December 19, 2014

Ennis 38, Cedar Park 35

Few could have projected this game would come down to the wire after the Ennis Lions jumped out to a 17-0 lead less than a minute into the second quarter thanks to a pair of Devin Smith touchdown passes.

Ennis had forced a four-and-out, a three-and-out and got an interception on Cedar Park’s first three drives, but the Timberwolves woke up after Ennis’ second touchdown and made it 17-7 after Amir Alzer’s 34-yard touchdown run. After an Ennis fumble two plays into its next series, Alzer hooked up with Davis Fiala for a 22-yard touchdown pass and CPHS was back in the game at 17-14.

After an Ennis punt, Cedar Park's Thomas Hutchings ripped off a 76-yard touchdown run to give the Timberwolves a 21-17 lead. 

Ennis grabbed the lead back after halftime when Trey Edwards picked off a Cedar Park pass giving his offense a short field after a 28-yard return. On 4th-and-1 from the two-yard line, Tre Elliot barrelled in for a touchdown and Ennis had the lead back at 24-21.

The back and forth continued as Cedar Park needed four plays to answer when Alzer found Jack Grimm for a 30-yard touchdown pass on 4th and 9 to put Cedar Park back up 28-24.

Ennis answered again on the first play of its next drive when Taylor Thompson ripped off a 71-yard touchdown run to regain the lead, 31-28, with four minutes left in the third.

Cedar Park grabbed the lead back in the fourth with an 11-play drive that was capped by an Alzer-to-Fiala 21-yard touchdown pass with 4:40 left to give Cedar Park a 35-31 lead.

Ennis fumbled the ensuing kickoff and appeared the Lions were going to fall short of a state title. Cedar Park was able to move to the Ennis 11 with 1:38 left in the game, but the drive stalled and the Timberwolves elected to kick a 28-yard field goal. A key play on that drive that allowed Ennis to save that last timeout was a third down run in which Ennis was able to knock the Cedar Park back out of bounds, allowing the Lions to keep that timeout, which would be huge later.

The kick was no good and Ennis had 80 yards to go, one timeout and 1:29 left. Ennis only moved 13 yards and with 40 left the Lions had to take a timeout after QB Smith was sacked. Facing a 3rd and 19 after an incomplete pass, Ennis needed a miracle on its own 33 and with no timeouts left.

Well, head coach Jack Alvarez dialed up the perfect play to give Ennis some hope as Smith threw a short pass to Alston Lawrence, who pitched to Taylor Thompson, who had a convoy down the sideline for a 32-yard gain down to the Cedar Park 36-yard line before going out of bounds with 28 seconds left.

On the next play WR Donta Thompson, who is 6-foot-6, got behind the Cedar Park defense to haul in a 36-yard touchdown pass from Smith that gave Ennis the game-winning score at 38-35, which set off a massive celebration of the folks in maroon.

Ennis picked off Cedar Park when the Timberwolves tried a last-ditch effort and the Lions took home their fifth state title.

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