The week in review
Team of the Week: Cedar Ridge
The Raiders (3-1, 1-0 District 25-6A) continued their recent dominance over rival Round Rock as they defeated the Dragons for an astounding sixth year in a row, this time 21-13. In a game that may have huge playoff consequences down the line — mainly avoiding Lake Travis in the first round — Cedar Ridge came up huge defensively and on special teams as it blocked a punt and Tyler Hartgrove recovered it in the end zone for one of its scores. It also held the vaunted Dragons rushing attack in check. Aidan Liston hit Zane Wofford for a 6-yard TD pass, and Gy’vanni Perry had a 6-yard rushing touchdown for the Raiders’ other scores. Perry and Victor Taylor Jr. combined for 147 yards rushing to lead the Raiders.
Honorable mention: Vista Ridge
In a game they absolutely had to have if they wants to make a playoff push, the Rangers topped McNeil, 23-14. Vista Ridge (2-2, 1-0) wasn’t flashy, but it used an efficient offense to take a 20-0 lead and a stout defense to hold on in the second half. Desmonde Thomas II threw for 138 yards and a TD and added a score with his legs, while Alex Berndlmaier paced the team’s 198-yard rushing attack with 72 yards and a score. Isaac Garcia added 64 yards rushing.
Player of the Week: Brayden Buchanan, Vandegrift
Buchanan, a junior, threw for 263 yards and four touchdowns and ran for two scores to lead the Vipers to a 56-21 win over Stony Point.
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Honorable mention: The Cedar Ridge defense
The Raiders recovered three fumbles and kept what had been a relentless Round Rock rushing attack to 121 yards on 28 carries, with 78 of those yards coming on one carry. Overall, Cedar Ridge held the Dragons to less than 250 yards of offense and forced Round Rock into turning the ball over on downs twice and a missed field goal in the game’s final six minutes.
The rest of the district
Vandegrift (4-0, 1-0) continued an impressive start to the season with a 56-21 win over Round Rock. Reece Beauchamp hauled in two touchdowns from Buchanan, with Jack Nelson and Graylan Spring also recording TD receptions. Ryan Sheppard and Alex Witt ran for scores. Cameron Cook finished with 121 yards and a touchdown on the ground and Jaden Leonard scored twice to pace the Tigers (2-2, 0-1). … Hutto (2-2, 1-0) topped Westwood, 44-21, as Jalon Banks rushed for 174 yards, William Hammond and Grayson Doggett both threw for three touchdowns, Gary Choice III had six catches for 100 yards and a score, and Jairiez Lambert recorded two TD receptions for the Hippos. Mike Davis threw threw for 236 yards and three touchdowns and Grant Jaeger caught 11 passes for 185 yards and two scores to pace Westwood (1-3, 0-1). … Round Rock (3-1, 0-1) was led by Trayvian McCoy-Gay’s 88 yards and a score on the ground and Mason Cochran’s 34-yard touchdown pass to Mason Schuler in its loss to Cedar Ridge. … McNeil (1-3, 0-1) received two touchdown runs from Kaleb Cooper and 139 yards passing and 74 rushing from Luke Hutchison in its loss to Vista Ridge.
The week in preview
The district has its bye week and will resume action Sept. 30
