ARLINGTON — Muenster’s defense set the tone early. Its offense capitalized on every opportunity and the Hornets left little doubt Thursday at AT&T Stadium.
Behind a suffocating defensive effort and senior quarterback Casen Carney’s four touchdown passes, Muenster completed a 28-0 win over Shiner in the Class 2A Division II state championship game. The win marked Muenster’s second consecutive state title and its second straight appearance on the state’s biggest stage.
The Hornets struck quickly after an early turnover flipped field position. On Muenster’s first possession, Carney (Head Coach Brady Carney’s son) marched the offense on a 71-yard scoring drive. It finished with a 4-yard touchdown run by Carney just 3:32 into the game. Senior running back Legend Bounds’ extra point gave Muenster a 7-0 lead.
“Our kids executed exactly what we asked,” Muenster head coach Brady Carney said. “We had a short week. But the plan was clear, and they trusted it.”
Muenster’s defense consistently frustrated Shiner quarterback Jarvis Williams, allowing him little room to operate. Shiner managed just 164 total yards, was held to 2.5 yards per rush and went 0-for-3 on fourth down. The Comanches offense were turned away repeatedly by a Hornets defense that finished with four sacks and 11 tackles for loss.
Midway through the first quarter, Carney connected with senior tight end Garrett Hess for a 10-yard touchdown pass. Hess walked into the end zone untouched, capping a drive that showcased Muenster’s ability to stretch Shiner’s secondary. Score?
“When our line blocks like that and Casen puts it where it needs to be, you just go make plays,” Hess said. “That’s all I’m trying to do.”
Shiner’s best chance came early in the second quarter when Williams intercepted a pass and returned it to the Comanches’ 35-yard line. But the Hornets’ defense stiffened, forcing Shiner into a 4th-and-28 situation that ended with an incomplete pass into the end zone.
Carney made Shiner pay moments later, lofting a pass to Hess for a 35-yard touchdown that extended the lead to 21-0. Hess finished with three touchdown receptions, tying a state championship game record.
“I trust Garrett completely,” Carney said. “If he’s one-on-one, I’m putting it up. He’s going to win that matchup.”
Muenster entered halftime in control, leading Shiner 182-76 and holding the Comanches, despite multiple possessions inside Hornets territory.
The second half followed a similar script. Muenster methodically moved the ball, converting four of six third downs, while Shiner struggled to sustain drives. Early in the third quarter, a lengthy Hornets’ possession ended with Carney finding Hess in the back of the end zone for his third touchdown of the game. Pushing the margin to 28-0.
“We challenged our quarterback after last week,” Carney said. “He was hard on himself, but he responded the right way. He led us.”
Carney finished 9-of-10 for 162 yards and three touchdowns and added 67 rushing yards. Muenster totaled 303 yards of offense and scored on all three of its red-zone trips.
Shiner continued to fight late, converting a 3rd-and-23 pass in the fourth quarter to keep a drive alive, but the Comanches were again turned away inside the red zone. Williams finished 7-of-13 passing for 76 yards with one interception and was sacked four times.
The shutout was Muenster’s first in a state championship game and the first time Shiner had been blanked in a title game since 2007.
“That says everything about our defense,” Brady said. “They flew to the ball, tackled well and made it hard on the quarterback all day.”
As the final seconds ticked away and Carney took a knee, the Hornets celebrated another championship, cementing a run that began years earlier.
“These guys were ball boys when we won in 2017,” Brady said. “They grew up expecting to be here. Back-to-back titles just continue what this program stands for.”
Box Score
Muenster — 14 7 7 0 — 28
Shiner — 0 0 0 0 — 0
Total Game Stats
Total yards: Muenster 303, Shiner 164
Rushing yards: Muenster 141, Shiner 88
Passing yards: Muenster 162, Shiner 76
First downs: Muenster 17, Shiner 12
Third downs: Muenster 4-6, Shiner 4-10
Turnovers: Muenster 0, Shiner 1
Sacks: Muenster 4, Shiner 0
Time of possession: Muenster 25:32, Shiner 22:28
Statistics and play-by-play are from a live, in-game estimate.