Lions crush Burbank in playoff opener
By Kyle Mooty
LPR Editor
SAN ANTONIO – The two-headed offensive monster that has been the Lockhart Lions’ rushing attack had a mighty roar Friday night, accounting for 313 yards on the ground and six touchdowns during an absolute rout of San Antonio Burbank, 62-7, in the 5A-1 playoffs at Alamo Stadium.
Lockhart rolled up a 42-0 lead by intermission, scored three plays into the second half, and played reserves the rest of the way.
The win moved Lockhart to 8-3 overall, its first eight-win season since 2015. The last time an LHS football team won nine games dates all the way back to 1971.
The Lions will go back to Alamo Stadium on Friday, Nov. 18 to face Corpus Christi’s Flour Bluff in the second round. The Hornets easily handled Roma, 56-21, in its first-round game Friday night.
Lockhart rushed for 409 yards and only needed four passing attempts to dispose of Burbank, which managed 35 yards on 30 attempts on the ground and 107 through the wait – 81 of those coming late as reserves played for both teams.
McKinney got things started on the first drive for Lockhart, scoring on a one-yard run with 8:52 left in the first quarter. Omar Ocampo’s PAT was true, and Lockhart led 7-0
After a Trey Brown fumble recovery, Dickens scored on the very next play on a 16-yard run. Ocampo’s PAT made it 14-0 with 8:03 left in the first.
The first of two botched snaps on punts led to Josh Ramos tackling the Burbank punter at the Bulldogs’ 33. Four plays later, McKinney slipped out of the backfield unnoticed, and Dickens found him wide open for a 30-yard touchdown pass. Ocampo’s PAT made it 21-0 with 3:31 still left in the first period.
Lockhart, which scored on nine of its first 10 possessions, went up 28-0 when Dickens simply outran Burbank defenders on a 52-yard gallop with 10:00 left in the second quarter, followed by Ocampo’s PAT.
A Quavon Reese interception set the Lions up again in Burbank territory, and McKinney burst through for a 16-yard run later. Ocampo’s PAT made it 35-0 with 4:51 left in the half.
A 70-yard drive was capped off by Dickens’ one-yard run with nine seconds left in the half.
Ocampo made it 42-0.
Lockhart needed just three runs by McKinney to open the third quarter and find the end zone again. His third run went for 57 yards with 9:57 left in the period. Ocampo made it 49-0. Lockhart Head Coach Todd Moebes played reserves the rest of the way.
The Lockhart backups still drove 80 yards in 19 plays, scoring on Ethan Aguirre’s three-yard run with 8:51 remaining. Ocampo made it 56-0.
After a recovery of another botched snap on a punt, Lockhart scored on the very next play when Daniel Morales scored on a three-yard run. Lockhart took a knee on the extra point.
Burbank did avoid the shutout with 1:58 remaining when Jarod Romero found Israel Zapata behind defenders. Zapata raced to paydirt for an 81-yard TD Arturo Martinez kicked the PAT for the final margin.
5A Playoffs Round 1
District 13 schools
Nov. 11
Lockhart 62, Burbank 7
Liberty Hill 63, San Antonio Highlands 17
Veterans Memorial 38, Harlandale 7
Alamo Heights 64, Kerrville Tivy 27
Nov. 18 games
Lockhart vs. Corpus Christi Flour Bluff
Mercedes vs. Liberty Hill
Sharyland vs. Veterans Memorial