Cameron Yoe hangs title game record 70 points in 3A-DI victory in Texas football championships

ARLINGTON, Texas — State championships are beginning to become a habit for Cameron Yoe (Cameron). The most recent came in record-equaling fashion.

With junior running back Traion Smith rushing for 123 yards and five touchdowns, the Yoemen claimed their third straight state championship, defeating Mineola 70-40 in the Class 3A Division I (enrollment 315-464) title game before a crowd of 13,561 Thursday night at AT&T Stadium.

The 70 points scored by Cameron Yoe tied the 11-man state championship game record for most points by one team, first set by Stephenville in a 70-35 Class 3A Division I victory over El Campo in 2012.

Smith in the opening quarter scored on touchdown runs of 4, 4, and 17 yards to establish a 21-0 lead for Cameron Yoe (12-4).

Senior quarterback Reid Nickerson threw three of his five touchdown passes in the first half, twice connecting with Aaron Sims for 43- and 39-yard scores, the latter a Hail Mary on the final play of the first half for a 42-13 lead at the break.

The night started poorly for Mineola (12-4) when it failed to field the opening kickoff. Cameron Yoe turned the recovery into a quick score.

Stunned early, the Yellowjackets recovered with a pair of touchdown runs of 10 and 13 yards from sophomore quarterback Jeremiah Crawford.

Crawford in the second half threw a seven-yard scoring pass to Michael Drennon.

Sophomore defensive back Noah Sneed injected some life to the Yellowjackets in the first minute of the third quarter with a 61-yard fumble return for a touchdown to make it 42-20.

Nickerson quickly doused Mineola comeback hopes with his fourth touchdown pass and third to Sims, this one covering 47 yards. Sims finished with six catches for 153 yards and was named the game's offensive MVP. Nickerson threw for 311 yards, hitting on 15 of 21 attempts.

Yoemen senior defensive back John Washington intercepted two passes and was named defensive MVP.

Cameron Yoe defeated Daingerfield 38-20 in the 2102 title game and Wall, 35-14, last year. Combined with a state title in 1981, the Yoemen now have four championships.

Waskom 41, Newton 22: Chandrin Amie returned a kickoff 88 yards for a touchdown four minutes into the second quarter to give Waskom a 13-8 lead it would not relinquish in the Class 3A Division II (enrollment 220-314) state championship game Thursday evening at AT&T Stadium.

Amie, a junior two-way star, added a five-yard touchdown run for a 27-8 lead in the third quarter. His kickoff return, set up by textbook blocking as he turned down the left sideline, began a string of four consecutive Wildcats touchdowns.

From his defensive post of middle linebacker, Amie made 16 tackles and forced a fumble on the way to the game's defensive MVP award.

"Chan is always going to be around the ball,'' said Waskom coach Whitney Keeling. "Guys see our tackle stats during the season and think we're padding them. We're not.''

Waskom (15-1), making its state championship game debut, rushed for 350 yards and did not throw a pass. Offensive MVP Kevin Johnson led a balanced ground attack with 106 yards and his first cousin Junebug Johnson contributed 92 yards.

Keileon Johnson's 1-yard fumble return for a score in the final minute of the third quarter increased the Waskom lead to 34-8.

Newton (12-4) threw only three passes, completing one, a 43-yard scoring pass from Roney Elam to Gabe Foster in the final minutes.

The Eagles were paced by senior running back Calum Foster's 117 yards that included a touchdown. Elam, a Texas A&M pledge, led the Eagles in tackles with five solos and three assists.