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The final regular season game for the Dripping Springs Tigers was against the district champion Westlake Chaparrals. Both teams had clinched playoff berths but a Tiger win would give them a share of the title. It was pretty well known that hill would be a steep climb.
Anytime you are up against those odds, the team would have to perform at a high rate of efficiency. Unfortunately, they were not able to keep away from the turnover early in the game when it would really count. On top of that the huge and talented athletes concentrated on blowing up the running game and making the passing attack play under a harassing atmosphere all night. From the offensive side Westlake was satisfied to grind out time-consuming long drives to eat up the clock and not let the Tigers have the ball. They were even confident enough to go for it on fourth down numerous times to keep the drive alive. The Tigers battled long and hard all night.
Westlake took the ball from the 25 after the opening kickoff by the Tigers and demonstrated how it would be most of the night. They drove the ball 75 yards in 17 plays to score from the four and use up 7 minutes of play. The Tigers took the ball from their 25 and had a promising drive until a fumble stopped it at the 48. The Tigers avoided another score when the defense held at the 30 and took the punt at the 12.
On the first play of the second quarter the DS QB tried to throw the ball away amid a huge rush and it found its way into Chaparral hands at the 21. The Tiger defense stiffened again at the one and Westlake faked a field goal and scored from the three. 14-0. Undaunted, the Tigers set off on their own 75 drive in nine plays to score on a Maddox Maher 10 pass to Merrik Bloomgren. Aidan Burgess toed the EP. Back in the game. 7-14.
Westlake returned the KO 33 yards to set themselves up at the DS 47. Ten plays later they would score from the one with 1.11 remaining. The Tigers made a good effort to score but ran out of time. 21-7 at half.
Westlake moved the ball 89 yards in nine plays for the only score in the third. The Tigers would get the ball on the three following a punt and nine plays later scored from the 24 on a Maher to Cooper Reid pass. 1428. Back are the Chaps with a 9 play, 70 drive for the final score with 7.26 remaining.
Now for the playoffs. In the last two weeks of play there was a beneficial turn of events in the playoffs. When Austin High defeated Bowie it kicked Westlake up to D1 and prevented the Tigers having to open play at Vandegrift.
Round Rock’s Mc-Neil HS qualified in 25-6A making Vista Ridge move up to D1 and leaving the Tigers playing McNeil. As the higher seed, the Tigers will host the Mc-Neil Mavericks Friday night. Kickoff is 7:30.
Game stats (DS first): First downs 1522; Rushing 22-38, 51-205; Passing 209178; Passes 20-34-1, 17-20-0; Punts 4-35.7, 2-27.5; Penalties 9-71, 7-77; Turnovers 2-0.
Tiger stats: Rushing: Jack Tyndall 1523; Maher 1-13; Jaceton Gotta 4-3, Nick Tyndall 1-2. Passing: Maher 19-32-1981-2TD; Mateo Perez 1-2-11. Receiving: 8-96 TD, N. Tyndall 5-24, Bloomgren 3-27 TD, J. Tyndall 2-50, Liam Lawson 1-11, Bobby Wilkinson 1-1.
DS tacklers: Clive Wahl 8-3, Chris Gustafson 4-7, Kyle Daniel 4-5, Cash Brunson 4-5, Dylan Brasher 3-3, Case Hubbard 3-2, Austin Olivas 3-1, Malakai Igharo 2-1.
