Top-ranked Aledo got scores from its offense, defense and special teams as the Bearcats rolled to a 63-7 victory over Wichita Falls Rider Friday night’s 5A Division II state semifinal game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.
The Bearcat coaches could not have scripted a better start to the game as Aledo was up 21-0 just 5:15 into the game and Rider had yet to get a first down.
“I am just so proud of our guys,” Aledo head coach Steve Wood said after the game.
Running back Jase McClellan rushed for129 yards and three touchdowns, while quarterback Jake Bishop tossed a pair of touchdown passes.
Tre Owens, who didn’t play a down of offense, scored twice. Owens scored on a 43-yard punt return and set a school record with a 103-yard interception for a TD on the last play of the first half.
Aledo only had to punt one time in the game.
Demarco Roberts returned the opening kickoff 50 yards to the Rider 37 and the Bearcats were off to the races. It took just 5 plays and 2:15 of game time for Aledo to take the lead. Four of the plays were runs by McClellan, including the final yard untouched for his first TD of the night.
Rider started its first drive at its 10 and lost four yards on three plays. Owens fielded the Rider punt at the 43 and took it to the house to give the Bearcats a 14-0 lead with 8:14 left in the first quarter.
Rider’s second drive started at its own 7 and on third and 10, Aledo linebacker Wyatt Harris intercepted a pass and returned the ball to the Raiders 20.
It took Aledo just two plays to make it 21-0. Bishop hit Jo Jo Earle for a 13-yard gain then threw a 7 yard touchdown to tight end Devan Daugherty with 6:45 left in the first quarter.
Rider’s offense got a pair of first downs on its third drive of the game, but the Bearcat defense forced the Raiders to turn the ball over on downs at the Aledo 31.
Aledo put together a 10-play drive to score on their fourth consecutive possession to make it 28-0. McClellan carried the ball on six of the 10 plays for 49 yards. He dove into the end zone from a yard out for his second touchdown of the game with 10:47 left in the second quarter.
After the teams traded punts, Aledo got it’s second turnover of the game.
Aledo defensive end Logan Thurman forced Rider quarterback Jacob Rodriguez to lose the ball and defensive lineman Oliver Crow recovered on the Raider 17. Three plays later McClellan’s third touchdown of the game made it 35-0.
Rider then looked like it may score as it put together a 10-play drive that went all the way to the Aledo 4. However, one fourth and goal, Aledo safety Owens jumped high in the air to pull down a one-handed interception. Owens then raced down the sideline in front of the Rider bench 103 yards to score on the final play of the half.
“Once I got to the 50, I just didn’t want to get caught from behind,” Owens said of the touchdown return.
That back-breaking score made it 42-0 at the half.
The Bearcats didn’t let up in the second half.
Aledo got a 30-yard TD reception from Mylen Hayhurst on its first offense play of the third quarter to make it 49-0.
Sophomore cornerback Demarco Roberts ended Rider’s next drive with an interception in traffic and he returned the ball to the 43.
A couple of long McClellan runs gave Aledo a first and goal at the Rider 8. McClellan’s night was over after those two carries. Backup running back Ryan Anderson had a 5-yard TD run to make it 56-0 to allow Aledo to start resting all of the starters.
Rider’s lone score came on their next drive. Tre Byrd’s 15-yard touchdown run made it 56-7 with 2:04 left in the third quarter.
Aledo’s second string offense ran the ball well in the fourth quarter and Matt Tague’s 6-yard run closed out the scoring with 2:57 left in the game.
Aledo (15-0) will face No 4 Fort Bend Marshall (14-0) next week as the Bearcats try to win their seventh state title in the last 10 years. Marshall defeated Corpus Christi Calallen 19-17 in the other semifinal played Friday.
The championship game will also be played at AT&T Stadium at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 21.
Click here for a link to a gallery of action images from the game.
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