Five total first half touchdowns from quarterback Tanner Prewit lifted the Dripping Springs Tigers to a lopsided 49-7 Nov. 8 win on the road over the Crockett Cougars (4-6).
Dripping Springs’ win, paired with a Seguin loss to LBJ Nov. 9, gives the Tigers (8-2) a share of the 12-5A, Division I crown, marking the third straight year the program has won a district title.
“Offensively I felt like we played pretty well and pretty fast that whole first half,” Dripping Springs head coach Galen Zimmerman said. “They have a good scheme offensively, and we were a little bit discombobulated on a couple things they were doing. But once we got it fixed we were really able to slow them down offensively.”
The Tiger offense scored touchdowns on six of their first seven possessions of the game, which included a monster second quarter where Dripping Springs scored 35 unanswered points. In the second quarter, Prewit had four total touchdowns, a 26-yard completion to Enzo Arnold, 22-yard and 12-yard scores to Cameron O’Banan, and 21-yard rushing touchdown of his own.
Prewit finished the game with six carries for 96 yards and two rushing touchdowns, while completing 10-of-15 passes for 122 yards and three scores through the air. Arnold ended the game with four catches and 78 yards and one score, while O’Banan contributed 34 yards and two touchdowns on two catches.
“When he (Prewit) is on the field, you know executing our offense, he’s a natural leader and the kids respond to him,” Zimmerman said. “We are excited about what he’s done all year.”
While Prewit and the Tiger offense did their part in putting points up on the scoreboard in bunches, the defense held Crockett to only seven points, forcing a trio of turnovers. Interceptions by junior linebacker Hunter Northrup and senior defensive back Cole Cavender, as well as a fumble recovered by sophomore defensive back Carter King, provided the offense with advantageous field position and momentum throughout the game. Field position played a big part in the game as the Tiger offense started in Crockett territory on six of their seven possessions in the first half.
“They took a couple chances by going for it on fourth down, which kind of put us in short field position situations,” said Zimmerman. “You put stuff back to back and things really kind of started rolling for us. It spiraled kind of out of control for them but I still think they did a good job of running their offense and managing the clock. I feel like our kids are used to playing up tempo, and that (field position) really was in our favor.”
With dominoes falling into place, Dripping Springs secured the top seed out of 12-5A, Division I and the ability to host a first round playoff game.
Dripping Springs plays the Manor Mustangs Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Tiger Stadium.
