–

Call it a dynasty.

It didn’t come as easily as the last championship, or as hard as the first, but Lake Travis (16-0) managed to keep Longview (14-2) at an arm’s length all night Saturday in the 4A Division I state championship, securing its third straight with a 24-17 win.

“I’m overcome with emotion right now,” Lake Travis head coach Chad Morris said. “This was an all-out brawl. Credit to Longview and head coach John King on a great season – they really pushed us this year.”

Morris inherited a rising giant in Lake Travis when he arrived from Stephenville nearly two years ago, and since then, has gone 32-0. The combined efforts of his staff and his players have turned Lake Travis a powerhouse.

“It’s ironic because 10 years ago, I was on the other sidelines watching Celina celebrate as they were winning three straight titles,” Morris said. “Now I’m celebrating this one. Unbelievable.”

While the final score made the game appear tight, Lake Travis managed to command the momentum for nearly all four quarters.

Longview opened the game with the ball, but was quickly turned around by the Lake Travis defense. The Cavaliers responded by taking over at their own 43-yard line and quickly scored in two plays on a 57-yard pass from Michael Brewer to Andy Erickson. A Kramer Fyfe extra point later, Lake Travis had a 7-0 lead less than two minutes into the game.

Longview responded with a massive 16-play drive, but walked away with only a field goal to show for its efforts, after Lake Travis corralled Lobo quarterback Aaron Johnson for a one-yard loss on third-and-four at the Cavalier 13-yard line.

A big kick return by Erickson, improved by a Longview personal foul put Lake Travis at the Lobo 45-yard line, and the Cavaliers scored in eight plays on a 10-yard strike from Brewer to Conner Floyd.

Down 14-3, Longview needed a big drive to counter the Lake Travis momentum. The Lobos ate up time and yardage on an 11-play drive, but Lake Travis came up with another big stop – this time on fourth-and-six at the Cavalier 31-yard line – maintaining its command of the game.

But Lake Travis squandered two opportunities inside the Longview 20-yard line after that, thanks to a fumble and an interception, keeping the game at 14-3 heading into halftime.

“We had those turnovers, and that really concerned me because I didn’t know how many chances we were going to get like that in the second half,” Morris said.

Lake Travis opened up the second half with a nine-play drive that sputtered out at the Longview nine-yard line. Lake Travis settled for a 26-yard field goal by Fyfe, and also lost starting left tackle Taylor Doyle for the game with an broken leg.

Lying on the ground, the massive lineman summoned his coach.

“[Doyle] called me over and just said, ‘Coach, we’ve got to win this thing, tell the guys we’ve gotta go,’” Morris said. “To see that was unbelievable.”

Longview pulled closer with a three-yard run by Da’Cedric Hunt with 7:04 left in the third quarter, and it appeared for a moment as if Longview would make a run back into the game. That notion was reinforced when the Lobos forced Lake Travis to punt on the ensuing possession.

The Cavalier defense put its stamp on the game throughout the night, but no play was bigger than Trevor Gillette’s forced fumble on a sack of Johnson on the Lobo 25-yard line. Linebacker Austin Williams recovered the ball, and two plays later, the Cavaliers scored on a three-yard dive by Erickson. Just like that, Lake Travis had breathing room again, up 24-10.

“The coaches do a really good job of giving us a game plan, and we just have to go out and execute,” Gillette said. “All of our hard work over the last year paid off tonight.”

Lake Travis held the Lobos on the next two possessions, including a fourth-and-three at the Cavalier 30-yard line that fell short by inches. Time and again, the defense came through, stopping Longview twice on fourth down and forcing two turnovers.

“I couldn’t be prouder of our defense – it’s probably the most resilient bunch of guys I’ve worked with,” Lake Travis defensive coordinator Hank Carter said. “We’ve had a lot of injuries in the last week, and even had guys learning positions on the fly tonight. Our kids are winners, they know it and we know it.”

Longview managed a last-gasp touchdown with 2:37 left in the game, but sent its onside kick out of bounds. Lake Travis took over, and three plays into the drive – with over a minute left in the game – faced a fourth-and-three on the Longview 42-yard line. It was time to convert, or give Longview one more chance.

Brewer tried to draw the Lobos offside, and when they jumped, center Will Hawk snapped the ball – but no flags were thrown. Receiver Tanner Gillette streaked down the Lake Travis sideline wide open and Brewer hit him. Gillette went down on the seven-yard line, and the Cavaliers began the celebration.

“That’s just a gutsy play by those three kids,” Morris said. “Incredible way to finish that game.”

Now, amidst the celebration, Lake Travis has time to consider its legacy. That legacy includes a 46-game winning streak – good enough for fourth all-time in the state of Texas – and a 47-1 record over the last three years.

Linebacker Ian Lazarus – the lone three-year starter during that span – was relishing not only the victory, but also his role in making the Lake Travis defense just as notable as its offense.

“To win my last game, in the third state championship I’ve played in, it’s unbelievable,” he said. “We’ve always wanted to make a name for ourselves on defense, and we did that. I couldn’t be happier.”

And that defense will have a chance to extend its legacy – along with the offense – as the Cavaliers return the majority of their starters for the 2010 season, extending their staying power even longer.

“We’re going to be back, we’ve got a ton of kids coming back and we’ve had great senior leadership along the way,” Morris said. “This program is a force to be reckoned with.”

Notes:

• The defense held vaunted Longview running backs Tyler McCray and Da’Cedric Hunt to 50 total rushing yards on 15 attempts. If not for Johnson’s heroic efforts – including 153 rushing yards on 18 attempts – the Lobos wouldn’t have stood a chance.
• Brewer finished the game with 12 completions on 24 attempts for 197 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. He also had 20 yards rushing on 12 attempts.
• Erickson finished the game with 12 rushing attempts for 35 yards and a score, and five receptions for 62 yards and a score.
• Floyd had four receptions for 61 yards and a touchdown.
• The final testament to Lake Travis’ defense: Longview had 372 total offensive yards, compared to Lake Travis’ 264. The Cavs made big stops at the end of long drives that amounted to few points overall.