High School

Gunter secures 3-peat with win in Texas high school football 3A Division II championship game: Live updates recap

Tigers blank Woodville, 28-0, to win 5th state title

Cody Thorn

Gunter players hoist the trophy following their victory in the Texas 3A Division 2 state title game at AT&T Satdium.
Gunter players hoist the trophy following their victory in the Texas 3A Division 2 state title game at AT&T Satdium. / Photo by Tommy Hays

ARLINGTON — Gunter completed the three-peat in Class 3A Division II with a 28-0 victory over Woodville at AT&T Stadium.

In the second of three games on Thursday, the Tigers pulled away from a slim 7-0 lead at halftime thanks to a 96-yard kickoff return for a score by Mitchell Gage to open the second half.

Gunter coach Jake Fieszel gave his team a succinct game plan for what was needed in the second half during the intermission.

“We told the kids we needed one big play on defense, one big play on defense; we needed one big play on special teams and we needed the offense to go down and score,” Fieszel said. “We talked about just one play at a time and the kids went and did it.”

Gage — with the last part of the sun shining into his eyes through the glass windows — fielded the third-quarter kickoff and returned it 96 yards for a touchdown. 

It was the longest-ever kickoff return for a score in 3A finals and the second-longest in UIL history at the 11-man level.

From there, the Tigers (14-2) methodically pulled away from the Eagles (13-3) to win state title No. 3 in a row. 

The only other team in Class 3A Division II  to win three in a row was Carthage from 2008-10. Since UIL expanded to two division champions per class in 1998, no school in this division has won four in a row.

Gunter — winners of 13 in a row to close the season — added an offensive touchdown and defensive touchdown to put the finishing touches on the victory.

Cash Rumage had a 59-yard touchdown catch from Preston Tarpley on the Tigers’ first offensive possession of the third quarter. Rumage had 2 catches for 73 yards and was named the game’s Offensive MVP.

Brock Boddie had a 62-yard interception return for a score to put a punctuation mark on a strong defensive showing for Gunter.

This marked the team’s fifth shutout of the season and it is the first shutout in Class 3A Division II finals since Atlanta blanked Marlin, 34-0 in 2003.

Gunter’s defense had six sacks and 11 other tackles behind the line of scrimmage. 

Defensive MVP Hayden Ferrell had three sacks, 11 tackles and 5 1/2 tackles for loss for the Tigers. He shared game-high tackle honors with teammate Jax Graham and Woodville’s Jacob Hyder and Jaythan Traylor.

Woodville had never gotten past the second round of the playoffs before this year and this marks the second time in Coach Ty Robinson’s tenure the Eagles had set a new school record for wins — for a program that started in 1923.

“The game of football is a metaphor for how we should live, just keep pushing, fight through everything and leave nothing in the tank,” Woodville senior center Jacob Booth said. 

Gunter Tigers (13-2) vs. Woodville Eagles (13-2), 3 p.m., Thursday 

The Class 3A Division II championship game features one of the biggest discrepancy when it comes to postseason experience.

Gunter is 71-27 in postseason play and Woodville was 9-25 going into this season — but since then the Eagles have reached the third round for the first time. Then the fourth round for the first time and then … the fifth round for the first time. Now, Woodville is in the finals for the first time ever.

Gunter won the past two state titles and before that, won in 2016 and 2019. This will be the seventh trip to the finals.

The Tigers have won 12 straight since losing to Celina — a Class 4A Division I finalist — in Week 3. That included a come-from-behind win against Wall in the semifinals. Preston Tarpley kicked two field goals and threw three touchdowns in the 42-32 win — rattling off 25 straight points for the win.

Woodville got to the finals by beating El Maton Tidehaven, preventing a rematch of last year’s title game. QB Luke Babin threw his only touchdown pass of the game to Dustin Barlow with 1:59 left to secure a 28-21 win.

TEXAS HS FOOTBALL SCOREBOARD

Follow along below for live updates from the Class 3A-Division II state finals between Gunter and Woodville, scheduled to kick off at 3 p.m. CT on Thursday, Dec. 19, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.

Gunter vs. Woodville, Class 3A-Division II state finals live updates

First Quarter Updates

Gunter to kickoff to Woodville to start this title game. We are a little behind schedule due to previous game going 3 OT

It's been a series of punts so far between the two teams.

END OF 1ST QUARTER: Gunter 0, Woodville 0

2ND QUARTER

TOUCHDOWN GUNTER ! Preston Tarpley throws a 16-yard touchdown to Cole Harpole, who falls into the end zone backwards. 10:06 to play in 2nd. Gunter 7, Woodville 0

How about some love for DL play? Check this out

TURNOVER ON DOWNS! Woodville went for it and Gunter. Cam Doty with initial contact on RB. Gunter ball with 3:21 left in 2nd

Remember when CeeDee Lamb couldn't see a football to catch a TD because of the sun? Well, now high schoolers will get to feel like NFL players

HALFTIME: Gunter 7, Woodville 0

3RD QUARTER

TOUCHDOWN GUNTER! Mitchell Gage runs back opening kickoff for 96 yards. A mere 14 seconds off the clock. Gunter 14, Woodville 0. UIL says it is the longest kickoff return in 3A history and the second-longest in UIL 11-man history

TOUCHDOWN GUNTER! Tarpley connects with Cash Rumage for a 59-yard TD with 8:57 left in 3rd. Rumage escapes a would-be-tackler at the 15-yard line and keeps on running. Gunter 21, Woodville 0

Bad snap on a punt forces Woodville's Gage Tolar to put from back of end zone. Gunter ball at the Woodville 28 with 7:27 left.

TURNOVER! James Kelley with interception near the goal line for the Eagles. The ball is at the 5-yard line. Woodville ball with 7:16 left.

Tarpley punts and Gunter's special teams stops the ball at the 1-yard line. Woodville ball with 5:13 left in 3rd

END OF 3RD QUARTER: Gunter 21, Woodville 0

4TH QUARTER

If you like punting -- or Iowa football -- this game is for you. Teams are now a combined 6-for-25 on third-down attempts. 8:39 left to play in the 4th. Got another media/TV timeout here in Arlington

TURNOVER AND TOUCHDOWN! Brock Boddie with a 62-yard interception return for the Tigers. He deflected pass and tipped it to himself. Made a cut near his sideline and finish off score. 6:48 to go. Gunter 28, Woodville 0

TURNOVER! Mitchell Gage with INT for Gunter. The Tigers have the ball with 4:23 left. I'd imagine to see a lot of run plays to run the clock and set up the celebration for the 3-peat.

Attendance for this game: 9,531

FINAL: Gunter 28, Woodville 0

Third title in a row for Gunter and the senior class played in state finals all 4 years of high school

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Cody Thorn
CODY THORN

Cody Thorn is a veteran journalist who covers high school sports across the state of Texas and Missouri. He is based in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and has covered sports and news since 1999.

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