With under a minute left in the game on Thursday, it took only one play for Arlington Bowie to score when the Volunteers QB Larry Nichols threw a 45-yard touchdown pass to Keidric Osunde-Brown.
The score pulled Bowie within 30-29 with 36 seconds remaining.
Head coach Joseph Sam and Bowie elected for the go-ahead two-point conversion for the lead, but a pass attempt was batted down and Martin hung on for the 30-29 victory at Choctaw Stadium in the District 8-6A championship game.
Both teams entered the night tied for first place with identical 5-0 district records.
The win gave Martin its fifth consecutive outright district title.
The Warriors (7-3, 6-0) have won 19 straight district games and 33 of their past 34. They post a 33-0-1 record in that span with their only non win coming during a 7-7 tie with Grand Prairie in the 2020 COVID season.
Martin’s last district loss came in Week 8 against Arlington in 2018.
Next up is the playoffs as Martin, which has won seven straight games since starting 0-3, will host Richardson Berkner in the 6A Division 1 bi-district round at 7 pm Thursday from Wilemon Field at Arlington Sam Houston HS.
Bowie, which went 5-6 last season, ends the regular season 7-3 and 5-1.
The Vols will be the #1 seed in D2 and host Dallas Jesuit at 730 pm Friday from Wilemon Field.
Their seven wins are most since 2020.
Bowie took a 13-0 lead in the first quarter. Nichols hit Osunde-Brown for a 19-yard TD and Tavares Duckett rushed in a score from 78 yards. Martin cut it to 13-6 on an 89-yard interception return for a touchdown.
Bowie continued to lead by 10 at 16-6 and 23-13.
But Martin cut it to 23-20 for intermission following a 36-yard TD from Brooks Brigance to Trantan Miles with 1:42 left in the second quarter. Brigance scored on a 7-yard TD run in the third quarter to push Martin up 27-23 and then added a 30-yard field goal by Harry Davidson to extend it to 30-23.
Bowie dominated the line of scrimmage with 502 yards total offense compared to Martin’s 218. The Vols rushed for 225 while Martin just cracked the century mark. Duckett had 99 yards on the ground with one TD and Darrion Bowers added 73 yards. Nichols led the pass attack with 277 yards and three TDs on 25 of 35 attempts.
Brigance went 7 of 12 for 118 yards and one TD for Martin. He added a team high 44 yards on 12 carries and one score. Bowie’s Rafeald Campbell had 10 catches for 101 yards and one TD. Osunde-Brown added 71 yards on three catches and two scores. Martin was led by Trantan Miles, who had 71 yards on five receptions and one score.
The other two teams out of 8-6A to make the postseason: SGP and Arlington.
SGP, #2 in D1, will play Lake Highlands in bi-district while Arlington, #2 in D2, will travel to Highland Park.
