Dripping Springs Tigers have high expectations for second year of 6A

DRIPPING SPRINGS — “It hurts, and it should hurt,” Dripping Springs head coach Galen Zimmerman told the team, “You’ve worked hard and invested a lot, but don’t let this diminish what you guys accomplished this season.” Those were the words Zimmerman said to his team after a bitter 27-24 season ending loss last year to Vandegrift High School Vipers in a 6A Division II Quarterfinal.

The Tigers had a fourth down and less than a yard to score a go-ahead touchdown with 1:55 in the game and fumbled. Dripping Springs finished one of its best seasons ever at 12-2, with its only other loss being to Westlake. The Vipers defeated Katy High School 38-35 in the semifinals and lost 42-17 in the Championship game to DeSoto High School. Other than that game, Vandegrift’s only loss was a 23-20 loss to the Tigers in the two teams' season opener.

The two teams meet again in this year’s season opener on Aug. 25 at Tiger Stadium. As he loaded two tubs of laundry into huge washers after the first day of practice, Zimmerman spoke of the upcoming game and season. “It’s important to set the tone, but game one doesn’t make or break the season,” he said. A playoff match-up is not likely, as the Vipers may be destined for Division I. Regardless, the Tigers will be looking for a home opener win and the rematch game is likely to sell out.

A ton of seniors are gone from last year’s team, including the well-recruited quarterback Austin Novosad who is in Oregon. But the Tigers have a talented junior and senior competing for the position. “Jack Williams (a senior) and Maddox Maher are both really good quarterbacks. We’ll see who the starter is, but we’re expecting both of them to help us,” Zimmerman said.

A sophomore last year, Jack Tyndall can run, catch and block. Tyndall carried 32 times for 161 yards and a touchdown in the loss to the Vipers last year and will likely be a feature in this year’s backfield; however, Zimmerman said there are a handful of others ready to contribute. Quarterbacks Williams and Maher will be looking at a few familiar receivers' faces. Kyle Koch, who was outstanding last year, returns, as will Tristan Felder, Maddox Bloomgren, Nick Tyndall and possibly some really good sophomores.

“We’ve got some young ones and maybe a new one will come in, so we’ll see who steps up,” the coach said as another tub of laundry rolled into the room.

We’ll see how some young players develop, but special team veterans returning are Aidan Burgess (42-yard field goal last year), Owen Burgess and Tomsen Vickery. “We have a few more question marks this year than last year as far as starters and how people fit,” Zimmerman said, “but we definitely have some guys that can play, we just have to put the pieces together.”

Their first year in 6A, the top of class, the Tigers stepped up to the challenge. The bar is set high, but so are these athletes' expectations for this year. The Tigers have five home games and will serve up some of the best catfish in Central Texas at the concession stand. Expect sell outs when the Tigers again face back-to-back powerhouses Westlake (away) and Lake Travis at Tiger Stadium. Just hope they don’t run out of catfish.