Keller Central scores only touchdown on long pass in final minute to edge Sam Houston

Landon Walker connected with Kingston Crichton-Alfaro for a 55-yard touchdown pass with 34 seconds remaining in the game to lift Keller Central to a 10-7 victory over Arlington Sam Houston on Thursday night at the Keller ISD Athletic Complex.

It was the season opener for both squads and the rest of the state in Class 6A and 5A.

Neither team scored a touchdown until the last two minutes of play as the defenses dominated play through the first three quarters.

Keller Central (1-0) linebacker Jayden Wahlquist recovered a fumble in the first quarter and grabbed an interception in the third to end Sam Houston drives. Braden Roof’s 25-yard field goal early in the second quarter gave Central a 3-0 lead heading into the final minutes of play.

Jaytwone Stewart grabbed an interception for Sam Houston (0-1) to set up the Texans on the Central 16 early in the fourth, but the Chargers held on a fourth-and-1 running play to end the threat.

After a Central punt, Sam Houston took over with six minutes to play. Penalties and a fumbled snap forced Sam Houston into a third-and-30 on its own 22-yard line. Omar Milton threw a 41-yard completion to Juan Garza to convert. The play sparked a touchdown drive capped by Milton’s 1-yard TD to give Sam Houston a 7-3 lead with 1:45 to play.

The Chargers started on their own 31 on the following series. A pair of short completions from Walker to Braden Manners moved Central to its 45-yard line. Walker then found a wide-open Crichton-Alfaro on the right sideline for the touchdown to put the Chargers back in front.

Sam Houston moved the ball down to the Central 32-yard line with 5 seconds to play. A bad snap on a 49-yard field goal attempt led to an incomplete pass to the end the game.

This story was originally published September 24, 2020 at 11:37 PM.