Tuscola Jim Ned Wins First State Title in Football (with official Game Stats)

CHIEF OF STATE

Tuscola Jim Ned overcomes 21-point deficit to force overtime and win it all on two-point conversion for first ever football state title.

By: Jack Walker

ARLINGTON- The Jim Ned Indians rallied to shock the Hallettsville Brahmas on the final play of overtime 29-28 at Cowboys’ Stadium, Thursday night in Arlington to secure the class 3A Division I title–the school’s first ever state championship in football.  The Indians overcame a 21-point deficit, punctuated by a win or die two point-conversion from Tate Yardley to Zach Henderson.  The last moment heroics provide the prestige Tuscola has been so relentlessly in pursuit of for the past several seasons. 

After beginning their 2020 campaign with a narrow loss to Ballinger, the Indians won 14 straight to capture the 3A crown.  Defensive player of the game Xavier Wishert left his impact on the offensive side of the ball after exploding from seventeen yards out to propel the Indians into a definitive situation on the point after attempt in overtime. Wishert contributed 186 yards rushing on the night to supplement his MVP effortsdefense.   

Tuscola Jim Ned players hoist the UIL class 3A Division I State Championship trophy Thursday night at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.

In front of a crowd of nearly 5,000 spectators, the Indians executed a clutch do -or-die deep shot that Yardley finessed perfectly to Henderson for the stunning, come from behind triumph.  Tuscola’s glamorous two-point conversion in overtime for the state championship was the second Big Country team to win in such pivotal fashion.  Windthorst was successful in similar efforts a day earlier after winning on a two-point conversion after trailing by a point.

Hallettsville’s Jonathon Brooks rushed for 299 yards and all four of the Brahmas touchdowns, including a 56-yard burst on their initial play from scrimmage to begin the game.  Brooks will suit up for the University of Texas next year and was the primary reason the Brahmas were favored to take the title game despite having lost earlier in the season to the Indians.

“I really did not want to have to try and defend them again,”  Fanning said  with a cherishing grin on his face following the overtime win.

This year’s team from Tuscola has likely not even experienced the gravity of their accomplishment after bringing back the state championship trophy to the Jim Ned community over the Christmas holiday.  Fortunately for the Indians players and the surrounding supporters in and around town, there is plenty of time for their recent achievement to sink in.

              Jim Ned­29                  Hallettsville28

Jim Ned Indians (20-21) State Championship Game Stats and Footnotes.

Jim Ned

Passing

#	Athlete Name	Comp	Att	Yds	C %	Avg	TD	Int	Lng	QB Rate
	Team Totals	6	16	137	.375	22.8	3	1	35	82.6
11	Tate Yardley (Jr)	6	16	137	.375	22.8	3	1	35	82.6

Jim Ned

Rushing

#	Athlete Name	Car	Yds	Avg	Lng	TD
	Team Totals	39	183	4.7	20	1
5	Xavier Wishert (Jr)	35	186	5.3	20	1
11	Tate Yardley (Jr)	4	-3	-0.8	3

Jim Ned

Receiving

#	Athlete Name	Rec	Yds	Avg	Lng	TD
	Team Totals	6	137	22.8	35	3
1	Braden Lewis (Jr)	2	38	19.0	34	1
2	Zach Henderson (Sr)	2	70	35.0	35	2
14	Caden Martin (Sr)	2	29	14.5	18

Jim Ned

All Purpose Yards

#	Athlete Name	Rush	Rec	KR	PR	IR	Total
	Team Totals	183	137	41	15		376
1	Braden Lewis (Jr)		38				38
2	Zach Henderson (Sr)		70		15		85
5	Xavier Wishert (Jr)	186		15			201
11	Tate Yardley (Jr)	-3					-3
14	Caden Martin (Sr)		29				29
15	Kaeden Sands (Sr)			26			26

Jim Ned

Total Yards

#	Athlete Name	Pass	Rush	Rec	Total
	Team Totals	137	183	137	320
1	Braden Lewis (Jr)			38	38
2	Zach Henderson (Sr)			70	70
5	Xavier Wishert (Jr)		186		186
11	Tate Yardley (Jr)	137	-3		134
14	Caden Martin (Sr)			29	29

Jim Ned

Tackles

#	Athlete Name	Solo	Asst	Tot Tckls	TFL
	Team Totals	27	43	70	3.0
1	Braden Lewis (Jr)		2	2
2	Zach Henderson (Sr)	1	2	3
5	Xavier Wishert (Jr)	6	6	12
8	Troy Doran (So)		7	7
14	Caden Martin (Sr)	1	4	5
15	Kaeden Sands (Sr)	1	2	3
16	Hunter Wilson (Sr)	2	2	4	1.0
24	S. Hernandez (So)	2	2	4
32	Austin Martin (Sr)	7	4	11	1.5
40	Tanner Hussman (So)	3	2	5
55	Gage Stanaland (So)	1	3	4	.5
58	Nate Nunez (Jr)		1	1
61	Gatlyn Cooper (Jr)	1	3	4
77	Dub Harwell (Sr)	2	3	5

Jim Ned

Sacks

#	Athlete Name	Sacks	Ydl	Hurs
	Team Totals	1.0	10	1
5	Xavier Wishert (Jr)			1
15	Kaeden Sands (Sr)	.5	5
24	S. Hernandez (So)	.5	5

Jim Ned

Fumbles and Blocks

#	Athlete Name	Fmb Rec	FR Yds	Caus	Blk Pnts	Blk FGs
	Team Totals	1	8	1
16	Hunter Wilson (Sr)	1	8
32	Austin Martin (Sr)			1

Jim Ned

Kickoffs

#	Athlete Name	KO	Yds	Avg	Lng	TB
	Team Totals	4	166	41.5		1
10	H. Humphries (Sr)	4	166	41.5		1

Jim Ned

Punts

#	Athlete Name	P	Yds	Avg	Lng	In 20
	Team Totals	5	202	40.4	52	2
88	Blaine Palmer (Jr)	5	202	40.4	52	2

Jim Ned

Kickoff Returns

#	Athlete Name	Rets	Yds	Avg	Lng
	Team Totals	4	41	10.3	15
5	Xavier Wishert (Jr)	1	15	15.0	15
15	Kaeden Sands (Sr)	3	26	8.7	12

Jim Ned

Punt Returns

#	Athlete Name	Rets	Yds	Avg	Lng	FC	KR Yds
	Team Totals	2	15	7.5	11		56
2	Zach Henderson (Sr)	2	15	7.5	11		15
5	Xavier Wishert (Jr)						15
15	Kaeden Sands (Sr)						26

Jim Ned

Points

#	Athlete Name	TD	TD Pts	Conv	S	Kick Pts	Tot Pts
	Team Totals	4	24	2		3	29
1	Braden Lewis (Jr)	1	6				6
2	Zach Henderson (Sr)	2	12	2			14
5	Xavier Wishert (Jr)	1	6				6
10	H. Humphries (Sr)					3	3

Jim Ned

PATs and Field Goals

#	Athlete Name	PAT	Att	%	FG	Att	%	Lng	Tot
	Team Totals	3	3	1.0					3
10	H. Humphries (Sr)	3	3	1.0					3

Jim Ned

Touchdowns

#	Athlete Name	TDRush	TDRec	TD FR	TD IR	TD PR	TD KOR	TD Tot
	Team Totals	1	3					4
1	Braden Lewis (Jr)		1					1
2	Zach Henderson (Sr)		2					2
5	Xavier Wishert (Jr)	1						1

Jim Ned

Conversions

#	Athlete Name	CRush	CRec	Conv Tot
	Team Totals		1	1
2	Zach Henderson (Sr)		1	1