ARLINGTON - With Roddrell Freeman at quarterback and entering as 14-point favorites, it seemed all but assured that Mart would be lifting a fourth consecutive state title.
With the game tied at 14 at the half, Mart opened the third quarter with the ball and chewed off nearly seven minutes to take a 21-14 lead on Freeman's third touchdown run of the night.
Windthorst could not make anything happen and gave the ball back to Mart a couple minutes later. Mart then chewed off 10 minutes of game clock but a failed 4th down conversion with 4:19 to play gave Windthorst life.
And it used that last lifeline to the fullest, converting two, fourth downs and chewing up clock. With less than 30 seconds left in the game, Cy Belcher hopped across the goal line for his second rushing touchdown of the night to pull within one.
After a number of timeouts, Tryston Harding, who took home the game's Defensive MVP honors, lined up for a game-tying PAT.
Wide left, and Harding was visibly shaken.
However, Mart was offsides and Windthorst had another shot. Instead of playing for the tie, Windthorst lined up for a 2-point conversion and Ethan Belcher waltzed into the endzone to give Windthorst the lead.
Mart could nothing 67 yards away from the endzone and less than 30 seconds on the clock, and Windthorst topped the 2A juggernaut and claimed its first state championship since 2003.
