The game between Fort Bend Hightower vs. Fort Bend Ridge Point was played at Mercer Stadium before a sellout crowd between neighborhood rivals, as the schools are only three miles apart.
Both teams came into this season with high expectations. Ridge Point came into the game with a record of 1-2. Hightower came in with a 2-1 record.
Ridge Point won a thriller, erasing a 17-point deficit and scoring 25 unanswered points to pull out a hard fought 25-17 win.
Hightower got on the scoreboard first with a 16-play opening drive that covered 79 yards and chewed up 8 minutes off the clock.
RB Austin Bowen did most of the damage, behind those big boys on that offensive line who opened huge holes all night. Hudson Dunphy kicked a 32-yard FG for a 3-0 lead. The drive was aided by a 15-yard face mask penalty on Ridge Point.
Ridge Point’s first possession started on their own 19-yard line. On the third play of the drive, QB Samson Wheeler’s pass was intercepted by Hightower senior DB Chisom Onwuzurigbo. That ended the first quarter with Hightower leading 3-0.
Hightower took over on the Ridge Point 29-yard line, and promptly went on an 8-play drive that culminated in a 22-yard touchdown pass from QB Joseph Stewart to WR Zion Kearney to the right corner of the end zone. The extra point was missed, and Hightower led 9-0 early in the second quarter.
Ridge Point took over on their own 20-yard line and went on a 13-play drive that used up most of the clock, down to the Hightower 1-yard line. Senior running back Ezell Jolly picked up huge chunks of yards on the ground on the drive.
Ridge Point was faced with 4th and 1 at the Hightower goal line and decided to go for it. They were stuffed at the line by the swarming Hightower defense, that ended the first half with Hightower holding on to a 9-0 lead.
In the third quarter, both teams went on short drives and punted twice, before Hightower took over on their 25-yard line. They went on an 8-play drive and scored on a 35-yard pass from Stewart to WR Kaleb Davis that pushed the Hightower lead to 17-0 with 3:38 left in the third quarter.
Fort Bend Hightower vs. Fort Bend Ridge Point at Mercer Stadium
Fort Bend Hightower vs. Fort Bend Ridge Point at Mercer Stadium
On the ensuing kickoff, Ridge Point RB Mason Dossett received the ball two yards deep in the end zone, raced up the middle of the field untouched, and sprinted down the left sideline for a spectacular 102-yard kickoff return. The extra point was no good, and the score was 17-6 Hightower.
On the ensuing kickoff, Hightower fumbled the ball, and it was recovered by Ridge Point at the Hightower 32-yard line.
Just like that, the momentum switched to the Ridge Point sideline.
On the first play, Jolly burst through the line of scrimmage and sprinted to the end zone for a 32-yard touchdown.
“Mama, There Goes That Man,’’ describes the diminutive explosive senior running back.
The 2-point conversion failed, and the score was 17-12 Hightower at the end of the third quarter.
In the fourth quarter, Hightower was holding onto a five-point lead. They drove the ball down to the Ridge Point 9-yard line where they were faced with a 4th and 3.
Hightower brought their field goal unit on to attempt a 26-yard FG.
The ball was snapped, the kick was blocked, leading to a mad scramble for the ball.
Ridge Point safety Taylor Davis scooped the ball up on a perfect bounce and high stepped for 77 yards to the end zone for the go-ahead touchdown. After trailing the entire game, Ridge Point took the lead, 18-12.
Hightower got the ball back and turned the ball over on downs.
Ridge Point backup QB Byron George scored on a keeper, down the left sidelines, to seal the win for Ridge Point.
Ridge Point had one last drive that ended with the clock running out.
Ridge Point is (2-2, 2-0) in district play. Hightower is (2-2, 1-1) in district play.
The game lived up to its billing. Both teams played hard and gave the fans an entertaining game.
Look for both teams to make deep runs in the playoffs.