December 20, 2013

Argyle 38, Fairfield 33 

Just over 22,000 fans got treated to one of the most entertaining state title games you’ll ever see as Argyle’s Ian Sadler and Fairfield’s Larry Rose, III treated the crowd to a thrilling 3A-Divison II state title game between two unbeaten teams.

Argyle, considered by most to be the favorite, raced out to a 14-3 lead at the end of the first quarter as Sadler and Conner Wilson both had touchdown runs. It would extend the lead to 17-3 early in the second quarter on a Cole Hedlund field goal before Fairfield and Rose woke up. Rose scored on a 39-yard run to make it 17-10 and wake the large Fairfield crowd up.

Fairfield stopped Argyle on the next series and proceeded to march 98-yards in five plays to tie the game on a 69-yard TD pass from QB Jacob Gallegos to Chris Lide. After forcing an Argyle three-and-out, Fairfield started iys next drive on its own five and marched 95 yards to take a 24-17 lead when Gallegos found Alex Ward for a 39-yard touchdown on the final play of the half to give Fairfield the lead.

It was Argyle’s turn to seize control of the game in the second half as it took the second half kickoff and march 52-yards in five plays with Sadler capping the drive with a four-yard touchdown to tie it up at 24-24. Argyle followed that up with a 65-yard punt return for a touchdown from Sadler to give them a 31-24 lead with 7:22 left in the third.

The defenses would settle in for the rest of the quarter, including the first play of the fourth when Fairfield sacked Sadler in the endzone for a safety to cut its deficit to 31-26. Two plays later, Rose got the Fairfield contingent in full throat with a sensational 54-yard touchdown run to give Fairfield the lead at 33-31 with 10:51 remaining.

Argyle answered with a championship drive marching 80-yards in eight plays to take the lead back at 38-33 with 6:54 left in the game; this score came on a three-yard Sadler TD run. 

The two teams would trade three and out drives, with Fairfield taking the ball back on its own 13-yard line with 3:47 left. Two plays into the drive, the Eagles would get into the Argyle red zone as Rose ripped off a 64-yard run to put Fairfield in position to win the game. However, Rose, at this point having rushed for well over 260 yards on 25 carries, appeared to be a bit winded and Fairfield went to a different back on first and second down, gaining only three yards to the 14-yard line. On 3rd and 7, Rose got the ball and picked up three yards setting up a 4th and 4 from the 11-yard line. Rose was stopped for just two yards and Argyle would kneel out the last 1:14 of the game and escape with its first state title.

Rose would finish with 264 yards rushing and two touchdowns, along with 15 receiving yards while Sadler ended the game with 119 rushing yards and three touchdowns, 73 receiving yards and the punt return for a touchdown.

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