Dripping Springs heads to quarterfinals
Depth is always a positive when a team gets into the playoffs. Dripping Springs showed the importance of this quality as they broke loose in the second half to push away from San Antonio John Jay and come away with a strong 50-27 victory. This accomplishment moved the Tigers to the quarterfinals round, the same as last year. This time the opponent will be Cibolo-Steele, another worthy adversary. The game will again be played in the Alamodome, Saturday December 2. Kickoff at 7:00pm.
The Tigers were forced to sit their No. 1 rusher, Jack Tyndall, due to an injury. Their No. 2 rusher, his twin bother Nick, went out with an injury late in the first quarter with the score tied at 14. The rest of the work was left up to sophomore Jaceton Gotta who spent most of the season on the JV. This means two things. He has talent but most of all, the offensive line is very strong and continually opened giant holes to run through. The passing game proved it is among the best around. Jack Williams was spot on with 11 consecutive completions. The defense gave up some big plays in the first half but held the Mustangs to only 21 yards rushing in the second.
The Tigers forced Jay into three and out on their first possession but they would turn right around, intercept a pass and return it to the two. They scored and took the lead. 7-0. Back to work for the Tigers. Kyle Koch returned the kickoff 36 to the 38. A 15-penalty put it on the Jay 47. Jack Williams hit Koch for the rest. Landon Requard was true on the EP. 7-7. 8.41. After three exchanges of punts the Tigers began on their 35. Williams hit Cooper Reid for 52 and Nick Tyndall took it in from the 13. 14-7. On their first play the Jay RB broke for 76 to the 3. Two plays later it was 14-14.
Dripping Springs tried a long drive. Nine plays later Rio Hay, a defensive lineman, was handed the ball and powered it in from the 4. 21-14. Back came Jay with a 56 run to tie the game for the last time. 21-21. A 16 play, 75 drive climaxed by a 3-pass to Reid with 14 seconds left gave the Tigers a 28-21 lead they would never relinguish.
The first score in the third was a safety gained when Tomsen Vickery tackled the QB in the endzone. 30-21. An exchange of punts turned the ball over to the Tigers on the 39. On the first play Gotta would pop through a giant hole and simply outrun the pursuers for the 61 TD. Two point try failed 36-21. A roughing the punter penalty gave Jay a second chance and they made the most of it and scored. No EP. 27-36. Another 75 drive. This time it was finished with a 30 pass to Koch by Williams. 43-27. 29 seconds remaining. Early in the fourth Gotta would have his second TD with a 41 run. Final. 50-27.
Game stats (DS first): First downs 22-9; Rushing 42-226, 32-234; Passing 292-92; Passes 15-21-2, 6-20-0; Punts 3-42.7, 6-38.5; Penalties 5-45, 10-88.
Tiger stats: Rushing: Gotta 20-146 2TD; Tyndall 8-46 TD; Williams 5-11; Koch 2-9; Brandon Magat 5-8; Rio Hay 1-4 TD; Maddox Maher 1-2. Passing: Williams 14-19--283-1 3TD; Maher 1-29-1.
Receiving: Reid 6-101 TD; Koch 5-127 2TD; Max Krippel 3-55; Gotta 1-9. PR: Koch 1-23. KOR: 2-68. Safety: Vickery.
DS tackling (unasst/ asst): Nolan Dahl 3-2, Clive Wahl 5-0, Hay 2-0, Elijah Gonzales 2-1, Theo Howard 1-2, Luca Picucci 1-1, Chris Gustafson 1-1, Vickery 1-0, Requard 0-1.
PHOTO BY RONNIE ADAIR.