Previewing the Class 3A football championships; Brock, Franklin, Gunter, Poth
The UIL Class 3A football title games will help kick off championship week at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.
Here is a look at the teams and match-ups:
Games
Division 1
Brock (11-4) vs. Franklin (15-0), 7 p.m. Thursday
Division 2
Gunter (15-0) vs. Poth (14-1), 3 p.m. Thursday
Teams
Brock Eagles
District 4-3A champ (6-0)
State championship appearances: 4 (2022, 2021, 2017, 2015)
Titles: 1 (defeated Cameron Yoe 43-33 in 2015)
Winning streak: 11 games
Losses: 28-7 vs. Pleasant Grove (Week 1), 37-30 vs. Hirschi (Week 2), 32-23 vs. Wimberley (Week 3), 21-16 vs. Gunter (Week 4)
Playoff wins: 48-0 vs. Iowa Park, 57-20 vs. Muleshoe, 51-27 vs. Bushland, 30-19 vs. Whitesboro, 21-10 vs. Malakoff
Points for: 566 (37.7 per game)
Points allowed: 289 (19.3 per game)
Most points: 74 vs. Ponder (Week 10)
Fewest points: 7 vs. Pleasant Grove (Week 1)
Largest margin of victory: 49 (55-6 vs. Boyd, Week 5)
Smallest margin of victory: 4 (39-35 vs. Whitesboro, Week 8)
Franklin Lions
District 11-3A champ (6-0)
Final state ranking: 1
State championship appearances: 4 (2022, 2021, 2020, 2015)
Titles: 1 (defeated Gunter 49-35 in 2021)
Winning streak: 31 games
Losses: 0
Playoff wins: 33-7 vs. Hallettsville, 32-7 vs. Anahuac, 53-18 vs. Hitchcock, 24-21 vs. Columbus, 41-13 vs. Edna
Points for: 678 (45.1 per game)
Points allowed: 294 (19.6 per game)
Most points: 77 vs. Mexia (Week 2)
Fewest points: 22 vs. Woodville (Week 1)
Largest margin of victory: 64 (77-13 vs. Mexia, Week 2)
Smallest margin of victory: 3 (24-21 vs. Columbus, regional final)
Gunter Tigers
District 8-3A champ (5-0)
Final state ranking: 1
State championship appearances: 5 (2022, 2021, 2019, 2017, 2016)
Titles: 2 (2019, 2016)
Winning streak: 15 games
Losses: 0
Playoff wins: Forfeit vs. Cedar Hill Trinity, 48-7 vs. Jacksboro, 40-6 vs. Palmer, 31-7 vs. Holliday, 21-20 vs. Canadian
Points for: 600 (46.2 per game)
Points allowed: 104 (8.0 per game)
Most points: 85 vs. Lone Oak (Week 9)
Fewest points: 21 (2 times)
Largest margin of victory: 85 (85-0 vs. Lone Oak, Week 9)
Smallest margin of victory: 1 (21-20 vs. Canadian, semifinal)
Poth Pirates
District 15-3A champ (6-0)
Final state ranking: 7
State championship appearances: 2 (2022, 1968)
Titles: 0
Winning streak: 12 games
Losses: 22-21 vs. Shiner (Week 3)
Playoff wins: 65-0 vs. George West, 42-34 vs. Boling, 55-13 vs. Taft, 12-6 vs. Tidehaven, 51-28 vs. Harmony
Points for: 696 (46.4 per game)
Points allowed: 137 (9.1 per game)
Most points: 77 vs. South San Antonio West (Week 7)
Fewest points: 12 vs. Tidehaven (Regional final)
Largest margin of victory: 77 (77-0 vs. South San Antonio West, Week 7)
Smallest margin of victory: 6 (12-6 vs. Tidehaven, regional final)
Prediction
Brock’s body of work is one of the best in the state for any classification. Including Franklin and their previous five playoff games, the Eagles will have faced 12 postseason teams, 12 of 16 this season. Franklin will be the third Brock opponent in the state championships (Gunter, Wimberley).
The Eagles opened the season with an 0-4 record, but have won 11 in a row.
The first three games included state-ranked teams in Class 4A D2.
The defense has stepped up during the past two games, allowing 19 to Whitesboro and 10 to Malakoff. Look out for Cam Harris, Reid Watkins and Carson Finney to shine while offensively, Tyler Moody, Watkins and Brett Tutter highlight the run game. Moody can throw to Finney and Jhett Jones among his play makers.
Franklin will be a tough out though. The Lions moved up a division and still head back to the title game. It’s their third straight appearance and they won the D2 title last year. They’ve won their last 31 games and 43 of the past 46.
Like Franklin, Gunter has become a perennial power as of recent. The Tigers have made five title games and all of it has come in the past seven seasons.
Poth has been a great story as the Pirates are at state for the first time since 1968, a 9-0 loss to Sonora in the 1A final. Defensive is stingy, allowing fewer than 10 points per contest.
Score
Brock 28, Franklin 27
Gunter 35, Poth 28
This story was originally published December 14, 2022 at 12:48 PM.
