BY BRIAN GOSSET
Brett Holloway returned in the second half to lead Melissa past Argyle and into the state semifinals for the first time since 2011 following a 20-19 win at Choctaw Stadium in Arlington on Friday night.
Melissa heads to the 5A D2 state semifinals and faces South Oak Cliff, which shut out PNG 28-0 on Friday.
Holloway, a senior for the Cardinals, sat out in the first half due to a suspension after being ejected during their 49-7 win over Anna last week.
He finished the game with 22 carries, 134 yards and two touchdowns.
Drew Chapa started at QB for Melissa and tossed a 46-yard touchdown to Jacob Swain for a 7-0 lead four minutes into the contest. Argyle drilled a field goal to bring it to 7-3 midway through the period.
The Eagles added two more field goals from Carter Stebbins and led 16-7. QB Maguire Gasperson also added a 1-yard scoring run.
Holloway scored on a 16-yard TD to get Melissa within 16-14 with 9:30 left in the fourth quarter. After another Stebbins field goal that made it 19-14, Holloway gave the Cardinals a 20-19 lead with a 2-yard TD run.
Bear Tabor added 86 yards rushing for Melissa.
Gasperson finished 25 of 36 for 331 yards passing.
The only other time Melissa reached the state semifinals came in 2011 when the Cardinals won the Class 2A D1 championship 28-15 over Hempstead.
