Aledo outlasts South Oak Cliff, 28-14

Neither a three-hour weather delay or the Dallas South Oak Cliff Golden Bears (11-1) were able to spoil a so-far perfect season for the Aledo Bearcats, who won 28-14 in teams’ Class 5A, Division II regional semifinals game Friday night in Midlothian. Aledo (13-0) was held to its lowest point total of the season, while trailing South Oak Cliff in total offense (314 yards to the Bearcats’ 298). Of the Bearcats’ total yardage, 260 came on the ground. However, that number came on a whopping 59 rushing attempts by Aledo (compared to South Oak Cliff’s 146 rushing yards on 21 attempts). However, a gritty performance by Aledo’s defense, which held the Golden Bears to their lowest point total since week one (a 10-7 win over Dallas Skyline), as well as notching a forced fumble, helped power the Bearcats to the 13th-straight victory. Aledo Head Football Coach Steve Wood said his players showed incredible toughness for four quarters and did well shutting down a capable South Oak Cliff team. “I thought we got after it, and for the most part contained their speed,” Wood said. “They’re a very fast team. It was a very physical football game and I think our kids are as physical as the [Golden Bears] were, which we needed to be. But they knew how important the game was, how tight it was gonna be.” Aledo also benefitted from the physical running of tailback Jase McClellan (133 rushing yards and two scores on 33 carries) against a stout Golden Bears’ defensive front. While McClellan was held to one of his lowest yardage totals of the season, the bruising running back helped the Bearcats dominate in time of possession (35:32 to South Oak Cliff’s 12:28). Quarterback Jake Bishop, who had racked up seven total touchdowns over the course of Aledo’s first two playoff games had a quiet night, finishing 4-of-7 through the air for 38 yards and a TD while adding 86 rushing yards on 18 carries. However, the Bearcats’ offense proved just how dangerous it can be, even when being forced to play one-dimensionally, against a Golden Bears’ defense which had pitched five shutouts, held an additional three opponents to one touchdown and given up no more than 21 points in any game this season prior to Friday’s outing. Wood said the run-heavy approach was part of the Bearcats’ game plan from the start. “We didn’t feel like we matched up well throwing the football,” Wood said. “We weren’t gonna be able to pass protect, not for very long. Everything we threw had to be quick. We knew our best opportunity to win was control the clock, be able to run the football and luckily we were able to.” Despite the large carry count for Aledo’s running backs, the Bearcats did not turn the ball over once Friday, the importance of which cannot be overstated, Wood said. “It’s huge,” Wood said. “[South Oak Cliff] has feasted on turnovers all year long. There’s no telling how many defensive touchdowns they have scored during the year, and we put a big emphasis on protecting the football all week long, as we always do, but it was critical because those guys do a good job of tackling and breaking the ball out. Our guys did a good job protecting it.” Penalties proved a sore spot for both teams as South Oak Cliff (eight penalties for 68 yards) and Aledo (11 penalties for 95 yards) each struggled to avoid yellow flags. Aledo advances and will play the Frisco Reedy Lions (13-0) in the Class 5A, Division II, Region 2 state quarterfinals at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Bedford’s Pennington Field.

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ALEDO OUTLASTS SOUTH OAK CLIFF, 28-14

FORREST MURPHY

Weatherford Democrat | 12/3/2018

PHOTO CREDIT: Forrest Murphy