Aledo RB continues hot streak as Bearcats beat Frisco, advances to state quarterfinal
‘Twas the night before Christmas and Aledo got an early present Thursday.
Another playoff win.
Star running back DeMarco Roberts continued to scorch opposing defenses with four touchdowns and the Bearcats beat Frisco, 45-27, in a Class 5A Division 2 showdown on Christmas Eve at the Ford Center.
Aledo (10-1), ranked No. 2 in the 5A D2 state rankings, advances to the state quarterfinals for the eighth straight season. It’s also the 11th time for the Bearcats in the past 12 years and 17 of 19.
The Bearcats face No. 8 Lucas Lovejoy (13-0) at 11 a.m. next Thursday at Globe Life Park in Arlington.
“Kids are excited. It’s a crazy deal. It’s football and it doesn’t matter if we’re playing on Christmas Eve or over the Thanksgiving holiday. Playing in December is fun,” Aledo coach Tim Buchanan said. “Thought about playing on Christmas Eve when I was in college, never thought about doing in high school.”
Frisco, No. 10 in the state, ends the season 8-2.
Lovejoy beat Mansfield Timberview, 64-50, on Thursday.
Roberts, who rushed for 223 yards and four TDs against North Forney in area, first scored on three straight hand-offs, from 11 yards out, to make it 14-7 early in the second quarter.
His next carry was a 10-yard TD run to push it to 21-7 with 8:24 on the clock.
The drive started at the Frisco 38 after Jack Tregellas blocked a Frisco punt with Matthew Bell recovering.
Roberts wasn’t done yet as he scored on Aledo’s third straight possession, a 30-yarder to extend the lead to 28-7 midway through the second quarter. He had 13 carries for 141 yards by halftime.
“He’s a slippery little fish. He’s DeMarco,” Buchanan said. “I love him and we’re very fortunate to have him.”
Aledo’s scoring stretched out to six straight drives to help build a 45-21 lead midway through the fourth.
The Bearcats’ opening drive of the third quarter ended in Roberts’ fourth score of the night, from 23 yards, that made it 35-14 with 6:51 left in the period. Clay Murador booted a 21-yard field goal on their next possession.
Aledo quarterback Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi hit Brian Fleming for 49 yards to the Frisco 6 and three plays later, Alabama bound athlete JoJo Earle scored from the 1 to increase the margin to 45-21 with 5:57 left in the game.
Roberts rushed 28 times for 224 yards.
“I said it last week, when our offense is clicking, we’re really unstoppable,” Roberts said. “It all starts with the big boys in the trenches. It starts with them everyday in practice and everyday in games. When they do good, we all do good.”
Fowler-Nicolosi threw for 203 yards and Earle had 61 yards of offense and two scores.
“I really like him at quarterback,” Roberts said. “I got my trust in him. He won’t let me down and I’ll never let him down. It’s a team effort and we have each other’s backs.”
Earle’s first score came on the game’s opening drive, a 15-yard keeper from the wildcat formation to give Aledo a 7-0 edge just two minutes into the contest.
Frisco answered on its first drive, marching 64 yards on eight plays as QB Caree’ Green scored from the 1 to tie the game midway through the first quarter.
Green threw for 176 yards and a 27-yard TD to Chase Lowery (Arkansas) for the final score in the fourth.
RB Syone Usma-Harper rushed for 82 yards and TDs of 10 yards and 1 yard to lead the Raccoons.
This story was originally published December 24, 2020 at 10:05 PM.
