Pottsboro’s Tyler Farris ripped the ball away from Brock quarterback Jaxon Gleaton for an interception in the end zone with less than a minute to play to give the Cardinals a dramatic 36-35 victory in the Class 3A Division I state semifinals on Thursday at the Ford Center in Frisco.
Gleaton had completed a backwards pass to the sideline before he ran a route to the endzone on the third-and-12 play from the Pottsboro 26.
Gleaton had the ball in his hands in the end zone before Farris wrestled the ball away from him for the inception to preserve Pottsboro’s victory and give the Cardinals their first berth in the state championship game.
Pottsboro (15-0), ranked No. 7 in the state, will play the winner between Grandview and Columbus, at 3 p.m. next Thursday in the Class 3A Division I state title game at AT&T Stadium.
Brock ends the season at 12-3.
Brock, behind a 5-touchdown effort from running back Cash Jones, had an 11-point lead in the third quarter before Pottsboro rallied for the victory. Jones finished with 259 rushing yards.
Jones had TD runs of 4, 2, 40, 4 and 2 yards to give the Eagles a 35-24 lead with with 4:46 left in the third quarter. Brock scored on every one of their possessions up to that point.
Pottsboro was able to cut the lead back to one possession on its next drive. The Cardinals drove 71-yards to cut the lead to 35-30 with 5:27 left in the game.
Cy Shope took a direct snap and looked like he was going to run a sweep to the left. However, he pitched the ball to Jasek Hooker on a reverse back to the Brock sideline. Hooker appeared to be looking for a receiver before he tucked the ball and ran toward the endzone.
A Brock defender hit Hooker just inside the 5, but Hooker was able to spin off the hit and into the endzone to cut the lead to 35-30. Pottsboro attempted a two-point PAT run, but Brock was able to stop the attempt.
However, Pottsboro forced a thee-and-out on Brock’s sixth offensive possession.
The Cardinals then put together an 80-yard, 11-play game-winning drive, capped by quarterback Brandon Pyler’s 2-yard run. Pyler rushed for 97-yard on 31 carries and two TDS. He also threw for 216 yards, including a 61-yard TD pass to Ezra Fritts.
Scoring summery:
P – Cy Shope 7 run (McDonald kick) 7-0
B – Cash Jones 4 run (Cade Harris kick)7-7
P – Braden Plyler with a 3 run. (McDonald Kick) 14-7
B – Cash Jones with a 2 run. (Cade Harris kick) 14-14
B – Cash Jones with a 40 run (Harris kick) 21-14
P – Jacob McDonald 21-yard FG 21-17
B – Cash Jones 4 run (Harris kick) 28-17
P – Braden Plyler 61 pass to Ezra Fritts (McDonald kick) 28-24
B – Cash Jones 2 run. (Harris kick) 35-24
P – Jasek Hooker 11 run (run failed) 35-30
P – Braden Plyler 2 run (run failed) 36-35
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