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Alvarado's Class 3A state title bid ends with heartbreaking loss to Tyler Chapel Hill

ARLINGTON — In the end, Alvarado’s bid for a perfect season came down to an imperfection.

A missed two-point conversion in the fourth quarter turned out to be the difference. Tyler Chapel Hill held on for a 20-19 victory in a Class 3A state championship game on Friday night at Cowboys Stadium.

Despite the heartbreaking loss, Alvarado coach Jeff Dixon had trouble finding a negative as the Bulldogs celebrated at midfield.

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"First of all, it’s just a game," Dixon said. "How can you hang your head after what this team has done? They left it all out there on the field."

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The Indians (14-1) overcame a 13-0 deficit to enter halftime tied. Each team scored one touchdown in the second half. Only one team made the point after.

Avery Saenz’s 55-yard touchdown pass to Nelson Onwuzu and Tyler Brown’s extra point gave the Bulldogs (15-0) a 20-13 lead with 47 seconds left in the third quarter.

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The Indians countered on the next possession. They drove 69 yards in eight plays, scoring on Onderdonk's 1-yard run with 10:38 left.

Alvarado lined up in the swinging gate formation, but chaos in the backfield and a bumbled shotgun snap doomed the two-point try.

"At the time I thought it was a good call," Dixon said. "We had the chance to take the lead against a great team and there was plenty of time."

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After Kenny West’s 46-yard pass to Tyler Bates, the Indians drove to Chapel Hill’s 22. But Bulldog Wesley Thompson knocked the ball out of tight end Austin Ellinger’s and and recovered the fumble. The Bulldogs then ran out the final 1:37.

The Indians, who outscored their first four playoff opponents, 176-26, never led.

The Bulldogs scored on their first two possessions. They went 63 yards in 12 plays to score on Andrew Tucker ‘s 11-yard run.  Although the PAT was blocked, they took their next drive 65 yards, scoring on Saenz’s 21-yard pass to Tre Allen.

Chapel Hill ran almost twice as many plays (37-20) as Alvarado in the first half, held a 14-4 advantage in first downs, and outgained the Indians, 190-142.

But Alvarado chipped away. Jake Geeo snuck behind coverage, then took Kenny West’s perfect pass in for a 39-yard touchdown.

Ronald Thomas' 10-yard sack forced a Chapel Hill punt and then the Indians drove 74 yards in 7 plays. On fourth-and-1  from the 45, Onderdonk broke through the middle and went 55 yards for the score. The failed PAT made it 13-13 with 3:33 left in the second quarter.

"I'm happy we made it this far but sad we didn’t finish it," Onderdonk said. "Coach told us at halftime to just get in position to make a play for the win. But you have to credit Chapel Hill. They made more plays than we did."