Refugio holds off Cisco, 36-35, to win title

ARLINGTON — Travis Quintanilla passed for 372 yards and three touchdowns and Refugio stopped Cisco on fourth-and-short in the final minute to hold on for a 36-35 victory in the Class 2A Division II championship game Friday.

Refugio (15-0), which won its first state title since taking the 2A crown in 1970, led 36-19 early in the fourth quarter before Cisco charged back.

Cisco (14-1) pulled within a point with two minutes left when Refugio opted for a safety rather than punting out of the end zone.

Suddenly needing just a field goal to win, Cisco took over at its 34 but couldn’t move past Refugio’s 43. Hayden Lewis took a handoff on fourth-and-3 and smashed through the line only to fall short of the first down.

The loss in front of 10,456 at Cowboys Stadium was Cisco’s fourth in four championship games the past 10 years.

Refugio’s Jack Gumm recovered a fumble to set up Shilo Whetsel’s 5-yard touchdown run that capped a run of 22 consecutive points and gave Refugio a 36-19 lead with 8:34 remaining.

Mason Reed’s 86-yard touchdown on the kickoff return gave Cisco some life, and after forcing a three-and-out, Cisco pulled within three points on Lewis’s 2-yard plunge with 4:10 left. Lewis finished with 180 rushing yards and two touchdowns.

Quintanilla, a sophomore, was 20-of-25 and earned offensive MVP honors. Six completions went to Cory Brown, who had 110 receiving yards.

Brown also had 10 tackles and a pass breakup on fourth down in the end zone.

■ Wimberley 21, Argyle 14: In Arlington, Dennis Smith piled up 116 all-purpose yards, including a 66-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter, as Wimberley beat Argyle in the Class 3A Division I state championship Friday.

Smith’s only reception was thrown to him in stride by quarterback Brady Lambert.

The victory marked the second state football championship for the Texans (15-0), who used a 76-yard touchdown run by Trinity Wilson in the fourth quarter to increase their lead to double-digits. After Wilson’s long run, the Eagles drove from their own 16 into the red zone on 15 plays, but had to settle for a field goal by Cole Hedlund, which trimmed Wimberley’s lead to seven.