Jaguars win 5A state football title in double overtime win over Goddard

The Jaguars won its second consecutive 5A state football championship with a 35-34 double overtime win over the Goddard Lions on Saturday, Nov. 26.

With only six returning starters from last year’s win over Bishop Carroll, this season was widely regarded as a “rebuilding season.”

Junior wide receiver Evan Rice believes that the team was motivated to prove many of the critics wrong.

“When the summer began we started working, we worked our butt off every single week, every single year,” Rice said.  “We knew this year wasn’t going to be just a rebuilding year; we were out here to prove everyone wrong and we did.”

First half

The Lions got off to a quick start with a touchdown just a minute and a half into the game. They went for a two-point conversion, but failed to get the ball in the end zone. With this, they had a 6-0 lead over the Jaguars.  

After a 21-yard run by junior quarterback Brody Flaming, the Jaguars quickly answered back with a touchdown by senior wide receiver Ben Hartman. After a successful extra point by sophomore kicker Jack Matchette, the Jaguars had a 7-6 lead early in the first quarter.

After an interception by senior defensive back Joel Donn, Rice caught Flaming’s pass for a touchdown to extend the Jaguars’ lead to 14-6.

Offensive coordinator Mike Strack was proud with how well Flaming stepped up in such a big game.

“Brody wasn’t perfect in the pass game, but we’ve known he has the ability to make plays with his arm,” Strack said. “Today he made some really huge plays, championship-type throws that we’ve known he could make all year long.”

Sophomore Tanner Moore then intercepted the ball at the beginning of the second quarter, but the Jaguars failed to convert it into points.

After some punting issues by the Jaguars, Goddard scored a touchdown to cut into the Jaguars’ lead, making the score 14-13 to end the first half.

Second half

Midway through the third quarter, Hartman caught Flaming’s pass for a touchdown to give the Jaguars a 21-13 lead.

Goddard quickly responded with a 61-yard run for a touchdown, cutting the Jaguars lead to 21-20.

After a drive stalled in the end zone, the Jaguars faked the field goal, but failed to gain the yards needed.

Matchette, who attempted the fake, was nervous carrying the ball during the play.

“I was a little bit scared being my size, I’m a little small, running out there,” Matchette said. “It didn’t hurt as bad as I thought it would.”

Early in the fourth quarter, Rice caught another touchdown to give the Jaguars a 28-20 lead.

Goddard answered with a touchdown of its own and a successful two-point conversion to tie the game at 28-28 towards the end of the fourth quarter.

Overtime

In overtime each team gets the ball at the 10-yard line for first and goal. If after both teams get the ball and the game is still tied, the game goes into a second overtime.

In the first overtime, the Jaguars got the ball first. On fourth down, Matchette’s field goal was no good.

Goddard then moved the ball to the half-yard line, but fumbled on third down, sending the game into a second overtime.

Head coach Joel Applebee was proud of the team and how they responded to a second chance to win the game.

“Honestly I think the kids were very excited, but we knew we had to go back in and score,” Applebee said. “That’s a testament to these kids: how hard they work and their will to win for getting the job done.”

The Lions got the ball first in the second overtime. After scoring a touchdown, they missed their first extra point attempt, but a running into the kicker call allowed them to try again. The second attempt also missed, but they had the lead, 34-28.

The Jaguars responded with Flaming’s pass complete to Rice in the end zone to tie the game. Matchette’s extra point gave the Jaguars a one-point lead, and a 35-34 win.

To score the game-winning point, sophomore Jack Matchette kicks the extra point. Photo by Morgan Gurwell.

Flaming had a determined mindset on the drive.

“The only thing through my mind was let’s put it in the end zone, and let’s win this thing,” Flaming said.

Senior defensive lineman Blaine Boudreaux thinks that the team knew the championship was possible from the start.

“We knew it was a reloading season not really a rebuilding season,” Boudreaux said. “We all knew deep down that we were going to win the state championship.”