STAFF REPORT
Two games into this young 2021 season and the Dripping Springs Tigers are looking great.
Cereal mascot puns aside, the Tigers (2-0) surely must’ve eaten their Wheaties on Friday as they out-slugged the Hays Hawks 70-42 in a game that had 1,193 combined yards and 132 plays ran.
In the spotlight was Tiger junior quarterback Austin Novosad and senior running back Preston Alford. The one-two combination accounted for eight of the Tigers’ ten touchdowns in the game.
Dripping Springs’ junior quarterback Austin Novosad completed 13 of 22 passes, with four for touchdowns, for 295 yards against visiting Hays. “The whole line provided me with great protection up front allowing us to really work the passing game,” Novosad said after the 70-42 win.
Alford made a trio of house calls in the first half, the biggest a 79-yard touchdown run that pushed the Tigers ahead, 21-7, early in the second quarter.
The Hawks (1-1) used a tough ground game to counter right back several minutes later to cut the lead to 21-14.
Each Hays response, though, was met with a furry-ious Tiger flurry. Dripping Springs outscored Hays 21-14 to close the second quarter, with the Tigers ahead 35-21 at the half.
Wash, rinse, repeat for most of the second half.
Dripping Springs’ offense revved its engines and expanded its lead to 56-28 after three quarters, led by a pair of touchdown runs by Alford and running back Luke Hudson and a touchdown pass from Novosad to Kyle Koch.
Novosad went 13-for-22 for 295 yards and four passing touchdowns; Alford ran the ball 13 times for 269 yards and four rushing touchdowns. Kock snagged four receptions for 133 yards and two touchdowns.
A fourth quarter touchdown pass from Novosad to wide receiver Austin Walker and the Tigers led 63-28 and looked to put the game out of reach.
No one told the Hawks the game was over.
Two fourth quarter passing touchdowns by a Hawk team that entered the game with only four total passing attempts cut Dripping Springs’ lead to 63-42 and put some late pressure on the Tigers.
Hawk junior running back Chris Bruce ran for 212 yards on 12 carries and had a touchdown. Wide receiver Marcus Taylor caught four passes for 146 yards and two touchdowns.
Hawk sophomore quarterback Tyler McInvale went 11-for-16 for 184 yards, three touchdowns and an interception.
Dripping Springs put the game on ice with a Hudson 13 yard touchdown run.
Dripping Springs accumulated 663 total yards to Hays’ 561.
Coming Up
• The Tigers host Lockhart on Sept. 10 at Tiger Stadium at the Kelley Reeves Athletic Complex on Sept. 10.
• The Hays Hawks will travel to Cedar Ridge to play the Raiders on Sept. 10.
