The Tigers improved to 4-1 overall and 2-0 in district play with their third consecutive victory.

Dripping Springs quarterback Chase Ames led the Tigers' offense, completing 75.8% of his passes for 314 yards and four touchdowns. It marked his third consecutive game with at least four touchdown passes.

Running back Frank Accetta added another strong performance, rushing 21 times for 134 yards and two touchdowns. Accetta also contributed 55 receiving yards.

Dripping Springs coach Galen Zimmerman said the familiarity between the neighboring programs contributed to the intensity of the matchup.

“It’s always a rivalry game with them,” Zimmerman said. “Kids know each other. It’s right down the road. A lot of kids grew up together and so, it’s always going to be a tough game.”

The victory came one week after Dripping Springs opened district play with a 75-0 win over Akins High School. The Tigers have scored 124 points in their first two district games.

The night also carried special significance for Dripping Springs senior offensive lineman Hudson Whitenight, who was crowned the 2026 Homecoming King, alongside Queen Paisley Eubank, after being nominated and selected by the student body.

Following the game, Whitenight credited the offensive line for its performance.

“You know, I feel like we had pretty good success,” Whitenight said.

The senior also expressed his appreciation after being selected homecoming king.

“I just want to thank everyone that voted for me — my teammates, my friends, everyone else that voted for me,” he said.

Whitenight, who has committed to Baylor University, still has the remainder of his senior season ahead as the Tigers continue district play.

Dripping Springs travels to face Austin High School at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 8, at House Park.

On Tuesday, Wimberley edged Tivy 25-23, 25-23 and 27-25 to improve to 35-3 overall and 3-0 in district play. Skylar Mears led the Lady Texans with 13 kills and three aces. Bianca Mohr recorded 21 assists, Kara Thames contributed 15 digs and Victoria Jones added two blocks.

The Lady Texans struggled to find their usual rhythm against Davenport on Friday, losing 25-12, 28-26 and 25-23 at home on Dig Pink and Middle School Night.

Wimberley lacked the smooth, dominant play that has characterized much of its season. After a difficult opening set, the Lady Texans challenged the Wolves in two close sets, but could not break through.

Trinity Laney paced Wimberley with 10 kills and 12 digs. Mohr recorded 18 assists and Jones added five blocks.

Wimberley is now 35-4 overall and 3-1 in district play. The Lady Texans travel to Canyon Lake High School at press time Tuesday, Oct. 6, to wrap up the first round of district competition before visiting Bandera High School Friday, Oct. 9.

The Jaguars won the teams’ first meeting earlier this year, giving the Tigers some added motivation heading into the rematch.

Dripping Springs coach Michael Kane called reclaiming the trophy a “good little feather” in the rivalry with his brother, Johnson coach Thomas Kane.

He said the matchup carried added importance with both teams near the top of the district standings.

“Johnson and we are at the top of the district right now and Thomas does a fantastic job,” Michael said. “He’s one of the best coaches in the area.”

The Tigers benefited from what they learned in the first meeting, he added.

“We came in with a game plan and I felt like we did a good job adjusting to what we learned the first time we played them,” Michael said.

The victory returned the Kane Kup to Dripping Springs, where it will remain until the teams meet again, likely next season.

Dripping Springs’ Emily Varnell said the Tigers responded well after losing to the Jaguars in their first meeting.

“We handled adversity well,” Varnell said. “We came back after losing to them at their place. We really wanted it back at our home. I’m really proud of my team coming back and winning.”

Dripping Springs is scheduled to host Del Valle High School at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 13.

The Lobos will travel to McCallum High School for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff Friday, Oct. 9. The team’s next home game, which will also serve as homecoming, will be at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16, against Manor High School.

Garza grew up around sports, with her father being a football coach, and fell in love with basketball at a young age.

“Basketball was my first love. It was the first thing I was really, really good at and it’s still now this never ending journey toward growing better and better at a skill,” she said.

This opportunity to grow is what attracted her to the sport. She shared that it required “the audacity of self belief,” which stood out to her. It taught her “how to stare fear in the face and have a conversation with it, rather than letting it dictate what I do.”

It also offered room for spite, though whether or not this was healthy, she said, laughing, was up for debate.

“I had coaches tell me I was never going to make it, that I was never going to be good enough to play at the next level and those are the types of moments in your life, where either you make the easy choice to be defeated or the harder choice … to believe in [yourself],” Garza said.

While choosing to believe in herself was important, she shared that it was also difficult having everyone against her, which was her experience at Hays High School, where she was bullied. It wasn’t until she transferred to Lehman High School that she had the support she longed for.

“It was the first time I remember stepping into a space where everybody's arms were open and my coach, coach [Daniel] Pruess, at the time really gave me the keys to the whip and let me lead,” she recalled. “So, Lehman was the first place where somebody, some leader of mine, finally gave me the chance to step into a leadership position, which is all I really ever wanted to do.”

This initiative to lead would follow Garza to Baker University after she was recruited and offered a scholarship to continue basketball.

Her first year there, the team had a 20-win season, meaning that out of a 32 games, the team won 20. This was remarkable, she emphasized, as the team previously hadn’t even won half of its games in years.

One of the most memorable moments from her time at Baker was “the best bet [she] ever made.”

After the success of her junior year, she made a bet with the coach that she would take the team to nationals and when she did, he would offer her an additional semester scholarship, so that she could study abroad. Ultimately, she kept her end of the bargain and reached the Sweet 16.

Garza concluded her time at Baker University in 2015. She continued her sports career in education, earning a master’s in both sport psychology and education. From there, she began Shooters Shoot LLC, where she works as a professional student coach, teaching young players how to shoot basketballs.

She also has a nonprofit titled Changing the Game, which is currently running a Shoot Like a Girl campaign, focused on creating more access, resources and opportunities for girls.

More than a decade after graduating from Baker, she received a call from the assistant athletic director, letting her know that she would be inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame.

The university’s website notes that the Athletic Hall of Fame was crafted to honor its former athletes in order to foster the relationship between them. Nominees must have completed two full seasons, while those that have earned several letters, set records or won honors are given preference.

“Garza established herself as one of the top players in the NAIA, earning Heart of America Athletic Conference Player of the Year and NAIA All-American honors in 2013-14. In her senior season, she helped lead the Wildcats to a 27-7 record and the first NAIA Round of 16 appearance in program history. During that historic year, she scored 509 points, the third-highest mark in Baker women's basketball history and recorded 150 assists, the second-most in program history,” said the university. “Through her work [after graduating], Garza has continued to make a significant impact on the game of basketball as a coach, educator and entrepreneur."

“It means that all of those 12-hour drives my mom made from Kyle, Texas, to Kansas City didn’t go to waste,” she said, laughing.

Garza stated that she believes her approach to the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics is what made her stand out, sharing that her “ball is life” mindset was not common amongst players. Additionally, she made sure to be active in the school community through attending games and participating in events, adding that she also regularly participated in the bowling tournaments.

“It’s a reinforcement of all of the things [I] talked about, like being told one thing or being made to believe that you weren’t going to achieve something or that you weren’t good enough for something and not letting that frustration dictate the choices I made. You have to learn the skill of overcoming [difficulty] to ripple into everything that you do. I think that this is the ultimate ripple,” she concluded.

The Tigers improved to 3-1 overall and 1-0 in district play with their second consecutive victory.

Dripping Springs finished with 376 yards of offense, including 190 passing and 186 rushing.

Quarterback Chase Ames led the passing attack, throwing for 161 yards and four touchdowns on 13 attempts. Frank Accetta was among his top targets, finishing with 57 receiving yards and a touchdown.

Dripping Springs controlled the game early and continued to find the end zone, while also giving several players an opportunity to see the field.

After the game, Dripping Springs coach Galen Zimmerman said the Tigers entered the district opener focused on maintaining the standard they have established for themselves.

“I told them I’m proud of them,” Zimmerman said. “Obviously, district games now, everything starts, and so, our job tonight was stay in the top half of district. So, that was our goal.”

Zimmerman said the Tigers still have areas to improve, despite the decisive victory.

“We want to make sure that we’re playing against our standard,” Zimmerman said. “There’s some things we can still work at, but you want to feel good about a good win.”

The lead also allowed Dripping Springs to get additional players into the game.

“We got a lot of guys in the game, a lot of guys making some plays,” Zimmerman said. “That was fun to watch some guys who may not have opportunities earlier in the season get a chance to contribute.”

Dripping Springs returns home at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 2, to face Buda’s Johnson High School in another District 26-6A matchup.

Wimberley added 14 points in the second quarter to take a 35-14 lead into halftime. The teams each scored seven points in the third quarter, before Bellville outscored the Texans 14-7 in the fourth.

The win improved Wimberley to 4-0. Bellville fell to 2-3.

Wimberley will travel to Giddings on Friday, Oct. 9, for its District 14-4A Division II opener. Giddings is 3-2 after a 37-14 loss to La Grange High School.

Wimberley beat Bandera 25-14, 25-8, 25-17 on a night when the team also recognized Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Trinity Laney led the Lady Texans with 15 kills and three aces. Bianca Mohr had 19 assists, Kara Thames recorded 14 digs and Victoria Jones and Ellen Watson each had two blocks.

On Friday, Wimberley swept Fredericksburg 25-12, 25-18, 25-23. Laney and Skylar Mears had 11 kills apiece, Mohr added 18 assists and Kara Thames finished with 12 digs. Drew Thames and Ella Brassow each served two aces, while Drew Thames and Laney each recorded two blocks.

The Lady Texans are 34-3 overall and 2-0 in district play. They return home at press time Tuesday, Sept. 29, to face Kerrville Tivy High School on Red Out Night, then host Davenport High School Friday, Oct. 2, for Dig Pink and Middle School Night.

Johnson will look to continue its winning streak in Dripping Springs Thursday, Oct. 1. The team’s next home game will be Thursday, Oct. 8, when it hosts Del Valle High School.

Not only was this the first time Hays and Johnson have ever played against each, it was also the district opener.

The Hawks will host the Austin High School Maroons at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 2.

The Hawks will travel to Dripping Springs to take on the Tigers at press time Tuesday, Sept. 29. The team will return home to take on Austin High School at 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 2.

The Lobos will take on MacArthur High School at press time Tuesday, Sept. 29. A win will bring the team to fourth place in the district, earning entry into the playoffs. The bi-district round of playoffs will be held Oct. 5-6.

Later in the week, the Hawks bounced back with a 3-1 win over the Akins High School Eagles, bringing their district record to 1-2. 

The team will travel across town to take on the Johnson High School Jaguars at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25. 

The Lobos will travel to Seguin High School to take on the Matadors at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25. The team’s next home game will be at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 1, when it hosts Smithson Valley High School. 

The Hawks improved to 3-1 after turning a three-point halftime lead into a decisive win. Hays led 10-0 after the first quarter, but Leander cut the margin to 10-7 before halftime. The Hawks responded with 14 points in the third quarter and 21 more in the fourth.

Hays’ defense limited Leander to 230 yards of total offense, including 54 rushing yards on 20 carries. Leander quarterback Luke Tomasits completed 14 of 31 passes for 176 yards and two touchdowns, but was intercepted once.

“I thought our defense played awesome all night long,” Hays coach Mark Torres said. “They had some big plays toward the end of the half to make it a little bit interesting, but we had a lot of opportunities early in the game that we weren’t able to cash in on.”

Torres credited the coaching staff with settling the players at halftime and restoring their confidence. The defense continued to give the offense favorable field position after the break.

“The defense continued to do what they were doing — short fields for the offense, a big return, a big takeaway,” Torres said. “It definitely showed what we’re capable of doing.”

Hays will open District 26-6A play against Johnson High School at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25.

For those planning to attend the game, the Hawks will be on the visitors side of the stadium. More details are available at bit.ly/3TI2sQz.

“We’re 3-1 right now, but that means nothing,” Torres said. “This is district play. Let’s do everything we can to have one more point next Friday night.”

The Texans’ defense proved itself invaluable during the game, as one of only a few defenses able to keep the Badgers under 20 points in the last eight seasons. 

The Texans will return home to host Bellville in their final nondistrict matchup of the season at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25.

The Tigers improved to 2-1 and finished their nondistrict schedule by combining an efficient passing game with 221 rushing yards. Harker Heights fell to 2-2, despite gaining 467 yards.

Ames completed 25 of 30 passes without an interception. Accetta added another touchdown through the air, completing his only pass for 29 yards, as Dripping Springs finished 27 of 32 for 375 passing yards and six touchdowns.

“The scoreboard is the scoreboard, but I’m more proud of how we played, how we practiced throughout the week, our preparation and how we executed in the game,” Dripping Springs coach Galen Zimmerman said. “If we do those things, the scoreboard will take care of itself.”

Judah Satterfield led the Tigers’ receivers with 10 catches for 153 yards and three touchdowns. Dodge Reid caught five passes for 110 yards, while Harrison Rohrer finished with seven receptions for 78 yards and a touchdown.

Jake Bremer added a 15-yard touchdown reception. Senior defensive end Major Bettridge also entered on offense in the third quarter and caught a 1-yard touchdown pass from Ames out of the Tigers’ short-yardage package.

“We have a short-yardage package that allows some of our defensive players to show off their skills,” Zimmerman said.

Accetta averaged 8.8 yards on 18 carries and had a long run of 39 yards. Ryder Frost added 44 yards on seven attempts, as the Tigers averaged 6.5 yards per carry.

Dripping Springs opens District 26-6A play Friday, Sept. 25, against Akins High School at Burger Stadium in Austin. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

“District is the second season. Everybody is 0-0 and now the games count,” Zimmerman said. “Hopefully, we can go 1-0 and keep ourselves in the top half of the district.”
 

This game, along with the subsequent loss to Smithson Valley High School Friday, Sept. 11, brought the Lobos’ record to 8-11 overall and 0-2 district.

The Lady Lobos will take on MacArthur High School at press time Tuesday, Sept. 15, before heading to take on San Antonio’s Veterans Memorial High School at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 18.

The Lobos will return to Bob Shelton Stadium at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 18, where they will host the Boerne Champion High School Chargers.

WIMBERLEY  — The Wimberley High School Lady Texans varsity volleyball team continued its strong season with victories over Marble Falls and La Vernia high schools, improving to 30-3 overall.

Wimberley earned a convincing straight-set victory over Marble Falls Tuesday, Sept. 8, winning 25-14, 25-20, 25-12.

The Lady Texans were led offensively by Trinity Laney, who recorded a team-high 19 kills, while Bianca Mohr directed the offense with 22 assists. Defensively, Kara Thames collected 13 digs, Skylar Mears added five aces and Victoria Jones contributed two blocks.

A few days later, Wimberley followed with a four-set victory over La Vernia, 25-19, 13-25, 25-22, 25-15, Friday, Sept. 11.

Laney again led the attack with 18 kills, while Mohr finished with 24 assists. Thames anchored the defense with 23 digs and joined Laney with four aces apiece. Jones added three blocks.

The Lady Texans will close out preseason play on the road this week, traveling to Stockdale at press time Tuesday and Johnson City Friday, Sept. 18.

Wimberley enters those matches with a 30-3 overall record and will begin district play Tuesday, Sept. 22.

Round Rock established a 21-13 halftime lead behind three long touchdown passes. The Dragons opened the scoring with a 34-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Dov Stickler to Simon Sylvain. Stickler later connected with Sylvain and Dylan Jaeger on touchdown passes covering 67 and 58 yards.

Dripping Springs kicker Jack Miller made two field goals during the first half. Shortly before halftime, quarterback Chase Ames completed a 7-yard touchdown pass to Judah Satterfield to pull the Tigers within eight points.

In the second half, Round Rock extended its lead on Ryan Sirwaitis’ 55-yard touchdown run. The Dragons’ fifth touchdown came on Stickler’s 15-yard pass to Garrett Creech.

Dripping Springs continued to fight back. Ames connected with Satterfield for a 64-yard touchdown and later found Solomon Rand for a 22-yard score. The Tigers were unsuccessful on both two-point conversion attempts.

According to the latest statistics entered on MaxPreps, Dripping Springs finished with 312 passing yards and 119 rushing yards. The Tigers generated 431 total offensive yards.

Costly errors during critical possessions and several dropped passes prevented Dripping Springs from completing the comeback.

“The guys never quit,” Dripping Springs head coach Galen Zimmerman said. “We’ve got a lot more football. We’re going to learn from this.”

The loss dropped Dripping Springs to 1-1. The Tigers return home Friday, Sept. 18, to face Killeen’s Harker Heights High School in their final non-district game. Harker Heights is 2-1 after defeating Hays 42-35.

The Hawks will kick off district play against Johnson High School Friday, Sept. 25.

The large Central Texas meet featured six 5-kilometer races across varsity and junior varsity divisions, with 1,289 athletes recording finishes.

The Dripping Springs varsity boys placed fifth in the team standings. Freshman Adam Ahmed led the Tigers, finishing 26th overall with a time of 16:28. Freshman Caleb Ray followed in 27th place at 16:29, while junior Steven Allen finished 32nd in 16:39.

The Dripping Springs varsity girls finished sixth. Junior Emery Wilson paced the Tigers with a fourth-place finish in 18:43. Senior Quinn Hendrickson placed 24th with a time of 19:41, followed by junior Reece Langle in 27th at 19:43.

Dripping Springs will compete Friday, Sept. 11, at the Austin ISD Cross Country Invitational at Walter E. Long Metropolitan Park in Austin.

The Tigers controlled the game, while delivering a strong all-around performance in their long-awaited season debut. Dripping Springs’ original opener against Lake Travis was canceled, making the matchup against Harlan the Tigers’ first game of the season.

Dripping Springs head coach Galen Zimmerman said he was pleased with the effort, but acknowledged that the Tigers still have areas to improve.

“We talked to our kids about how we play and I was really proud of how we competed tonight,” Zimmerman said. “It was our first game, so there were some things we were a little sloppy at. We have some room for improvement, but our guys came out, competed and got after it.”

Despite the decisive victory, Zimmerman said the Tigers will focus on correcting their mistakes before their next game.

“There’s still some meat on the bone that we get to work on this weekend,” Zimmerman said. “We’ll get better and then go do it again next week.”

The coach said the program emphasizes how the Tigers approach each play, rather than focusing solely on the final score.

“We tell our kids that it’s how we do things, not what we do,” he said. “If we’re focused on that, then the scoreboard is going to take care of itself.”

Dripping Springs will travel to face Round Rock High School Friday, Sept. 11. Zimmerman expects the Dragons to provide a strong early-season test.

“Round Rock is always tough,” Zimmerman said. “They’re a good program and have a good team every year. They’re solid from top to bottom and they do things the right way. They’ve played some tough games early, as well, so they’re seasoned a little bit.”

After an extended wait to begin the season, Zimmerman said he was happy to see the Tigers finally return to competition.

“I’m just glad we’re playing football,” Zimmerman said. “It felt like camp lasted forever. I’m glad to be out here on the field with the boys and watch them play. It was fun tonight.”

Fredericksburg came out throwing, launching an aggressive passing attack that kept Wimberley on its heels early. But the Texans weathered the fast start, settled in defensively and eventually took control of both sides of the ball to pull away for a 28-3 victory in their home opener.

Sophomore Jakari Washington provided the spark on the ground, rushing for 116 yards and two touchdowns on just 12 carries. Joshua Belanger added 77 yards rushing and a touchdown, as Wimberley leaned on its ground game to take command.

The Texans’ defense tightened up as the night went along and made Fredericksburg pay for putting the ball in the air. Aiden Patek and Reid Wood each came away with an interception as Wimberley held the Billies to just three points.

After Fredericksburg’s early passing attack created some pressure, Wimberley’s ability to run the football and force turnovers ultimately proved to be the difference.

The loss dropped Fredericksburg to 1-1 in the season.

Wimberley now heads out on the road for the first time this season, traveling to face New Braunfels’ Long Creek High School at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 11. Wimberley will mix it up with the Dragons, who are coming off a 62-14 non-district loss to Boerne-Champion. The Dragons record now stands at 0-2.