ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Oakdale (14-0) quarterback Evan Austin completed four passing touchdowns to receiver Hunter Thompson en route to a 42-35 victory over Linganore (12-2) in the MPSSAA 3A State Championship Game on Saturday night at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.
The Bears, who have been paced all season long by their superstar QB and wideout, used their high-powered offense to outlast the Lancers, who have a great signal caller and offensive weapons of their own. A game that was hyped as possibly the most exciting matchup of the entire championship weekend certainly did not disappoint.
Hunter Thompson proved to be too much to handle for the Lancers. He hauled in 15 catches for 269 yards and 4 scores in this game.
Oakdale would strike first in the game, taking the opening kickoff and marching down the field in less than three minutes. The first of four touchdown connections between Austin and Thompson was successful to give the Bears an early 7-0 lead.
Bears kicker Jackson Peterson would add a field goal as time ran out in the first quarter. Oakdale took a 10-0 lead after one.
Early in the second quarter, it was Austin to Thompson again on a 28-yard scoring connection. Oakdale took a 17-0 lead, and it looked like the Bears were in control. But shortly before the intermission, Linganore capped a long drive with a 5-yard score from Mason Farster. Another Peterson field goal for the Bears made the score 20-7 at the break.
Linganore would receive the kickoff to start the second half, and they took advantage of it. It was capped off on an incredible play by running back Ethan Arneson, who was hit, spun up in the air, and then somehow managed to land on his feet and continue to run 36 yards for the score. The deficit was only six, as the Lancers trailed 20-14.
And just as momentum looked to be swinging towards Linganore, the Lancers were called for too many men on the field on an Oakdale punt, and the penalty yardage was enough to result in a first down for the Bears. And once again on the same drive, when Oakdale was facing a 3rd & 16, Austin broke free and scored on a 56-yard play to push the lead back out for the Bears to 27-14.
But on the next drive, Lancers quarterback Christian Petruzzello found Matthew Hauptman down the sidelines for an 83-yard touchdown pass and, once again, Linganore found itself trailing by only six.
As play went back and forth in the third quarter, a 36-yard pass from Austin to Thompson would put the Bears back on the board again, and this time a successful two-point conversion made it a 14-point lead at 35-21.
The first play of the fourth quarter was, once again, an Austin to Thompson connection, from 39 yard, and the Bears were doubling the Lancers, 42-21.
Linganore would add two more touchdowns in the fourth quarter. One, a four-yard rush by Arneson, and the other, a 48-yard pass from Petruzzello to MJ Rawlett. The score would draw closer, but an unsuccessful onside kick attempt was recovered by Oakdale, which was able to run out the clock.
The Austin to Thompson connection produced 21 touchdowns this season for the exciting Bears offense. Austin finishes the year with 21 rushing touchdowns, as well.
With the win, Oakdale secures its second state title in school history, and its first since 2018. The Bears proved to be the Achilles heel for the Lancers this year. Linganore’s only two losses all season long both came to Oakdale, and both were by only one touchdown.
