Another gold ball for Midwest City Carl Albert in 5A title-game triumph
By Michael Kinney | Photos by Christian Potts
Video by Glen Brockenbush
EDMOND - Carl Albert was in a drought.
It hadn’t won a state championship since 2020 and it was something they remembered every time they walked past the school’s trophy room.
While one year is a blip on the calendar for most teams, it can feel like an eternity for a program like the Titans.
So, with a chance to end that drought, Carl Albert did what it does best. Led by Xavier Robinson and a stifling defense, they rolled to a 49-7 victory against McAlester Saturday afternoon at Chad Richison Stadium to win the 5A state championship.
“Awesome group of kids. Did all year long,” Carl Albert coach Mike Dunn said. “Dealt with some adversity early with our quarterback going down in the first game of the season.
"The kids didn’t panic, just kept working. This was their reward.”
The title gives the Titans 17 championships, which ties them with Clinton for the third most in state history. They are only one behind Jenks and two from leader Ada.
“A lot of us who have been around Carl Albert for a while have gotten to experience this,” said Dunn. “I’ve been through it as a player and assistant. But getting to do it as a head coach, it means a lot.
"But we wanted it for the kids. To get to walk off that last game and get to hold your head up, hold the trophy up, there is no better feeling in the world.”
The 6-foot-2, 255-pound Robinson paced the Titans with 180 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries. He also completed two passes, and hauled in a pair of catches for another 50 yards and two scores.
‘When I got the ball, I was just going to do my thing,” Robinson said.
While Carl Albert (12-2) was going for its 17th gridiron title, McAlester (11-3) was going for its third and the first since 1988. Unfortunately, the Buffaloes were going to have to do it shorthanded.
Oklahoma commit Erik McCarty, who tore his ACL earlier in the postseason, came out in full gear and uniform for McAlester’s warm-up drills. It had some believing that maybe the senior tailback might try and play.
However, that was not to be. McCarty stayed on the sideline and rooted his squad on in his final high school game.
It was evident from the start that Buffs coach Forrest Mazey was shortening the game to try and keep the Titans' offense off the field. The Buffaloes ran the play clock down to one on almost every play.
Their deliberateness allowed them to drive down the field methodically on their second possession of the day.
After a seven-minute drive, they found themselves with a fourth-and-2 from the 3-yard line. The Buffaloes went for it, but were stopped short and the Titans took over on their 2-yard line.
Carl Albert responded with a 98-yard drive that concluded with a 1-yard plunge from Robinson to put the Titans up, 14-0.
With McAlester now off track, the Buffs started taking risks. That includes going for a fake punt from their 34-yard line. However, the Titans sniffed it out immediately and shut it down.
Two plays later, Carl Albert senior Tashawn James (an Iowa State commit), scored on a 35-yard pass from Reed DeQuasie and the Titans led, 21-0, at the half.
The halftime break didn’t take the momentum away from the Carl Albert sideline. They came out on their opening possession and put seven on the board with Robinson’s second 1-yard touchdown run of the afternoon.
“People don’t want to tackle him,” DeQuasie said of Robinson. ‘
James then picked off Buffs' quarterback Caden Lesnau at McAlester’s 22-yard line. That set up a short touchdown pass from Robinson to Caleb Cornell to put CAHS up, 35-0.
It was Robinson’s first touchdown pass of the season and only his second pass attempt. The junior ended the year with 41 total TDs.
“It was unreal,” Dunn said of Robinson. “He got the hat trick (Saturday).”
DeQuasie, who threw two touchdown passes in the first half, added an interception to his stat line on the ensuing possession. Once again, the Titans transformed the turnover into points when Robinson caught an 18-yard touchdown pass to start the fourth quarter and put the contest away.
The Titans held the Buffs to 249 total yards and forced them into three interceptions.
Blaze Baugh led the Buffs with 69 yards on 16 carries. Lesnau completed 13-of-18 passes for a touchdown and two interceptions. Senior Chaz Bradley caught five passes for 50 yards.
Trey Washington led the Titans with two catches for 46 yards. DeQuasie ran for 99 yards and threw for 72.
Despite missing most of the season with an injury, DeQuasie said it was all worth it to be the last team standing.
“It’s amazing,” DeQuasie said. “I couldn’t ask for a better journey.
"God has a weird way of getting these things done. But we got it.”
