Arlington Seguin won the biggest game of the season to help snap playoff drought
Arlington Seguin finished fifth in the District 5-5A Division 2 standings, but in the biggest game of the year, the Cougars came away winners to clinch a playoff berth.
Seguin beat Burleson, 35-21, on Nov. 6 in a zone-seeding game.
“Biggest game to date. They put on a tough contest,” Seguin coach Joe Gordon said. “We made some connections early that helped open the run game. We were fortunate once time expired that we were ahead and have this opportunity.
“It’s another step clinching a playoff berth and we’re excited for the kids and seniors who stayed the course.”
When the high school football season was impacted by COVID-19, some districts turned to zones to help secure playoff teams by mid-season if the schedule couldn’t be completed.
District 5-5A D2 was one district that turned into four-team zones.
After three zone games, the fourth district game served as a playoff berth. Senior quarterback Xavier Gordon completed 13 of 17 passes for 249 yards and three touchdowns to help the Cougars beat the Elks.
Senior running back Jalen March rushed for 192 yards and a TD. Senior receiver Wisdom Gibson made three catches for 125 yards and two TDs.
“We were able to eliminate big plays. Burleson is very talented. They have a great head coach and score a lot of points,” Joe Gordon said. “We figured out how to slow them down and create some confusion.”
Now the Cougars (4-3) are playoff bound for the first time since 2016. They look for their first playoff win since 2008. The team posted 1-9 and 0-10 records during the past two seasons.
“We’re excited for the program as a whole as we take another step in the right direction,” Gordon said.
Seguin plays Dallas South Oak Cliff (8-2) in a 5A D2 bi-district game at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Kincaide Stadium in Dallas.
“It’s going to be an unbelievable matchup,” Gordon said. “They’re very well coached and going into the game we’re lining up against a perennial powerhouse. We’re looking forward to it.”
Seguin beat Fort Worth Wyatt, 70-0, in the season opener at Globe Life Park. The Cougars’ other two district wins were against Waco University (43-0) and Joshua (52-24).
The Cougars have had to quarantine at least once this season, but despite some challenges, Gordon is pleased with his team’s efforts to still make the playoffs.
“Very blessed in this profession that we get to interact with these young people,” he said. “They have bought in since the day we found out we wouldn’t go back to school. They stayed positive and resilient. We talk about mental attitude and facing adversity with a positive approach. We’re pulling the rope in the same direction. The same kids in our program understood they needed to work together in order to go to postseason play.”
