History will start - and most likely stop - with stories of the Rockwall-Allen classic put on at AT&T Stadium, where Rockwall needed every bit of Jaxon Smith-Njigba prowess and a miraculous 2-point conversion to rewrite history and avenge loss year's playoff loss.
60-59 was the final score and by all accounts, it was as amazing as that final score sounds. It was one of three games where an undefeated state power was knocked out, shaking up the entire landscape of those respective regions.
Rockwall 60, Allen 59
It was a back-and-forth game. Smith-Njigba had four touchdowns in the first quarter alone and finished with five total on the night. He also earned his fifth during the middle of the game - a first for a player by all accounts. Allen took a late lead, 59-52, and Rockwall drove down the field to potentially tie and force overtime.
However, Rockwall opted to go for two and sophomore Braeden Locke avoided being sacked on the play and found J.J. Williams on a desperation throw to give his team the last lead of the night.
Rockwall then stopped Allen on 4th down inside of 15 seconds left in the game to seal the win and move on to the 6A Division I Region II semifinals.
Dallas Jesuit 27, Longview 25
Maybe the biggest upset of the night was in 6A Division II with undefeated Longview looking to continue its run of back-to-back state championship runs. But a fast start thanks to 4-star running back EJ Smith put Dallas Jesuit up 14-0 early.
Longview mounted a comeback and the game was 14-13 going into the half. The teams traded scores int he third quarter and again in the fourth, but Jesuit kept Longview off the board the last 8-plus minutes to hold on and completely open up the 6A Division II Region II bracket.
Holliday 17, Palmer 14
Undefeated Palmer and undefeated Gunter were setting up for a 3A Division II Region II regional final showdown. However, Holliday ruined those plans with a 3-point win. Holliday was in control pretty much throughout, leading 17-6 halfway through the fourth quarter.
Lancaster 58, McKinney North 28
This one was surprising from a final score standpoint. McKinney North came into the game with the most prolific offense in the area, averaging 56.5 points per game. The biggest question was its defense and Lancaster exposed it. Then the Lancaster defense turned around and stifled that potent attack.
At one point, it was 14-14, but in the middle quarters, Lancaster did to North what North did to teams all year by outscoring North 30-7.
Plano John Paul II 49, Fort Worth Nolan 15
Utterly surprising in this one. Nolan came in destroying everything in its path. PJP struggled with Bishop Lynch (won 21-16) and Parish Episcopal (lost 47-7) at the end of the regular season, so to see PJP win by 34 over the No. 1-ranked TAPPS team.
Grayson James three five touchdown passes and 402 yards as PJP took complete control in the 2nd and 3rd quarters to run away with it.
Check out all the other final scores and live brackets here.
Bradley C. Collier (VYPE)
