Dripping Springs Sports results

Volleyball Results

Playoff mission one has been accomplished for the Lady Tigers volleyball team. Their immediate goal after entering the playoffs as the number three seed from the district was to play well and redeem those losses to their district members. They took on the #2 seed, Alamo Heights, and disposed of them 3-0. This put one last opponent between them and New Braunfels Canyon. They were able to put a 3-0 win over McAllen and that brought them to a return match with Canyon, with the winner gaining a berth in the state tourney. It was a tough match but the Lady Tigers were able to edge the Lady Cougars 3-1 and return to the state tourney after a one-year hiatus. It continues to prove it is hard to defeat a good team three times and it is better to lose in district than the playoffs. The 21-5 Lady Tigers played Fulshear last Monday and will take on the winner of the Lucas Lovejoy and Grapevine game for the title, should they win.

Plante 15, Karley Sledge 9, Ava Williamson 7, Natalie Arnold 5, Lauren Pyka 2, Annabelle Crowder 2, Ryann Allison. Aces (2): Ella Baldwin, Ryann Frontera. Blks (9): Allison 4, Plante 2, Pyka, Arnold, Williamson. Digs (92): Plante 24, Nicole Herbert 22, Frontera 15, Baldwin 14, Morgan Van de Walle 8, Williamson 3, Pyka 2, Clara Martin, Sledge, Arnold, Crowder. Assts (41): Frontera 27, de Walle 19. Serve Receptions (47): Herbert 17, Plante 9, Baldwin 9, Sledge 4, Williamson 4, Crowder 4.

Vs Canyon (25-19, 23-25, 25-19, 25-23): Kills (55): Plante 16, Arnold 9, Crowder 9, Sledge 9, Williamson 8, Pyka 4. Aces (4): Arnold 2, Frontera, Plante. Blks (8): Crowder 2, Williamson 2, Arnold 2, Plante, Pyka. Digs (101): Herbert 21, Frontera 21, Baldwin 20, Plante 17, de Walle 10, Crowder 7, Williamson 3, Arnold, Pyka. Assts (55): Frontera 31, de Walle 24. Receives (74): Herbert 33, Plante 28, Williamson 7, Baldwin 5, Sledge.

Tigers Forced To Share Crown

OH WHAT A NIGHT is the start of a popular song and aptly describes the football game between the Dripping Springs Tigers and Seguin Matadors. It was what most people describe as perfect conditions for a game--a cool, brisk and clear night in the 40's with no wind. It is also the time of the year when a team is usually deep into the playoffs but not this year. However, it had all the earmarks, because it would determine the district championship and who the opponent for the bi-district game would be. A win for the Tigers would make DS the sole owner but a loss would mean they would have to share. Early predictions before the season had the Tigers favored with their main opposition being Seguin. It proved to be true and the draw of the schedule climaxed the season with the Matadors, and at home.

Each team had excellent skill people and it would be everything a game of this sort should produce. Seguin would have the better balanced attack and in the end it would be the difference as they were able to control the clock when it counted. The game resembled a good tennis match as each team held serve and it was assumed that at some point someone would blink and make the difference. The offenses were just too tough for the defenses and long scoring plays turned into the norm as Seguin would get the lead and hold serve for the 70-63 verdict.

The loss put the Tigers into tri-championship status with Seguin and Canyon. However, in the year of COVID-19, the district did not use the usual point differential to determine seeds for the playoffs. Normally, under the circumstances, the Tigers would have come out #1 seed. Because not everyone got to play a full district schedule with COVID forfeits, a point system which was fair to all for playoff places, gave points for wins, loses and forfeits that ended with the Tigers falling to #3 seed. That is why the loss to Seguin was a major blow to the Tigers. Instead of playing the #4 seed, Pflugerville at home, they will now have to play the #2 seed, Georgetown there. Check the school athletic website for more details on the game.

The Tigers passing attack has simply been amazing and the receiving of Cameron O'Banan has just been absolutely out of this world. This game just magnified that, as he continues to add to his school record resume. On this night, he would catch 15 passes for 413 yards and six TD's. All of this would not be possible without the accurate arm of sophomore, Austin Novosad. Those catches came on plays where Cameron was 20 yards behind everyone, in a crowd or over the middle and the ball was always on the money. To have the time to do those things, the offensive line must do a great job and they did. Ironically, at the beginning of the season, the going money was that Cameron would be on the other end of those receptions, but it’s hard to imagine a season without his receiving prowess. His mindset is if the ball is in the air, then it is his.

Seguin got the ball first and promptly drove the ball 65 yards on 12 plays. 7-0. The Tigers met the challenge by moving the ball 75 yards on three passes to O'Banan, the last from 25. Coleman Chapman made it 7-7. 67 yards later, Seguin was back up 14-7. Wyatt Leschber would be Johnny on the spot to recover a fumble on the 20. A pass to O'Banan to the one yard line, set up a TD run by Preston Alford on the first play of the second quarter, tying the game at 14-14.

Seguin negotiated an 8-play 60 yard drive to make it 21- 14, and then took advantage of a short punt to the 50. A one yard dive climaxed the 5 play drive, bringing the score to 28-14. Alford brought them back with a 46 yard run to finish the 7 play, 78 yard drive. The extra point was missed, making it 28-20. Chase Whisenant recovered the fumble on the kick off, but the Tigers would have an interception to give it back. Seguin would not relinquish the ball, climaxing the 81 yard drive with a seven yard pass, making it 35-20. The Tigers showed them how easy it was when the Novosad-O-Banan duo worked for a 75 yard TD run on the first play to make 27-35 at the half.

If one thought the second half might slow down, think again. DS took the ball at the second half and marched it 58 yards in two plays with O'Banan taking it in from 51 out. A pass to O'Banan on the extra point, tied the game at 35. The Tigers forced a punt and then finished the 86 yard drive with a 65 yard pass to O'Banan, giving the Tigers their first lead, 42-35. On the first play, a 75 yard pass tied the game. That was short-lived as the Tigers took a little more than a minute to go 66 yards in five plays with the final 15 yards going to Alford to regain the lead, 49-42. Back to a tie with an 11 play, 72 yard drive to end the third quarter.

No quarter given in the fourth. Seguin scored on the first play of the fourth, then intercepted another Tiger pass and turned it into another TD to go ahead 63- 49, making things a little bleak. A 5-play, 73 yard drive with a 15 yard pass to O'Banan pulled it back to within seven with 5:09 remaining. The score was 56-63. DS could not corral the onside kick or stop the Matadors on their 10 play, 58 yard drive to score with 2:02 left. DS came right back as they covered 53 yards in 4 plays to get back to a chance with 1:08. Even with timeouts, the Tigers could not prevent Seguin from running out the clock and celebrating the win.

Game stats (DS first): First downs 23-33; Rushing 16-78, 55-268; Passing 561-285; Passes 26-34-3, 18-30; Punts 2-34.5, 2-44.5; Penalties 10-85, 7-60; Fumbles lost 0-1, 2-2.

Tiger stats: Rushing: Alford 12-90 2TD; Novosad 4-(-)12. Passing: Novosad 26-34-561 7TD. Receiving: O'Banan 15-413 6TD; Alford 5-101 TD; Garon Duncan 2-15; Luke Hudson 2-11; Hunter Miller 1-11; Logan Neef 1-10. KOR: Garrett Betts 3-42; Alford 1-28; O'Banan 1-27. FR: Leschber, Whisenant.

Tackles (unassist/assts): Hunter Pierpoint 9-5; Spencer Dance 11-3; Shelby Hudson 7-5; Stephen Ansumana 8-4; Alford 6-3; Leschber 2-4; Liam Dahl 2-1; Nathan Prehar 0-2.