Todd Dodge, former SL Carroll coach, brings Austin Westlake first title since 1996
Two freshmen quarterbacks saw the field during Saturday’s state championship games at AT&T Stadium.
Duncanville’s Chris Parson filled in for Ja’Quinden Jackson, who got injured in the semifinals. But Parson had the whole week to prepare.
Not Denton Guyer’s Jackson Arnold.
Arnold was thrown into the fire after star QB Eli Stowers, a 2021 Texas A&M commit, injured his left leg on Guyer’s seventh play from scrimmage. He was helped off the field and finished the game on crutches.
Arnold completed 2 of 11 passes for six yards as Austin Westlake dominated for a 24-0 victory in the Class 6A Division II title game in front of 35,278.
“It was a tough situation. Any time you lose a quarterback, unless you’re paying millions in the NFL, it’s going to affect your ball club,” Guyer coach John Walsh said. “Down 14-0 at half, we felt really good that we might get something going, but we just didn’t. It’s unfortunate, but I was really proud of how our defense kept us alive in it.”
Westlake, which is coached by former Southlake Carroll coach Todd Dodge, wins its first UIL state football title since 1996 when it was led by future NFL hall-of-famer Drew Brees.
Dodge is the father of current Carroll coach Riley Dodge.
The Chaparrals, who made the trip to state for the first time since 2015, came in 0-5 in their previous five appearances.
According to Dave Campbell’s Matt Stepp, it was also the first shutout in a UIL state title game since 2015 (George Ranch-Lake Ridge) and first in the largest classification since 1998 (Midland Lee-San Antonio MacArthur).
“On the way in here I actually wore the Drew Brees jersey that Sam Ehlinger wore in the Sugar Bowl. The Westlake one,” Westlake quarterback Kirkland Michaux said. “So I kind of got it in my mojo, it’s awesome. It was really cool to have Sam on the sidelines watching. When I was a freshman I was behind him so it was really cool to have him here and watch us win state.”
The Chaparrals (15-1) opened the game with an 8-play, 65-yard drive. Michaux threw a 5-yard touchdown to Jake Misch with nine minutes left in the first quarter.
Stowers completed his first two passes for short gains and picked up 5 and 3 yards on back-to-back carries, but following a 5-yard run on a third-and-7, Stowers was hit awkwardly and stayed on the turf for a few minutes.
“I hate it for Eli. This is the stage Eli belongs in. For him not to finish is tough, but he’s got another year,” Walsh said. “I’m really proud of Jackson how he came in. It’s really tough as a freshman. He’s a tough kid.
“The kid has a major league arm and he’s a good athlete. To have to play Austin Westlake (in the state title game) as a freshman is a tall order and I hate that we didn’t give him opportunities because we were getting behind the chains with penalties and not letting him get some momentum.”
Guyer’s drive ended when Michael Taaffe intercepted a pass attempt near the Westlake 30. The Chaparrals picked off two passes and registered three sacks. Taaffe was voted title game Defensive MVP.
However, Westlake wouldn’t score again until 6:32 in the second when Michaux connected with Mason Mangum for 33 yards, giving the Chaparrals a 14-0 advantage.
The Wildcats (14-2) punted and turned it over on downs during their next two drives and Westlake took the two-touchdown lead into intermission.
Senior running back Kaedric Cobbs was the only bright spot for the Guyer offense. The 6A all-state first-team RB carried 28 times for 162 yards. He ends the season with over 2,600 yards and 42 TDs.
“Kaedric is special,” Walsh said. “Any program that loses him is going to miss him, which is us. Any program that gets him is getting a winner.”
But the Wildcats just couldn’t find the end zone.
Westlake went up 21-0 in the third on Michaux’s third TD pass, a 39 yarder to Jackson Coker. David Leadbetter added a 27-yard field goal late in the period.
Michaux completed 20 of 31 passes for 285 yards and three TDs and was voted Offensive MVP.
“I’ve said this before, but we have the best receivers in the state and I don’t think it matters what defensive backs we’re going up against,” he said. “I have trust in my wide receivers and they showed that tonight.”
Guyer, in its first state appearance since 2013, totaled 187 yards of offense.
“It just shows what our defense can do. We definitely acknowledge what a tough break they had early in the game losing their outstanding quarterback,” said Dodge, who won titles at Carroll in 2002, 2004, 2005 and 2006. “But these kids were determined that we were going to get it done today. This was our day.”
