After a slow start, Grandview and Malakoff turned into an instant classic. Who won?

Thursday’s nightcap nearly put the crowd of 18,233 at AT&T Stadium to sleep, but you can’t fault Grandview and Malakoff; it was the first trip to the state title game for both programs.

It took awhile for the offenses to get going with four punts, a turnover-on-downs and interception on the first six possessions, but a slow game turned into an instant classic.

Grandview earned its second win over Malakoff this season, 35-21, to capture the Class 3A Division I state championship.

The Zebras (14-2) broke a 21-21 tie when Elijah Golden scored from the 3 with 9:15 left to play and the defense, which has been the strong point during this playoff run, stopped the Tigers (12-3) from ever scoring again.

“Our school has never made it past Round 4 of the playoffs so this is just monumental for us,” Golden said. “We went to Round 4 and in overtime we went for a 2-point conversion. I didn’t think we were going to win that game. But here we are, state champions. This is unbelievable.

“I hope it means a lot to our town. Pretty much everyone is here. So much support from all these people, it means so much to us.”

Malakoff did have a chance to tie it, but Grandview forced a turnover on downs with 3:17 to go.

Grandview, which also won the first meeting this season, 28-7, in Week 4, added a late 15-yard TD from Dane Jentsch to Dametrious Crownover while facing a fourth-and-3 with seconds to spare. It was the first time all season the Zebras ran that play as they had just put it in this week.

“I kind of thought it was a bad idea to throw it, but he caught it and that sealed the deal right there,” Golden said.

“We ran that play three times with one being a touchdown so we figured we send out our 6-foot-7 tight end over the top and it worked,” Jentsch added.

Malakoff took the first lead when the Tigers scored on a 33-yard pick-six from Kaderrious Thomas, 3:34 in the opening period.

That seemed to wake up Grandview as the Zebras tied the game on the ensuing drive. Jentsch found an open Cooper Deans in the back of the end zone for a 3-yard TD one play into the second quarter.

The Tigers answered right back in less than two minutes with a 1-yard TD run by Keevie Rose to put them in front 14-7 with 10 minutes before intermission.

Both offenses continued to roll when Grandview tied it up again on the next drive thanks to a 1-yard TD run from Jentsch three minutes later.

Things started to slow down again until the Zebras took their first lead at 21-14 on a 53-yard TD catch and run from Jentsch to Jacob Patterson with 3:30 before the half.

“This is amazing, I don’t even know what to say,” Patterson said. “It’s unbelievable honestly. It’s amazing that we were able to do this. We worked together as a team, never got down and kept fighting.”

Ryan Schronk picked off a Malakoff pass to help give Grandview that lead going into the break.

The Zebras rushed for 192 yards and gained 363 total.

Jentsch, who was named Offensive and Defensive MVP, threw for 171 yards and 3 TDs and rushed for 89 yards and a TD. He added nine tackles on defense. Patterson had 95 yards on four catches and Golden finished with 23 carries for 103 yards.

“I’ve been doubted all my life,” Jentsch said. “I’m 5-foot-9 and have been told I’d never amount to anything so to win the first is crazy and I love it.”

This story was originally published December 20, 2018 at 10:32 PM.