The UIL Football State Championships are returning to AT&T Stadium on Friday, January 15th. Don’t miss Aledo High School take on Crosby High School at 1:00 pm.
How to watch
What: UIL 5A Division 2 football championship
Teams: Aledo (12-1) vs. Crosby (12-3)
Date: Friday, Jan. 15 | Time: 1 p.m. CT
Location: AT&T Stadium, Arlington Texas
TV: FOX Sports Southwest | Live Stream: FoxSportsGo | Audio: Texanlive.com
Historically speaking, the Texas UIL 5A Division 2 championship football game between the Aledo Bearcats and Crosby Cougars is a mismatch. Aledo is after its third straight state title, fourth in five years, ninth in 12 years, and 10th overall. Crosby seeks championship No. 1.
But a high school football title game isn’t a history lesson. Especially in Texas. Games are won on the field and by all indications, this should be a high-scoring, back-and-forth humdinger.
Crosby scored more than 60 points three times during the playoffs, including a wild 62-61 semifinal victory over Liberty Hill. It averaged more than 400 yards per all game, almost evenly divided between the pass (215) and run (197). The Cougars’ clear offensive standout trio are quarterback Deniquez Dunn (2,530 total yards, 37 total touchdowns), running back-quarterback Reggie Branch (3,188 total yards, 36 touchdowns), and wide receiver Jaylen Herman (65 catches, 1,262 yards, 14 touchdowns). All are seniors and have carried the Cougars during certain parts of the season.
Defensively, Crosby linebackers McCoy Casey (127 tackles) and Trevon King (113 tackles) get the job done.
Casey, King, and Co. will have their work cut out slowing down the Bearcats, who scored at least 45 in all five playoff games, including 77-6 over Hillcrest.
Senior running back Demarco Roberts was the star in a 55-28 semifinal win over Rider (Wichita Falls) with 155 yards rushing and four touchdowns. But the team’s go-to star is 5-foot-10, 175-pound receiver Jo Jo Earle, the state’s No. 10 senior recruits according to 247Sports. He’s headed to Alabama and the Crimson Tide have a history of recruiting very gifted wide receivers.
In two seasons heading into his senior year, Earle hauled in 149 passes for 2,691 yards and 31 touchdowns. He also rushed for 695 yards and 14 more scores, meaning head coach Tim Buchanan likes to get him the ball.
Aledo, like always, would much prefer to get out in front and grind the ball on the ground. Besides Earle, Aledo has another top recruit in 6-foot, 180-pound junior safety Bryan Allen, who has already committed to LSU.
Aledo and Crosby haven’t met in at least 16 seasons.
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