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Panthers lose QB, title game to Alto, 22-0
December 15, 2007 7:47 PM

Zach Duncan

Times Record News

MIDLOTHIAN, Texas - Alto's Tarlandus Mitchell rushed for 134 yards on Saturday afternoon and threw two touchdowns.

Seymour's Hayden Holub never had an opportunity to outduel the Yellowjackets' quarterback.

Holub went down with a knee injury in the first quarter of the Class A Division I championship. Despite a stoic effort by the Panthers’ defense, No. 1 Alto pulled away for a 22-0 victory.

It's the Yellowjackets (14-0) second consecutive state championship, running an impressive winning streak to 28 games. Seymour ends its best season in school history at 10-4.

"I'm so thrilled these kids get to experience this," Alto coach Keith Gardner said. "It's great to win, and it's great to be a part of this."

Alto's defense limited to the Panthers to only 25 yards of offense and four first downs as the Panthers looked overmatched without its vibrant quarterback.

Seymour's defense was almost as impressive. Yards were tough to come by for an Alto offense that entered the matchup averaging 47 points a contest.

"There wasn't a play that we didn't give them everything that we had," Seymour coach David Fambrough said. "Our kids did a great job of fighting, and we stayed in the game.

"Our kids are going to play with heart until the last second, regardless of the situation."

Linebacker Ross Peters made several tackles, including three for losses, and was the team's leading rusher with 46 yards. The defensive line of Blake Slaggle, Landon Studer, Cole Martin and Morgan Newbold also helped keep Alto at bay.

Cade Williamson, who replaced Holub at quarterback, never could get in a rhythm, and the blustery wind didn't help. His 18-yard completion to Zack Hardin with 4:06 remaining in the third quarter was Seymour's first first down.

Leading 8-0 at the half, the Yellowjackets put the game away with a pair of second-half touchdowns, both coming off interceptions.

Marcuse Gasaway picked off Williamson and retuned it 27 yards to Seymour's 38-yard line four minutes into the half. That led to Brandon Thacker's 20-yard touchdown pass from Mitchell.

The game-clincher was vintage Alto football, as the Yellowjackets engineered a 14-play, 70-yard drive lasting almost nine minutes and ending with Lance Low's 5-yard touchdown run.

"You want to keep your offense out of the field and move the football," Gardner said. "Our linemen and running backs did a good job of hanging onto the football and being patient and moving the sticks."

Seymour had a chance to draw first blood, when Jon Morgan recovered Gasaway's fumble on the opening kickoff at the 19-yard line.

But Holub was sacked on second and third down, and the Panthers were forced to punt.

The Yellowjackets ran off a 25-play drive that included six Alto penalties, but Peters pressured Mitchell on a long fourth-down pass that was ruled intentional grounding. It was on that drive that Holub injured his knee and never returned.

With a stiff wind in Seymour’s face, Alto started its next three drives of the second quarter at the Panthers’ 39-, 41- and 36-yard lines.

The defending state champs cashed in the first one, with Jared Moore's 13-yard pass from Mitchell.

Seymour's defense held the rest of the half, but Alto added a safety when Williamson was sacked and fumbled in the end zone. Seymour linebacker Jared Guerrero made a nice interception to thwart an Alto scoring chance right before the half.

Despite the loss, Fambrough remained upbeat about Seymour’s outstanding season. The Panthers, stocked with seniors and a first-year head coach, accomplished more than any team had done before.

"They're a fantastic group of kids - not only great football players but great students," Fambrough said. "I couldn't be more proud of them."

Staff sports writer Zach Duncan can be reached weekdays after 4 p.m. by calling 720-3470 or 1-800-627-1646. Or e-mail him at duncanz(at)timesrecordnews.com.

CLASS A DIVISION I

STATE CHAMPIONSHIP

Alto 22, Seymour 0

Seymour Alto

4 First Downs 17

21-7 Yards Rushing 55-222

18 Yards Passing 60

1-15-3 Comp/Att/Int 4-12-1

4-19 Punts-Average 2-35

2-0 Fumbles Lost 2-1

2-25 Yards Penalized 13-100

———

Seymour 0 0 0 0 — 0

Alto 0 8 6 8 — 22

———

Alto — Jared Moore 13 pass from Tarlandus Mitchell (kick failed)

Alto — safety (ball knocked out of end zone)

Alto — Brandon Thacker 20 pass from Mitchell (run failed)

Alto — Lance Low 5 run (Demarcus Griffin run)

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Rushing: (S) Ross Peters 11-46; Donald Penner 1-1; Hayden Holub 2-(-19); Cade Williamson 7-(-21); (A) Tarlandus Mitchell 28-134; Marcuse Gasaway 15-61; Lance Low 7-27; Demarcus Griffin 5-0.

Passing: (S) Cade Williamson 1-13-2, 18 yards; Ross Peters 0-1-0, 0 yards; Zack Hardin 0-1-1, 0 yards; (A) Tarlandus Mitchell 4-12-1, 60 yards.

Receiving: (S) Zack Hardin 1-18; (A) Brandon Thacker 1-20; Demarcus Griffin 1-15; Jared Moore 1-13; Kevin Blackmore 1-12.