Grant Gunnell passes for 349 yards and four TDs to help keep the Panthers unbeaten.
Houston coach Tom Herman spent time Friday at St. Thomas watching St. Pius X quarterback Grant Gunnell — the sophomore he offered early.
He wasn’t allowed to carry Gunnell home when he left. If he was, he’d probably hide the 6-6 standout somewhere no other coach could find him the next two years.
Gunnell, who also has an offer from Texas A&M — among others — threw for 349 yards and four touchdowns, leading the Panthers to the TAPPS 3-I championship with a 35-21 win over the rival Eagles.
“This is really special, coming out here and doing this with my teammates,” Gunnell said. “We worked hard all offseason, we went undefeated in 7-on-7, and my defense is playing amazing. They worked hard all summer, also, and it’s all coming together.”
St. Pius X is 10-0and 3-0 in district after its first win over St. Thomas (5-5, 2-1) in six tries at Granger Stadium. It will have a bye for the first round of the TAPPS playoffs next week.
“Our goal, first and foremost, is to win a state championship, and to get there we wanted to win a district championship,” St. Pius X coach Stephen Hill said. “To do it on this field, with the success they’ve had, is special for our guys, especially this group of seniors who came in and put in the work. It was their time.”
Gunnell will take 58 TD passes into the postseason after throwing for scores of9, 46, 76 and 8 yards. He already has 74 in his career after recording 16 as a freshman.
“It all starts up front,” Hill said. “They do a good job of protecting him, keeping him on his feet, and then I don’t think there is one guy across the board who you can say, ‘We’re going to stop him.’ If you do that, we’ve got three or four other guys who are good.”
Bryson Jackson hauled in two of Gunnell’s TD strikes — from 46 and 76 yards out — in a 21-point third quarter that turned a 14-14 tie at halftime into a 35-14 St. Pius X advantage heading into the fourth.
Jackson finished with 129 yards on three receptions. Jacob Jefferson threw a 32-yard TD pass and added seven receptions for 146 yards and another touchdown.
“All my receiver are amazing,” Gunnell said. “Without them, I’m nothing, honestly.”
The Eagles converted two Panther turnovers into 14 points.
Daniel Perkins hauled in a beautiful over-the-shoulder, 30-yard pass from QB Peyton Matocha. Then, after Max Brower intercepted Gunnell, Matocha and Perkins connected again from 27 yards, sending the game to halftime 14-all.
Perkins recorded all four of his receptions for 112 yards in the first half.