want to win the game,” said Atascocita head coach Craig Stump on winning his third undefeated district title. “There’s a streak of 26 games in a row and I think the seniors take pride in that. We were able to accomplish our three of our goals, which is to win district, lead the district in offense and defense and now our fourth goal is to win a state championship. Now we have to go do that.”
The Eagles (9-1, 8-0) and Wildcats (8-2, 6-2) both came into the game already clinching a spot in the playoffs.
Atascocita will go in the Class 6A Division I bracket while Humble will be in the Class 6A Division II bracket.
Humble is in the playoffs for the first time since 2010 and will play its first playoff game under head coach Charles West since he arrived at Humble in 2012.
The Eagles and Wildcats both fought through the physical game that brought out massive hits on the gridiron.
Atascocita’s offense scored quickly in the first quarter.
Senior quarterback Brice Matthews hit wide receiver Landen King for a 25yard gain. Then Matthews went down the sideline for a 50-yard touchdown.
On their next offensive possession, Matthews hit wide receiver Dylan Robinson, a Houston commit, for a 62-yard touchdown to give Atascocita a 14-0 lead with 5:57 left in the first quarter.
Humble scored at the end of the first quarter.
Humble sophomore running back X’zavier Sydney ran 45 yards but fumbled. The Wildcats recovered the ball on the 1-yard line. Syn’Savier Sydney, X’Zavier’s brother, ran in a 1-yard touchdown for Humble’s first points of the game with 1:05 left in the first quarter.
It was a defensive battle in the second quarter.
With 7:34 left in the half, Atascocita punted the ball. Humble fumbled on the punt, and Atascocita took over on the 3-yard line. The
Wildcats’ defense stepped up on third down as defensive back Demarcus Crosby came up with an interception.
On the Wildcats’ next offensive possession, senior quarterback Dexter Wyble hit junior wide receiver Robert Williams for a 45yard gain to place the ball at the 3-yard line. Humble fumbled the ball again, and it went back in the end zone for a touchback as Atascocita’s offense took over.
Atascocita went into the locker room at halftime with a 14-7 lead.
“It was 14-7 — it was a football game,” Stump said. “We haven’t had a football game since September. But it was 14-7, and we always prepare to win it on the last play and play four quarters. We gave up one score and then we started running the ball.”
The second half to the Eagles.
Atascocita’s defense stepped up and shut out the Wildcats’ offense. The Eagles outscored Humble 21-0 in the second half and had one interception.
The Eagles’ defense belonged forced a Humble punt, but Atascocita fumbled the ball and gave it back to the Wildcats. Atascocita would hold Humble again to force another punt.
Humble fumbled the ball three times in the game while Atascocita had one interception and one fumble.
On the next offensive possession, the Eagles went on an 11-play, 93-yard drive that capped off with a 6-yard touchdown run by junior running back Quincy Thompson as Atascocita went up 21-7 with 4:16 left in the third quarter.
Atascocita finished the third quarter using its rushing attack. Sophomore running back Tyras Whitfield went straight through the Wildcats’ defense for a 59yard touchdown with 42 seconds left as the Eagles led Humble 28-7.
Thompson scored his second touchdown with 8:48 left in the fourth quarter with a 22-yard touchdown run that put Atascocita up 36-7 with a two-point conversion run by King.
Matthews hit Robinson again for a 34-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter to seal the victory.