The 91st Battle of ‘79 was truly a battle this past Friday night in Thrall with the home team scoring the only touchdown in overtime to beat Thorndale 42-35.
The Tigers, who are 2-3 in district play, fired first with a push down the field that led to a one-yard touchdown by Tyreke Irvin.
Thorndale answered back on their next drive when Stryker Leschber scored on an 11-yard run, making it the second week in a row that he was responsible for Thorndale’s first points of the game.
The back-and-forth continued throughout the entire second quarter with Hill scoring again just six seconds in on an 11-yard run before Thorndale’s Clason Beasley answered back on a 73-yard pass from Coy Stutts.
Thrall’s Blair Neighbors scored on his team’s next drive on a 38-yard pass from Hill and Beasley scored again on another pass from Stutts with 19 second left in the half, tying the rivalry game at 21.
The Bulldogs took the lead early in the second half with a one-yard run by Stutts. The lead was short lived as Thrall’s Hayden Stefek caught Hill’s second touchdown pass of the evening to tie it up at 28.
Stefek also helped the Tigers start the final quarter with a lead, catching a 60-yard TD pass from Hill less than 20 seconds in.
Leschber tied the game at 35 up more than two minutes later with a three-yard run, leading the two teams into overtime.
After regulation, it was the Williamson County squad that won when Hill scored on a 10-yard run to win the game.
Top performers for the Bulldogs were Beasley, who has 747 yards on 18 receptions this season after adding another 140 yards to his season total Friday.
Stutts racked up 170 rushing yards on 21 carries while throwing 7-of-18 for 177 passing yards. Leschber ended the evening with 90 yards on 10 carries.
THIS WEEK—Thorndale heads back home this week to battle Hearne for the district championship. The Robertson Coun
The Robertson County school started off slow, losing to Holland 10-2 in their district opener on Sept. 24, but have since beaten Rosebud-Lott 27-14, Bruceville-Eddy 37-7 and Thrall 25-0 on Oct. 15 before heading into their bye this past week.
Like the Bulldogs, the Eagles have a Division-I-caliber defensive end in Anthony Jackson, who has received offers from schools such as Colorado.
Defensive linemen Steven Craft-Mitchell was the district’s Defensive MVP in 2020, while wide receiver Jabari Dunn ended last season as the district’s Offensive MVP.
Game time is scheduled for 7:30 p.m., at Bulldog Stadium.
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