Cy-Fair claims first state title by defeating Waco Midway

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ARLINGTON – Cy-Fair won its first-ever state championship at the coin toss Saturday.

The flip goes the way of Waco Midway and the referee echoes that the Panthers want the ball.

Perfect for Cy-Fair. It'd be strength versus strength. A chance for Cy-Fair's defense to set the tone against a quarterback on the doorstep of 4,000 passing yards and 50 touchdowns.

Midway's opening drive is a three-and-out with a Jace Bobo sack to boot. Cy-Fair gets a short field and rides eight plays to a Trenton Kennedy 2-yard touchdown run.

"This is really the first time all year I think that we kicked it off," Cy-Fair coach Ed Pustejovsky said. "It worked well for us."

And it worked well all night long. All the way to gold medals and the winner's trophy for a program that's nearly 80 years old.

Cy-Fair toppled Midway 51-35 to win the Class 6A Division II state championship Saturday at AT&T Stadium. It's the program's first state championship.

Before this year, Cy-Fair's pride and joy was its lone 1985 state semifinal banner hanging in the gym.

Cy-Fair coaches and players pose for a photo with the state title plaque after winning the Class 6A Division II State Championship Game at AT&T Stadium on Saturday, Dec. 23, 2017, in Arlington. The Cy-Fair Bobcats defeated the Waco Midway Panthers 51-35 and won the state championship title. ( Yi-Chin Lee / Houston Chronicle ) less Cy-Fair coaches and players pose for a photo with the state title plaque after winning the Class 6A Division II State Championship Game at AT&T Stadium on Saturday, Dec. 23, 2017, in Arlington. The Cy-Fair ... more Photo: Yi-Chin Lee/Houston Chronicle Photo: Yi-Chin Lee/Houston Chronicle Image 1 of / 78 Caption Close Cy-Fair claims first state title by defeating Waco Midway 1 / 78 Back to Gallery

As Cypress-Fairbanks ISD grew to 12 football-playing schools, Cy-Fair stayed consistent winners. But the Bobcats still watched Cypress Falls and Cypress Ranch play for state titles before they would even get back to a state semifinal.

Now, the Bobcats have validation. They are the first team from CFISD to win a state title.

"It's never been done before in Cy-Fair ISD," said Kennedy, who had 23 carries for 110 yards and three touchdowns. "To be the original people that started this district, to bring home a state championship in Cy-Fair ISD, man it's great."

Cy-Fair scored 24 points off four fumble recoveries. Midway had five total fumbles Saturday.

Cy-Fair turned two of those fumble recoveries at the end of the first half into a 10-point swing and 27-7 halftime lead.

The Bobcats already had a 17-7 lead in the second quarter when the ball was snapped over Midway quarterback Tanner Mordecai's head and rolled into the end zone. Cy-Fair's Kyle Bell would fall on it for the touchdown.

Midway lost a fumble on the ensuing kickoff return and while the Panthers' defense salvaged a stop, Max Duque hit one of his three field goals Saturday – this one a 37-yarder five seconds before halftime.

The winning game plan was working perfectly by then. Cy-Fair led in time of possession 13:49 to 10:11.

Midway only had 105 yards of total offense to Cy-Fair's 131. The turnovers were flowing and would flow more.

Midway lost another fumble on a kickoff return in the third quarter that Cy-Fair's Cody Cunningham fell on at the Panthers' 3-yard line.

Kennedy walked in the touchdown for a 37-7 lead with 3:07 until the final quarter.

Midway nearly lost a fumble on the ensuing kickoff after that score, but recovered. It'd bite the Panthers quickly when C.J. Williams would catch a pass and Patrick Atkinson would force a fumble.

Cunningham recovered that one, too, at the Midway 18. Kennedy would find a 17-yard touchdown run and the Bobcats a 44-7 lead heading into the fourth.

"It was special," Cunningham said. "Me and the other 10 guys, this is probably the best game we've had all season I believe."

Mordecai would reach his 50 touchdown passes and surpass 4,000 passing yards easily. And he'd make it interesting with Midway's deficit cut to 16 with 4:24 to play after an onside kick.

Midway tried the onside kick again but once again, Cy-Fair's special teams showed up. Justin Uriarte was there to return it back for a 48-yard touchdown.

Pustejovsky has been at Cy-Fair for 37 years. He has assistants who have been there just as long or longer, like offensive coordinator Roy Smith and his 38 years in. Smith is a Cy-Fair graduate. There are a few Cy-Fair graduates on this staff.

Pustejovsky said this win was for them. This win is for Jeff Miller, who was the starting quarterback of the 1985 team and won a state title this weekend as Rockdale's head coach.

This win is for Sam McGuffie. The heralded former Cy-Fair running back and 2008 graduate has long been the face of the program even years after his graduation.

He's known for hurdling over defenders back in his day. But McGuffie was never on a team that accomplished this.

"Generations will always remember this team," said McGuffie, who was in attendance Saturday. "They won't remember my team. They will remember this team."