Aledo won the Class 4A Division II state championship on Saturday with a 35-21 victory over Brenham. This came after the Bearcats defeated Denison in the state semifinals the week before, continuing a 25-year trend.
Since dropping to 4A and winning the 1984 state title, the Yellow Jackets have never lost to a bad team in the playoffs. Just take a look:
1985: Lost to Austin Westlake in region final. Westlake was state semifinalist.
1987: Lost to Rockwall in bi-district. Rockwall was state runner-up.
1988: Lost to Paris in region final. Paris went on to win title.
1989: Lost to Chapel Hill in region semis. Chapel Hill went on to win title.
1990: Lost to Dallas Roosevelt in area round. Roosevelt lost in region semis to eventual champ Wilmer-Hutchins.
1991: Lost to Dallas Roosevelt in area round. Roosevelt lost in region semis to state runner-up Carthage.
1992: Lost to Waxahachie in region semifinals. Waxahachie went on to win state title.
1994: Lost to Stephenville in area round. Stephenville went on to win state title.
1995: Lost to LaMarque for state title.
1996: Lost to LaMarque for state title.
1997: Lost to LaMarque for state title.
2000: Lost to Waco in bi-district. Waco lost to Jacksonville in region semis.
2001: Lost to Ennis in bi-district. Ennis went on to win title.
2003: Lost to Wylie in bi-district. Wylie lost to Kilgore in region semis.
2004: Lost to Aledo in bi-district. Aledo was state semifinalist.
2005: Lost to Wolfforth Frenship in region semis. Frenship was state semifinalist.
2008: Lost to Sulphur Springs in region semis. Sulphur Springs went on to win title.
2009: Lost to Aledo in state semis. Aledo went on to win title.
That is 18 playoff appearances in 25 years. 10 times Denison was eliminated by the eventual state champion. Three times it was by one of the final four left standing. Once was to the second-best team. Numbers like that can't be a coincidence.