Tiger football makes comeback

After weeks and weeks of formal practices, the Dripping Springs Tigers were certainly ready to get a season started in this uncertain year for sports. No doubt, it was not the performance they expected when taking on the Kerrville Tivy Antlers in the home opener, delayed a month. In what happens in many cases of first games, the defenses were more ready to play than the offenses, which makes successful offensive plays more difficult. However, when the final seconds ticked off the old clock, the Tigers had secured a 14-0 victory and ready to move on.

The first half was scoreless but that is to be expected when four of your five possessions are stopped by turnovers and the other was a long missed field goal. Kerrville was forced to punt five times and had a turnover. Both defenses held their own and the turnovers could be credited as much to the play of the defenses rather than poor play of the offenses.

Dripping Springs looked primed to score on all their possessions but the first drive was stopped when the ball was ripped away from Cameron O'Banan's grasp. The next time was an interception in the endzone. Coleman Chapman had a 46 yard field goal attempt fall short. Another interception came on a good defensive play and the final fumble came when the ball slipped from QB Parker Cooke's grasp as he broke up the middle for a gain.

The second half was another defensive struggle and each team was stymied from having any sustained drives. During their second possession, O'Banan was inserted in at QB to see if a change would make a difference. He was able to find Carter King for two consecutive completions to put the Tigers on the two. After a loss to the four, O'Banan found Preston Alford in the endzone for six and Chapman made it seven. It appeared that would be it for scoring but with less than two minutes remaining, a low snap got past the Tivy QB and rolled to the 21. Johnny Martinez got a lineman's dream come true when he picked it up and was escorted to the endzone for the final points.

The Tiger defense controlled their part of the action all night. They constantly met at the ball with the Tivy QB making several good runs up the middle and connected on a few passes for good yardage. Otherwise they did not ever threaten in the game and were forced to punt eight times in their first nine possessions and gave up a fumble in the other.

Next week the Tigers will travel the short distance to the Bob Shelton Stadium to take on the Hays Rebels. The Rebels are fresh off a 62-35 shellacking at the hands of a strong Vista Ridge team. Both teams will be playing hard to improve on their performances. Gametime is 7:30 PM.

Game stats (DS first): First downs: 13-14; Rushing: 22-101, 37-61; Passing: 181-123; Passes: 15-24- 2, 14-17-0; Punts: 3-49, 8-34.1; Penalties: 3-15, 4-39; Fumbles lost: 2-2, 2-3.

Tigers stats: Rushing: Alford 12-91; Cooke 6-15; O'Banan 2-0; Hunter Pierpoint 1-(-) 2; Ryan Kimball 1-(-) 3. Passing: Cooke 12-17-140-2int; O'Banan 3-7-41-1TD. Receiving: O'Banan 5-76; King 3-43; Alford 3-7- 1TD; Wyatt Leschber 1-19, Shelby Hudson 1-17, Kimball 1-13, Garon Duncan 1-6. Punting: O'Banan 3-49. PR: S. Hudson 1-4; KOR: Alford 1-21; FR: King, Martinez.

Tackling: (Unassist/asst): Luke Lawyer 8-5, S. Hudson 8-2, Spencer Dance 6-3, Liam Dahl 6-2, Alford 4-3, Hunter Pierpoint 3-4, Payton Howe 2-2, King 0-5, Martinez 1-3, Garrett Betts 2-1, Stephen Ansumana 0-3, Bryson Amrine 2-0, Wyatt Leschber 0-1.