Ed Kacer’s Ganado fandom started on February 28, 1957, when he opened “Kacer’s Barber Shop,” in town.

Kristi Courtwright, a Ganado alum whose brother played football, describes it as the place to be on a Saturday morning after a Ganado game. The guys get their haircut, and the girls sit on the side wall and listen to Kacer talk football.

Above their heads is a plaque of every Ganado playoff team since the 50s. Kacer went to every practice, even during losing seasons. But on Thursday morning, Kacer attended Ganado’s first-ever Class 2A Division I State Championship at 87 years old, hoping to witness history.

He got that and more in Ganado’s 30-28 win over Stamford, tied for the longest state championship game in UIL history.

“Go ahead and take care of business,” Kacer advised the team in their pep rally. “Then, after the game, look around at all the lights.”

After the game, the Ganado players looked at a community cheering for the state championship they’d waited so long for.

Ganado led by a touchdown for most of the regulation but could not pull away from Stamford, ranked No.1 in Class 2A for the entire season. On 4th and 13 down 21-14 late in the fourth, Stamford quarterback Christian Duran rolled to his right and fired a 41-yard strike on a corner route to Alek Hernandez, which set up the tying touchdown.

Ganado quarterback Bryce Ullman, who earned Offensive MVP honors with 220 total yards and three touchdowns, piloted a 10-play, 95-yard touchdown drive that gave his team a 22-yard field goal attempt to win with two seconds remaining. A missed kick threatened to shift all momentum to the Stamford side for overtime.

“We had talked about it the whole week: the team who overcame adversity the best would win the ball game,” Ullman said.

Stamford would give them plenty more of it.

Ganado sophomore Logan Bures, who finished with 100 rushing yards and added two crucial punt returns for 69 total yards, punched in the first score of overtime. But Stamford quarterback Duran responded on the ensuing drive with a 4th and 4 touchdown pass to Cle Whitfield. Stamford went 5-for-6 on 4th downs on the afternoon.

After the Ganado defense turned Stamford over on downs, the Indians again had a field goal opportunity to win the game, and again missed from 42 yards out.

The field goal miss set up dueling two-point conversion plays for a third overtime, the debut of the format in the state championship. Ganado’s Ullman rolled right and lofted a beauty into the back of the endzone for Austen Pena, who high-pointed the ball and toe-tapped in the back of the end zone.

On Stamford’s two-point attempt, Ullman put on his defensive hat and secured the game-ending interception. It also sealed some bragging rights, according to Ullman.

“We always talked about getting a ring on our finger for our senior year to mess with all the dads, because they make fun of us sometimes saying they were good back in the day,” Ullman.

BOX SCORE

Ganado Passing

Ganado Rushing

Ganado Receiving

Stamford Passing

Stamford Rushing

Stamford Receiving

Ganado Defense

Stamford Defense