Homecoming a hit for Tigers

It was everything a football homecoming game should be as Dripping Springs hammered the SA McCollum Cowboys 63-21. The Tigers had an opponent they could easily control, which meant the starters could look good and many reserves would get significant playing time and their parents and friends could get to see them play and perform. The weather was perfect for an outdoor event and the only glitch ended up being the speaker system being ornery when presenting the homecoming king and queen candidates. After that was cleared Kaden Daulton and Reagan Logsdon were crowned King and Queen. Also of note, Coach Galen Zimmerman became the all-time career wins leader for Dripping Springs with his 55th win.

McCollum kicked off to the endzone so the Tigers started their opening drive from the 25. Really no big deal. Garon Duncan was trying to make up for lost time as he had missed the first three games. The four-play drive consisted of three completions to him from Austin Novosad, including the final 24. Luke Hudson would add 28 on his only run. This would be the first of seven TD passes for Novosad which moved him to the top of the career list with 42. Walker Wright kept his EP kicks streak alive to make the score 7-0 with 9.56 remaining.

Javier Ortega made a perfect pooch kick that was mishandled by the receiver and Brandon Cave came up with the ball at the Cowboy 40. Tigers back in business. Novosad, with his stable of capable receivers, used two more in the form of Boston Papp and Kyle Koch and even himself in this drive. Luke Hudson, spelling Preston Alford for the night, added two runs. The TD came on a 13 toss to Koch. It was now 14-0 and McCollum had yet to run a play.

They misplayed another pooch kick by Ortega but got lucky when it bounced out of bounds at the 36. McCollum started their 4-minute drive, mostly on the ground and culminated with a 3 run to make it 14-7. Did not stay that way long. Luke Hudson took the KO at his 15 and with some nifty moves found himself ahead of the pursuing posse. His teammate, Koch, headed off the lead pursuer and he went in untouched. That made it 21-7 and stayed that way for the rest of the quarter.

Bryson Amrine pounced on a fumble at the Cowboy 20 and Novosad's 9 pass to Walker Wright made it 28-7. The Tigers geared up for the Cowboys run game but they countered by getting behind the defenders with a 61 TD pass to make it 28-14. That would be as close as it would get as the Tigers owned the rest of the half.

The Tigers had an 8-play, 59 drive, scoring on a Novosad to Koch pass of one yard. 35-14. The next drive covered 52 yards. The first two passes went to Noah Lawyer to the seven. A big play occurred next when Novosad fumbled but Hudson alertly fell on the ball to save the drive. Jaylon Sams snared an 8 pass to post a 42-14 advantage. On the next play, Gabriel Quintana was Johnny on the Spot as he pilfered a pass and returned it 40 yards to the 13. A pass to Maddox Bloomgren covered that. 49-14 at half.

Thankfully, to make the game move along, the Cowboys initiated a 9 minute, 15-play drive that reached the 8 before the Tigers stopped them on the 19. The 81 drive was covered in four plays, including another key 40 run by Hudson. The final 36 went to Koch. 56-14. 1.57.

The fourth quarter was turned over to the reserves and they too had success. Kade Curry, a junior, showed that he would be a major contender to take Alford/Hudson's spot next year. He had five impressive carries in this drive and scored from the two. Riley Maher did the honors on the EP. 63-14. McCollum would get another receiver behind Tiger defenders for 63 yards for the final points of the night. 63-21.

Last week's scores: SA Veterans Memorial 28 SA Harlandale 21; Seguin 28 NB Canyon 21; Hays Johnson 52 Hays Lehman 19. Standings: DS 2-0, Johnson 2-0, Seguin 2-0, Veterans Memorial 1-1, Harlandale 1-1, Canyon 0-2, Lehman 0-2, McCollum 0-2.

This Friday is a much needed break for the district and Tigers to get some of their players completely healthy for the final five-game surge. It will be a formidable row of contenders. Next week the Tigers will be at Bob Shelton Stadium playing the improved Lehman Lobos. The next home game will be October 15 with Veterans Memorial. It will be our first with them as Covid cancelled last year's game.

Game stats (DS first): First downs 21-12; Rushing 23-161, 36-75; Passing 282-221; Passes 21-28-0, 7-14-1; Punts 2-29.5, 4-36; Penalties 4-30, 4-30; Fumbles lost 0-1, 2-3.

Tiger stats: Rushing: Hudson 9-94; Curry 6-63 TD; Pryce Crow 2-10; Kaden Preslar 1-6; Novosad 2-(-) 4; Jacob Mann 2-(-) 4; Riley Mahar 1-(-) 4. Passing: Novosad 18-24-250 7TD; Jack Williamson 2-3-30; Wright 1-1-2; Receiving: Duncan 4-83 2TD; Wright 4-38 TD; Lawyer 3-62; Koch 3-26 2TD; Hudson 2-35; Papp 2-15; Bloomgren 1-13 TD; Sams 1-8 TD; Novosad 1-2. KOR: Hudson 1-85 TD; Shel Hudson 1-11; FR: Cave; Amrine; Int: Quintana 1-40.

Tackling (Unasst/Asst): Amrine 4-4, Luka Picucci 6-1, Nathan Prehar 1-4, Parker Cooke 1-4, Derek Edgar 4-0, Shane Whisenant 4-0, Joseph Drummond 2-1, Blake DeSilva 2-1, Elijah Gonzales 0-2, Daniel Cleveland 0-2, Raphael Siewen 1-1, Kayden Mims 0-2, Gunnar Betts 0-2, Zach Stanley 1-0, Conor Kelly 0-1, Brandon Laws 1-0, Tate Staker 1-0, John Willars 0-1, Gabriel Quevado 1-0.