Cedar Park stops Lancaster to win first state title

By Greg Bogomol

Special to the Star-Telegram

ARLINGTON -- Lancaster made two key mistakes in the second half and Cedar Park took advantage, turning them into 10 points as the Timberwolves claimed the Class 4A Division II state championship 17-7 Friday before a crowd of 17,116 at Cowboy Stadium.

After a fumbled snap turn into three points and an interception resulted in a touchdown, Lancaster still had a chance. Trailing by 10 with just under three minutes to play, the Tigers marched from their 33 to the Cedar Park 12, but a high snap was recovered by Peter Maneikis to seal Cedar Park's first state title.

But the story of the night was Cedar Park's defense. The Timberwolves shut down a high-powered Lancaster offense, limiting the Tigers to 222 total yards, including only 46 in the second half.

The only game in which Lancaster (14-2) scored fewer than 26 points was its only other loss, a 17-0 shutout against Red Oak.

Cedar Park (14-2), which failed to pick up a first down in the first quarter and didn't do anything until the last drive of the first half, controlled the line of scrimmage in the second half to keep the ball out of Lancaster's hands.

The Tigers had the ball for just over four minutes in the second half after their first possession went three-and-out, including three consecutive false-start penalties on their second drive of the half. The other two possessions ended with an interception and a fumble.

Cedar Park gained 324 total yards and had three rushers with at least 68 yards. Quarterback Nate Grimm, who left for part of the third quarter with an injury, completed 3 of 5 passes for 51 yards.

Cedar Park's Zach Hancock kicked a 22-yard field goal in the second half, and Lane Waller intercepted a pass setting up Mikal Wilson's 14-yard touchdown that extended the Timberwolves' lead to 17-7.

Lancaster led early, scoring on its first possession of the game on a 27-yard run by Demarcus Ayers that capped a six-play, 60-yard drive. The key play was a 12-yard pass from Ayers to Nick Harvey on fourth-and-6 from the Cedar Park 39.

The Timberwolves tied the game 7-7 when Ethan Fry scored from a yard out to cap a 14-play, 92-yard drive just before halftime.

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