Ridge Point is 2-0 in District 20-6A after a clutch comeback win over rival Hightower on Saturday at Mercer Stadium.
Special teams key Ridge Point’s comeback win over Hightower
Dossett’s return got it going and senior defensive back Ryan Ramey’s block of a 27-yard field goal attempt led to a Taylor Davis go-ahead 75-yard touchdown return that finished it. Ridge Point outscored Hightower 25-0 down the stretch in rallying for a 25-17 win at Mercer Stadium in a game that will likely have considerable District 20-6A championship implications.
It’s the second straight win for Ridge Point, which started 0-2 against Austin Westlake and Dickinson. Hightower fell to 2-2 overall, 1-1 in district. Ridge Point is 4-1 all-time against Hightower in “The Battle of the Fort Bend Tollway.”
“Anytime you win is good, and anytime you beat your rival is extra good,” Ridge Point coach Rick LaFavers said. “I’m proud of them.”
Hightower had its way most of the game.
The Hurricanes led 17-0 on sophomore running back Austin Bowen’s 34-yard run with 3:38 left in the third quarter. Until then, Ridge Point’s offense was intercepted, turned it over on downs and punted twice. Hightower methodically chewed up clock and yardage with Bowen (28 carries, 153 yards, TD) and opportunistic explosive plays by junior receiver Zion Kearney (four catches, 71 yards, TD), all while star junior running back Jeremy Payne still awaits his season debut as he remains sidelined due to injury.
But …
"There was still time on the clock, you know?” Ramey said.
The Panthers never wavered.
Thirteen seconds after Bowen’s score, Dossett was trotting into the end zone after splicing up the middle and bursting to the right side.
The Panthers felt it coming. Early in the first half, Dossett missed a hole that could have led to a big-time return.
“Started by trying to find a hole at first, and I was struggling,” Dossett said. “But on that play, it was all the great blocking, seeing the hole and just hitting it. Great job by the blockers. Awesome play. We were bound for one. Each game, we kept getting closer and closer, and this game it finally happened.”
On the ensuing Ridge Point kickoff, a Hurricane muffed the return and it was recovered by Panthers senior receiver Antoine Thomas in Hightower territory. On the next play from scrimmage, senior back Ezell Jolly (16 carries, 104 yards, TD) sprinted around right end and scored on a 33-yard spree to cut Ridge Point’s deficit to 17-12.
Hightower chewed off almost seven minutes of clock to set up a 27-yard field goal attempt by Hudson Dumphy, who had drilled a 32-yard attempt in the first quarter. But Ramey came around the edge, blocked the kick and it bounced into the hands of Davis, who sprinted 75 yards to the end zone and Ridge Point’s first lead of the game with 8:36 left in the fourth quarter.
“Special teams is a big factor. It’s a big part of the game,” Ramey said. “We work a lot in practice on special teams and blocking field goals, and that’s all it was. Our coaches always tell us to keep pushing through. Even when you’re tired, even when it hurts. We pushed through.”
Ridge Point senior defensive back Ryan Ramey.VYPE Media
Hightower punted on its next drive. The Panthers added breathing room on an 18-yard keeper by sophomore backup quarterback Austin Carlisle, brought into the game for his running ability on the final drive.
“All night, first half, we just couldn’t get a break, whether it was a penalty, or a fumble on the ground we didn’t get, or a third-and-six and they get seven,” LaFavers said. “We couldn’t get there, and needed something, and that kick return really gave us something.”
Ridge Point had 220 total yards to Hightower’s 320. The Panthers had 10 penalties for 105 yards. Hightower had five penalties for 48 yards.
“Don’t flinch. Just keep playing,” LaFavers said. “That’s what ‘TPW’ is about—tough people win. Thank God, it played out. We build our program on keep fighting and good things will happen, and that’s a good example.”
It’s a different Ridge Point team that started 0-2. Players and coaches attest that it starts from within.
“It’s really the chemistry,” Dossett said. “The first two games, we were just trying to gel as a team. Now we’ve got that chemistry, and that’s huge for our team.”
Ridge Point senior Justin Todd recently committed to play men's volleyball at the University of Hawaii.
Ridge Point’s Todd finds volleyball home at Hawaii
“The people there are really into volleyball,” Todd said. “The whole community there admires it and respects it as a great sport. They will sell out their arena for playoffs and championships. All of that was a big reason why.”
It’s a far cry from Texas. The UIL, the state’s governing body for high school athletics, opted not to add boys volleyball in 2018. It has since added water polo.
The boys volleyball club scene is thin, though Houston is home to one of the more reputable programs in the Houston Volleyball Academy.
TAPPS, which governs most of private school athletics in Texas, does not have boys volleyball. The Southwest Preparatory Conference has 10 of its 15 Texas schools participating in the sport.
“It is pretty hard to get out with a group of guys to play here in Texas,” Todd said. “Even people in my club, they’re all commuting from really far just to play. I was lucky to have access to players and coaches because of my parents taking me out to camps and stuff. I worked really hard to be the best and focused on being really competitive against top players, top talent.”
Ridge Point senior Justin Todd.Courtesy
Todd’s father, Jason, encouraged him to play volleyball. Volleyball is a passion of Jason’s, who began playing recreationally on Florida beaches as a 20-year-old before moving his family to Texas and now oversees the beach volleyball program for HVA.
Once Todd developed a liking for volleyball because of its pace and intensity, he did everything necessary to expose his talent to college coaches, whether it was networking with coaches at tournament qualifiers, emailing them his stats and club schedule, or, most important, taking advantage of the opportunity of being chosen by USA Volleyball for its National Team Development Program, training with the beach and indoor programs for two years.
“It was an amazing experience to train and compete with the best,” Todd said.
Todd started playing volleyball when he was 11 years old. When he was 12, he joined HVA. For the first three club seasons, he played middle.
It was in 2020 that Todd hit a growth spurt. He turned his focus to being an outside hitter at the recommendation of his club director.
At the USA Volleyball junior nationals in Las Vegas in June, Todd compiled 13.5 kills per match with a .373 kill percentage, averaging three digs, 1.8 blocks and 1.6 aces per match.
On the last day, Hawaii coach Charlie Wade told Todd he believed he was the No. 1 uncommitted recruit in the country.
“A lot of people didn’t have faith in a middle being put out there, but as soon as I was put at the pin, I knew it was my time to shine,” Todd said. “I can hit over the top of blocks and I’m physical and strong.”
Todd believes if Texas ever adopted high school boys volleyball, it would do wonders. Already the sport is growing in considerable fashion.
First Point, an organization chaired by UCLA men’s volleyball coach John Speraw that raises money for boys volleyball and takes funding to start college programs across the country, has been essential, bringing college teams to the annual Southwest Classic held every year in Austin. High school players, boys and girls, get to compete in exhibition scrimmages in front of college coaches and get to learn from them during half-hour seminars. It was at that event in January that Todd first met Wade.
HVA has seen a rise in participants, resulting in significant success. This year, HVA’s 14, 15 and 16 teams all made their respective championship matches at the junior nationals. HVA also sent 12 boys players to compete in the USA Volleyball boys beach nationals in Florida.
“If high schools implemented it, I definitely think the sport would be promoted more and exposed more,” Todd said. “Just by having it available in high schools would be the best thing that could happen, as far as attracting people to the sport.
“I talk to California kids who are being coached by college coaches at the club level and in high school. It’s super competitive over there. So, while I don’t get the same opportunity playing in Texas, I want to put the state on the map.”