ARLINGTON – Last season, Albany secured its first state football title in more than 60 years after taking down mighty Mart 41-21. Exactly one year ago to the day, the Bears took down the Panthers again to repeat as state champs.
Albany held Mart to its lowest score in more than four years – winning 28-10 in the Class 2A Division 2 championship on Thursday at AT&T Stadium.
In their ninth state title game appearance, the Bears cap off an undefeated 16-0 season. It’s their fourth state title – winning back to back 1A crowns in 1960 and 61.
Mart, in its 15th appearance, ends 15-1.
The Panthers have eight titles – tied for fourth most in UIL 11-man history. A ninth championship would have pushed them into a tie for second all time – only behind Aledo (11).
Adam Hill, who was on the state title team last season, was voted offensive game MVP with 132 yards rushing on 24 carries and two touchdowns. Zach Waggoner was defensive MVP with nine tackles, two for loss and 1 1/2 sacks. Waggoner also served as the team’s punter and kicker.
Mart took a 3-0 lead on a field goal by Armando Chavez midway through the first quarter.
Hill gave Albany a 7-3 lead after his 52-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter. The Bears extended the lead to 21-3 with two touchdowns late in the half.
Branson Beal caught a 37-yard TD pass from Chip Chambers with 1:58 left.
Then Hill caught a 2-yard TD pass from Chambers with 11 seconds before intermission.
JD Bell helped Mart pull within 21-10 with a 7-yard TD run with 8:27 left in the final period.
Hill added one more score – on a 5-yard run with under a minute left in the fourth quarter.
Albany out gained Mart 249-200.
Mart falls to 7-7-1 in championship games – losing in its last three appearances. It was the Panthers fewest amount of points in a game since 2019 and fewest in a playoff game since 2014.
