Amazing 'Dead Man' trick-play touchdown lifts team to Texas title
You can hardly blame No. 37 Pearland (Texas) High for pulling out all the stops in its 28-24, upset victory over No. 5 ranked Euless Trinity (Texas) High in the Class 5A Division I state championship. After all, the Trojans entered as one of the nation's most feared and balanced teams, while undefeated Pearland has been an upstart throughout its postseason run.
Besides, trick plays are all the rage, and the one the Oilers pulled off was an instant classic, as you can see below.
That's right, Pearland sold a gimmick known as "The Dead Man" play so well that it successfully got a man-on-man matchup for their blazingly fast, huge wide receiver on the outside by simply pretending a play wasn't happening. And that touchdown was absolutely essential, too. The 54-yard pass from quarterback Trey Anderson to powerful wide receiver Sam Ukwyachu gave the Oilers a 21-10 lead in the third quarter, a hole big enough that Trinity could never fully recover.
[More answers: Amazing somersault touchdown wins game]
Of course, that's not to say that Trinity gave up. Far from it. Instead, the Trojans -- who were playing for both a state title and a shot at a national crown -- battled all the way back to 28-24, and even earned a shot at a game-winning touchdown in the final minute. But instead of a miraculous playoff escape for a third straight week, this time the Trojans prayers went begging when a fourth-down pass near the goal line was batted away by Pearland's Dustin Garrison, who had the game of his life. Not only did Garrison come through with the biggest defensive stop of his team's season, he also added the three touchdowns that weren't scored on a trick play and ran for 121 yards as a running back.
[Related: Middle school trick play gains instant fame]
"This whole year everyone doubted us," Garrison told television reporters after the game. "They said we weren't going to do anything. But we're on top now."
You are on top, Dustin, and you can thank some crafty play-calling and your own perseverance for that feat.
[Video: Top 10 viral sports moments of 2010]
Want more on the best stories in high school sports? Visit RivalsHigh or connect with Prep Rally on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
Other popular stories on Yahoo!
• NFL investigates another sideline incident
• Six inches of snow expected before Monday night's Vikings game
• UConn hoops team ties historic mark
