The Chapel Hill Red Devils went into Saturday’s area round game against Jefferson with one of the longest active winning streaks in the area. Jefferson came into the game with its own proud basketball tradition and had only lost to one team – a double-overtime loss to fellow 16-3A playoff team West Rusk – in the last eight games.
Befitting of two teams with such resumes, the Red Devils and Bulldogs went back and forth the entire night, needing overtime to settle things in Saturday’s game at Hallsville High School.
However, it was Jefferson coming out on top, 39-34 in overtime, to move on to the regional quarterfinals and bring Chapel Hill’s season to a close.
The Bulldogs jumped out to a 16-8 lead in the first quarter. The Devils outscored Jefferson in the second and third quarters, 22-11, but Jefferson won the fourth quarter, 7-4 to send the game to overtime. In overtime, the Bulldogs held the Devils scoreless, 5-0, to take control and finish the game.
Chapel Hill’s season ends at 33-3. The team finished ranked ninth in the state in Class 3A and won 29 games in a row. It was the final game for seniors Alex DeSantiago, C.J. Kump, Casey House, Rylee French and team manager Luke Nichols.