Muenster 36, Shiner 29

December 18, 2024

AT&T Stadium

Arlington, TX

The 2A-Division II state championship game was expected to be a classic and it absolutely lived up to the hype as Muenster won their second state title in school history with a thrilling 36-29 win over Shiner in front of a crowd of 6,399.

After winning the toss, Shiner elected to receive the opening kick, but the Hornets had other ideas recovering the onside kick and giving themselves the ball at the Shiner 49. Just six plays later MHS would find the end zone as junior quarterback Casen Carney would score from two yards out to put Munester up 7-0 less than two minutes into the game.

Shiner would get the ball back and in true Shiner fashion would go on a 12-play 78 yard drive taking up nearly six minutes of time as the Comanches would tie things up at 7-7 as on 4th and 11 QB Carson Shuette hooked up with freshman WR Jarvis Williams for a 29-yard touchdown pass.

It was now Muenster’s turn to respond as the Hornets on the first play of the second quarter would take the lead back at 14-7 as Carney would cap off a ten play 62-yard drive with a one yard scoring run. Now it was Shiner’s turn for a quick strike score as the Comanches sophomore RB Quincy Jones would rip off a 74-yard touchdown run on Shiner’s third play of the ensuing drive to quickly tie the game up at 14-14. However, the scoring run came at a cost as Jones appeared to injure himself on the play, he did return to the game on defense, but he did not have another carry for the rest of the night.

The back and forth would continue as this time it was Muenster’s turn to answer as the Hornets would put together a 14-play 68-yard drive to take a 21-14 lead on a seven-yard touchdown run from Carney, his third scoring run of the night.

Shiner would on their next drive go three and out and it looked like Muenster was ready to extend the lead right before halftime, but Shiner’s Jarvis Williams picked off Carney to give the Comanches the ball back. This time SHS didn’t waste time getting the game tied up as Schuette scored on a 44-yard run to make the score 21-21 with 1:51 left in the first half. That would be the halftime score as well as Muenster failed to get any movement on their final drive of the second half.

Muenster would open the second half with a statement drive as the Hornets held the ball for 6:10, marching 78-yards on 13-plays to take a 28-21 lead as RB Nolan Peel scored on a two-yard run. The key play on the drive was facing a 3rd and 10, Carney connected with WR Garrett Hess for a seventeen-yard gain. The play before the score, Carney converted a 4th and from the Shiner five-yard line as well.

Shiner would answer with their own long drive marching 68 yards on ten plays, taking up the remainder of the third quarter and on the final play of the quarter, Schuette would score from a yard out to make it 28-27 Muenster. After a penalty on the PAT, Shiner elected to roll the dice and go for two on the PAT and Schuette would sneak it in from one yard out to give the Comanches their first lead at 29-28 heading into the fourth quarter.

Munester on their next drive would march to the Shiner 39-yard line, but on 4th and 2, QB Carney was stopped short of a first down and Shiner took over with a chance to really seize control of the game. This time it was Muenster’s turn for the defense to rise to the occasion and get a stop forcing a Shiner punt.

Muenster on their next drive would pick up a couple of first downs and move to the Shiner 41-yard line, but the Hornets were facing a 4th and nine. Muenster head coach Brady Carney made the call of the game as he elected to take a delay of game penalty and then send the punt team out. Munester’s special teams executed perfectly as they punted and pinned Shiner on the one-yard line with 5:28 left in the game.

Shiner would pick up just four yards and punting from their own end zone the Comanches only got off a 30-yard punt and after a nice 15-yard punt return Munester was sitting with a first and ten at the Shiner twenty-yard line with 3:28 left in the game. MHS would take two and a half minutes off the clock and would take the lead on Carney’s fourth touchdown run of the game, a six-yard run with 40 seconds left. After the two-point PAT was good, Munester led 36-29 and Shiner only had one timeout left.

The Comanches would execute the desperation drive well picking up two first downs to get to the Muenster 40 to give themselves a chance at a desperation heave into the end zone, but Schuette’s pass was picked off by Casen Carney who came in on defense and after one kneel down Muenster would bring home the state championship.