Big Defensive Plays Lead Union To Fourth Straight Title

NewsOn6.com

STILLWATER, Oklahoma – They certainly made it exciting, but the end result was a fourth-straight state title.

Tulsa Union topped Broken Arrow 23-22 on Thursday night to win the 6A State Championship yet again.

Colby Evans was the man of the night for the Redskins and was in the right place at the right time toward the end.

With just under four minutes to play, Evans scooped up a Broken Arrow fumble and took it back 30 yards for the touchdown and gave his team its final 23-22 margin.

Although it was the key play of the game, it might not have even been Evans' most impressive play of the game.

He also had an 85-yard interception return at the end of the third quarter, picking off Tigers quarterback Zack Mills and setting up a touchdown that would give Union a 16-14 lead at that point.

Partway through the fourth, Mills redeemed himself with a 40-yard strike to Levi Copelin, and converted for two points to give his team a 22-16 lead with nine minutes left. But Evans' key return at the end put the Redskins up for good, and Broken Arrow threw a pick on the last play of the game to end their hopes of a first state title.

Union controlled the first half, putting up a touchdown in the first quarter and a field goal in the second to lead 10-7 at the break.

A Zach Mills touchdown to Quad Ware gave Broken Arrow a 14-10 lead in the third.

Union's victory means that for a 16th-straight season, either Jenks or Union has won the 6A state title game.

The Redskins won each of their final three playoff games by just one point each.