By Kyle Mooty

LPR Editor

Lockhart locked in a playoff berth last week with a 61-35 victory at home over Pieper. This week, the Lions will be playing at Kerrville Tivy to see where they will be heading in the postseason.

Lockhart senior running back Sean McKinney, in all likelihood playing his final game at Lions Stadium, ran for six touchdowns and 177 yards during Lockhart’s 61-35 win over Pieper, while junior quarterback Ashton Dickens had three TD runs and 219 yards rushing.

Pieper had a pair of first-quarter leads – 7-0 and 14-7 – before the Lions roared back to take control.

As has been the case, Lockhart started off sluggish on defense, giving up a 68-yard drive in just four plays to start the game. Pieper quarterback Jake Strachan ran the final four yards for the score. Daniel Miranda’s PAT made it 7-0 with 10:47 remaining in the opening frame.

Lockhart quickly answered with a 50-yard drive in six plays, McKinney scoring on a one-yard run with 8:00 left in the first. Omar Ocampo’s PAT tied the score at 7-7.

Pieper worked a little harder for its second score, going 72 yards in 10 plays, scoring on a fourth-and-six, 31-yard pass from Strachan to Nolan Doss with 4:01 left in the first. Miranda’s PAT made it 14-7.

“It’s a 48-minute football game,” Lockhart Head Coach Todd Moebes said. “We are playing good teams and they’re working on weekends and practicing all week long, too. I’m just proud of the kids coming together and having each other’s back.”

Lockhart needed just one play to catch the Antlers again, this time as Dickens broke free and out-ran everyone on a 77-yard run with 3:43 left in the period. Ocampo’s kick made it 14-14.

On the Antler’s next possession, a high snap from center was recovered by Josh Ramos at the Pieper one. After a penalty moved it back to the six, McKinney scored in two plays, the latter from a yard out following a push. Ocampo’s Pat gave Lockhart a 21-14 advantage with 1:45 left in the first.

Pieper seemed to be getting right back into the game on its very next play when Strachan connected with Jax Legrand, who racked 50 yards to the Lockhart 25 when Zakaya Gathings stripped the ball, which was then recovered again by Ramos.

“(Gathing’s play) was beyond the call of duty,” Moebes said. “That was kind of the hallmark play for us right there.”

Lockhart then drove 75 yards in 13 plays, converting a fourth-down pass from Dickens to Diante Jackson and scoring on Dickens’ 14-yard run with 7:58 left in the half. Ocampo’s kick gave the Lions a 28-14 lead.

Pieper added another a score before the half when Strachan passed 12 yards to Doss. Miranda’s PAT with 2:54 left until intermission cut Lockhart’s lead to 28-21.

Pieper reached the Lockhart 12 inside the final mite of the first half, but Trey Brown’s interception in the end zone ended that threat with 31 seconds remaining.

The Warriors had 149 yards rushing by halftime but would run for just 89 in the second half.

The Lions opened the third quarter by driving 75 yards in eight plays, converting another fourth down on a short run by Dickens. McKinney later went 36 yards for the score, including a great juke of a defender along the way. Ocampo’s kick made it 35-21 with 8:13 left in the period.

The Lions stretched their lead to 41-21 with 7:21 remaining following a fumble recovery by Edward Mendoza, Two plays later, McKinney made some more great moves en route to a 24-yard run to paydirt. Lockhart botched the snap on the PAT.

Gathings picked off Strachan on Pieper’s next series, and The Lions continued to add to their lead when McKinney capped off a drive with a 27-yard run after bursting through a hole opened by his offensive line. Ocampo’s kick made it 48-21 with 3:31 left in the third.

Strachan scored on a 21-yard scamper with 1:09 left in the period, and Miranda’s PAT made it 48-28.

Lockhart went 51 yards in just five plays after recovering an onsides kick by the Warriors. McKinney went the final 16 with 10:37 left in the game. The PAT was blocked, leaving LHS out front, 54-28.

McKinney added his final TD four plays after Brown picked off yet another pass. It was McKinney’s final carry of the game, a one-yarder with 8:10 remaining. Ocampo’s kick made it 61-28.

Pieper added the final score with 15 seconds left when Strachan connected with Aeden Reus from four yards out. Miranda’s PAT set the final margin.

Lockhart finished with 420 of its 455 total yards on the ground, averaging 8.4 yards per carry.

“They have confidence of who we are and what we have become this year,” Moebes said. “They are playing great team football. Our offensive line is kicking butt and taking names. Our receivers block down field. It’s just a collective team effort.”

Meanwhile, Tivy turned the ball over six times, three via fumble and three by interception. Ramos had two of the fumble recoveries, while Medoza had the other. Brown had two interceptions, with Gathings the other as well as the key caused fumble.

“Ramos has been a three-year starter for us,” Moebes said. “This is by far the best game of his high school career. He is very versatile. He is a catalyst for what we do defensively.”

Essentially, the game at Tivy will be for third place in District 13. Each team is 3-2 in the district, as is Veterans Memorial, which beat Lockhart and lost to Tivy. It would take a major upset for winless Cedar Creek to beat Veterans Memorial, so it is expected that Veterans Memorial will finish 4-2. Should Lockhart beat Tivy and go 4-2, it would finish third behind Liberty Hill and Veterans Memorial (head-to-head loss) and Tivy would finish fourth at 3-3. Should Tivy beat Lockhart, it would finish second at 4-2 with a head-to-head win over Veterans Memorial, and in that scenario, Lockhart would be fourth.

A third-place finish would likely mean a trip to 7-2 San Antonio Burbank in the first round of the Class 5A-2 state playoffs, while a fourth-place finish would likely mean a visit to 8-1 San Antonio Alamo Heights.

“Tivy is a solid football team in all three phases of the game,” Moebes said. “Offensively, they have a lot of playmakers. Their quarterback (senior Kale Lackey) is very elusive when he gets outside. They have one receiver that is 6-6. We don’t have any defensive backs that size so there are some matchup things against us.

“This is the fourth year in a row we have played Kerrville Tivy. They have very good tacklers and play extremely hard and sound.”

Tivy is 5-2 overall with losses to Liberty Hill and Bastrop (30-27) in the district. Lockhart also lost to Liberty Hill but beat Bastrop, 35-31. Tivy beat Veterans Memorial 35-31, while Lockhart lost to Veterans Memorial, 49-42.

* * *

5A-2, Region IV District 13

District All

Liberty Hill        5-0       8-1

Veterans Memorial       3-2       6-3

Lockhart           3-2       6-3

Tivy      3-2       5-4

Pieper  2-3       2-7

Bastrop             2-4       2-8

Cedar Creek      0-5       0-9

* — denotes cliched playoff berth

Last week’s results

Oct. 27

Tivy 35, Veterans Memorial 31

Oct. 28

Lockhart 61, Pieper 35

Liberty Hill 61, Bastrop 7

Cedar Creek is open

Nov. 4 schedule

Lockhart at Kerrville Tivy

Liberty Hill at Pieper

Veterans Memorial at Cedar Creek

Bastrop is open

GAME STATISTICS

Score by Quarters

Pieper       14     7     7   7  — 35

Lockhart       21     7   20 13  — 61

TEAM STATS                 Pieper    Lockhart

First Downs                       21           19

Rushes-Yards               42-238         50-420

Passing             16-27-3           4-7-0

Passing Yards                           192           35

Total Yards                   430         455

Punts-Avg.                     —     1-38.0

Penalties-Yards                   5-45         5-34

Fumbles-Lost                     4-3           1-0

Time of Possession                 23:26       24:34

INDIVIDUAL STATS

RUSHING

PIEPER — Strachan 27-192, Campos 8-39, Hamilton 6-17, team 1-(-10).. LOCKHART — Dickens 18-219, McKinney 22-177, Jackson 3-16, Hopkins 18, Gonzales 2-1, Reese 1-0, Deutsch 1-(-1), team 1-(-12).

PASSING

PIEPER — Strachan 16-27-3-194. LOCKHART — Dickens 4-7-0-35.

RECEIVING

PIEPER — Pike 6-82, Jax Legrand 5-82, Jad. Legrand 1-50, Drake 3-28, Reus 1-4. LOCKHART — McKinney 1-15, Jackson 2-13, Herzog 1-7.

* * *

SCORING

First Quarter

PIEPER — Strachan 4 run (Miranda kick), 10:47

LOCKHART — McKinney 1 run (Ocampo kick), 8:00

PIEPER — Doss 32 pass from Strachan (Miranda kick), 4:01

LOCKHART — Dickens 77 run (Ocampo kick), 3:43

LOCKHART — McKinney 1 run (Ocampo kick), 1:45

Second Quarter

LOCKHART — Dickens 14 run run (Ocampo kick), 7:58

PIEPER — Doss 12 pass from Strachan (Miranda kick) 2:54

Third Quarter

LOCKHART – Dickens 36 run (Ocampo kick), 8:13

LOCKHART – McKinney 24 run (run fail), 7:21

LOCKHART – McKinney 27 run (Ocampo kick), 3:31

PIEPER — Strachan 21 run (Miranda kick), 1:09

Fourth Quarter

LOCKHART – McKinney 16 run (kick blocked), 10:37

LOCKHART — McKinney 1 run (Ocampo kick), 8:10

PIEPER — Reus 4 pass from Strachan (Miranda kick), :15