The San Saba High School varsity football team had their 2021 season come to an end on Thursday, November 11, when the Dillos were routed 56-9 by heavily favored Hawley High School in the 2A-1 Region I Bi-District Playoffs held at Gordon Wood Stadium in Brownwood.
Although this was mostly a very rough game for the Dillos on both offense and defense, there were still some positives to go around.
On the Bearcats’ opening offensive possession, the Dillos’ defense forced a punt thanks to an exceptional defensive play by junior linebacker Tegen Saiz in which he blew up a Hawley running play in the backfield.
Unfortunately for the Dillos, the Bearcats had a great punt that pinned them deep in their own territory, and the San Saba offense was unable to move the ball. After a shanked punt by San Saba, the Hawley offense scored on the very first play of their second possession to quickly go up 7-0 in the first quarter.
San Saba had a golden opportunity to respond to the Hawley score as Dillos senior running back Wesley Lackey returned the ensuing kickoff deep into Bearcats territory. However, the San Saba offense stalled, and the field goal attempt was missed wide right to keep them off the board.
The Dillos’ defense would then do a great job on its next series as senior defensive back Franco Franco broke up two deep passes that led to the Bearcats punting again.
San Saba would quickly be turned away on offense as a pass by junior quarterback Lance Taylor was tipped near the line of scrimmage and intercepted by the Hawley defense at the Dillos’ own 25-yard line.
Despite such excellent field position again for the Hawley offense, the San Saba defense dug its heels into the ground this time around. The Dillos got great defensive stops in the endzone as both Lackey and senior defensive back Reagan Mejia broke up passes to force a turnover on downs.
After another three-and-out by the Dillos’ offense forced them to punt again, the Bearcats got decent field position near midfield. However, the San Saba defense came up with a huge play as sophomore linebacker Ethan Gonzales intercepted a Hawley pass over the middle and returned the ball to the Dillos’ own 40-yard line. Unfortunately for the Dillo offense, despite the defense giving them another opportunity, San Saba threw another interception to give the ball right back to Hawley.
This was the spark that Hawley finally needed on offense to open the floodgates as they ended the first quarter with a bang, marching downfield with successful screen passes and eventually a short touchdown run to go up 14-0 with 1:17 left in the first quarter.
San Saba would then endure a nightmare second quarter in which the Bearcats scored 28 points. Hawley’s dominant rushing attack and San Saba committing multiple defensive pass interference penalties in the second quarter put this game completely out of reach in favor of the undefeated Bearcats as the Dillos entered halftime down 42-0.
After an interception returned for a touchdown to open the third quarter put Hawley up 49-0, the Dillos would eventually get on the scoreboard. Following a nice interception and return by senior defensive back Drake Bryant, it would be Lackey who scored for San Saba on a 16-yard touchdown run to cut the deficit to 49-6 with 1:45 left in the third quarter.
San Saba would also add a short field goal by Mejia in the fourth quarter as the Dillos’ 2021 season ended in the bi-district playoffs with just a 2-9 record.
In a game that San Saba struggled immensely against an elite Hawley defense, Lackey had himself a solid game with 99 yards rushing on 10 attempts and one touchdown. Defensively, junior linebacker Zuri Herrera led all defenders with 10 combined tackles on the night.
Be sure to check out next week’s edition of the San Saba News & Star for more updates on Dillos and Lady Dillos varsity athletics. Sports editor Andrew Salmi can be contacted via email at salmi.courier@ gmail.com or by cell phone at (818) 645-1115.