Dripping Springs earned its first-ever win over Westlake on Friday at Chaparral Stadium, rallying for a 45 to 35 victory. The Tigers trailed 35 to 28 with 10 minutes left, then closed with 17 straight points to secure the district’s top Division II playoff seed and a home game next week. The result placed Dripping Springs second overall in District 26 6A at 5 and 1, while Westlake finished third at 4 and 2.
Quarterback Chase Ames delivered a standout performance with 409 passing yards and five touchdowns on 25 completions in 33 attempts. The receiving trio of Merrick Bloomgren, Cooper Reid, and James Montgomery tilted the field, combining for more than 360 yards and four scores. Dripping Springs topped 530 total yards, becoming the first team since 2014 to score more than 40 points on Westlake in a regular-season game.
Key moments flipped the fourth quarter. A long kickoff return set up Bloomgren’s 52-yard equalizer. Reid’s eight-yard grab gave the Tigers the lead with 5 minutes 57 seconds to play. Ian French added a 44-yard field goal with 1 minute 04 seconds left. Dripping Springs will host Vista Ridge in the bi-district round. Westlake will meet Vandegrift at Monroe Stadium.
Photos by Stan Martin:
