Wall Dethrones Gunter to Advance to State Championship

"What a special deal and what an amazing community. My God, our crowd and our student section were amazing," Slaughter said. "I don't know if it'll soak in until the drive home. I'm working tomorrow. We have one more, and I'm so proud to be part of that football team and part of that community and to get to represent Wall in the state final."

Wall 28, Gunter 25

• Gunter   0   0   9   16 — 25
• Wall   3   11   0   14 — 28

First Quarter

• W - Tyler Klinesmith 25 field goal, 6:06 remaining

Second Quarter

• W - Klinesmith 25 field goal, 11:01
• W - Kellan Oliver 13 pass from Landon York (Bryson McFarden pass from York), 1:50

Third Quarter

• G - Tristan Barton 4 run (kick good), 4:16
• G - Safety, 2:49

Fourth Quarter

• G - Jay Campiti 3 run (Campiti run), 6:43
• W - Reid Robertson 34 pass from York (Klinesmith kick), 4:55
• W - Ben Taylor fumble recovery in end zone (Klinesmith kick), 3:59
• G - Rhys Dainauski 20 pass from Barton (Campiti run), 1:56

LIVE UPDATES

8:39 p.m. Gunner King knocks the fourth-down pass to the turf, and Wall wins it! The Hawks have dethroned Gunter 28-25. What a game and what a win!

8:37 p.m. We only have 8 seconds remaining, and Wall trying to hang on. Ball near midfield.

8:36 p.m. Gunter connects on a deep pass, and the Tigers are at their own 40.

8:34 p.m. The punt pins Gunter at its 2-yard line. What a punt by Levi King. Gunter will have to drive a long way with 45 seconds to go, and the Tigers have no timeouts.

8:33 p.m. Wall is going to punt with 55 seconds remaining and put the game in the hands of its defense.

8:32 p.m. Brady Neal with a run that is stopped short of a first down. It's fourth and 3 at the Gunter 43 with the clock rolling.

8:31 p.m. Second and 11 at the Wall 48, and Brady Neal with a short run. Gunter uses its final timeout with 1:43 left. It'll be third and 7 for Wall at Gunter's 48.

8:29 p.m. Wall's Jacob Braden recovers an onside kick, and the Hawks will start at their own 49. After a 1-yard loss on a run, we have a timeout by Gunter with 1:49 to play.

8:27 p.m. Gunter scores this time. Tristan Barton with a beautiful 20-yard TD pass to Rhys Dainauski, then Jay Campiti runs it in for the two-point conversion. Gunter now trails 28-25 with 1:56 remaining. 

8:26 p.m. Gunter nearly catches a touchdown, but Wall's Kellan Oliver breaks it up. What a play.

8:25 p.m. Gunter with a third and 10 at Wall's 35, and Barton completes a pass to move the Tigers down to the 20.

8:22 p.m. Another incomplete pass, but a roughing the passer penalty bails Gunter out. Tigers move up to the 35 with a first down.

8:21 p.m. Gunter takes a deep shot that falls incomplete. A holding call on the next play makes it second and 20 at midfield with 3:06 left.

8:19 p.m. Gunter with a couple big plays, and the Tigers are now into Wall territory at their 40.

8:18 p.m. Gunter nearly broke the kickoff into the open, but Slayton Hallmark makes a critical tackle. Gunter will start the drive at its own 36.

8:16 p.m. Just minutes ago, Wall's season was on the brink. Now the Hawks are suddenly leading 28-17 with 3:59 to play.

8:14 p.m. WOW! Barton fumbles the ball, and Wall's Ben Taylor recovers it in the end zone for a touchdown! Dylan Sellers knocked it loose. What a turn of events here!

8:13 p.m. Wall's Dylan Sellers drops Gunter QB Tristan Barton for a 3-yard loss to start this drive.

8:12 p.m. The extra point is good, and Wall retakes the lead on Gunter, 21-17, with 4:55 left. What a play call, and what a throw and catch by York and Robertson. The Hawks absolutely had to have that. That was their first score since late in the second quarter.

8:11 p.m. Wall decides to go for it all, and the Hawks score on a 34-yard touchdown pass from Landon York to Reid Robertson! 

8:10 p.m. A 4-yard completion, and Wall with a huge fourth and 2 at Gunter's 34.

8:09 p.m. Incomplete pass, followed by a 4-yard run by Brady Neal. Wall with a third and 6 at Gunter's 38. We have an injury timeout with 5:42 to play.

8:06 p.m. Wall RB Brady Neal with a 3-yard gain on the first play, then Reid Robertson with a great catch on the sideline to move the chains. Wall with a first down at Gunter's 42. 

8:05 p.m. Wall will start this drive at its 35-yard line after the kickoff goes out of bounds.

8:03 p.m. Gunter RB Jay Campiti runs into the end zone untouched, and the Tigers have taken their first lead of the game. Campiti then runs in for the two-point conversion, and Gunter leads 17-14 with 6:43 remaining.

8:02 p.m. Campiti again, and Gunter is at Wall's 3-yard line. First and goal.

8:01 p.m. Gunter RB Jay Campiti powers ahead, and the Tigers have a third and 2 at Wall's 8.

8:00 p.m. Oh no, things continue to unravel for Wall. A bad snap on the punt causes Levi King to be tackled without getting the ball away. Gunter will take over on Wall's 16-yard line with 8:17 to play in the game.

7:59 p.m. A false start makes it third and 24 for Wall at their own 19. The Hawks opt to hand the ball to Brady Neal for a short run, and they'll have to punt the ball.

7:58 p.m. Now Gunter's defense answers by sacking Wall QB Landon York. An incomplete pass follows, and the Hawks with a third and 19 at their own 24.

7:57 p.m. Wall's Brady Neal with a pair of runs to give Wall a first down at its own 33.

7:56 p.m. Wall's Slayton Hallmark blocks Gunter's field goal attempt! Man, did the Hawks need that play to change the momentum. They still lead 14-9 early in the fourth quarter.

7:55 p.m. Gunter now with a fourth and 5 at Wall's 17.

7:54 p.m. Gunter with a third and 8 at Wall's 20 now.

7:52 p.m. END OF 3RD QUARTER: Wall 14, Gunter 9 ... Tigers will be facing a second and 11 from Wall's 23 when we start the fourth quarter.

7:50 p.m. Gunter goes for it, and Tigers RB Jay Campiti picks it up. Gunter is at Wall's 22 now.

7:49 p.m. Wall's defense is one of the best in the state, and they need to make a stand right now. Gunter with a fourth and 2 at Wall's 37.

7:48 p.m. Gunter is showing the heart of a champion right now, and this is deja vu for the Hawks after the Tigers erased a 15-point second-half deficit last year.

7:47 p.m. Wow, Gunter drops Wall QB Landon York in the end zone for a safety. We've had a giant momentum swing in this game. Gunter now trails 14-9 with 2:49 left in the third quarter.

7:45 p.m. Wall with another errant snap that puts the Hawks in a hole at third and 11.

7:44 p.m. Wall will start this drive at its own 16.

7:42 p.m. Tristan Barton with a 4-yard TD run, and Gunter has pulled within 14-7 with 4:16 left in the third quarter. We have a game now, and Wall 's offense needs to respond.

7:41 p.m. Gunter with back-to-back big plays, and the Tigers are suddenly down to Wall's 4-yard line.

7:40 p.m. Gunter with a third and 11 at Wall's 42, and the Tigers convert with an 11-yard passing play.

7:38 p.m. Gunter's Benji Rodriguez with a first-down run. Tigers at Wall's 41.

7:37 p.m. Wall unable to dig out of the hole, and the Hawks will punt the ball back to Gunter from their goal line. Levi King with a great punt to make Gunter start at its 49.

7:35 p.m. Fumbled snap for a 12-yard loss, and Wall is off to a bad start on this drive.

7:34 p.m. Wall will start at its own 28-yard line.

7:33 p.m. Gunter with a third and 10 from their 40, and running back Jay Campiti is stuffed by Jacob Braden for a 1-yard gain. Looks like the Tigers will have to punt the ball right back.

7:32 p.m. Gunter fumbles on its first play, but the ball bounces forward and the Tigers recover it for a 6-yard gain. Big break there.

7:31 p.m. Gunter QB Knox Gage is still not back in the game. Freshman backup Tristan Barton is stepping into a difficult situation against this defense. 

7:30 p.m. Wall QB Landon York throws an interception. Huge play for Gunter to try and get back in this game. The Tigers will take over at their own 40.

7:29 p.m. Incomplete pass makes it third and 15.

7:28 p.m. Wall QB Landon York is sacked, and the Hawks are pushed back to a second and 15 on their own 46.

7:26 p.m. Kellan Oliver with a tackle-breaking catch, and he has the Hawks across midfield to Gunter's 49. Oliver is having a big game for Wall.

7:25 p.m. Wall's Kellan Oliver returns the opening kickoff of the second half to the Hawks' 36-yard line. Here we go.

7:24 p.m. We're getting ready to kick off to start the second half. Wall will receive the ball. The Hawks are in great position right now, but they lost a 15-point second-half lead to Gunter in this same round last year, so this game is far from over.

7:00 p.m. HALFTIME - Wall 14, Gunter 0 ... Three scoring drives for Wall in the first half, and a sensational performance by the Hawks' defense with a shutout through the first two quarters against the three-time defending state champs.

6:58 p.m. Wall has knocked Gunter QB Knox Gage out of the game just after the Tigers finally crossed into Hawks territory for the first time tonight. Freshman QB Tristan Barton was then hit by Dylan Sellers on his first play and fumbled the ball. The Hawks recovered and ran out the clock in the first half.

6:50 p.m. Landon York hits Bryson McFarden for the two-point conversion, and Wall leads Gunter 14-0 with 1:50 left in the second quarter.

6:49 p.m. Incomplete pass, but Wall has decided to go for it. Gunter jumps offsides, and Hawks QB Landon York fires a 13-yard TD pass to Kellan Oliver. Wow, what a big play for Wall.

6:48 p.m. On second and 12 from the 23-yard line, Jager Thompson takes a pitch for 10 yards. As we hit the two-minute warning, Wall is facing a third and 2 at the 13-yard line.

6:45 p.m. Reid Robertson with another catch. Wall is down to Gunter's 21 with just over three minutes to play in the first half.

6:43 p.m. A 10-yard run by Brady Neal has Wall marching again. Hawks are at Gunter's 35.

6:42 p.m. A York pass to Reid Robertson gives Wall a first down at its own 48.

6:40 p.m. Wall QB Landon York is sacked, but a defensive holding penalty will give the Hawks a first down at their 35.

6:38 p.m. Gunter elects to quick kick, and the ball bounces into the end zone for a touchback. Wall's defense has been rock solid to start this game.

6:37 p.m. Gunter stopped on third down, and the Tigers facing a fourth and 2 at their 46. Big play here.

6:35 p.m. Gunter's Jay Campiti powers his way for a first down on a third and 1. Tigers are at their 38.

6:34 p.m. Gunter will start this drive on its 25.

6:33 p.m. Tyler Klinesmith with his second 25-yard field goal in the first half, and Wall leads Gunter 6-0 with 11:01 left in the second quarter.

6:32 p.m. Gunter's defense again makes a stand after Wall broke the 10-yard line, and the Hawks will have to settle for another field goal try.

6:31 p.m. Two incomplete passes by Wall, and the Hawks now have a third and goal at the 8.

6:29 p.m. Gunter with another penalty after the whistle, and Wall with a first and goal at the 8.

6:28 p.m. Wall's Levi King will step on the field for the Hawks' first punt of the game. Gunter muffs the punt, and the Hawks have recovered at the Tigers' 15! Gunner King with the hit, and Kellan Oliver with the recovery.

6:27 p.m. Wall facing a third and 10 on its 45 to start the second quarter.

6:26 p.m. END OF 1ST QUARTER - Wall 3, Gunter 0

6:24 p.m. Evan Boehle with another big catch, giving Wall a first down after a third and 2 from the 22. An unsportsmanlike penalty on Gunter gives Wall an extra 15 yards.

6:22 p.m. Wall wasn't able to field the punt cleanly, but the Hawks managed to recover it. The Hawks will start at their own 14.

6:21 p.m. Gunter facing a fourth and 3 from the 46, and the Tigers are trotting out the punt team.

6:19 p.m. Three straight runs by QB Knox Gage will move Gunter out to the 24-yard line.

6:18 p.m. A penalty on the kickoff will pin Gunter back on its 7-yard line to start this drive.

6:16 p.m. Tyler Klinesmith with a 25-yard field goal, and Wall takes a 3-0 lead with 6:06 left in the first quarter.

6:15 p.m. A pass falls incomplete on third and goal, and a huge stand from Gunter's defense. Wall will have to settle for a field goal try.

6:14 p.m. Wall stopped on first and goal from the 1. Brady Neal then stuffed on second and goal. Wall now has a third and goal from the 6.

6:13 p.m. York with a 39-yard pass to Evan Boehle on second and 20, and Wall is at the 1-yard line.

6:11 p.m. 10-yard run by Brady Neal, and Wall now has a first down at Gunter's 30.

6:10 p.m. Landon York delivers an 18-yard pass to Kellan Oliver, and Wall picks up the first down.

6:09 p.m. A delay of game has Wall facing a third and 15 at its 42.

6:07 p.m. Back-to-back 8-yard catches by Reid Robertson, and Wall with a first down at their 47.

6:05 p.m. Wall with a big stop on third and 5, and Gunter decides to punt on fourth and 2. Hawks will take over on their own 36. Great start for Wall.

6:02 p.m. The kick goes out of bounds, and Gunter will start at its own 30-yard line.

6:01 p.m. Wall has won the coin flip, and the Hawks have elected to kick off.

5:50 p.m. We are minutes from kickoff in Stephenville for the Class 3A Division II state semifinal game between the No. 2-ranked Wall Hawks and the No. 3 Gunter Tigers, the three-time defending state champions. Wall is looking to advance to the state final for the first time since 2013 and the second time in program history. The Concho Valley is rallying behind the Hawks as even their longtime rival, Ballinger, gave them a sendoff when they passed through the town on the way to Stephenville a couple hours ago.