Photo: Brian McLean
BY BRIAN GOSSET
X – @Gosset41
ARLINGTON – Gunter lost back-to-back games during the first month of the season – falling to 1-2. But after losing to Celina 38-7 in Week 3, the Tigers showcased their dominance on their way to another state championship.
Senior quarterback Preston Tarpley threw for two touchdowns and Mitchell Gage set a UIL Class 3A record as Gunter shut out Woodville 28-0 in the 3A Division 2 title game on Thursday in front of 9,531 at AT&T Stadium.
It was Gunter’s third straight title.
“These guys played as sophomores on our team three years ago when we won state,” head coach Jake Fieszel mentioned after the game. “And as juniors they were huge contributors. Obviously this year they led the pack. With their play on the field and their leadership, they willed us to a bunch of victories especially throughout the playoffs.”
It was also the program’s seventh title game appearance and fifth championship – all coming in the past nine seasons. The Tigers end 14-2 while Woodville, in its first appearance, goes 13-3.
After a scoreless first quarter, Gunter scored the only points in the half early in the second period. Easton Overman returned a Woodville punt 34 yards to the Eagles’ 29 yard line. Brock Boddie ran for 3 and 8 yards, and Tarpley threw an 18-yard score to Cole Harpole with 10:06 left on the clock.
Gunter led 7-0 at the intermission as the two teams combined for 10 punts.
Fieszel challenged his group at half – looking for a big play and got one from Gage to open the third quarter. Gage took the second half kickoff and returned it 96 yards for a touchdown – setting the UIL record for longest kickoff return in a Class 3A state championship.
“Going into the second half, coach said we need a big play especially on special teams,” Gage said in the postgame press conference. “We went out there all hyped up and all the guys blocked…all I had to do was run. It was wide open.”
The previous record was 90 yards in 1962. The 96 yards was also the third longest overall in any classification – behind a pair of 97 yard returns from 1967 and 2017.
Gunter added to the lead when Tarpley hit Cash Rumage for a 59-yard touchdown to make it 21-0 with 8:57 left in the third. The Tigers finally put the game to bed when Boddie scored on a pick-six and returned an interception 63 yards for the 28-0 lead. Boddie also added 51 yards on 15 carries.
Rumage was voted offensive MVP with 73 yards receiving and the one touchdown. Tarpley finished 9 of 15 for 121 yards and two touchdowns. Hayden Farrell was defensive MVP with 11 total tackles, three sacks and 5 1/2 tackles for a loss. Jax Graham chipped in 11 tackles, one sack and one pass breakup.
Braeden McDaniel and Carter Balak each added nine tackles and Gage also had an interception on defense in the fourth quarter.
Gunter lost to Anna, which won state last year, 55-28 in Week 2 and gave up 107 points through the first three games. The Tigers turned it around and allowed 101 points in the final 13 contests – allowing 7.8 points per game with five shutouts during that stretch.
The Tigers lost to Celina in Week 3 – the Bobcats are playing in the Class 4A Division 1 final on Friday. The shutout over Woodville is the first in a 3A championship game since Atlanta did it against Marlin during the 2003 season.
