Austin High defeated Bowie 35-32 on Friday night at House Park, in a critical game with several playoff implications.
After Bowie turned the ball over in the second play of the first quarter, the tone for the rest of the contest was set.
Running back Reid Childers gave the Maroons a lead they’d never lose with a 1-yard run a few plays after the turnover.
Wide receiver Bryson Batts scored two more first-half touchdowns to keep a two-score advantage that lasted into the fourth quarter.
At the end of regulation, Austin managed two keys stops to keep Bowie’s comeback efforts at bay. The first led to Childers’ second touchdown to extend the lead 35-25. Then, after the Maroons failed to run out the clock, Bowie had one last Hail Mary to the end zone, but was blocked by a pair of defensive backs.
The Maroons secured their first playoff berth since 2020, marking the very first postseason appearance for the senior class.
Because of the victory, Austin will join Dripping Springs in the Division II playoff bracket. Both schools have smaller enrollments than Westlake, pushing the Chaps to the larger Division I bracket with Lake Travis. Austin will more than likely visit Vandegrift in a bi-district contest for their postseason opening.
Next week, Austin will face a tough task in their regular season finale, competing against 8-1 Lake Travis.
