WACO, Texas (KXXV) — "It worked out in our favor. So let's do it. We here, baby, let's go!" Bryson Roland said after La Vega defeated Wimberley.
State Championship fever is here in Central Texas. We have two neighborhood teams left looking to take home the state title. One of those teams is the Oakwood Panthers.
Oakwood at one point in the season was 2-5. Since then, they have won seven games straight and their latest win was against the Oglesby Tigers.
The Panthers will be competing in the state championship game for the first time since 1991 and it will be the first time under six-man football. They will go against Jayton on Wednesday, December 18. Kickoff is scheduled for 11:00 a.m.
Now to the La Vega Pirates.
The Pirates took down Wimberley 62-35 in the pouring rain. This will be La Vega's first appearance in the state title game since 2019. For some players, it's a full-circle moment.
"Actually, the number three that year was my cousin. So he was cooking and I couldn't even do nothing but watch, but I'm here now. So let's do it, I'm ready to work," senior Bryson Roland said.
"That just goes to show that life is crazy, man. Anything can happen. I never thought I'd be playing for a state title my senior year. That's crazy," he said.
"We don't want that trophy, we want the big trophy. That's why you play this game to win the big trophy. We accomplished one goal — get to AT&T stadium. Now let's accomplish another goal and bring the whole big trophy out of the AT&T stadium," La Vega football head coach Don Hyde said.
The Pirates will clash against Carthage — the team they lost to in 2019. La Vega is 1-2 all-time against them.
"We know what we're getting into. I mean, we played them three times. They got unbelievable kids, they got an unbelievable program, unbelievable staff. It's just an honor for us to be in the field with them," Hyde said.
The Pirates will play on Friday, December 20 at 11:00 a.m
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