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The Dripping Springs Harker Heights game had a little bit of everything for the fans as the Tigers upped their record to 3-0 with the 31-26 victory. It provided the viewer with 31 possessions, 70 passes, five interceptions, no fumbles, big plays, 13 penalties, impressive kicking games and a tense feeling of outcome until the last minute of play. It provided Monday morning QB’s the opportunity to question plays called. Most of all it gave the Tiger coaches material to push for improvement during the week of practices ahead. Best of all, it still came with a victory.
The first half provided the scoring that was expected from the two teams but the second half kind of sputtered and was littered with mistakes. HH would go for it on fourth and the Tigers stopped them at the 46. Jaceton Gotta would take it in from the 7 and Ian French would nail the EP. 7-0. HH would move the ball 80 yards in 8 plays to score on a 20 pass. EP missed. 6-7.
Second quarter had plenty of scoring. On the second play of the quarter Chase Ames hit Cooper Reid for 22 and the score. 146. Next possession Gotta found the endzone by powering in from the 9. 21-6. HH broke for a 65 run to narrow the gap to 2113. A 40 FG got it even closer at 21-16. The Tigers got their final TD on a 40 pass to James Montgomery. 28-16. Gage De Los Santos stopped the Knights on their last possession with an interception.
Colten Tripp snared an interception on HH first possession. However DS would give it right back as a HH back stepped in front of the pass and headed for the endzone. The biggest play of the game was when the intended receiver, Merrik Bloomgren, a trackster, closed the gap and caught the player at the ten after a 50 sprint. The Tigers forced a 29FG. 1928. The Tigers drove the ball back down to the one and had a pass intercepted. HH countered with a 27 TD pass. 28-26.
Early in the fourth, the Knights tried a 51 FG that had the distance but hit the upright. Dodged a bullet. Would have been the first time the Tigers had trailed in a game this year. The Tigers reciprocated with a French 30 FG for the final 31-26 score. Gage De los Santos made sure with his second interception in the final minute of play.
The Tigers will try to make it four when they take on Hays Johnson tonight (Thursday). Kickoff is at 7:30 at the Bob Shelton stadium.
Game stats (DS first): First downs 2018; Rushing 31-112, 33-153; Passing 222223; Passes 19-33-2, 19-37-3; Punts 640.7, 4-49.5; Penalties 6-70, 7-60; Turnovers 2; 3.
Tiger stats: Rushing: Gotta 1646 2TD; Mateo Perez 7-36; Ames 5-15; Bobby Wilkinson 110; Lawson Attaway 2-5. Passing: Ames 18-31-211-2 2TD; Perez 1-2-11. Receiving: Reid 766TD; Bloomgren 654; Montgomery 595TD; Gotta 1-7. Int: DeLos Santos 220, Tripp 1-7. PR: Reid 4-83. KOR: Ryder Frost 2-78.
