By Brian Gosset
X – @gosset41
ALEDO – Arlington Martin came into Aledo and did what no other team could accomplish in over 6,900 days – hand the Bearcats a district loss.
Martin erased a 21-10 halftime deficit and held Aledo scoreless in the final two quarters to win 35-21 on Friday night to spoil homecoming at Tim Buchanan Stadium.
The Warriors (5-0, 2-0 in 3-6A) were billed as one of the tougher opponents Aledo (2-3, 1-1) would face in district as the Bearcats continued their inaugural season in Class 6A.
Aledo extended the streak to 136 straight district wins after beating Granbury in Week 4 – a streak that was a national record that started in 2007. Everman was the last team to beat Aledo in district on Oct. 5, 2007.
Trailing 21-10 at halftime, Martin scored on the opening drive of the third quarter. After Mason Hawkins returned the kickoff 80 yards inside the 20, the Warriors settled for a 32-yard field goal by kicker Gabe Guevera to get within 21-13 at the 10:32 mark of the period.
Aledo managed to drive deep into Martin’s side of the field twice in the third quarter, but both times, the Bearcats turned it over. The first possession ended in a turnover on downs and the second was a fumble lost. However, Aledo still led 21-13 going into the fourth.
Facing a fourth-and-2 to start the final quarter, Martin coach Chad Rives went for it on his own 23 and got a 77-yard touchdown run by Kevin Grant and after the kick, the Aledo lead was down to 21-20.
Meanwhile, Aledo’s offense continued to struggle and Martin’s defense kept getting stronger. The Warriors got a first down to the Aledo 36 midway through the fourth and then scored the go-ahead touchdown when Chase Devoll hit Malik Mason for a 28-21 lead.
Aledo started the ensuing drive inside its own 10 and couldn’t move the ball as the Bearcats had to punt from their own end zone. The Bearcats got the ball back with under three minutes, but couldn’t convert a fourth-and-2 at their own 33.
On third-and-10, Martin iced it when Kaden Phillips broke free up the middle for the touchdown run and 35-21 lead with 1:51 to go.
Both offenses started hot with Aledo taking the opening kickoff. In only four plays, the Bearcats were at the Martin 15 after a 23-yard run by Wyatt Dorsey. Aledo capped off the drive with a Tre Williams’ 13-yard touchdown pass to Caden Palmquest for a 7-0 lead with 9:32 on the clock.
Martin running back Javian Jones-Priest came up clutch on the Warriors’ first drive, which started with a third-down conversion near midfield. A few plays later and Martin went back to Jones-Priest, who scored on a 55-yard run that tied it with 7:34 left in the opening period.
Then the offenses stalled.
After several punts by both squads and a 7-7 tie after the first quarter, Dorsey found the end zone from 59 yards to give the Bearcats a 14-7 lead in the opening minute of the second quarter.
Martin wide receiver Chancellor Tealer made a nice catch and run before getting hit late that tacked on 15 more yards for the Warriors to the Aledo 40. Martin ended the drive with a 45-yard field goal by Guevera to make it 14-10 at the 8:32 mark of the first half.
Aledo’s next scoring drive started with a 47-yard punt return by Cooper Hull to the Martin 32. After a couple of short gains inside the 10, the Bearcats scored on third and goal when Williams found Colby Thompson in the back corner of the end zone for a 4-yard touchdown that extended their lead to 21-10 with 1:14 before halftime.
