Regents, playing without its star quarterback, loses in TAPPS DII state title game
WACO — Regents coach Tim Phillips beamed with pride standing on the field Friday at Waco ISD Stadium.
Though his team had just fallen to Argyle Liberty Christian 52-10 in the TAPPS Division II state championship game, Phillips felt the Knights did all they should have and more during a season in which they finished 12-2.
“There were a lot of reasons we shouldn’t have got here, so it’s a big deal that we did,” said Phillips, who has guided Regents to six state title game appearances, including winning the 2020 championship. “We didn’t make it the last two seasons and have a small senior class, but the kids set out with a lot of drive and just grinded to get here.”
Regents suffered a blow earlier in the week when an ankle injury to star quarterback Quinn Murphy, who threw for 3,030 yards and 52 touchdowns this year, during its semifinal win last week over Houston Second Baptist prevented him from suiting up.
Freshman Jack Devine did an admirable job filling in and making his first start on the biggest stage, and Phillips brought out all the tricks with a fake punt, double pass and going for it on fourth down multiple times, but missing Murphy against a loaded Warriors team put the Knights in a tough spot.
“It was emotional for the kids during the week knowing we wouldn’t have him, but we knew it was going to be a big challenge with him,” Phillips said. “They’re a really good team, and we knew we’d have to play really great to have a shot. I thought Jack did a really good job.”
Liberty Christian (14-0), who is coached by former Dallas Cowboys tight end Jason Witten, completed an undefeated season, has multiple future Division I players and is a team that would make the playoffs in plenty of UIL Class 6A districts.
Chase Garnett ran for 182 yards and three touchdowns, and Cole Welliver, a Connecticut pledge, threw for all three of his TDs in the first half and finished with 169 yards passing to pace the Warriors.
Regents moved the ball on the game's opening drive that ended with Weston Mebane’s 31-yard field goal, but Liberty Christian reeled off 45 straight points before Devine hit Kade Millington on a 9-yard scoring pass late in the third quarter.
Though the immediacy of the loss stung for the Knights, Hudson Powell, who played both sides of the ball for the Knights as a wideout and defensive back, said it was important for the senior class to start what Regents hopes is another string of appearances in the state championship game.
“That was the goal since spring ball — nothing less — and we did it,” said Powell, who has preferred walk-on interest from Northwestern and TCU. “I think the seniors did a good job of leading the younger guys and re-establishing the tradition of how good we can be.”
The future looks bright for Regents.
Though it loses several good players on defense like Powell, lineman Wyatt Blazek and linebackers Jacob Wilburn and Charlie Griffin, the offense will be dynamic for the near future.
Not only is Murphy just a sophomore, but Millington and other wideouts Blake Smith and Roman Patson will return, and Devine has the athleticism to play anywhere.
“We have a great sophomore class,” said junior defensive back Graham Reintjes. “Six or seven of them started at some point, and then my junior class has some real leaders. We have a lot of upside, and I’m really excited for next year.”
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Regents comes up short in TAPPS Division II state championship game
