Cameron Crazy
02-20-2006, 10:38 PM
For the third straight year, TexasHSFootball.com presents one of the most anticipated annual countdowns featuring the Top 5 Games of the year. While we realize there are hundreds of games to chose from and some games that did not make the list likely could and should be on the list, the list below is based on quality, impact, emotion and a few other criterias. With that being said, please enjoy our countdown and have fun reflecting back from the season!
5 Highland Park 38 Texas High 31 - 11/11
Before the epic battle against Stephenville and the state championship domination of Marshall, the Scots would end up wth a first round game against the Texas High Tigers. The game between the Scots and Tigers would have just about everything you could ask for. To start the game, the Texas High Tigers seemingly had the Scots on the ropes and in their control with a 17-0 second quarter lead. But the Scots roared back with a scoring rout of their own. After trailing 17-0, the Scots came back to within three by halftime on a 21 yard Morgan Hudnall reception then a 73 yard Ross Bolin pass. In the third, Morgan Hudnall's 66 yard touchdown reception gave the Scots a 21-17 lead. The lead would increase to 24-17 after Will Bonano chipped in a 30 yard field goal. The Tigers would strike back to tie the game at 24-24 on a Justin Coats five yard touchdown run. But yet again, the Scots would answer back. Matthew Stafford would find Charley Dickenson for a 72 yard touchdown reception to regain the lead at 31-24. In the the fourth, Alex Carroll would find the endzone from a yard away putting Highland Park up 38-24.
4 South Grand Prairie 48 Denton Ryan 35 (OT) - 11/12
Momentum was the story and theme of the South Grand Prairie-Denton Ryan playoff battle. Denton Ryan's Jaiston Sawyer opened the drama with an early first quarter 96 yard punt return for touchdown followed by a Ben Goldthorpe five yard reception giving Denton Ryan a 14-0 lead. South Grand Prairie wuld respond with a 46 yard touchdown reception from Demoyas Baker. But later Denton Ryan would put the deficit back up to 14 with a 26 yard Justin Fenty reception for touchdown. The second quarter was all South Grand Prairie. Melvin Kelley would intercept an Austin Knight pass for a 34 yard touchdown return pulling SGP with seven and 21-14. The SGP special teams then added to the scoring frenzy with a blocked punt that landed in the end zone and resulted in SGP's Charlie Burks makinbg the recovery. The blockd punt recovery for touchdown esulted in SGP tying the score up at 21-21. Later QB Denzel Dewberry would find Bobby Duncan open for a 33 yard score giving SGP a 28-21 lead. Denton Ryan and Austin Knight would then respond with a five yard touchdown pass to Nathan Uland to tie the score at 28-28. Dewberry and Duncan would connect yet again for a touchdown. This time it was from 59 yards out. With one second left on the clock, Denton Ryan needed a touchdown to tie the game and send the game to overtime. The Raiders were sitting on the South Grand Prairie nine yard line when Austin Knight found Jerome Worsham open to tie the game. Prior to the touchdown, the Raiders were 80 yards away and converted on three fourth down conversions to stay alive. Later in the overtime, SGP's Denzel Dewberry would find the endzone from a yard out putting the Warriors up 42-35. On Denton Ryan's overtime possession, Malcolm Williams intecepted Austin Knight and ran it back 80 yards to give South Grand Prairie a 48-35 overtime win.
3 Stephenville 26 Plainview 23 (2OT) - 111/26
Both Stephenville and Plainview spent the year terrorizing their regional opponents. Now it is their turn to terrorize themselves on the field of play and neither disappointed in the expectations of a classic. The scoring of the game started off the bat with Stephenville taking the opening drive of the game into the end zone on a Hunter Hendershot reception. The following drive, Plainview's Jamar Wall, rushed into the end zone from 10 yards away to even the score. The second quarter resulted in a pair of field goals for Stephenville sanchwiched in between a 61 yard touchdown reception from Plainview's Adam Theil to Evan Hearn. The extra point on that touchdown would be blocked and later prove to decide the end of regulation. Midway through the third, Jamar Wall would strike again. This time from six yards out, giving Plaiview a 20-13 lead. Plainview then intecept a Jevan Snead pass shortly there after. Snead and Stephenville responded with a six play drive going 80 yards. Then tying the game up with a 29 yard touchdown reception by Hunter Hendershot. With seconds to go, Jamar Wall fumbled the ball on the 46 yard line then the Yellow Jackets took the ball all the way to the one yard line where they decided to go for the game winning field goal from 16 yards away. The attempt was partially blocked as the game was sent into overtime. Both Nathan Young and Spencer Bryson missed their field goal attempts in the first overtime. But Bryson redeemed himself in the second overtime by hitting a 37 yarder giving Plainview the lead 23-20 as Stephenville took its possession. Jevan Snead would then run the ball and work it down the short field. On the drive, Snead would take it into the endzone from a yard away giving Stephenville a 26-23 double overtime win.
2 Canton 61 Gilmer 58 - 11/18
Nearly 7,500 onlookers. 1,100 yards of total offense and 20 wins between two teams wasn't enough to stop the Canton-Gilmer game from becoming one of the more memorable East Texas shootouts in recent memory. After Gilmer raised the score to 44-28 on a 62 yard Curtis Brown reception, Barlow Reid and Michael Prox countered with touchdowns of their own off the hands of G.J. Kinne for 68 and 69 yards respectively. Gilmer Justin Johnson rushed in from 12 yards out to put the Buckeyes back up by 10. Canton again continued to stay right in striking distance of Gilmer. The Eagles took yet another touchdown from Houston Tuminello to pull within four. Later in the fourth quarter, Briton Smallwood ran into the endzone giving Canton a 54-51 lead, its first since being up 7-0. Then Gilmer took back the lead when Cody Lee recovered a fumble in the endzone with 4:55 left. Then Canton and G.J. Kinne drove down the field where they found Houstin Tuminello open once again for a six yard touchdown pass. Tuminello's third touchdown of the game gave Canton a 61-58 lead and win in a wild East Texas playoff shootout.
1 Wylie 41 Dallas Wilson 38 - 11/18
The Wylie-Wilson game was significant in more ways than one due to its nature of momentum and lessons learned from the spirit of competition in all levels of football. It was Jim Valvano, who once said, "Don't ever give up." The quote was not just referring to the willingness to battle the game of life, but to battle the defying odds as well. Wilson started off with every reason to believe they would advance to the next round after getting off to a fabulous start in the game. Wilson not only controlled the momentum, but they also controlled the stats and the clock. In the first quarter, Wilson got things started with a one yard Kevin Rusk run followed by a 28 yard Sergio Kindle run putting Wilson up 14-0 after the first. Wilson's rushing attack would continue to be effective into the second quarter. After an Armando Rodriguez field goal from 40 yards out, Kindle posted his second and third touchdowns of the first half. One from 20 yards away, the other from 60 yards away. Wilson's lead was built up to a 31-0 score in the second quarter. Wylie finally got on the board when Brice Reusink chipped in a 43 yard field goal. By halftime, Wilson built up a 31-3 lead and had all the reason to believe they were headed towards the next round. So did some other people as one person "supposively" covering the game in the press box left at the half en route for another game at Texas Stadium. To open the second half, Reusink kicked in a 29 yard field goal cutting the deficit to a 31-6 score. Later, Max Boe connected to Clay Ammerman for a 44 yard touchdown pass bringing the score to 31-13. Then Sergio Kindle struck again with a 70 yard run for touchdown giving Wilson a 38-13 lead. Kindle would finish the game with four touchdowns on 31 carries and 323 yards rushing. Kindle's final touchdown didn't dampen the Pirates spirit and chances. Zack Abbott connected with Tyler O'Quin fron seven yards away before rushing in a touchdown of his own. At the end of the third quarter, Wylie had cut a 31-3 Wilson lead to a 38-27 deficit. The Pirates outscored Wilson 24-7 in the third quarter. Wylie's Max Boe would then connect on his second pass attempt to Mallory Woodall for a 30 yard touchdown bringing the score to a 38-33 score. The Pirates momentum carried them right back into the thick of the game and after holding Wilson on defense, the Pirates had a chance to take the lead after being down 31-0. Zack Abbott and the Pirate offense drive down the field and got to the Wilson 22 yard line. Abbott found Max Boe for a 22 yard touchdown to put the Pirates up 39-38. The Pirates then took a chance on a two point conversion to raise the stakes on Wilson's chances to steal a victory and eliminate an improbable comeback. On the two point conversion, Mallory Woodall found his way in to put Wylie up by three where they would hold on defensively late in the fourth to win the game.
5 Highland Park 38 Texas High 31 - 11/11
Before the epic battle against Stephenville and the state championship domination of Marshall, the Scots would end up wth a first round game against the Texas High Tigers. The game between the Scots and Tigers would have just about everything you could ask for. To start the game, the Texas High Tigers seemingly had the Scots on the ropes and in their control with a 17-0 second quarter lead. But the Scots roared back with a scoring rout of their own. After trailing 17-0, the Scots came back to within three by halftime on a 21 yard Morgan Hudnall reception then a 73 yard Ross Bolin pass. In the third, Morgan Hudnall's 66 yard touchdown reception gave the Scots a 21-17 lead. The lead would increase to 24-17 after Will Bonano chipped in a 30 yard field goal. The Tigers would strike back to tie the game at 24-24 on a Justin Coats five yard touchdown run. But yet again, the Scots would answer back. Matthew Stafford would find Charley Dickenson for a 72 yard touchdown reception to regain the lead at 31-24. In the the fourth, Alex Carroll would find the endzone from a yard away putting Highland Park up 38-24.
4 South Grand Prairie 48 Denton Ryan 35 (OT) - 11/12
Momentum was the story and theme of the South Grand Prairie-Denton Ryan playoff battle. Denton Ryan's Jaiston Sawyer opened the drama with an early first quarter 96 yard punt return for touchdown followed by a Ben Goldthorpe five yard reception giving Denton Ryan a 14-0 lead. South Grand Prairie wuld respond with a 46 yard touchdown reception from Demoyas Baker. But later Denton Ryan would put the deficit back up to 14 with a 26 yard Justin Fenty reception for touchdown. The second quarter was all South Grand Prairie. Melvin Kelley would intercept an Austin Knight pass for a 34 yard touchdown return pulling SGP with seven and 21-14. The SGP special teams then added to the scoring frenzy with a blocked punt that landed in the end zone and resulted in SGP's Charlie Burks makinbg the recovery. The blockd punt recovery for touchdown esulted in SGP tying the score up at 21-21. Later QB Denzel Dewberry would find Bobby Duncan open for a 33 yard score giving SGP a 28-21 lead. Denton Ryan and Austin Knight would then respond with a five yard touchdown pass to Nathan Uland to tie the score at 28-28. Dewberry and Duncan would connect yet again for a touchdown. This time it was from 59 yards out. With one second left on the clock, Denton Ryan needed a touchdown to tie the game and send the game to overtime. The Raiders were sitting on the South Grand Prairie nine yard line when Austin Knight found Jerome Worsham open to tie the game. Prior to the touchdown, the Raiders were 80 yards away and converted on three fourth down conversions to stay alive. Later in the overtime, SGP's Denzel Dewberry would find the endzone from a yard out putting the Warriors up 42-35. On Denton Ryan's overtime possession, Malcolm Williams intecepted Austin Knight and ran it back 80 yards to give South Grand Prairie a 48-35 overtime win.
3 Stephenville 26 Plainview 23 (2OT) - 111/26
Both Stephenville and Plainview spent the year terrorizing their regional opponents. Now it is their turn to terrorize themselves on the field of play and neither disappointed in the expectations of a classic. The scoring of the game started off the bat with Stephenville taking the opening drive of the game into the end zone on a Hunter Hendershot reception. The following drive, Plainview's Jamar Wall, rushed into the end zone from 10 yards away to even the score. The second quarter resulted in a pair of field goals for Stephenville sanchwiched in between a 61 yard touchdown reception from Plainview's Adam Theil to Evan Hearn. The extra point on that touchdown would be blocked and later prove to decide the end of regulation. Midway through the third, Jamar Wall would strike again. This time from six yards out, giving Plaiview a 20-13 lead. Plainview then intecept a Jevan Snead pass shortly there after. Snead and Stephenville responded with a six play drive going 80 yards. Then tying the game up with a 29 yard touchdown reception by Hunter Hendershot. With seconds to go, Jamar Wall fumbled the ball on the 46 yard line then the Yellow Jackets took the ball all the way to the one yard line where they decided to go for the game winning field goal from 16 yards away. The attempt was partially blocked as the game was sent into overtime. Both Nathan Young and Spencer Bryson missed their field goal attempts in the first overtime. But Bryson redeemed himself in the second overtime by hitting a 37 yarder giving Plainview the lead 23-20 as Stephenville took its possession. Jevan Snead would then run the ball and work it down the short field. On the drive, Snead would take it into the endzone from a yard away giving Stephenville a 26-23 double overtime win.
2 Canton 61 Gilmer 58 - 11/18
Nearly 7,500 onlookers. 1,100 yards of total offense and 20 wins between two teams wasn't enough to stop the Canton-Gilmer game from becoming one of the more memorable East Texas shootouts in recent memory. After Gilmer raised the score to 44-28 on a 62 yard Curtis Brown reception, Barlow Reid and Michael Prox countered with touchdowns of their own off the hands of G.J. Kinne for 68 and 69 yards respectively. Gilmer Justin Johnson rushed in from 12 yards out to put the Buckeyes back up by 10. Canton again continued to stay right in striking distance of Gilmer. The Eagles took yet another touchdown from Houston Tuminello to pull within four. Later in the fourth quarter, Briton Smallwood ran into the endzone giving Canton a 54-51 lead, its first since being up 7-0. Then Gilmer took back the lead when Cody Lee recovered a fumble in the endzone with 4:55 left. Then Canton and G.J. Kinne drove down the field where they found Houstin Tuminello open once again for a six yard touchdown pass. Tuminello's third touchdown of the game gave Canton a 61-58 lead and win in a wild East Texas playoff shootout.
1 Wylie 41 Dallas Wilson 38 - 11/18
The Wylie-Wilson game was significant in more ways than one due to its nature of momentum and lessons learned from the spirit of competition in all levels of football. It was Jim Valvano, who once said, "Don't ever give up." The quote was not just referring to the willingness to battle the game of life, but to battle the defying odds as well. Wilson started off with every reason to believe they would advance to the next round after getting off to a fabulous start in the game. Wilson not only controlled the momentum, but they also controlled the stats and the clock. In the first quarter, Wilson got things started with a one yard Kevin Rusk run followed by a 28 yard Sergio Kindle run putting Wilson up 14-0 after the first. Wilson's rushing attack would continue to be effective into the second quarter. After an Armando Rodriguez field goal from 40 yards out, Kindle posted his second and third touchdowns of the first half. One from 20 yards away, the other from 60 yards away. Wilson's lead was built up to a 31-0 score in the second quarter. Wylie finally got on the board when Brice Reusink chipped in a 43 yard field goal. By halftime, Wilson built up a 31-3 lead and had all the reason to believe they were headed towards the next round. So did some other people as one person "supposively" covering the game in the press box left at the half en route for another game at Texas Stadium. To open the second half, Reusink kicked in a 29 yard field goal cutting the deficit to a 31-6 score. Later, Max Boe connected to Clay Ammerman for a 44 yard touchdown pass bringing the score to 31-13. Then Sergio Kindle struck again with a 70 yard run for touchdown giving Wilson a 38-13 lead. Kindle would finish the game with four touchdowns on 31 carries and 323 yards rushing. Kindle's final touchdown didn't dampen the Pirates spirit and chances. Zack Abbott connected with Tyler O'Quin fron seven yards away before rushing in a touchdown of his own. At the end of the third quarter, Wylie had cut a 31-3 Wilson lead to a 38-27 deficit. The Pirates outscored Wilson 24-7 in the third quarter. Wylie's Max Boe would then connect on his second pass attempt to Mallory Woodall for a 30 yard touchdown bringing the score to a 38-33 score. The Pirates momentum carried them right back into the thick of the game and after holding Wilson on defense, the Pirates had a chance to take the lead after being down 31-0. Zack Abbott and the Pirate offense drive down the field and got to the Wilson 22 yard line. Abbott found Max Boe for a 22 yard touchdown to put the Pirates up 39-38. The Pirates then took a chance on a two point conversion to raise the stakes on Wilson's chances to steal a victory and eliminate an improbable comeback. On the two point conversion, Mallory Woodall found his way in to put Wylie up by three where they would hold on defensively late in the fourth to win the game.