Dripping Springs 38, Converse Judson 34
Quick take: Judson had its season end in the area round of Class 6A Divsion II playoffs with a 38-34 loss to Dripping Springs at Rutledge Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The Rockets had a 34-17 lead in the third quarter before Dripping Springs mounted a 21-point comeback in the final 16 minutes of the game.
Highlights: Both teams got off to rough starts with fumbles on each of their first possessions. Judson’s Elijah Favela threw an interception on the Rockets’ second possession that set up the Tigers with the ball at the Judson 15.
Five plays later, Dripping Springs went in front 7-0 with 7:51 left in the first quarter on a 2-yard scoring run by Jack Tyndall.
Judson tied the score at 7-7 four minutes later when Nathaniel Stanley scored on a 9-yard run. Dripping Springs went back in front with 1:51 left in the first quarter when Tyndall scored his second touchdown of the day on a 4-yard run.
The Rockets needed just 15 seconds to tie the score as Myles Davis took the ensuing kickoff return 84 yards for a touchdown. Judson kicker Douglas Tolliver added the extra point to tie the score at 14-14 with 1:36 left in the first quarter.
After the Tigers punted on their next possession, the Rockets drove 80 yards to take the lead, 21-14, on an 8-yard touchdown pass from Favela to Jack Call with 7:29 left in the second quarter.
Dripping Springs added a 29-yard field goal off the leg of Landon Requard to cut Judson’s lead to 21-17 with 3:30 left in the second quarter. The Tigers made a switch at quarterback prior to halftime that would pay dividends in the second half as backup Jack Williams came in for starter Maddox Maher with two minutes left in the half.
The Rockets recovered a Tigers fumble to start the third quarter that set up a 10-yard touchdown pass from Favela to Davian Watson with 9:57 left in the third quarter. A problem with the hold on the extra point forced the Rockets to try and throw for a two-point conversion, but they were unsuccessful and settled for a 27-17 lead.
Stanley put the Rockets up 34-17 with 4:43 left in the
third quarter on a 2-yard touchdown run.
Then the Tigers began their comeback.
Dripping Springs cut the deficit to 34-24 on its next drive when Williams threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to Cooper Reid with 2:10 left in the third quarter. Williams and Reid connected again on a 33-yard pass in the fourth quarter that cut the Judson lead to 34-31 with 7:49 left in the fourth quarter.
After Judson had to punt
with 3:24 remaining, Dripping Springs took over at its own 7-yard line on what turned out to be the game winning drive when Kyle Koch scored on a 3-yard touchdown run with 0:58 seconds left.
Judson had one final chance to reclaim the lead but Favela’s pass on second-and-5 from the Rockets’ 47 was intercepted by Dripping Springs defensive back Deacon Ivey with 24 seconds left.
Quotable: “We got guts
and we understand how to play the Rocket way.” Judson coach Mark Soto said. “This one is going to hurt and sting for a little while but what they’ve learned this season I’m so proud of them and what they put on the field was a quality product.”
What it means: Dripping Springs improves to 10-2 on the season and moves on to the regional semifinals for the second straight year. Judson finishes the season at 4-8. The Rockets have
Dripping Springs 38, Judson 34 now lost in the area round in back-to-back seasons.
Game balls: Jack Williams completed 21 of 29 pass attempts for 250 and threw two touchdowns. Judson’s Myles Davis had over 150 yards on kick returns.
Up next: Dripping Springs faces Jay next weekend in the Alamodome. Date and time to be determined.