By Moses Leos III
Perhaps it was fitting that a matchup 37 years in the making had the backdrop of a setting sun Friday at Tiger Stadium.
For the first time since 1979, the Hays Rebels and Dripping Springs Tigers locked horns in a duel reminiscent of a pair of Wild West gunslingers.
But Dripping Springs’ ability to make the big plays at critical moments made the difference as it outlasted the Hays Rebels in a 33-26 drama-filled slugfest.
“Our kids were resilient. At times it wasn’t pretty, but they got the job done against a quality program,” Dripping Springs head football coach Galen Zimmerman said. “We had some frustrations, part was us and part was them, but we kept battling.”
The Tigers’ (3-0) ability to take advantage of Rebel miscues was a consistent theme throughout the evening. Dripping Springs tallied 21 of 36 points off of four Rebel (1-2) turnovers.
Dripping Springs bookended the evening with touchdowns scored off Rebel miscues.
The first touchdown came as a result of a Rebel turnover on the second play of the game. A fourth quarter interception by Josh Embry led to a 28-yard touchdown run by sophomore running back Jacob Cox to ice the game.
Tiger defensive end McKenley O’Neal said the early turnover provided a “momentum swing” for the defense. He said the Tiger defensive backfield “stepped up in the second half.”
Zimmerman said it was a “chess match” up front between the Tiger defense and the Rebel offensive line. He said the Tigers were able to battle up front against the Rebel line.
“I’m happy with the kids and how they handled adversity,” Zimmerman said. “At times, when we were put in a position to make a play, our kids made those plays tonight.”
On offense, Dripping Springs found success on the ground with Cox, running back Teo Brinckmann and quarterback Reese Johnson. Each player rushed for more than 100 yards each, with the trio combining for 333 rush yards.
Dripping Springs’ success on offense allowed them to build a 20-10 lead following a 15-yard touchdown pass from Johnson to wide receiver Curtis Raymond.
But another consistent theme on the night was the Rebels’ penchant to rally from a double-digit deficit.
Three times did Dripping Springs build a ten-point advantage in the contest. The Rebels had a response each and every time.
Hays accomplished its comeback attempts via an air attack that was consistent.
Led by quarterbacks Tyler Conley and Gentry Brawith, Hays’ pass attack amassed a combined 257 yards and two touchdowns passing.
Aiding the effort was wide receiver Tyrone Meredith, who finished with seven receptions for 90-yards and a touchdown.
A 49-yard strike from Conley to Meredith pulled the Rebels to within four points at 20-16 at halftime.
After the Tigers extended its lead to 26-16 late in the third quarter, Hays battled back.
Brawith connected with wide receiver Marquis Howard for a 15-yard touchdown, pulling the Rebels to within 26-23.
Cox delivered the final blow, plowing ahead for the final touchdown of the game to give the Tigers the edge.
While he was nervous as he acquired the starting running back role midway through the third quarter, Cox said he was confident his team could pull out the win. He lauded the play of his offensive line.
“I was a little bit nervous. If I screwed up, there was no one to come in behind me,” Cox said. “That’s the first time I had to do that at the varsity level.”
Hays will travel to San Antonio Friday as they play San Antonio Reagan in its final non-district game of the season.