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The Allen Eagles Win The 5A Division I Championship

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The Allen Eagles (15-1) come up with a big 2nd half to beat the Fort Bend Hightower Hurricanes (13-1) and win the 5A Division I Championship at Reliant Stadium Saturday night 21-14.   This was the first championship appearance for either team. 

Allen started the game and drove the ball to the Hightower 44 before being pushed back 10 yards on consecutive plays.  The Hurricanes first possession will start at their 12 yard line.  On the 3rd play of the drive WR Darius Johnson caught a pass, made some great moves and took it down the sideline for what appeared to be a TD but he was ruled out of bounds at the Allen 42.    Three plays later, Johnson took a end round for those 42 yards and a TD.    The XP is good and Hightower led 7-0 with 7:18 left in the 1st quarter.   It was a 5 play,  88 yard drive that took 2:16.  Allen is able to pick up 4 first downs on their next drive before DB Alex Francis picks off a pass to the end zone with 2:41 remaining in the 1st quarter.  A 22 yard run by Johnson moves to the ball to the 47.  Two plays later, the Eagles recover a fumble at their 35.  They run for 5 yards on the next play and the 1st quarter ends with the Hurricanes leading the Eagles 7-0.

Stats

Rushing         H -- 72     A -- 1
Passing          H -- 61     A -- 68
Total              H -- 133   A -- 69
1st Downs     H -- 3       A -- 4

Three plays into the 2nd quarter, Allen lines up to go for a 4th and 1 at their 44 but they do a quick kick and it is downed at the Hightower 14.   The Hurricanes pick up 4 1st downs on their way to the Allen 1 yard line where they decide to go for it on 4th and goal.   The fade pass to Johnson is incomplete and Allen takes over on downs at their 1 yard line.  The pass was knocked down on a great play by DB Jeremy Reeves who had single coverage.   The Eagles pick up 2 first downs but turn over the ball on a fumble a their 35 with 1:48 remaining.  Dele Junaid stripped the ball and a great hit and Tomas Luna recovered for Hightower.   The Hurricanes settle for a 37 yard field goal attempt but it was partially blocked and to the left.    The Eagles run out the final 30 seconds to end the half with the Hurricanes still leading the Eagles 7-0.

Stats

First Downs                 H -- 9                     A -- 7
Rushing                        H   19-121            A -- 13-13
Passing                         H     102                A -- 104
Turnovers                     H       1                  A --   2

Hightower: 223 total yards -- QB AJ Highmsith 6-10, 102 yards ... WR Darius Johnson 5-96 receiving and 1-42 rushing (TD)

Allen 117 total yards -- QB Tucker Carter 10-14, 104 yards, INT .... allen has just 13 yards on 13 rushes

Hightower Defense
Shaun Lewis     8 tackles     1.5 sacks 2   TFL
Colton Valencia     3 tackles    
Uchenna Nwabuike     3 tackles
Dele Junaid     3 tackles

Allen Defense
Josh Reed   4 tackles
Jason Butler     3 tackles   1 TFL
Cheyenne Urban   3 tackles
LaChris Anyiam   3 tackles

The Hurricanes start with the ball to begin the 3rd quarter.    They convert on three 3rd down plays but a holding penalty stops the drive and they attempt a 46 yard field goal which is short and the score remains 7-0 with Hightower in the lead.   6:07 remains in the 3rd quarter.    Hightower has a big edge in yardage, out gaining the Eagles 271-117.    Allen then drove to the Hightower 2 yard line highlighted by 3 passes to Dakarai Pecikonis.  The final pass was to Jeremiah Williams for the TD from 3 yards out.  The XP is good and the score is now tied at 7 with 2:59 left in the 3rd quarter. 
This was a 9 play 71 yard drive that took up 3:08.   The other key play on that drive was when Allen went for it on 4th and 1 at their own 38.    The Eagles pick up 2 first downs and have a 2nd and 16 at their 47 when the 3rd quarter ends. The teams are locked at 7 points apiece with just 12 minutes remaining.

Stats
Rushing         Hightower -- 169             Allen -- 10
Rushing         Hightower -- 131             Allen -- 178
Total              Hightower -- 300             Allen -- 188
1st Downs     Hightower -- 14               Allen -- 11
The teams trade punts to open the 3rd and after a 53 yard punt, the Hurricanes have the ball at their 36 with 9:51 left in the game.   After a 19 yard completion, the next pass is picked off by Mitch Hartshorne and he takes it 26 yards to the Hightower 37.    On the first play after the turnover, there is a blown coverage in the secondary and QB Tucker Carter hits a wide open Marcus Thomas for the TD.   The XP is good and the score is now Allen 14 and Hightower 7 with 9:05 left in the game.  That was a 1 play 37 yard drive that took 0:07.   The Hurricanes lose 15 yards on their next set of downs and punt from their own 3 yard line.   The Eagles get a good return and take over at the Hightower 25 yard line with 6:35 remaining.    The Eagles run an End around by Jeremy Reeves and he takes it in for the TD but their is a flag down at the 5 yard line and they are called for holding.   Four plays later, Carter passes to Justin Robinson and he takes it in for the TD just inside the pylons.   The XP is good and the new score is now Allen 21 and Hightower 7 with 5:17 remaining in the game.   The drive was 5 plays 25 yards and took 1:18.   The kickoff to Hightower is taken by Darius Johson returns it 77 yards to the Allen 11 yard line.   On the next play Highsmiths pass is to Bryce Edwards and he fights his way into the end zone for the TD.   The XP is good and the new score is Allen 21 Hightower 14 with 5:00 remaining.  The drive was 1 play 11 yards that took 0:04.    Allen goes 3 and out but a running into the kicker gives them a fourth down and a foot with 3:58 left.   They go for it and make the first down on a quick pass.   Allen goes another 3 plays and face a 4th an 2 at the Hightower 38.  Another pass is complete for a 1st down at the 23 with 2:30 remaining.   The Eagles go for it again on 4th down at the Hightower 15 and the reverse is stuffed and the Hurricanes have one more chance from their own 15 with 1:03 remaining.   The Hurricanes have it at their 34 with 10 seconds left when Highsmiths pass is completed to receiver who steps out of bounds.   The clock shows 0:00 and Allen has won their first state championship with a 21-14 victory over Hightower.

Final Stats

First Downs      H -- 19                     A-- 15
Rushes-Yards   H --   34-152           A --   28-52
Passing Yrds     H -- 219                  A -- 238
Passes                H  --   16 of 29       A -- 21 of 30
Total Yrds         H -- 371                  A   -- 290
Turnovers          H -- 2                      A -- 2

Hurricane Stats
QB Highsmith   16-27 1 INT   1 TD   219 yards     60 yards rushing
WR Darius Johnson     5 catches 96 yards     60   yards rushing
WR Bryce Edwards 5 catches 51 yards   1 TD
Shaun Lewis     16 tackles   1.5 sacks     3 TFL
Dele Junaid   7 tackles     1 TFL
Phillip Steward   5 tackles   1 TFL
Uchenna Nwabuike   5 tackles

Eagle Stats
QB Tucker Carter     21 of 30   1 INT   3 TDs
WR Bradlee Waddell     6 catches for 73 yards
Dakari Peckonis     4 catches   87 yards
Jason Butler     9 tackles   1 TFL
La Chris Anyiam   5 tackles 1 TFL
Jeremy Reeves     5 tackles
Josh Reed   4 tackles

Photos by Diana Porter

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