Union Knocks off Rival Jenks for Third Consecutive Title

The Redskins erased a double-digit deficit to pull of the three-peat and hoist the Class 6A Gold Ball.

Thursday, July 28th 2011, 5:58 pm

By: News On 6

Union Knocks off Rival Jenks for Third Consecutive Title

Originally Published: Dec 3, 2010 11:9 PM CDT

Gerald Goodridge
Oklahoma Sports Staff Writer

STILLWATER, Oklahoma -- A wild second half saw Union emerge with the Class 6A Gold Ball 50-47 Friday, giving the Redskins their third consecutive state title and handing the Jenks Trojans their first loss of the season.

Union started the second half trailing 27-23, after erasing an 18-point early-game deficit. The Redskins got the ball to start the second half and had no problem moving the ball downfield steadily. Quarterback Kale Pearson scored on his second keeper of the game to give the Redskins their first lead of the game 30-27.

Jenks took over to try to extend the lead, but Union’s Brentom Todd stripped Ross to give the Redskins the ball at the Jenks 28. Union capitalized on the turnover and Pearson connected with Chris Hall for a six-yard touchdown pass to take a 37-27 lead with four minutes left in the third quarter.

The turnovers continued in the third quarter; however the second fumble of the third quarter favored the Trojans. Jenks’ Chris Riley stripped Union’s Jalen Hearron to take over at the Redskins’ 13-yard line.

On a 4th and one from the Union four-yard line, Jenks’ Alex Ross punched it in to close the deficit to 37-33.

Kevin King was unable to convert on the PAT to keep the Trojans’ deficit at four points.

Union was determined to maintain the lead and strung together a long drive, capped off by yet another one-yard keeper by Pearson.

Four minutes later, Jenks answered with a qb-keeper of its own. Kollmorgen scored from two yards out to put the Redskins back within single digits, trailing 44-39.

A bad snap on a Union punt attempt gave the Trojans the ball on the Redskins’ 12 and Ross wasted no time in scoring to retake the lead for the Trojans 47-44.

But the Redskins were determined to take the gold ball.

With just 39 seconds left on the clock, Stephon Weaver connected with Christian Hood on a 28-yard double pass to put the Redskins ahead 50-47.

Jenks tried a last-ditch run by star running back Ross, but the Redskins bottled him up to secure the three-peat for Union.

The game started in an eerily similar manner to the 2009 championship game.

Ross returned the opening kick 86 yards for a score to give the Trojans a 7-0 lead before their offense took the field.

Ross continued to take over the game in the early minutes, breaking a 69-yard touchdown run on the Trojans’ next drive to extend the lead to 14 points.

Union was able to put three points on the board, but the Trojans’ offense continued to roll in the opening 12 minutes. Senior quarterback Sawyer Kollmormorgen hit Jacob Bertelli for a 19-yard touchdown strike to take a 21-3 lead.

The Redskins finally cracked the end zone in the closing seconds of the first quarter. With 21 seconds left on the clock, Hearron scored from three yards out to close the gap to 21-9.

The Redskins continued to battle back and answered with a big play of their own. Three plays, 73 yards capped off by a 57-yard strike from Pearson to Christian Hood to close the deficit to 21-16.

The Union defense appeared to have its second consecutive three-and-out, but a personal foul penalty kept the Jenks drive alive. Seven plays later, Kollmoregen connected with running back Zac Langer for a three-yard touchdown completion to push the lead to 11 points.

The Trojans were unable to convert on the two-point attempt to hold a 27-16 lead.

Union converted on a 4th and short to keep a drive alive. The Redskins meticulously marched the ball down the field and Pearson punched it in from two yards out on a keeper to pull within 27-23 with a little more than a minute left on the clock.

After the kickoff, Jenks ran out the clock to go into halftime with the slim lead.