110 in a row! Aledo beats Denton Ryan to extend incredible district winning streak (photos)

Aledo QB Hauss Hejny had another big game with almost 300 yards of offense and 3 touchdowns

In February of 2022, the University Interscholastic League realigned classifications and districts. This rocked the Aledo Bearcats as they were put into the same district as the Denton Ryan Raiders.

The two perennial powers both had district winning streaks coming into the season, but Aledo’s was the longest. Going into their matchup on Friday night, the Bearcats had extended the streak to 109 consecutive district wins.

Denton Ryan appeared to be the likely candidate to end the streak, but Aledo rode a big fourth quarter to a 35-21 win over the Raiders to extend the streak to 110 games.

• TEXAS HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SCORES

“I’m tired right now,” Aledo head coach Tim Buchanan said with a chuckle. “I’m glad we have an open week because it’s been a long nine weeks. It started off hard, but our kids have really answered the bell every week.”

Ryan delivered the first blow early as they forced Aledo to punt and Kahlon Davis went to work, hitting Da’Marquis Lewis up the seam from 23-yards out to take a 7-0 lead.

Davis finished the game 14 of 23 for 166 yards and all three Ryan touchdowns.

The Bearcats responded on their next possession. Junior running back Caleb Pope - who finished with 15 carries for 85 yards and a touchdown - took charge of the drive and capped it off with a 9-yard scoring run to tie it up.

Aledo’s defense picked it up right away and made a stop to get the ball back as the first quarter came to a close.

The Bearcats took some time off of the clock in the second quarter before scoring on a key fourth down when star quarterback Hauss Hejny called his own number and beat the Raider defense to the pylon from nine yards out to give Aledo a 14-7 lead.

Hejny was the difference maker for Aledo, going 9 of 12 for 149 yards and a touchdown through the air, adding 132 yards on 13 carries and 2 touchdowns on the ground.

Again the Aledo defense made a stop and got the ball back to its offense. With just over a minute to go in the half, linebacker Davhon Keys checked in at running back and plowed his way over the goal line from 6-yards out to make it 21-7 going into the break.

However the Raiders had no intention of going quietly. Early in the third quarter, Davis found Jordyn Bailey on a bubble screen for a 50-yard, untouched touchdown catch.

Bailey amassed 83 yards on 7 catches and 2 touchdowns for the Raiders.

The Ryan defense came up big on the ensuing drive, forcing Aledo to punt just before the end of the third quarter.

On the opening drive of the fourth quarter, the Raiders started from deep in their own end of the field and proceeded to drive all the way down the field to score on a 5-yard strike to Bailey, tying the game at 21-21.

At that point, Aledo hit the throttle. Hejny took it upon himself to respond, leading the Bearcat offense to the Raider 24-yard line before finding Jalen Pope in the end zone to reclaim the lead. A missed extra point kept the score 27-21.

Ryan saw an opportunity after the missed extra point, but the Aledo defense upped the pressure and forced an errant pass that was intercepted by Jayton Owens. However, two plays later the Bearcats fumbled and gave the ball back to the Raiders.

Again the Aledo defense stood tall and forced Ryan to punt. After a 60-yard punt to pin Aledo at its own 14-yard line, Hejny called ballgame by keeping it himself and racing to the end zone to put Aledo up 35-21.

On the ensuing kickoff, the Raiders fumbled and the Bearcats recovered. From there, Aledo killed the clock and walked away with its 110th consecutive district win, clinching the district title in the process.

“We’ve got an open week next week,” Buchanan said. “What we’re going to try to do is get stronger, faster and do some fundamental stuff to get better fundamentally this next week.”

Aledo (7-2, 7-0) will enjoy a well deserved bye week before finishing the regular season with the Fort Worth Brewer Bears at 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 4 at Bearcat Stadium in Aledo.

Denton Ryan (4-3, 4-2) will look to bounce back from its second straight loss against Fort Worth Brewer at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct 28 at Bears Stadium in White Settlement.

PHOTO GALLERY: ALEDO 35, DENTON RYAN 21

(All photos by Chuck Cox)