Monitor Photo/Russell Slaton
Malakoff quarterback Mike Jones looks downfield after running through a gaping hole in the line.

Monitor Photo/Russell Slaton
Malakoff’s James Studley is knocked out of bounds after making a first-half reception Dec. 19.

Monitor Photo/Russell Slaton
Malakoff linebacker Parker Poteete celebrates after stopping the Columbus quarterback Dec. 19.

Monitor Photo/Russell Slaton
Tiger running back Jason Tennyson (left) makes a move toward daylight during the State title game.

Monitor Photo/Russell Slaton
Malakoff running back Jerrion Hall fends off a Columbus Cardinal defender at the State title game.

Monitor Photo/Russell Slaton
Tiger quarterback Mike Jones gets momentum as he races downfield against Columbus Dec. 19.

ARLINGTON—The Malakoff Tigers’ 31-game winning streak came to an end Dec. 19 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington at the Class 3A Division I State championship game, where they lost 48-14 to the Columbus Cardinals and finished their season at 15-1.
Columbus dethroned Malakoff as State champion and won their first title in school history in their first-ever championship game appearance. Against the Tigers, Columbus scored touchdowns on all five first-half possessions, then scored two more touchdowns on their first two second-half possessions.
The Cardinals struck first with a 3-yard Grayson Rigdon touchdown run with 9:24 left in the first quarter. Malakoff responded on their initial drive on offense, as Jerrion Hall had a 4-yard touchdown run with 6:35 left in the first quarter, tying the game at 7-7 after Jacob Padron’s extra point kick.
Columbus then went 68 yards in nine plays, including a 39-yard Cardinal pass which helped set up a 2-yard Rigdon touchdown run for a 14-7 Columbus lead. Still in the first quarter, on the Cardinals’ next possession, Columbus went 58 yards in three plays, scoring a touchdown on the last play of the quarter, a 32-yard Adam Schobel touchdown pass to take a 21-7 lead. Adam Schobel was the game’s Offensive MVP, while his cousin, John, was the Defensive MVP.
In the second quarter, Adam Schobel added a 2-yard quarterback keeper touchdown with 6:23 left before halftime to give the Cardinals a 28-7 advantage. Then, with 1:18 remaining until intermission, Rigdon scored a 13-yard touchdown run to increase their lead to 34-7 (the extra-point kick was blocked by Malakoff). Right before that touchdown, Adam Schobel converted a fourth-and-5 for a 14-yard gain.
The Columbus scoring continued in the third quarter. Rigdon scored his third touchdown run of the night with 4:18 left in that quarter, this time from 2 yards away. That extended the Cardinal lead to 41-7. Then, with 8:37 left in the fourth quarter, Columbus scored their final touchdown of the night on a 15-yard Adam Schobel pass to take a 48-7 lead.
Malakoff got on the board again with 2:39 left in the game as Jason Tennyson ran in for a 3-yard touchdown to account for the 48-14 final.
“Man, they’re a full package,” Malakoff head coach Jamie Driskell said at the postgame press conference. “And just a tough night for us. I couldn’t be any prouder of our kids, though.”