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Look: Grandview beats Pottsboro in UIL 3A football regional semifinals

Check out SBLive's exclusive photos from Grandview's playoff win
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POTTSBORO, Texas - The Grandview Zebras beat the Pottsboro Cardinals 29-7 in the UIL Class 3A football regional semifinals on Friday night.

Junior quarterback Ryder Hayes completed 17 of 21 pass attempts for 175 yards and a touchdown to take the Zebras deeper into the postseason.

“I was extremely proud of the kids,” Grandview head coach Ryan Ebner said after the game. “It was a tough first half. It was 7-7 going in [the second half], and I thought they handled the adjustments well and went in with a lot of energy.”

Things got off to a slow start for the Zebras offensively. The defense forced two fumbles in the first quarter, but both times the offense was unable to find the end zone. With just under a minute remaining in the opening frame, Pottsboro scored on a 19-yard scoring run by Major McBride to make the score 7-0.

Hayes checked into the game in the second quarter after not playing in the first and immediately made an impact driving Grandview deep into Cardinal territory. However, they were unable to convert on fourth down and the ball went over to Pottsboro.

On their next drive, Hayes hit Kason English from nine yards out to tie the game at halftime.

It did not take long for the Zebras to take control in the second half. On the second play from scrimmage, Kason English took the reverse, broke one tackle and beat the safeties to the pylon to take a 14-7 lead.

English amassed 66 yards on 7 catches and a touchdown receiving, adding 57 yards on 8 carries and a score on the ground.

After forcing a quick punt, Grandview drove right back down the field and scored on a one-yard run by Casey Cannon, who finished with 31 carries for 127 yards and 2 touchdowns. A penalty after the touchdown put the extra point at the 18 yard line, and the Zebras opted to go for two. Hayes dropped back and fired a dart to Brandon Click to make the score 22-7 after three quarters of play.

Grandview had the ball to start the fourth quarter and proceeded to go on a 21-play, 91-yard drive, capped off with another touchdown from Cannon to effectively put the game away and send the Zebras to the quarterfinal round with a 29-7 victory.

“These guys were freshmen in that 2019 state championship,” Ebner mentioned. “So they want the success for themselves. They can take some of those lessons learned by those guys, and they just go out and execute the Grandview way.”

Grandview (11-2) will face the Malakoff Tigers (12-1) at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 2 at Lumpkins Stadium in Waxahachie.

PHOTO GALLERY

(All photos by Brian McLean)