Bowie and Austin High are ready to fill the void.
As District 26-6A play begins this week without longtime dominant powerhouses Westlake and Lake Travis – sent across the Bi-district bracket to join the Round Rock ISD schools in District 25-6A -- the Bowie Bulldogs and Austin High Maroons are eager to step out of their shadows. While Hays and Buda Johnson have joined them in the district, alongside fellow holdovers Dripping Springs and Akins, there’s no doubt that the district is far more up for grabs this year than it’s been in a long time.
That’s what makes Friday night’s (9/25) district-opener between longtime Austin ISD rivals Bowie and Austin High so important when they face off from House Park in our VYPE Central Texas Game of the Week.
Bowie seems especially poised to take advantage of 26-6A’s new reality. Head Coach Jeff Able’s Bulldogs (3-1) have raced out to a quick start, especially on offense where they’ve averaged a gaudy 51 points per game. They even scored 37 points in defeat against Vista Ridge in Week 2.
Junior quarterback Connor O’Dea (43-65, 656 Yds, 7 TD) has guided the Bowie offense admirably, connecting most frequently with senior receiver Evan Dranguet (17-258, 15.2 YPC, 2 TD). Yet the Dawgs feast on the running game where Senior Rhys Moreno (91-883, 9.7 YPC, 13 TD) has nearly racked up 1,000 yards already heading into just Week 5.
Seniors Cooper Medeiros (35 T, 2.0 TFL) and Cade Venable (32 T, 11 TFL, 5 Sacks) have paced a steady, if not overpowering defense that will be tested by Austin High’s emerging offense.
Coach Jason Cecil’s Maroons (0-3) are likely better than their record indicates. Austin High led SA Clark in an opener that was suspended and therefore not officially counted. They also led East View, a possible playoff team, into the 4th quarter last week and dropped another game to Westwood by just four points.
Senior Alijah Jablon settled into the starting role at quarterback last week and the Maroons have received good production as well from senior running back Niko Gabryluk-Melendez. Defensively, senior middle linebacker Ethan Kahle has been the anchor of a unit that’s kept the Maroons close as the offense develops while Omare Dawson nabbed a pick-6 last week.
With Westlake, Lake Travis and Dripping Springs leading the way, this game between Austin High and Bowie has been a de facto playoff game the past few seasons. While the district race is far more wide open this season, there are still only six district games to decide who plays in November and who starts Christmas shopping early.
Bowie vs. Austin High remains a marquee matchup in District 26-6A play.
What: Bowie vs. Austin High
When: 7:25 Pregame, 7:30 Kickoff
Where: House Park
Who: De Hansen, Stephen Foster, Colton Borger (Bowie Broadcast);
David Roy, Jae Head (Austin High Broadcast)
Watch: https://www.vype.com/7-30pm-football-austin-high-vs-bowie-2677923224 The Bowie broadcast is also streaming on the KVUE+ App.
