ALEDO -- Teams planning on packing eight defenders on the line of scrimmage to stop Aledo running back Johnathan Gray, beware.
Bearcats quarterback Matthew Bishop will make you pay.Fort Worth Dunbar loaded up on the defensive line to slow Gray on Thursday night in a Class 4A Division II bi-district game at Bearcat Stadium.Bishop responded with a near-perfect night, completing 21 of 23 passes for 378 yards and four TDs in a 59-10 Aledo win."They stacked the box to try to shut down the run," Gray said. "On days like tonight, our wide receivers and QB have to step up. The kid [Bishop] is amazing. He has great vision and did what he had to do."Bishop connected on his first 12 passes. His first incompletion came with 39 seconds before halftime."We did a good job with taking what they gave us," Bishop said. "We knew they were going to try to stop J-Gray. I don't think there is a team out there that can stop our offense. We go into every game with that mindset."Aledo knew Dunbar (6-5) would play tight man coverage and cover-2 defensive schemes. The Bearcats were ready."Matt's a good QB," Aledo coach Tim Buchanan said. "And he has dangerous receivers too. People don't realize how good he is. It's a shame he hasn't gotten to do that more often."The Bearcats scored on all eight of their first-half possessions, including a 72-yard TD pass from Bishop to Willie Gibson and a five-play, 67-yard drive at the end of the half. Aledo's final first-half march took 55 seconds and ended with a 13-yard Bishop TD throw to Pate Davis.Gray finished with 198 yards and three TDs on the ground, but many of his 27 carries ended in a swarm of Dunbar defenders. In the second quarter, the Wildcats stuffed Gray for a 2-yard loss on third-and-goal.Aledo (9-2) will play either Waco High or Mansfield Summit at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 18. If the Bearcats play Waco, the game will be at Waco ISD Stadium; a Summit matchup is tentatively scheduled at Burleson.Brent Shirley, 817-390-7760Have more to add? News tip? Tell us
