Stepp's Top 10 Games of 2021: No. 3 - Hawley vs. Marlin

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3. Hawley 19, Marlin 12

December 9, 2021

Class 2A Division I State Semifinals

Weatherford, TX

In an unexpected battle of 2A-Division I semifinalists, the front seven of Hawley was able to keep the Bearcats unbeaten record intact as they contained the speed and athleticism of Marlin in a 19-12 slugfest where turnovers, penalties and struggles on the offensive line doomed Marlin’s Cinderella season. 

Both defenses dominated in the first quarter as a special teams blunder from Marlin setting Hawley up in Marlin territory proved to be the only serious scoring threat in the first quarter. Marlin’s defense was able to hold on 4th and 12 on downs to keep Hawley out of the end zone. 

Mid-way through the second quarter it appeared Marlin had something going driving to the Hawley 26-yard line, but a Marlin fumble ended the Bulldogs chances at breaking the scoreless tie. The two teams would then exchange interceptions as Marlin’s Derion Gullette would pickoff Hawley and the Hawley would answer with a pick of their own as Marc Salas would give HHS the ball back. 

After the Hawley interception the Bearcats finally got moving as Aeneas Segura had a long catch and run down to the Marlin 25, shortly after a 4th and 10 conversion, Segura would score on a one-yard run to give Hawley a 7-0 lead with 1:53 left in the second quarter, a lead Hawley would hold going to halftime. 

Hawley would open the second half with what was easily their best drive of the game, scoring on a short Segura touchdown run to take a 13-0 lead with just under nine minutes left in the third quarter. Again, a Marlin mistake helped Hawley out as a Marlin penalty wiped out a Bulldogs interception. Marlin would finally unleash that speed that scared Hawley so much pregame as Desmond Woodson found Trajon Butler on a screen pass and Butler would go 68-yards for the touchdown to cut the Hawley lead to 13-6 with just under eight minutes left in the third quarter. 

Marlin would keep the momentum going stuffing Hawley on a fake punt to take over at the Bearcats 45-yard line. With 3:17 left in the third quarter Marlin would cut the lead to 13-12 on a short touchdown run by Gullette, but the two point conversion failed, leaving Hawley in the lead. 

With 5:14 left in the game, Hawley would extend the lead as Segura would score again, this time on a 19-yard screen pass from Rodey Hooper to give HHS a 19-12 lead as the PAT failed. Marlin would quicky march down the field into the Hawley red zone, but a fumble after a completed pass was recovered by Hawley at their own one yard line with just under four minutes left in the game. Hawley would convert a pair of first downs and would force Marlin to use their timeouts up and the Bearcats were able to run the clock out and escape Kangaroo Stadium with a hard fought 19-12 win and their first trip to a state championship game. 

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