GAMES
RANKINGS
Vandegrift clinches fifth district title with win over Cedar Ridge
The Vandegrift Vipers have one of the most explosive offenses in the state of Texas. They almost didn’t need it as the Vipers rode a smothering defense and solid special teams play to a 58-0 shutout of Cedar Ridge Friday night at Vandegrift’s Monroe Memorial Stadium.
After a bad snap over the punter’s head led a Safety and a quick 2-0 Viper lead, Vandegrift’s offense drove the short field inside the 10 yard-line. There, Bryce Altrudo fell on a fumbled rush in the End Zone for a 9-0 lead. The “Silver Snake” defense next recovered a fumble at the Raiders’ 19 yard-line, Deuce Adams fired a 12-yard strike to brother Eli Adams for a 16-0 Vandegrift first quarter lead and the rout was on.
After Adam Scott returned Aiden Jones’ blocked punt for a TD and a 23-0 Vandegrift lead to open the second quarter, Jones set the table again with a fumble recovery. Adams (13-16, 11 Yds., 3 TDs) would toss the first of his two TD passes to Mile Coleman. Later, as David Overhauser recovered two Cedar Ridge fumbles and Will Lyons fell on another one, Sr. Drew Mestemaker connected with Brock Chilton and George Farley; and RB Brendan Fournier rushed for a TD in as the offense certainly held up its end of the bargain.
The win combined with Round Rock’s loss to McNeil means that Vandegrift (8-0, 5-0) has clinched at least a tie for its 5th straight district title and sets up a showdown vs. their oldest rival, Vista Ridge, Friday night (1-27) at Gupton Stadium. Cedar Ridge (2-6, 0-5) will look to regroup and play spoiler against Round Rock.
THE RECAP: Hyde Park Panthers vs. Regents Knights Football
After dominating the Austin-area private school football scene in recent years, perennial TAPPS state powerhouse Regents had to turn away local challenges from resurgent Hyde Park and St. Michael’s squads in 2022.
The Hyde Park Panthers and Regents Knights met again as the only two undefeated teams in TAPPS II-District 3 this past Friday night at Hyde Park’s The Quarries, where the Knights reasserted their dominance with a convincing 50-14 victory.
Regents’ passing game was simply too much in the first half as the Knights surged to a 34-0 halftime lead. The Panthers scored first in the second half – after coming up 1-yard shy as time expired in the first half – and seemed to have some momentum, but Regents answered with a long TD run to regain control.
Although the second half was far more competitive, the game was never seriously in doubt.
Hyde Park (3-4, 3-1 in district) looks to bounce back with an early Homecoming tilt Friday (10/20) vs. Brownsville St. Joseph Academy;, while Regents (6-1, 4-0 in district) returns home to face St. Anthony.