STERLING CITY, TX-- The Garden City Bearkats needed defensive heroics late to claim the District 8-1A Division I title over rival Sterling City in a 38-34 thriller.
John Alegria picked of Sterling City's Wyatt Sisco and took it the other way for the go-ahead score with 4 minutes, 6 seconds left in the game. It was Garden City's second interception return for a touchdown in the game. Raul Almazan had their first in the first quarter to put Garden City up 12-6.
The win comes despite Garden City being outgained by Sterling City 381 yards total to 334 by the Bearkats.
Amando Alegria finished the night as the top performer for the Bearkats with 140 yards of total offense and two touchdowns. Hunter McMillan was a close second with 112 yards of total offense and two touchdowns.
Sisco led the Eagles offensively with 300 yards of total offense and four touchdowns.
Initially, the Eagles looked poised for the upset with a 34-26 lead in the fourth quarter. McMillan closed that gap with an 8-yard touchdown run, but a blocked extra-point kept Sterling City ahead 34-32. Then Alegria picked off Sisco to complete the comeback.
Garden City will face Rankin at Rankin in the Bi-District round next Friday.
Sterling City gets Balmorhea in the first round of playoffs.
Sonora's Second Half Explosion Secures Third Seed
The Sonora Broncos outscored the Brady Bulldogs 33-6 in the second half for their third straight win and third place in District 13-3A DII
The Broncos put the rout on the Bulldogs with a season-high offensive output of 512 yards of total offense.
Senior Wesley Dutton had a career night with 273 yards of total offense and five total touchdowns. Dutton was 5-of-5 passing for 131 yards. He added another 131 yards rushing and 12 yards. The senior had four rushing touchdowns and one receiving touchdown from a Brian Van Winkle pass.
Sonora's defense also put the clamps on Brady. They held the Bulldog offense to 192 yards of total offense and one score. Brady's only other touchdown came on an interception return by Benjamin Galindo in the third quarter.
Sonora will face Van Vleck in the Bi-District round of the state playoffs next Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Gayle and Tom Benson Stadium on the campus of the University of the Incarnate Word.
Brady finishes the season 2-8 overall and 1-4 in district play.
You can see the full scores from around the Concho Valley here.
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