Miscues costly to Lions in opener
LPR Staff
SAN ANTONIO — The final statistics look as if Lockhart dominated its season-opening opponent, San Antonio Southwest, Friday night at Dragons Den Stadium.
Yet, despite outgaining Southwest, 485-276; having 30 first downs to just 12 for the home team, doubling the total number of offensive plays, 82-41, and controlling the time of possession, 28:44-19:16, Lockhart turned the ball four times and suffered a 41-35 defeat.
The Lions turned what was looking to be a comfortable win for Southwest into a thrilling final few minutes, cutting a 20-point deficit to just six with two touchdowns 32 seconds apart thanks to an onsides-kick recovery and ensuing touchdown. However, Southwest recovered a final onsides attempt by Lockhart and managed to run out the final 1:41.
“We’ve got to play better,” Lockhart Head Coach Todd Moebes said. “I thought Southwest play very physical, and I don’t think we played our best. They made the most of their opportunities and we did not. That’s just the way it is sometimes.”
Lockhart had beaten Southwest at Lions Stadium in the 2022 season-opener, 27-20.
Senior Ashton Dickens started right where he left off. After setting the school single-season rushing record last season, Dickens opened the 2023 campaign by running for 164 yards and two touchdowns, while passing for 234 yards and two more scores.
However, Dickens threw three interceptions, once of which was returned by the Dragons for a touchdown.
Southwest took the opening kickoff and promptly marched 75 yards in 8 plays, the final on a 29-yard pass from Tim Olague to Bryshawn Brown, who made the touchdown grab over a Lockhart defender with 8:01 left in the first quarter. Angel Rodriguez Escoto’s PAT gave the home team a 7-0 lead, a lead the Dragons would never relinquish.
Southwest made it 14-0 late in the first quarter when Aaeryuan Voss picked off a Dickens pass at the Dragons’ 28 and returned it 72 yards for a touchdown.
Lockhart finally found the end zone on the first play of the second quarter when Dickens scored on a two-yard run with 11:57 left in the period. Omar Ocampo’s PAT made it 14-7, Southwest.
It took all of one play for the Dragons to respond as junior running back Jah Mills sprinted 51 yards for a touchdown with 11:34 left in the half.
Lockhart cut its deficit to 21-14 with 4:06 left in the half when Dickens made a spectacular 25-yard run to paydirt, followed by Ocampo’s PAT.
Once again, the Dragons struck quickly, this time taking five plays to cover 75 yards, capped off by Olague’s 48-yard pass to Voss with 1:30 left in the half.
Southwest took its first three-score lead at 34-14 with 3:05 left in the third quarter when fullback Tristan Dennie plunged in from a yard out.
Lockhart was scoreless in the third period but came alive in the fourth, scoring first with 8:10 left on Nathaniel Gonzales’ seven-yard TD. Ocampo’s PAT made it 34-21.
Southwest responded quickly again this time taking just one play as junior tailback Tyson Deen sprinted 51 yards to make it 41-21 with 8:10 remaining.
Lockhart finally scored again with 2:14 remaining when Dickens connected with a sliding Gage Deutsch in the end zone from 20 yards out. Ocampo’s kick made it 21-28.
Ethan Aguirre recovered Ocampo’s onsides-kick at midfield and the Lions were back in business. It only took three plays – and two Southwest penalties – to reach paydirt again, this time with Dickens connecting with freshman Jordan Frohock on an eight-yard pass. Ocampo’s PAT made it 41-35 with 1:42 left.
However, Southwest managed to recover Ocampo’s final onsides attempt and the Dragons were able to run out the final 1:40.
Deutsch had six receptions for Lockhart for 82 yards and a touchdown, while Aguirre hauled in six for 69 yards. Nine different Lions had receptions.
Lockhart doubled Southwest on number of plays, 82-41, having exactly 41 passes and 41 rushing plays.
“I think the guys were disappointed,” Moebes said. “Unfortunately, now looking back, they see how they didn’t execute sometimes and that was not us. I’ve told them I thousand times that disappointment can be the most important thing you have today. It just a depends on how you respond to it.”
Lockhart has homecoming next week as it welcomes Pflugerville Connally to Lions Stadium for a 7 p.m. kickoff.
Connally, which was 0-10 a year agon, reversed a 52-7 loss at home to Marble Falls in the 2022 season opener to beat Marble Falls on the road, 40-14, last week.
“Connally is drastically improved,” Moebes said. “They have a new head coach (Charles Burton) and a new spirit to them.
* * *
Lockhart won the junior varsity game vs. Southwest, 14-6, as well as the freshman game, 28-20.
San Antonio Southwest 41, Lockhart 35
at Dragons Den Stadium, San Antonio
Score by Quarters
Lockhart 0 14 0 21 — 35
S.A. Southwest 14 14 6 7 — 41
TEAM STATS Lockhart Southwest
First Downs 30 12
Rushes-Yards 41-251 33-197
Passing 20-41-3 3-8-0
Passing Yards 234 79
Total Yards 485 276
Punts-Avg. 2-40.5 3-21.0
Penalties-Yards 7-56 6-48
Fumbles-Lost 2-1 0-0
Time of Possession 28:44 19:16
INDIVIDUAL STATS
RUSHING
LOCKHART — Dickens 23-164, Gonzales 10-58, Key 4-33, Aguirre 3-6, Reese 1-(-10). SOUTHWEST — Mills 18-130, Deen 8-49, Dennie 3-14, Stemley 1-5, Olague 3-(-1).
PASSING
LOCKHART — Dickens 20-41-3-234.SOUTHWEST — Olague 3-8-0-79.
RECEIVING
LOCKHART — Deutsch 6-82, Aguirre 6-69, Gonzales 1-24, Moebes 1-15, Frohock 2-11, Holcomb 1-11, Staton 1-9, Garcia 1-7, Key 1-6. SOUTHWEST — Voss 2-50, Brown 1-29.
* * *
SCORING
First Quarter
SOUTHWEST — Brown 19 pass from Olague (Escoto kick), 8:01
SOUTHWEST — Voss 78 interception return (Escoto kick), 2:05
Second Quarter
LOCKHART — Dickens 2 run (Ocampo kivk), 11:57
SOUTHWEST — Mills 51 run (Escoto kick), 11:34
LOCKHART — Dickens 25 run (Ocampo kick), 4:06
SOUTHWEST — Voss 48 pass from Olague (Escto kick), 1:30
Third Quarter
SOUTHWEST — Dennie 1 run (kick fail), 3:05
Fourth Quarter
LOCKHART — Gonzales 7 run (Ocampo kick), 8:10
SOUTHWEST — Deen 53 run (Escoto kick), 7:57
LOCKHART — Deutsch 20 pass from Dickens (Ocampo kick), 2:14
LOCKHART — Frohock pass from Dickens (Ocampo kick), 1:41
