ARLINGTON, Texas—Cuero's Jordan Whittington was unstoppable. The do-it-all senior and Texas recruit rushed for a championship record 334 yards on 28 carries and five touchdowns to lead Cuero over Pleasant Grove, 40-28, in the Class 4A, Division II state football championship Friday at AT&T Stadium.

Whittington also caught a pass for a score. His five rushing touchdowns tied a state championship record.

The Gobblers outscored the Hawks, 20-7, in the fourth quarter to seal the victory. Whittington was named the Offensive and Defensive MVP.

"I will remember the relationships that we built the most," Pleasant Grove head coach Josh Gibson said. "I love these guys, and we are family. I have never seen a kid take over like Jordan (Whittington) did. He's an unbelievable athlete and when he has the ball in his hands, he's special."

Bruce Garrett led Pleasant Grove with 208 yards rushing on 21 totes and three touchdowns.

Senior Bladen Reaves finished with a team-high 11 tackles, and senior captain Tyler Kelley finished his year with seven tackles and a pass breakup for the Hawks. Jamie Lewis also had seven stops and a forced fumble.

"Coach tells us no matter what to keep fighting," Kelley said. "We didn't return many starters from last year, so the way we came together was great. There will be a lot of players back next year, and I wouldn't be surprised to see them back on TV (state finals) next year."

Cuero took its first lead of the game when Whittington found the end zone on a 1-yard run to make it 26-21 early in the fourth. The Gobblers' 2-point conversion pass was incomplete.

Pleasant Grove failed to convert on a fourth down attempt, and Cuero capitalized when Whittington scored from 12 yards out five plays into the 36-yard drive. The Gobblers were up 33-21.

 

Garrett threw a 46-yard pass to Ben Harmon, and the ball was spotted at the 1-yard line. Harmon ran it in to inch the Hawks closer, 33-28, with 4:36 left.

Cuero recovered the onside kick attempt and capped a five-play, 58-yard drive in 3:27 with a 20-yard touchdown run by Whittington.

The first half was a back-and-forth affair.

Pleasant Grove received the ball first and capped a 74-yard, six-play in 3:08, with a Garrett 12-yard touchdown run.

Whittington ran 69 yards to paydirt on Cuero's first play from scrimmage to knot it at 7-all.

After the Hawks punted, the defense stopped the Gobblers on a fourth-and-2 run play to regain possession.

Garrett flattened two defenders as he ran nine yards for a go-ahead touchdown for the Hawks with no time left in the first quarter.

Cornerback Kamren Woods intercepted a Michael Barta pass to give PG the ball back on the ensuing possession.

Each team traded punts, and Garrett broke free and scampered 69 yards down the field to give the Hawks a 21-7 lead.

Cuero responded with a Whittington 54-yard TD run to creep within seven at 21-14.

Pleasant Grove punted to give the Gobblers the ball back late in the second quarter.

Whittington scored his third touchdown on a 26-yard pass from Barta. The extra point was no good and the Hawks went into the half up 21-20.

Garrett totaled 191 yards of rushing on 14 carries in the first half for Pleasant Grove, while Whittington rushed for 190 yards on seven carries for Cuero.

#

Cuero 7 13 0 20 — 40

Pleasant Grove 14 7 0 7 — 28

First Quarter

PG-Bruce Garrett 12 run (Dillon Williams kick), 8:46.

CUERO-Jordan Whittington 69 run (Isaiah Mungia kick), 8:28.

PG-Garrett 9 run (Williams kick), 0:00.

Second Quarter

PG-Garrett 69 run (Williams kick), 3:44.

CUERO-Whittington 54 run (Mungia kick), 3:03.

CUERO-Whittington 26 pass from Michael Barta (kick failed), 0:00.

Fourth Quarter

CUERO-Whittington 1 run (pass failed), 9:43.

CUERO-Whittington 12 run (Mungia kick), 5:24.

PG-Ben Harmon 1 run (Williams kick), 4:36.

CUERO-Whittington 20 run (Mungia kick), 2:54.

=CUERO=PG

First Downs=24=11

Yards Rushing=47-387=33-241

Yards Passing=136=118

Passes A-C-I=19-8-1=16-6-1

Fumbles-Lost=1-0=1-0

Penalties=4-45=5-25

Punts-Avg.=1-26.0=4-38.8

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING—Cuero, Whittington 28-334, Keiran Grant 7-44, Chance Albrecht 7-22, Barta 2-1, team 3-(minus 14). Pleasant Grove, Garrett 21-208, James Wiggins 8-21, Ben Harmon 3-12, Ryan Pickelman 1-0.

PASSING—Cuero, Barta 8-17-1-136, Whittington 0-2-0-0. Pleasant Grove, Ben Harmon 5-15-1-72, Garrett 1-1-0-46.

RECEIVING—Cuero, Whittington 3-43, Trent Haynes 2-39, Trey Moore 1-30, Deondrae Lang 2-24. Pleasant Grove, Brett Walker 1-34, Jackson Cobb 2-27, Garrett 1-4, Harmon 1-46, Wiggins 1-7.

Attendance—12,784.