usatoday
For the first time in nearly two decades, Aledo High School's football team has suffered a district defeat. The Bearcats' remarkable 136-game district winning streak, which had stood for 19 years and close to 7,000 days, was snapped on Friday, Sept. 25, when they fell to Martin (Arlington, TX) 35-21.
Aledo, which moved from UIL 5A to District 3-6A this year due to realignment, held a 21-13 lead going into the fourth quarter. However, Martin quickly shifted the momentum by returning a punt 77 yards for a touchdown to start the final period, as reported by the Dallas Morning News. The Warriors then took the lead on a 13-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Chase Devoll to wide receiver Malik Mason, followed by a successful two-point conversion run by running back Julian Deloera.
Despite a standout performance from Aledo running back Wyatt Dorsey, who rushed for 210 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries, Martin maintained control and secured the win. The streak that ended had been in place since Oct. 5, 2007, predating the birth of every player on both teams.
Aledo's season record now stands at 2-3. The Bearcats had lost their first two games before dominating Trinity and Granbury, outscoring them 100-7 combined. Martin, on the other hand, improved to 5-0 and has already surpassed its total wins from last season, showcasing a resilient fourth-quarter effort.
Key Analysis
The world has changed significantly since October 2007. The No. 1 NFL draft pick, Fernando Mendoza, was just 4 years old. The iPhone had only been on the market for a few months. The Great Recession had not yet begun. LeBron James, however, remains in the league. Aledo will now focus on building a new streak, and perhaps the world will undergo just as much transformation before that one ends.
Originally reported by usatoday.