The top-ranked and undefeated Aledo Bearcats go into Friday night’s 5A Division I state championship game against Smithson Valley with a quiet confidence that can only come from playing for the team that is the defending state champion and has a state record 11 titles.
Aledo is currently on a 29-game win streak (14 in a row to end last season as state champs, 15-0 so far this season.
Many of the key players who played in that title game last year are back this year for the Bearcats, including the offensive and defensive MVPs from last year’s 52-14 blowout of College Station.
Quarterback Hauss Hejny was named the game’s Offensive MVP after he rushed 10 times for 143 yards and two touchdowns, while passing for 175 yards and two touchdowns. Jake Gillespie was named the game’s Defensive MVP. The safety had five tackles, a forced fumble, an interception and several big punt returns.
Senior linebacker Davhon Keys also had a huge game for Aledo in last year’s state championship game. Keys had five tackles, a fumble recovery on College Station’s first possession, and he ran for two touchdowns out of the wildcat formation.
Keys, an LSU commit at linebacker, is the glue that holds Aledo’s stout run defense together. In three of Aledo’s five playoff games, the defense has held the opponents to 7 points of fewer. Last week the Bearcats stopped previously undefeated Forney, 43-7.
The senior has 157 tackles on the season.
Keys said this week that he thought Aledo’s defense could match up well against Smithson Valley.
“They have a really good offense,” Keys said of the Rangers. “But I think we are going to rise to the occasion; play fast, play hard and play physical.”
Keys, who has scored 11 touchdowns in the post season, said he doesn’t care if he gets to come in on offense of not.
“I don’t care one way or the other as long as I am helping my team. That’s all I care about,” Keys said. He is such a team player he couldn’t say how many times he has scored on offense. For the record, he has 15 rushing touchdowns, most of which he scores running out of the wildcat formation.
While Keys runs like a freight train in short yardage situations, like all Aledo players he is quick to give praise to teammates like the offensive line.
One of those offensive linemen is 6-4, 300-pound senior Djay Williams. Williams said the offense line will be back to full strength Friday and he is looking forward to what the group can do at full strength.
At less than full strength last week, the offensive line paved the way for Aledo to gain 370 rushing yards against Forney. Williams said he knew the offensive line was doing a good job when the coaches called 53 running plays to just 11 pass attempts.
Williams, who also started in last year’s game, said having experience playing at AT&T Stadium is an advantage for the Bearcats.
“It’s a different atmosphere. It’s closed off with the top, but it feels large. I had to make sure I went out there before the game so I didn’t go out there and feel off the entire game. Whenever you get in there it does feel a lot different that just a normal game,” Wiliams said.
Another senior starter who is back from last year is cornerback Chris Johnson.
“I feel like (the defense) has improved since the beginning of the season,” Johnson said.
“Watching film, (Smithson Valley) does a lot of running. They try to do a lot of outside running so I feel like the corners are going to have to step up and make some tackles.”
The defense stepped up and made a lot of tackles last week against Forney, which managed just 76 rushing yards and 201 total yards in the game.
Expect all of Aledo’s players to play fast, hard and physical Friday night against the Rangers
