Class 5A football: Carl Albert completes turnaround season, wins state title

Before the season, Carl Albert defensive coordinator Mike Corley was diagnosed with cancer.

The Titans then suffered through a disastrous 1-5 start that left them having to win out just to make the playoffs.

Carl Albert steamrolled through its final four games to make the playoffs and then rolled through the postseason on the back of Thompson and Corley's defense.

Thompson, Carl Albert's junior quarterback, had been stellar in each of the Titans first three playoff games and was again against the Cardinals.

Thompson ran for 186 yards on 33 carries, scoring three times to give Carl Albert its 11th football state championship.

“We were down at the beginning,” Thompson said. “But every practice, we kept going in, working hard, fighting it out, and we just knew we were gonna have a chance at the state title.”

The Titans' defense held East Central to just 178 total yards and minus-7 yards rushing.

“Mike Corley is the architect of that,” Rose said. “The zone blitzes, the stunts, the containment, the pass coverage, all unbelievable.

“We stopped their run completely cold. They've got better athletes than we do. They all go both ways and that really hurts sometimes.”

Carl Albert trailed 8-7 heading into the fourth quarter before Blake Walker's 34-yard field goal early put the Titans up front for the first time.