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Smithson Valley wins Texas Class 5A Division I title over Highland Park

Collin-headshotby:Collin Ginnan•about 19 hours•

GinnanCollin

Syndication: The Corpus Christi Caller Times
Smithson Valley's Brad Sowersby evades a tackle by Highland Park's Jackson McGinley during the Class 5A, Division I State Championship game on Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

After a high-scoring first half, Spring Branch Smithson Valley shut out Dallas Highland Park in the second half to win the Texas Class 5A Division I championship 32-20.

A two-headed rushing attack highlighted the box score for the Rangers. Running back Brad Sowersby carried the ball 22 times for 152 yards and quarterback Cade Spradling ran 25 times for 147 yards and a score. Spradling added another touchdown through the air.

Highland Park opened up the scoring on the first drive of the game with a 49-yard touchdown pass from Buck Randall to Cannon Bozman. Smithson Valley answered with a pair of field goals with a Highland Park turnover on downs in between to make it 7-6.

Randall tossed another touchdown pass — this time for 73 yards to Benton Owens — to push the Scots’ lead back to two scores. However, Highland Park’s next time out on offense resulted in disaster when Randall was picked off by Smithson Valley’s Julian Colunga, who returned the interception for a touchdown.

The Rangers added another touchdown and a field goal before halftime while Highland Park kicked two field goals of its own. Valley led 23-20 at the break.

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Smithson Valley added the first points of the second half with 2:42 to go in the third quarter on a 30-yard Trent Amaya field goal to stretch the Rangers’ lead to 26-20.

Spradling put the icing on the cake with a 4-yard touchdown rush at the 3:39 mark in the fourth quarter to put Smithson Valley up 32-20.

The Class 5A Division I semifinal games were nailbiters for both squads. Highland Park beat Denton Ryan 24-21 last week with a 28-yard field goal from Scots kicker Sutton Stock with six seconds on the clock. In the other semifinal, Smithson Valley lost its 14-0 lead in the second half before quarterback Cade Spradling scampered into the end zone with under three minutes to go.

Highland Park was playing in its first state championship game since the Scots won three straight titles from 2016-18.

Smithson Valley was in the finals for the second consecutive season.