ARLINGTON – Austin Cumpton made up for lost time. 

The Hawley running back and linebacker fractured his T4 and T5 in his spine during the 2021 run to the state championship game and didn’t play the final three games of the season, including the 47-12 loss to Shiner in last year’s Class 2A Division I title tilt at AT&T Stadium. 

"I didn’t know if I’d get to play the game of football again," Cumpton said. " I healed really fast and worked hard offseason. We wanted it bad, and we got it."

Cumpton was plenty healthy in the 51-21 win for the Bearcats over five-time state champion Refugio on Thursday morning. The senior ran for three touchdowns and recovered two fumbles in the first half of a dominant way. He finished with 151 yards rushing and four scores on 31 carries. He said the toughest part of recovering from the injury was mental. He was heartbroken watching from the sideline in 2021. He morphed into the heart of the team during the 2022 triumph. 

Hawley dominated on both sides of the ball, starting with a forced fumble by Hez Parker that was recovered by Cumpton. He then rolled over to offense and ran the ball three consecutive times, ending the 20-yard scoring drive with his first touchdown run of the game. 

That script repeated itself many times during the first half. Refugio turned the ball over on its first five possessions with Hawley scoring 28 points off those mistakes. The Bearcats led 20-0 with 7:11 left in the 2nd quarter despite only running 19 plays to that point. Cumpton ran for the first three touchdowns of the day for Hawley. 

"This is the best feeling in the world," he said after the win. "Coach brought me in as a little-bitty receiver back when I was a freshman. I worked my butt off all four years, and it paid off." 

The performance capped an illustrious career at Hawley for Cumpton, who won Offensive MVP honors in the program’s first ever state championship win. He entered the game with 2,021 yards and 40 touchdowns on the ground. He added 111 tackles, including 16 for loss, from his linebacker position. 

Hawley didn't have an 11-man football program until 1968. The Bearcats didn't reach a title game until last season. The joy on the Hawley side of the stadium as time ticked off in the blowout win was  palpable, even for the players on the field. 

"The community is amazing," Cumpton said. "I looked up into the crowd as the time ticked off, and I’ve never seen support like that before. They are so proud of us."