ARLINGTON – During the last three years, the “ experts” have given Smithson Valley football little chance of winning the 5A-I state title. In the last two years the Rangers have made them look silly and Friday vs. Frisco Lone Star they made a lot of people look silly.
Ty Knutson threw for a touchdown, and the defense played a masterful performance, punctuated by Colton Hornsby’s pick-6 in the fourth quarter, in beating Frisco Lone Star 28-6 in a battle of Rangers.
Smithson Valley joins 1992- 1993 Converse Judson as the only San Antonio area teams to win consecutive UIL football state titles.
The Rangers from Smithson Valley held the Rangers from Lone Star from scoring until a meaningless touchdown in the final minute after Lone Star scored 58 and 56 on Dallas Highland Park and Aledo, respectively, the previous two weeks.
Lone Star totaled just 125 yards of offense through three quarters as Smithson Valley just missed becoming the first S.A. area team to shutout an opponent in a state final since 1992 Judson.
Larry Hill joined D.W. Rutledge as the only area coaches (3 as a head coach and 5 total) to defend a football state title and joined former Central Catholic coach Carlos Enrico as the only area coaches (3 as a head coach) to win more than one football state title.
The key play of the game was not in the boxscore but kept Lone Star (15-1) from making a game changing play.
Up 3-0 in the second quarter, a bad snap sent Smithson Valley punter/ kicker Trent Amaya scrambling for the ball near midfield. Instead of panicking, he picked up the ball, punted it down to the 6, and that was the last chance Lone Star had at making it a game.
Amaya was 2 for 3 on field-goal attempts to finish his career 6 for 8 in state finals. Amaya’s second field goal just before halftime made it 6-0.
Lone Star had the ball to start the second half but went 3 and out. Knutson led a 5-play, 54-yard drive that ended in a 39-yard touchdown pass to Hunter Haug to make it 13-0.
Caleb Peagler had a fourth-quarter touchdown before Hornsby’s pick-6 made it 28-0 and sent the Smithson Valley bench into a frenzy. Hornsby was the defensive MVP, but the award could have gone to the entire D.
Lone Star dual threat QB Trey Wright was held in check in the first half before suffering an ankle injury that limited him in the second half.
Smithson Valley also had a nearly 30-yard advantage in average starting field position.
Hill became the fifth area coach to defend a UIL state title in any sport that goes through playoff brackets (football, basketball, soccer, etc.) joining Rutledge, Boerne soccer coach Michael Strong, former Poth volleyball coach Patti Zenner and longtime South San baseball coach Cliff Gustafson in the exclusive club. Only Zenner has ever 3-peated (twice).
Smithson Valley, which is in District 13-5A DI along with Boerne Champion, also became the first S.A. area team to finish with 15 wins and a UIL football state title in the same season since Judson in 1983.
Hill tied Dennis Alexander for eighth on the all-time Texas high school football wins list at 340 and is three away from Jim Streety.
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