Gaither Cowboys to Face St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders in State Semifinals After Thrilling Victory

The Gaither Cowboys beat Jesuit Tigers 31–24 in heartstopping finish-to-finish matchup to clinch the Class 3M, Region 2 title and advance into the semi-finals of state level. The cowboys will now be pitted against the mighty St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders, who won the Class 3M state title.

A game of grit and determination.

It was in this manner that no one of the two teams seemed in position to dominate the play throughout the game. The game started in with Jesuit scoring first and leading by just one. Throughout the first half, both teams alternated between touchdown and field goal as the Cowboys entered the half down by one point (14-13).

The second half was just as fierce as the first. Jesuit made 21 points in the beginning of the third quarter while Gaither matched up at 21-17. The Cowboys had also scored another touchdown with 28-17 through junior running back, Antonio Henley.

There was however one that remained; namely, Jesuit. Only with 3 minutes, they managed to throw an additional touchdown and shrink the lead to 28:24. Tigers got an opportunity for the last when they recovered an onside kick and led to the team. Notwithstanding, the Cowboys’ defence was resolute resulting in a Jesuit turnover and victory.

Cowboys' Defense Shines

Their defense was instrumental in their winning. They limited Jesuit’s powerful offense to only 24 points and generated three takeaways. Senior linebacker Antonio Henley registered 15 tackles while junior defensive back Jayden Johnson accounted for two interceptions.

Cowboys' Offense Produces When Needed

Cowboys’ offense also shined occasionally. On that day, they scored 31 goals and they made their moves whenever necessary. The junior quarterback and senior running back Ethan Davis and Antonio Henley, respectively, ran for 175 yard touchdowns while rushing for 100 and two more touchdowns, respectively.

Looking Ahead

Now, the Cowboys will meet their toughest competition this season, the St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders, in the state semifinals. A perennial powerhouse, who has managed to win the state championship in three of the last four years is the Raiders. Nevertheless, the cowboys have faith in themselves and can’t wait to face the trial.

Conclusion

The Gaither Cowboys have fared very well this season in order to go for it on home territory and win the state cup within two victories. Although they are going to meet a strong team at the St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders, I am convinced that they can get an excellent result during the playoff period.