The Argyle football team proved that the third time is a charm on Friday, as it claimed its first state championship in school history by defeating Fairfield 38-33 at AT&T Stadium.
Argyle jumped out to a 14-3 first quarter lead on the strength of touchdown runs from Ian Sadler and Connor Wilson.
Cole Hedlund drilled a 44-yard field goal to start the second quarter to make it 17-3 in favor of Argyle, before Fairfield scored 21 unanswered points to take a 24-17 halftime lead.
It was all Argyle in the third quarter, as Sadler rushed for a touchdown and then scored on a 65-yard fake punt to regain the lead for the Eagles.
Fairfield scored a safety at the start of the fourth quarter, and then added a touchdown to take a 2-point lead in the fourth.
Argyle came right back, however, and scored on another Sadler touchdown run to make it 38-33 Argyle.
Fairfield drove down to the Argyle 11-yard line with under two minutes to play and were threatening to score, but were held by the Eagles defense, who took over inside its own 10 yard line with 1:14 left to play.
“It was a back and forth game,” Sadler said. “We played a great opponent. We had some ups and downs throughout the game, but at the end of it, we did what we needed to do, and we got our first state championship and I couldn’t be happier.”
Sadler was named the Outstanding Offensive Player of the Game and Colton Hinnrichs was named Outstanding Defensive Player of the game.
Argyle finished the season with a 16-0 record and are the 3A Division II State Champions.