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The Vandegrift Vipers are the King of the Hill again – at least for now.
Vandegrift climbed back on top of the District 25-6A pile, pulling into a first-place tie with Hutto after outlasting the Hippos in a 44-34 thriller Friday night (10/24) in our VYPE Austin Central Texas Game of the Week.
The Vipers jumped on top early. Senior quarterback Miles Teodecki found senior Marshall Linenberger all alone on a double reverse-flea flicker for a 36-yard touchdown on the game’s opening possession. It was a lead the Vipers would never relinquish – although the Hippos came close.
Hutto’s senior quarterback Kaden Stefek engineered an answering drive that reached the Vandegrift 1-yard line before the Viper defense forced a turnover on downs. Moving quickly, Vandegrift drove inside the red zone before settling on a 34-yard field goal from senior Wiley Olson.
Stefek quickly answered with a 43-yard strike to junior Jaiden Fields to trim the Viper lead to10-7 after the first quarter and set the back-and-forth tone for the rest of the game.
Teodecki (17-20, 214 yds., 2 TD) tossed his second touchdown pass to senior Brock Chilton (10-126, TD) and wracked up an additional 50 yards on the ground. Meanwhile senior running back Justin Moore (27-100, TD) went over the century mark and found the end zone to help Vandegrift’s offense rack up 489 total yards and open up a 24-7 lead.
But Hutto fought back, and their offense was even more prolific. Stefek (28-48, 484 yds., 4 TD, 2 INT) scattered the ball around to senior Keilan Chavies (9-165, 2 TD), Fields (13-236, 2 TD) and junior Dylan Owens to keep the Hippos in the game. Owens also fired a touchdown pass of his own.
In the end, however, the Vipers always responded. Olson drilled two more field goals and the defense came up with just enough stops, including two interceptions, to keep Hutto at bay. Even as the Hippos pulled to within three points, senior Sam Brown (14-116, 2 TD) busted free from 42-yards out to seal the hard-fought win.
Hutto (5-1 in District 25-6A, 6-2) faces a critical showdown vs. Vista Ridge Thursday night (10/30) in a game VYPE will broadcast for Vista Ridge. Vandegrift (5-1, 6-2) can clinch a playoff spot and possibly at least a share of their 8th straight district title depending on the outcome of that Hutto/Vista Ridge game, with a win vs. improved Westwood Halloween night from Monroe Stadium. VYPE will have both the Vandegrift and Westwood broadcasts of that contest.
