Big Plays Catapault Union To Gold Ball

Originally Published: Dec 5, 2009 1:12 AM CDT

Bobby Lewis
Oklahoma Sports Reporter

TULSA, Oklahoma – The first play of the 6A state title game set the tone for the night. Union pulled off a trick play, a Jacob Rice lateral to Thomas Roberson, who took the opening kickoff 76 yards for a score. Union never looked back, winning easily 52-19 over Jenks.

“That (play) is something you don’t expect, and you just have to play with it,” said Union senior linebacker Bobby Lind. “It’s the best thing that could ever happen.”

Momentum carried Union to its fifth championship this decade. Big plays paved the way to a 32-0 first half lead and a huge win over their biggest rival.

In the first quarter, Jenks quarterback Sawyer Kollmorgen lost the football inside his own 20-yard line. Union pounced on the ball and scored a touchdown a few plays later to take a 14-0 lead just 2:26 into the game.

Later in the first quarter, Kollmorgen was sacked by Bobby Lind, stalling a drive. The defense repeatedly came up with big stops in key situations in the first half. After failing to convert on 4th-and-goal, Union forced Kollmorgen into trouble, sacking him in his own endzone for a safety.

“I think they had the number one offense in the state coming in and our defense shut them out in the first half,” said Redskins senior quarterback Chase Boyce. “It doesn’t get any better than that.”

The big plays showed up on the scoreboard and in the box score. Union dominated Jenks all night long, holding the Trojans to just 146 yards on the ground a week after Jenks racked up 304 rushing yards against Southmoore. Jenks converted just two third down conversions and three Redskins tallied seven or more tackles during the dominating 6A title win.

“You know, we came into this game knowing we were going to win,” smiled Lind.

Union scored on eight of its 12 possessions en route to winning back-to-back titles for the first time since accomplishing the feat back in 2004 and 2005. The Trojans finish the season 13-1.