December 9 - Sam Houston claimed a dramatic Lone Star Bowl championship Saturday, defeating Alabama, 34-27. It was a roller coaster contest, with three lead changes separated by a three-hour weather delay. 

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Sam Houston struck first, with inside center Jaxon Stokley quick-tapping a penalty 20 meters away from pay dirt. Alabama’s first score also came as a result of a quick tap, but it wasn’t a try. The Tide were repelled with ball in hand, but Stokley was called for leaving his feed in the ruck, and Alabama cashed in with a penalty kick.

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The Bearkats scored next, when wing Dag Dawouna scooped an errant Alabama pass off the deck and won the race to the try line. Alabama drew level when a Sam Houston scrum saw the ball squirt out of the side, and Crimson Tide scrumhalf Mason Palaima gathered it and dove over untouched. 

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Alabama took its first lead of the match after mounting penalties helped the Tide set up camp inside the Sam Houston 22. Three carries after the last infraction, lock Michael Griesenauer punched over a pick-and-go. With the conversion, Alabama led 17-10 with halftime, and lightning, approaching. 

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The second half commenced after a three-hour weather delay, and Sam Houston struck first when scrumhalf Lane O’Brien ripped the ball from his opposite’s hands. Alabama committed a penalty on the turnover, and Dawouna scored two passes after the quick tap. The Tide took a shot at goal shortly thereafter, thanks to a Sam Houston penalty, stretching the lead to 20-15. 

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Sam Houston then reeled off three-straight tries, with hooker Drake Torno, Jackson Rauch and Dawouna doing the scoring, to establish a 34-20 lead. 

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Alabama scored off a quick tap from a Bearkat high tackle to cut the deficit to seven, but Sam Houston ran out the clock to claim victory.

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