JENNIFER MULHAUSEN
The Ellis County Press Sports
NORTH RICHLAND HILLS – Fans showed up in droves to root on the undefeated Cedar Hill Longhorns as they faced the undefeated Abilene Eagles Friday, Nov. 27 at the Birdville Fine Arts/Athletic Complex in North Richland Hills.
Abilene’s running game proved too hot for the Longhorns to handle, and a stunned Cedar Hill team and crowd watched their post-season run come to a halt with a 41-17 loss.
"You can’t get down. Abil-ene’s a great team and they came out and fought a little bit harder than us.
"They came out and played hard and played four quarters," said Cedar Hill senior running back Ben Malena after the game.
"We lost, but that’s the way God had it planned.
"Something good is going to come out of this for the Cedar Hill program. I’m thankful for making it three rounds deep."
Both teams battled for the lead in the first half of play.
Abilene took a 7-0 lead in the first quarter with a one-yard run by Herschel Sims.
Cedar Hill tied the game in the second quarter after Mason Hayes flew 82 yards down the field.
A 33-yard pass from Driphus Jackson to Oliver Wells put the Horns up 14-7.
Abilene snuck in another one-yard touchdown rush by Sims to even the score at the half.
The Eagles regained the lead in the third quarter as Tony Curtis carried the ball in from 12 yards out, but the missed extra point gave Abilene a precarious 20-14 lead.
Cedar Hill looked to be on pace to put seven more points on the board themselves, but the drive stalled in the red zone and the Horns had to settle for a 46-yard field goal by Eduardo Camara to trail 20-17 going into the fourth quarter.
Just when it looked like the game was within reach for Cedar Hill, Abilene let their secret weapon loose.
Hershel Sims, whose cousin Ronnell is Abilene’s quarterback, had carried only 21 times in a game this season before carrying 30 times against Cedar Hill.
With his cousin nursing a pulled groin, it was up to Hershel to help carry the Eagles to victory over a team ranked number one in defense in the Dallas area and number one in the AP state poll.
He didn’t let his coach or teammates down.
Sims scored 14 of Abilene’s 21 unanswered fourth quarter points.
The second of his two late-game touchdowns came on a first down play when he took the ball and raced 95 yards down the field with hardly a Longhorn in sight.
Abilene poured a little more salt in Cedar Hill’s wound with a final 49-yard touchdown run by Curtis to close the curtain on Cedar Hill’s post-season performance.
After being knocked out of the running for the state championship by Wylie last year, this year’s Longhorns team was more than a little fired up for revenge.
The program witnessed another incredible season of football under Coach Joey McG-uire.
"They’re an incredible team. I felt like I let them down today. They’re a great group of kids and they’ve worked hard for the past four years," Coach McGuire said about his seniors with emotion.
"Abilene’s a really good football team so whoever is going to get them next is going to have their hands full."
Arlington Bowie is who will get Abilene next after stunning Southlake Carroll 45-21.
Visit www.txallaccesssp orts.com for college football bowl and other sports coverage.
