High School

Smithson Valley beats Highland Park to win Texas Class 5A Division 1 state championship: Live updates recap

Smithson Valley shocks with first state title under legendary coach Larry Hill

Levi Payton

Defensive back Julian Colunga of Smithson Valley returns an interception for a touchdown during the first half of Texas 5A D1 state title game.
Defensive back Julian Colunga of Smithson Valley returns an interception for a touchdown during the first half of Texas 5A D1 state title game. / Photo by Tommy Hays

Dallas Highland Park Scots (14-1) vs. Spring Branch Smithson Valley Rangers (13-2), 11 a.m., Saturday

The Class 5A Division I title game will feature two of the winningest coaches in UIL history. Highland Park’s Randy Allen has 460 wins and is second all-time, behind Phil Danaher’s 488 wins. Larry Hill is 9th all-time and is fourth among active coaches with 324 wins heading into this game.

Smithson Valley is in the finals for the second year in a row and fifth time overall. The Rangers won its only title in 2004.

TEXAS HS FOOTBALL SCOREBOARD

The Rangers beat Angleton, 21-14, on Saturday to earn the return trip. Up 14-0 in the fourth, Smithson Valley saw the lead evaporate with 5:08 left. QB Cade Spradling scored the game-winner on a 41-yard run with 2:56 left.

Highland Park, likewise, had a close game in the semifinals. The Scots posted a 24-21 win over Denton Ryan.

WR Cannon Bozman had eight catches for 145 yards — including an 80-yard score. Sutton Stock hit a 28-yard field goal to win it with 6 seconds left.

This is the Scots’ 10th title berth — the first since winning 2016, 2017 and 2018 — all three of those title runs featured wins over Denton Ryan.

Dallas Highland Park Scots vs. Spring Branch Smithson Valley Rangers, Class 5A Division I state finals live updates

FIRST QUARTER

We are set for the opening kick. Highland Park will receive.

TOUCHDOWN HIGHLAND PARK! Wide receiver Cannon Bozman takes a pass from Buck Randall, breaks a tackle and races 49 yards for the game's first points. The extra point makes it 7-0 with 10:11 to go in the first.

That was Buck Randall's 39th touchdown pass of the season. The drive took seven plays and lasted 1 minute, 44 seconds.

There was a pretty cool moment on that first drive for Highland Park, as senior wide receiver Brandon Lilly - grandson of Dallas Cowboys legend Bob Lilly - caught a pass in the stadium where his grandfather's name hangs in the ring of honor.

FIELD GOAL SMITHSON VALLEY! Trent Amaya kicks a 29-yard field goal and Smithson Valley cuts the deficit to 7-3 with 6:21 left in the first quarter.

TURNOVER ON DOWNS! With 5:08 to go deep in their own territory, Highland Park fakes a punt, but Smithson Valley linebacker Hudson Woods sniffs it out and stuffs the runner short of the line. Smithson Valley takes over.

Smithson Valley burns a timeout with 3:07 left in the first quarter facing third-and-6 at the Highland Park 18.

FIELD GOAL SMITHSON VALLEY! Trent Amaya kicks his second field goal - this one from 35 yards, but right down the middle just the same. Highland Park 7, Smithson Valley 6, 2:58.

TOUCHDOWN HIGHLAND PARK! Senior receiver Benton Owens scores on a 73-yard pass from Buck Randall and Sutton Stock adds the extra point. Highland Park 14, Smithson Valley 6, 2:19.

Highland Park forces a punt with 44 seconds left in the quarter. The Scots take over at their own 19.

TOUCHDOWN SMITHSON VALLEY! On Highland Park's first play of the drive, Smithson Valley senior cornerback Julian Colunga jumps in front of a pass and returns it 23 yards for a touchdown. Smithson Valley cuts the deficit to 14-13 with 37 seconds in the first quarter.

Smithson Valley's Justin Roberts records his fourth sack of the season to close the first quarter.

SECOND QUARTER

Colton Hornsby and Kyle Bierman combine on a sack for Smithson Valley to force a punt. The Rangers take over at the Highland Park 40 with 11:07 left in the half.

TOUCHDOWN SMITHSON VALLEY! Cade Spradling throws a 24-yard jump-ball to his favorite target, Brody Day. Trent Amaya boots the extra point and the Rangers have their first lead, 20-14 with 8:58 left in the half.

In a huge moment, Highland Park converts a fourth-and-1 at the Smithson Valley 43 by the nose of the football to extend their drive with 6:15 left in the half.

FIELD GOAL HIGHLAND PARK! Sutton Stock drills a 40-yard field goal with 4:29 to go in the half to trim Smithson Valley's lead in half, 20-17.

Both teams trade timeouts with 57 seconds left in the half. Smithson Valley faces third down at the Scots' 7.

The gamesmanship between these two Texas high school coaching legends is like watching a chess match between professionals.

FIELD GOAL SMITHSON VALLEY! Trent Amaya boots another field goal. This one is from 24 yards to extend Smithson Valley's lead to 23-17 with 40 seconds left in the half.

Buck Randall hits Cannon Bozman for 49 yards down to the Smithson Valley 26 to open the drive.

FIELD GOAL HIGHLAND PARK! Sutton Stock kicks his second field goal of 40+ yards, connecting from 42 to cut Smithson Valley's lead to 23-20 with 7 seconds left in the half.

HALFTIME: Smithson Valley 23, Highland Park 20

Halftime notes: Smithson Valley quarterback Cade Spradling leads everyone in rushing with 73 yards on nine attempts. Running back Brad Sowersby has 62 yards on 10 carries.

Highland Park sophomore quarterback Buck Randall has completed 10 of 19 passes for 217 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Receiver Cannon Bozman has five catches for 113 yards and a touchdown. Benton Owens has three catches for 92 yards and a touchdown.

THIRD QUARTER

Smithson Valley will receive the opening kick of the second half.

A big play by Highland Park's Daniel Turner, as he sacks Cade Spradling for a loss of 8 yards to force a punt.

Smithson Valley forces a punt with 8:06 to go in the third. The Rangers lead 23-20.

Off a timeout on fourth down at the Scots' 24, Cade Spradling finds Preston Baker for nine yards and a fresh set of downs at the Highland Park 21.

Smithson Valley has a touchdown wiped off the board when a pass from Cade Spradling to PK Moeller on third down was ruled incomplete by video review.

FIELD GOAL SMITHSON VALLEY! Trent Amaya kicks a 30-yard field goal with 2:42 to go to give the Rangers a 26-20 lead.

Trent Amaya's fourth field goal tied a Texas state record for most field goals in a Class 5A Division I championship game.

TURNOVER ON DOWNS! Another huge defensive play by Rangers defensive lineman Justin Roberts. The big man stops Buck Randall short of the line to gain on fourth down to turn the ball back over to Smithson Valley at the Scots' 40 with 1:06 left in the third.

FOURTH QUARTER

Brad Sowersby goes over 100 yards for the day on a 17-yard run around the left end and Smithson Valley is driving early in the fourth.

Cade Spradling with a 12-yard sweep down to the Highland Park 3 sets up first down.

The Scots catch a huge break that they needed. Smithson Valley fumbled the snap on second down at the 1 and recovered it at the 7. After an incomplete pass, Trent Amaya's attempt to break the state championship field goal record went wide right from 24 yards and the Scots take over with 8:13 to go at their own 20, trailing 26-20.

Justin Roberts comes up with another big play on third down to force a Highland Park punt. He's been a force inside all day for the Rangers. Smithson Valley takes over at its own 45 with 5:45 remaining.

TOUCHDOWN SMITHSON VALLEY! Cade Spradling plows in from 4 yards out with 3:39 to go. The conversion attempt fails. Smithson Valley 32, Highland Park 20.

TURNOVER ON DOWNS! Smithson Valley gets another stop on defense and gives the ball back to its offense with 2:28 to go. The Rangers are well on the way to their first state title.

It's fitting that Cade Spradling would get the call to convert a first down with 2:17 to go that should seal it. He's carried the team today with 145 yards rushing, 61 passing and is tied for second on the team with five tackles on defense.

How about this wild note? The first penalty of the game just occurred with 31 seconds to go on an intentional delay of game on a punt. Perhaps it's not a surprise to see such clean play from two teams with legendary coaches?

PK Miller comes away with an interception with four seconds to go and after 32 years as Smithson Valley coach, Larry Hill gets his first state championship.

Final: Smithson Valley 32, Highland Park 20

The defense stepped up again on the biggest stage for Smithson Valley, while quarterback Cade Spradling rushed for 147 yards and a touchdown and Brad Sowersby added 152 yards on the ground in the win.

Kicker Trent Amaya tied the Texas state record with four field goals in a championship game.

Buck Randall led the Scots with 316 yards passing, two touchdowns and two interceptions. Benton Owens had 162 yards receiving and a touchdown on eight catches, while Cannon Bozman had 113 yards and a touchdown on six grabs.

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Levi Payton
LEVI PAYTON

Levi’s sports journalism career began in 2005. A Missouri native, he’s won multiple Press Association awards for feature writing and has served as a writer and editor covering high school sports as well as working beats in professional baseball, NCAA football, basketball, baseball and soccer. If you have a good story, he’d love to tell it.

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