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Bishop Leads Bearcats to Crown over tough Temple team

The Aledo Bearcats won their 2nd consecutive and 6th overall championship during their wild 49-45 victory over the Temple Wildcats in the Class 5A Division I Championship at AT&T Stadium. This was their 7th all-time state championship game. Temple fell to 2-6 in championship games. That last played in and won the 1992 Class 5A Division II championship.

The teams started by trading touchdowns and score was 14-14 with 4:36 left in the first quarter.  It looked like we were looking at a track meet as neither defense seemed a match for the offensive play.  That changed with the next drive.

Temple QB, Chad President's pass was intercepted at the 31 by Larry Brown who returned it for a touchdown. Aledo led 21-14 at that point and it seemed to be a turning point for them. The Bearcats then got the ball back after a Temple punt and were able to convert that into another touchdown when running back, Jess Anders scored from 11 yards out.  Aledo took a 28-14 lead and Temple appeared to be reeling.

Temple took over with 7 minutes left in the quarter and scored a touchdown but it was called back due to a holding call. They settled for a 35 yard field goal.

The Bearcats got one last chance taking over at their 35 with 2:15 left and 2 time outs. The Bearcats converted as they took it 65 yards in 7 plays. Bearcat quarterback Luke Bishop passed to Austin Summberhil from 5 yards out with 23 seconds left making the score 35-17 Aledo at the half. Bishop logged 72 yards passing and 125 yards rushing in the first half while President had 153 yards passing. On defense, Aledo's defensive back Brown went into the half with 7 tackles and the interception.

The teams traded punts a few times before Temple went on an 11 play, 74 yard drive and running back Marques Hatcher ran it in from 9 yards out with 1:56 left in 3rd. That made the score 35-24 Aledo.

Temple then recovered an onside kick at the Aledo 46. Two runs later by Hatcher and he scored from 5 yards out with 1:39 in 3rd to tighten the score to 35-31. Aledo responded with a 29 yard touchdown pass to Anders. That play was on a 4th & 6 call to making the score 42-31.

It only took 2:42 before President scored on a diving run from 6 yards out to bring the score to 42-38 with 8:15 left. After an Aledo punt, Temple scored on a double pass where the Aledo defender knocked the ball in the air and Temple receiver Jordan Lee juggled the ball before finally catching it in the end zone for the touchdown. The pass was from 40 yards and Temple took the lead 45-42 with 5:50 left in the game.

Aledo then took over from their own 25. Their Head Coach Steve Wood made a gutsy call when his team had it 4th & 1 at the Temple 11.  He said, "Well, you're playing for the state championship and you've got 1 yard to go.  You're playing to win.  You want that situation.  Its a no brainer!"

They went for the 1st down and got it. Bishop was then able to run it in from 6 yards out with 47 seconds left in the game with Aledo leading 49-45. Temple started at their own 24 with 41 seconds left. Presidents pass was intercepted by Bishop in the end zone to end the game.

After the game, Temple Head Coach Mike Spradlin summed it up, "We got ourselves into position and took a shot into the endzone. They (Aledo) just don't do things wrong."

Defensive Player Of The Game: Aledo Larry Brown - Junior LB (11 tackles, INT returned for TD)
Offensive Player Of The Game: Aledo Luke Bishop - Senior QB (169 yards rushing, 122 yards passing 4 total TDs)

Attendance: 40,281 which ranks 13th all-time.

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