On Saturday there was a torch passed in Class 3A football. At least for this year.
Prosper, the defending Class 3A Division I state champion was dominating its regional final opponent from Lovejoy. In fact, Lovejoy had only mustered 74 yards and four first downs in the first half. Then it happened.
Stud QB Michael Means hit Hayden Marsh for an 86-yard touchdown pass and soon after Means found the end zone with his feet to lead his team to a 24-14 win and a berth in Saturday's state semifinal against perennial power Abilene Wylie.
But it wasn't supposed to happen like this. Prosper is an established power. Lovejoy is a second-year varsity program, which makes the fact that they are playing in December really unheard of.
But maybe it was supposed to happen like this. Entering this season, Lovejoy had 22 starters returning. In case you can't count, that's every single position on offense and defense. That's what happens when you don't have a senior class -- you usually are going to return a good number of kids, and Lovejoy is taking full advantage of it.
The game will be played at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Waco ISD Stadium. The winner will get the Gilmer-Cuero winner in the state final the following week. Prediction: Abilene Wylie 34, Lovejoy 24.
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Adam Boedeker is a sports writer/award-winning blogger for the Denton Record-Chronicle. Thanks a lot, Tom Brady.
