Tigers airmail the Thunderbirds, 25-14

It was a game of opposites when Dripping Springs High School took on San Antonio’s Wagner High School.

As it turned out, the Tigers spent the night passing the ball while the Wagner Thunderbirds stayed on the ground. The Tiger defense gave ground grudgingly, but when the ball came inside the 20-yard line, they would make the key stops to keep the Birds from soaring. Without this, the score would have been much closer.

The Tigers had their most success in the air. Before the night was over, Maddox Maher and his full complement of receivers completed 25 of 30 passes for 307 yards and four touchdowns.

It was three and out to start the game for the Tigers, but they proceeded to score the next five possessions. Wagner began their first drive at the 33yard line and marched to the 16 despite some “shooting themselves in the foot” penalties. The Tigers stiffened and held at the 25-yard line. The Tigers would move 75 yards in 13 plays with Jack Tyndall powering it in from the one-yard line early in the second quarter. Aidan Burgess hit the first of five extra points to make it 7-0.

Wagner embarked on their 15-play drive from the 25-yard line to the six before the Tiger defense bowed their necks again. The Tigers took over on the seven-yard line and moved the ball 14 plays to score on a 16-yard pass from Maher to Kyle Koch with five ticks left on the clock to make it 14-0 at the half.

Wagner took the second half kickoff 75 yards to score on a 13-yard run to narrow the gap 14-7. It was short-lived as the Tigers began after Koch returned the kickoff to the 23-yard line. On the other end of the 10-play dive, Max Krippel caught a five yarder from Maher to make it 21-7 with 3.05 left in the third. Defense made it three and out, and the offense made it 28-7 in four plays on an 11-yard pass to J. Tyndall on the last play of the third quarter.

Wagner never gave up as they took the ball 90 yards to score on an 11yard run, but then again, neither did the Tigers as they took their next drive 52 yards after the onside kick. Koch would take a 22-yard pass for the final score. Wagner would move the ball on another 78-yard drive before being stopped at the 12-yard line by the Tiger defense. The Tigers kneeled the ball once to run out the clock, finishing the game 35-14.

After two strong opponents, the Tigers will take their bye week before starting their district schedule.

Game stats (DSHS first): First downs 20-22; Rushing 20-63, 56-299; Passing 307-68; Passes 25-30-4TDs, 6-9-0; Punts 1-43, 1-42; Penalties 4-40, 8-55.

Tiger stats: Rushing: J. Tyndall 15-57-1TD; Nick Tyndall 2-16. Passing: Maher 25-30-3074TDs; Receiving: Koch 8-43-2TD, Maddox Bloomgren 5-45, J. Tyndall 4-30-1TD, Tristan Felder 3-38, Cooper Reid 2-31, Merrik Bloomgren 2-15, Krippel 1-5 1TD.