PFLUGERVILLE — The Bellville High School football team is heading to Cowboy Stadium in Arlington for the UIL State Football Championship game as they defeated Wimberley High School Dec. 7 in flugerville in thrilling fashion by a final score of 35-33. This was a game where the two teams answered each other’s scores throughout the match and a missed extra point by Wimberley late in the game made a huge difference as the Texans weren’t able to convert on a last second two-point conversion, ultimately sealing the deal for Bellville.
“Right now, it feels pretty good,” said Bellville head football coach Grady Rowe. “We’re gonna enjoy this thing, but we’re gonna be ready to go to work. I’m so proud of our kids. So proud of our community. You see that crowd. Wow. They showed up.”
Brahmas four-star defensive lineman DJ Sanders made a huge strip and score for a touchdown on one of the first few plays of the game to put his team ahead early. He’s also wreaked havoc on opposing offensive lineman ever since he’s put on a Bellville uniform. “We worked hard all week,” Sanders said. “This is very, very exciting for Bellville to go to state, you know. We’re working hard every day.”
Sanders stripped the quarterback of the ball at the 11 minute mark in the first quarter and ran it back to the end zone for about 40 yards and a 7-0 lead. Wimberley junior quarterback Cody Stoever had an enormous game with five total touchdowns and scored his first one with 4:09 to play in the quarter on a run around the edge near the goal line to tie it at seven and the Jumbotron read the same at the end of the first quarter.
Bellville senior running back Sam Hranicky converted a goal line touchdown of his own in the first minute and a half in the second quarter, then Wimberley’s Stoever added another touchdown of the same kind to tie it back at 14. As the Brahmas drove up field with their run game for the majority of the quarter, junior running back DD Murray hauled one for 28 yards at the 1:17 mark to pull ahead 21-14 at halftime.
Brahmas junior running back Corrian Hood put another spark in the team when he ran for a 69 yard score at the very beginning of the third quarter to give his team some cushion with a 2814 advantage. Bellville’s Murray made a huge interception in the corner of the end zone as Wimberley was threatening to score again, but Stoever was still able to cut into the lead with 2:47 to go with a goal line touchdown to make it 28-21 in favor of the Brahmas at the end of the third quarter.
Bellville went ahead two touchdowns again with another score from Murray for a yard at the 10:13 mark in the fourth quarter. The Texans continued to climb back with their passing and Stoever capped off a drive on a five yard score with 7:25 to play, but Wimberley missed the extra point to put it at 35-27.
Wimberley passed the ball up field again on their final drive and Stoever made a crucial dive for a first down on fourth and six near the Bellville sideline just past midfield as the clock reached about a minute.
Stoever rushed for yet another goal line touchdown with just 43 seconds to go and was forced to go for two in order to tie the game, but didn’t convert as Stoever made another dive for extra yardage and came up inches short, giving Bellville the ball back for them to go in victory formation en route to a nail-biting 35-33 win.
Bellville will play Gilmer High School at 3 p.m. this Friday at Cowboy Stadium in Arlington for the Class 4A state championship title.
According to Harris Ratings, the Brahmas are projected to win by eight points.
