Arlington, Texas on Wednesday, December 13, 2023 –
The Timpson Bears varsity football team made history on Wednesday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington by defeating the Tolar Rattlers by a 49-7 score in a state final championship, the school’s first ever. The Bears win gave them an unprecedented undefeated 16-0 record. The Rattlers’ ended with an overall 14-2 mark.
After a failed Tolar offensive opening drive, the Rattlers punted the ball to the Bears with over nine minutes remaining in the first quarter. Timpson senior quarterback Terry Bussey hit junior receiver Colton Carroll for a 48-yard touchdown for the first score of the game. Senior kicker Tyler Lane tacked on the extra point to give Timpson a 7-0 lead with 7:25 left to play in the first quarter. Both teams had stalled possessions and the first quarter ended with the Bears holding the narrow 7-0 point advantage.
Early in the second quarter Bussey found sophomore receiver Dacorian Johnson for a 97-yard touchdown reception and the Bears held a 14-0 lead with 10:53 left in the second quarter.
With 2:09 remaining in the first half, Bussey broke loose in the open field and found the end zone for a 93-yard touchdown run, the longest in 2A state championship history. Another Lane extra point gave the Bears a 21-0 lead. The Bears lead held until halftime.
The Rattlers opened the second half and gained possession with an onside kick. Senior quarterback Isaac Blessing later scored on this drive with a QB sneak for a 1-yard touchdown run and got the Rattlers on the scoreboard. Brooks Stone tacked on the extra point, making the score 21-7 with 8:10 left to play in the third quarter.
Amare Bruton took the ensuing kickoff and went the distance from 78 yards away. Lane’s extra point made the score 28-7 with 7:55 left. On the Rattler’s next drive Bruton tipped a Tolar pass and Bear’s teammate senior Nate Scourton returned the interception to the Rattler’s 10-yardline. Bussey then dragged a bunch of Rattlers into the end zone for the Bears next touchdown. The PAT made the score 35-7 with 4:22 remaining in the third quarter.
The next points came with two minutes left in the third quarter when Bussey found Johnson for a 44-yard touchdown reception. Another Lane extra point kick extended Timpson’s lead to 42-7.
Bussey hit Bruton for his fourth touchdown pass of the night from 37 yards away. This extended Timpson’s lead to 49-7 with 10:54 left. That tied Bussey for second place for most touchdown passes in 2A state championships history. This proved to be the games final score.
Coach Kerry Therwhanger said, “The team has been so supportive of everything we have been trying to get done and to finally be able to give this to them for the first time ever in school history, it feels great." After the game Bears seniors Tyler Lane and Terry Bussey were presented the offensive and defensive Most Valuable Player awards for the game.
The Bears last four seasons have been a historic run with the team reaching the state semifinals all four years and now winning the unprecedented first state football title.
