Richland Springs sets UIL state championship record with rout over Motley County
Richland Springs is on top the UIL, for now.
There was very little doubt on Wednesday that the Coyotes would get there during the Class 1A Six-Man Division II state title game vs. Matador Motley County at AT&T Stadium.
Without a single passing yard, the Coyotes beat the Matadors, 62-16, to capture their UIL record ninth state championship.
Richland Springs sets the record, at any level, and breaks a five-way tie with Southlake Carroll, Celina, Katy and Aledo, which has a chance to win its ninth on Saturday.
“These guys came out and played. They knew what they had to do. They believed in themselves,” Richland Springs coach Jerry Burkhart said. “These guys have worked hard. We give all the glory to Him. We tell them every day that God gives you an opportunity and it’s up to you to do something about it.”
The Coyotes last won a title in 2016, but all nine have come since 2004.
“I’ve been blessed many times, but each (state title) is special to me,” said Burkhart, who tied legendary Brownwood coach Gordon Wood for most titles. “We told them all year long to keep believing. The biggest thing is when your community is behind you, your school board is behind you, your kids are working hard and you have God in your program, great things happen.
I’m going to be honest with you. I don’t even look at that. I tell everyone every day that God blesses me so much and I don’t even deserve it. It’s not about me. It’s about every team we have had. It about the assistant coaches we’ve had. The players we have had in the past that have bought into the hard work. It’s never going to be about me. I don’t care about records. The greatest satisfaction is to look at these guys’ faces after they win the state championship and hoist that trophy and they understand that if you want to succeed in life you have to work at it.”
Richland Springs (13-0) exploded in the first half with a 40-8 lead at the break.
Landon Burkhart scored on a 2-yard run with 6:38 left in the opening quarter to give the Coyotes a 8-0 lead. Then they upped the lead to 16-0 on Matthew Rigdon’s 5-yard scoring rush late in the period.
Lane Shannon finished with three rushing touchdowns while his first two came in the first half on 17- and 7-yard runs. His 17-yarder made it 24-0. Burkhart, who rushed for team-high 154 yards and two TDs on just nine carries, rumbled in from 36 yards for a 32-8 lead.
The Matadors (11-4) scored after Burkhart’s second on a 62-yard Jake Richards’ run with 6:46 until half.
Shannon’s 7-yarder gave Richland Springs a 40-8 advantage with 22 seconds remaining.
Motley County’s second score came on a Demetric Sims’ 20-yard pass to Kade Wampler with just under seven minutes left in the third, but the Coyotes added three more TDs to win via mercy rule.
Rigdon scored on 1- and 20-yard runs and Shannon ended the game with a 31-yard TD.
Richland Springs rushed for 368 yards on 24 carries.
Asked how they’ll celebrate the win, offensive coordinator Shawn Rogers said, “We’ll go wherever you want to go. Walmart parking lot, we’re there.”
Richards led the Matadors with a game-high 178 yards rushing.
Burkhart was voted Offensive MVP while Wade Appleton (11 tackles) was Defensive MVP.
This story was originally published December 18, 2019 at 10:35 PM.
