Game story
Unbeaten Pleasant Grove dethrones West Orange-Stark to claim first state title
ARLINGTON, Texas—Pleasant Grove dethroned the king to claim the crown.
The Hawks played solidly in all phases of the game, and defeated two-time defending champion West Orange-Stark, 41-21, to claim their first Class 4A, Division II football state title in school history.
The Mustangs (13-1) had won 40 consecutive games before Pleasant Grove (16-0) ended that streak with a convincing win and state championship Friday at AT&T Stadium.
Senior tailback TJ Cole was named Offensive Player of the Game, while teammate senior middle linebacker Caleb Porchia earned Defensive Player of the Game.
“I am extremely proud of the team,” Pleasant Grove head coach Josh Gibson said. “Our theme was ‘Heart and Soul’, and they put their hearts and souls into the program. It’s an awesome feeling, and we’re all extremely excited.
“This is a special group. On the first day, I sat the guys down and told them that if they are willing to buy in then in four years we could play for a state title. I have never seen a group of kids put this much effort in, and they did everything that we asked them to do. The kids upped the ante and did more.”
Cole finished with 81 yards rushing, 107 yards receiving and three total TDs. Sophomore quarterback Ben Harmon hit on 9 of 14 passes for 248 yards and a pair of scores for the Hawks.
Senior tight end Xavier Benson finished with 4 receptions for 114 yards and a 22-yard interception return for a touchdown, coming with 15 seconds left to put the game out of reach.
Benson also caught a 29-yard pass on a big third-and-five late in the game to keep the chains moving.
“The third down catch was emotional,” Benson said. “We knew that we could do it, the work payed off, and we earned a state title.”
Porchia had a game-high nine tackles and had 1 1/2 sacks for the Hawks, while teammate freshman Landon
Jackson also made 1 1/2 sacks.
Pleasant Grove outgained West Orange-Stark, 359-283 yards, and had a 50 percent, third down conversion rate, compared to just 18 percent for the Mustangs.
Neither team scored in the third quarter, and the Hawks went into the fourth with a 21-6 lead.
Bruce Garrett found the end zone from 4 yards out to give PG a 28-6 lead.
But the Mustangs scored quickly to close the gap to a Hawk 14-point lead when Chaka Watson hit Jarron Morris on a 44-yard pass.
Pleasant Grove went three-and-out and had to punt.
Blake Robinson caught a 3-yard touchdown pass from Watson with 4:35 left in the game to inch West Orange-Stark to within seven points, 28-21.
The Hawks attempted a field goal with under a minute left but missed.
Benson intercepted a Watson pass and took it back 22 yards for six to seal it for PG, 35-21.
After the kickoff, the Mustangs attempted another pass, and it was picked off by senior defensive back Aaron Harmon. Harmon returned it 44 yards for the score to end the game.
On the first play of the game, Cole caught a pass from Ben Harmon and ran untouched into the end zone from 75 yards out to give the Hawks a 7-0 lead—just 10 seconds into the contest.
PG senior defensive lineman Nick Gavriel pressured Watson and forced him into an incomplete pass.
On the very next play, Hawk defensive lineman Austin Toler, who finished with four stops, made a great tackle on West Orange-Stark running back Kayven Cooper. The run went for just 2 yards.
Benson tackled Watson, limiting him to just a 1-yard gain, and the Mustangs were forced to punt.
The Hawks went three-and-out and punted back to West Orange-Stark.
Cooper capped a 7-play drive in 2:59 that covered 47 yards with a 3-yard run for a touchdown. The PAT failed, and Pleasant Grove held a 7-6 lead.
Carson Cox caught a 16-yard pass from Ben Harmon on the Hawks’ 9th play of its ensuing drive, and PG set up on the Mustangs’ 34-yard line.
Cole caught a 34-yard pass and hit paydirt to put the Hawks up 14-6.
After each team punted, Pleasant Grove senior Cameron Wells intercepted a Watson pass.
After each team punted twice, the Hawks’ Chauncey Martin returned a West Orange-Stark punt 23 yards to set PG up on their own 48-yard line with 3:36 to go in the second quarter.
The Hawks drove down the field, and Cole scored a 6-yard touchdown run to put PG up 21-6. Benson caught a 37-yard pass from Ben Harmon during the drive to help set up the score.
Cole had 165 yards of offense and three TDs by halftime for the Hawks. PG’s Black Hawk defense allowed just 23 rushing yards in the first half.