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From Austin Westlake QB Cade Klubnik (313 passing yards, 5 TDs) to Shiner RB/DB Dalton Brooks (243 rushing yards, TD; INT), several standout players caught our eye with eye-popping performances across Texas during the state semifinals and fifth round of the 2021 Texas high school football playoffs. 

Here’s a look at the top individual performances around the state during state semifinal games in the Texas high school football playoffs for Dec. 9-11.

Did we miss someone? Tag us on Twitter or Instagram @sblivetx and let us know. We’ll update the post with more top performances as they are submitted by readers.

STATEWIDE TEXAS FOOTBALL SCOREBOARD

TOP PERFORMERS IN TEXAS HS FOOTBALL REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS (DEC. 9-11):

PASSING STARS

Solomon James, Duncanville QB

James played the best game of his career Saturday when he threw for 164 yards and three TDs on a perfect 12-of-12 passing to help Duncanville earn a 35-9 win over previously unbeaten Southlake Carroll in a rematch of last year’s 6A DI state semifinals. He also ran four times for 34 yards and a rushing touchdown to account for each of his team’s four offensive TDs.

Cade Klubnik, Austin Westlake QB

Klubnik threw for 313 yards and five touchdowns on 20-of-27 passing in a 45-14 victory in the 6A DII state semifinals to hand previously unbeaten Katy its worst playoff loss in program history to help Westlake advance to the state title game for the third straight season.

Jackson Arnold, Denton Guyer QB

Arnold completed seven of nine passes for 138 yards and three touchdown passes in a 59-14 blowout win over Tomball in the 6A DII state semifinals on Saturday to help Guyer advance to the state championship for the second time in the last three seasons. He also ran for a team-high 74 yards on nine carries.

CJ Dumas, Katy Paetow QB

In Friday’s game against Corpus Christi Flour Bluff in the 5A DI state semifinals, Dumas was 10-of-12 passing for 204 yards and three touchdown throws in a dominant 73-14 victory. He also ran six times for 36 yards.

Oscar Gordon, Austin LBJ QB

Gordon threw for 101 yards and the game-winning touchdown pass with 9 seconds remaining to help LBJ beat Tyler Chapel Hill 38-35 in the 4A DI state semifinals Saturday. He also ran for 118 yards on 14 carries.

Kaleb Bailey, Galena Park North Shore QB

Saturday afternoon’s game against Lake Travis saw Bailey complete eight of 11 passes for 122 yards and two touchdowns in a 49-21 victory to help North Shore advance to the 6A DI state championship game for the third time in four years. He also ran for 203 yards and two rushing TDs on 13 carries.

Ryder Lambert, Stephenville QB

Lambert threw for 221 yards and two touchdowns on 14-of-26 passing and also ran six times for 39 yards and a rushing score in a 38-35 win against Wichita Falls Hirschi on Friday in the 4A DI state semifinals to help Stephenville remain undefeated.

Hut Graham, Gunter QB

Graham, a Texas Tech commit, threw for 109 yards and a touchdown on 6-of-9 passing and ran for a team-high 119 rushing yards in Gunter’s dominant 47-12 win over previously undefeated Lubbock Roosevelt in the 3A DII state semifinals.

RUSHING STARS

Marquise Collins, College Station RB

Collins put together a monster performance on the ground in the 5A DI state semifinals against Mansfield Summit by toting the ball 31 times for 230 yards and accounting for all three of College Station’s rushing TDs in a 28-21 victory.

Joe Pitchford, Liberty Hill RB

Pitchford rushed for 150 yards and two rushing TDs on 22 carries to help Liberty Hill earn revenge in a 42-14 victory over Crosby in a 5A DII state semifinals rematch.

Dalton Brooks, Shiner RB/DB

Brooks ran 34 times for 243 yards and a rushing touchdown in a 35-28 victory against previously unbeaten Timpson in the 2A DI state semifinals Thursday. He also hauled in the game-sealing interception late in the fourth quarter defensively. (Brooks pictured in featured photo above by Blake Purcell)

Malachi Medlock, Duncanville RB

Medlock toted the ball 24 times for 143 yards in Duncanville’s 35-9 win over Southlake Carroll in the 6A DI state semifinals.

Doug Brooks, Shiner RB/DT

Brooks ran for 123 yards and three rushing TDs on 18 carries in a 35-28 win over Timpson to help Shiner advance to the 2A DI state championship for the second straight season.

Diontay Ramon, Hawley RB

Ramon rushed for 141 yards on 25 carries in Hawley’s 19-12 victory against Marling on Thursday in the 2A DI state semifinals.

D Brisbon Jr, Tyler Chapel Hill RB

Brisbon carried the ball 20 times for 194 yards and three rushing touchdowns in a 38-35 shootout loss to Austin LBJ in the 4A DI state semifinals Saturday.

Sedrick Alexander, Austin LBJ RB

Alexander ran 32 times for 208 yards and three rushing TDs in a 38-35 win against Tyler Chapel Hill on Saturday in the 4A DI state semifinals.

Rhett Hanson, Lorena RB

Hanson ran wild for Lorena by racking up 215 yards and four rushing TDs on 16 carries in a dominant 55-17 win against Lago Vista in the 3A DI state semifinals.

Cody Rinne, Stratford QB

In a 35-14 victory over Albany in the 2A DII state semifinals, Rinne rushed 32 times for 180 yards and three touchdowns to help Stratford advance to the state championship game. He also completed five of 13 passes for 75 yards through the air.

Bryson Washington, Franklin RB

Washington ran for 147 yards and two rushing TDs on 18 carries in a 28-14 win over Waskom in the 3A DII state semifinals Friday.

Isaiah Williams, China Spring RB

Williams ran for 150 yards and a rushing touchdown on 12 carries in a 34-9 win over Cuero to help China Spring remain undefeated and advance to the 4A DII state championship game.

RECEIVING STARS

Rohan Fluellen, Gilmer WR

Fluellen hauled in nine catches for 185 yards and a touchdown reception in a 27-20 win over Celina to send Gilmer to its second straight 4A DI state championship game.

Kole Wilson, Katy Paetow WR

Wilson caught four passes for a game-high 154 yards and two receiving touchdowns in a 73-14 blowout victory against Corpus Christi Flour Bluff on Friday to help Paetow advance to the 5A DI state title game for the first time in school history.

Kylin Mathis, South Oak Cliff WR

Mathis tallied five catches for a game-high 123 yards and two receiving TDs in a 44-10 victory against Lubbock Cooper in the 5A DII state semifinals to help South Oak Cliff become the first Dallas ISD team to advance to a UIL football state championship game in 17 years.

Nic Anderson, Katy WR

Anderson snagged five receptions for a game-high 149 yards and both of Katy’s touchdowns in a 45-14 loss to Austin Westlake on Saturday in the 6A DII state semifinals.

David Amador, Galena Park North Shore WR

Amador recorded four receptions for 110 yards and both of North Shore’s TD receptions in a 49-21 win over Lake Travis on Saturday in the 6A DI state semifinals.

Elijah Potts, Brock WR

Potts caught 12 passes for 127 receiving yards and two touchdowns in a 35-28 overtime victory against previously unbeaten Mount Vernon in the 3A DI state semifinals Thursday which helped Brock remain undefeated.

DEFENSIVE/SPECIAL TEAMS STARS

Peyton Bowen, Denton Guyer FS

Bowen scored a special teams touchdown on a 78-yard punt return and also nearly found the end zone on a lengthy interception return defensively to help Guyer blowout Tomball 59-14 in the 6A DII state semifinals.

Aaron Brewer, Liberty Hill DB

Brewer tallied 12 tackles, a TFL and two fumble recoveries, one of which he ran back for a defensive touchdown, in a 42-14 win over Crosby on Friday to send Liberty Hill to the 5A DII state championship game.

Omari Abor, Duncanville DE

Abor forced and recovered a fumble on a sack that he returned 17 yards for a defensive touchdown in Duncanville’s 35-9 victory over previously undefeated Southlake Carroll in the 6A DI state semifinals Saturday.

Tristan Niedenberger, Falls City DL

Niedenberger tallied 10 tackles, two sacks, a pass deflection and a fumble recovery to help Falls City rally for a 24-20 victory over previously unbeaten Mart in the 2A DII state semifinals Thursday.