Trinity Christian-Cedar Hill steamrolls Grapevine Faith in TAPPS playoff matchup

Grapevine Faith Christian coach Kris Hogan knew his Lions had a tough challenge against a stout Trinity Christian-Cedar Hill defense.

The Tigers, winners of the past two TAPPS Division II state championships, had posted five shutouts on the season and outscored their opponents 583-87 entering Saturday’s state semifinal at TCA Tom Landry Stadium.

And it is Trinity Christian-Cedar Hill who will play for a third consecutive state title.

Grapevine Faith was held to 174 yards of total offense as the Tigers started fast and never looked back in a 52-14 rout. Trinity Christian-Cedar Hill (12-1) will play Austin Regents (11-1) in a rematch of last year’s state title game at a time and location to be determined. The Tigers won that matchup 49-24. The Lions finish their season at 10-2.

“It’s the same challenge that everybody is going to have,” Hogan said of TC-Cedar Hill. “They’re just at a different level because they’re playing a different game than everybody else. All 11 starters came from a different high school. I knew these guys since the second grade. It’s just the way that it is. We knew that.”

Tigers junior quarterback Shedeur Sanders completed 17 of 28 passes for 232 yards with four total touchdowns, leading the TC-Cedar Hill offense on four first-half scoring drives. Marques Buford, Jr., caught eight passes for 100 yards with two touchdowns to lead the Tigers to a 32-7 halftime lead.

Desmond Moultrie ran from the 31 on the eighth play of the first Tiger drive to open the scoring, and gave his team an 8-0 lead after he ran in the two-point conversion. He led all rushers with 129 yards and two touchdowns.

“Our O-line did a good job,” Sanders said. “Grapevine Faith has no film, so we did the best we could without any film.”

Grapevine Faith had first-half drives end in a Jamal Marshal interception at the Trinity Christian-Cedar Hill 32, a punt, an incomplete pass into the end zone after the Lions drove to the Tigers’ 6, and a three-and-out. Marshal’s interception came shortly after the Lions had a touchdown wiped away by an offensive pass interference penalty.

“We put ourselves in long-down and distance situations,” Hogan said. “And when you’re playing a team with that much talent, you can’t do that. Bottom line.”

Mark Saunders ran for a pair of touchdowns on runs of 4 and 10 yards to account for both Grapevine Faith touchdowns. He tallied 50 rushing yards on 10 carries. Deuce Hogan, an Iowa commit, completed 12 of 23 through the air for 140 yards.

Coach Hogan said one thing he will remember about this year’s Lions team is its “brotherhood.”

“They love each other, and they’ve grown up together, and you can tell that,” he said.

This story was originally published November 30, 2019 at 6:18 PM.