The Malakoff Tigers defeated the Paradise Panthers 27-19 on Dec. 19 in a Class 3A Division I semifinal game in the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco. (Rob Graham/For the Tyler Morning Telegraph)

CLASS 3A DIVISION I CHAMPIONSHIP

Columbus (14-1) vs. Malakoff (15-0)

When/Where: 7 p.m. Thursday; AT&T Stadium, 1 AT&T Way, Arlington 76011

Notable

Coaches: Columbus — Matt Schobel (71-13 at Columbus and overall); Malakoff — Jamie Driskell (173-35 at Malakoff and overall)

Columbus: RB Grayson Rigdon … QB Adam Schobel … John Schobel … Elijah Fisher … WR Cooper Osborne

Malakoff: QB Mike Jones (166 of 234, 2,537 yards, 38 TDs, 2 INT; 108 carries, 1,050 yards, 11 TDs) … RB Jason Tennyson (163 carries, 1,748 yards, 25 TDs; 16 catches, 234 yards, 3 TDs) … RB/LB Jerrion Hall (97 carries, 696 yards, 12 TDs; 41 tackles, 2 INT) … TE/LB Parker Poteete (34 catches, 564 yards, 11 TDs; 145 tackles) … WR/DB Kayland Davis (35 catches, 455 yards, 7 TDs; 37 tackles) … WR/LB James Studley (31 catches, 453 yards, 3 TDs; 84 tackles, 3 FF) … DL Michael Elliot (94 tackles, 2 INT) … DL Daniel Norrell (69 tackles, 3 FR) … WR/DB Jack Hustead (14 catches, 263 yards, 3 TDs; 42 tackles, 2 INT) … DL Evan Loper (64 tackles … D: Deairius Moore (55 tackles, 2 FR) … LB Davion Johnson (48 tackles) … OL Shawn Meadows … OL Heath Piedra … OL Andrew Adams … OL Hunter Reeves … OL JaMyron Walker

Did you know: Malakoff has outscored opponents 717-160 this season. Columbus has outscored opponents 790-363. … Malakoff hasn’t lost since Dec. 8, 2022. … Malakoff has been in the playoffs in 16 straight seasons, winning a state championship in 2023 and playing for a state title in 2018. The Tigers have a playoff record of 39-22. … Head coach Jamie Driskell has been at Malakoff since 2009 and has led the Tigers to a record of 173-35. … Rigdon, who had older brothers graduate from Cayuga and Carlisle, has won three state championships at the Six-Man level and was named Class 1A championship game MVP and Class 1A Player of the Year all three seasons. He is committed to Wyoming. In basketball, Rigdon averaged 47.6 points, 9.6 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 7.2 steals per game as a junior, including a game where he had 72 points, eight rebounds and 10 steals while shooting 81 percent from the field. … Columbus is in the playoffs for the eighth straight season and has won double-digit games in six straight seasons. … Adam Schoebel and John Schobel have both signed with TCU. Adam Schobel threw for 7,668 yards and 94 touchdowns with just eight interceptions as a freshman, sophomore and junior.

Last week: Columbus 49, Edna 6; Malakoff 35, Texarkana Liberty-Eylau 0

How they got here: Columbus def. Cameron Yoe (48-14), Palestine Westwood (48-28), Yoakum (56-42), Franklin (62-42) and Edna (49-6); Malakoff def. Tatum (62-13), Maypearl (70-7), Jefferson (31-21), Texarkana Liberty-Eylau (35-0) and Paradise (27-19)

— Ogden can be reached at bogden@tylerpaper.com