CROWLEY, Texas — Aledo imposed its will from the opening drive and never eased off, shutting out Arlington Heights 55–0 in the Class 5A Division I regional championship Friday afternoon at Crowley ISD Multi-Purpose Stadium. The win sends the Bearcats to the UIL State Quarterfinals, where they will face Denton Ryan on Friday, Dec. 5, at Northwest ISD Stadium. The matchup marks a highly anticipated rematch of their October meeting, a one-point Aledo victory that helped preserve the Bearcats’ undefeated season.

Aledo set the tone immediately by forcing a turnover near midfield on Heights’ opening possession. The Bearcats recovered the loose ball and turned it into the first points of the game, a 39-yard field goal by senior kicker Peyton Shaffer for a 3–0 lead. After another defensive stop, Aledo struck again with a short touchdown run by senior Kaden Winkfield, pushing the lead to 10–0 late in the first quarter.

From that point on, the Bearcats seized complete control of the football game.

Aledo builds separation with a dominant second quarter

Aledo opened the second quarter with a balanced, methodical scoring drive capped by a touchdown from senior running back Brady Powell, who cut inside from the left and powered into the end zone. Minutes later, quarterback Lincoln Tubbs found an open lane on a scramble and sprinted through the middle of the defense for a 22-yard touchdown, extending the advantage to 24–0.

The Bearcats continued to control field position throughout the quarter. Their defense repeatedly forced Arlington Heights into third-and-long situations, and every Yellowjackets possession ended without a first down. Aledo capitalized late in the half when Winkfield added his second touchdown, pushing the lead to 31–0 at halftime.

Arlington Heights struggled to advance the ball throughout the half, completing only a handful of short passes.

Powell ignites the second half

Aledo opened the third quarter much like it ended the second. On the first play from scrimmage, Powell burst through the right side, cut back upfield and outran the Heights secondary for a 65-yard touchdown, the longest play of the game. The scoring run pushed the lead to 38–0 and highlighted a career performance for the senior back.

After another Heights three-and-out, Winkfield recorded his third touchdown of the day, extending the margin to 45–0. Shaffer added a 32-yard field goal late in the third quarter, and senior running back Rudy Moya punched in a short touchdown early in the fourth to close Aledo’s scoring at 55–0.

Bearcat offense efficient across the board

Rushing (Team Total: 366 yards, 7 TDs)

• Brady Powell: 10 carries, 201 yards, 2 TD

• Kaden Winkfield: 7 carries, 66 yards, 3 TD

• Lincoln Tubbs: 3 carries, 25 yards, 1 TD

• Rudy Moya: 5 carries, 17 yards, 1 TD

Powell averaged more than 20 yards per carry, and Winkfield’s three scores helped Aledo average 10.5 yards per rush.

Passing (Team Total: 14-of-19, 150 yards, 1 TD)

• Tubbs: 10-of-15, 110 yards, 1 TD

• Nash McElree: 3-of-3, 38 yards

• Christian Sandoval: 1-of-1, 2 yards

   

Receiving

• Kaydon Finley: 4 catches, 50 yards

• Bayne Martin: 3 catches, 28 yards

• Kane Lanier & Jacob Patton: 2 catches each

   

Eight different Bearcats recorded receptions.

Aledo finished with 516 total yards, averaging more than eight yards per play.

Bearcat defense posts a postseason shutout

Aledo’s defense controlled the line of scrimmage from start to finish, recording 63 total tackles, 9 tackles for loss, and 3 sacks. Senior linebacker Chase Wilburn led the way with 10 tackles, while junior linebacker Cole Cox tallied 8. Senior linebacker Ryland Haley added 6 tackles and two pass breakups.

Senior defensive end Carson Dempsey posted four tackles and contributed to consistent pressure up front. Junior cornerback Alex Patton added a second-half interception, returning it 12 yards to set up another short field.

Arlington Heights’ offense never established momentum.

The victory propels Aledo into the UIL State Quarterfinals, preserving its undefeated run and setting up one of the most compelling matchups of the postseason. The Bearcats will meet Denton Ryan on Friday, Dec. 5, at Northwest ISD Stadium in a rematch of their October clash, a 15–14 Aledo win defined by defense, field position, and late-game execution.

With a state semifinal berth on the line, the rematch carries major implications for both programs as they battle to keep their championship hopes alive.

BOX SCORE

Stats and play-by-play are based on live in-game estimates from the 92.1 Hank FM broadcast and the official post-game stat reports.