This past Friday, September 23rd, the Irving Tigers rolled into Ranger Stadium taking on the Jesuit Ranger football team in their third District 7-6A matchup of the season. Coming off a thrilling performance in the previous week against Lake Highlands, the Rangers looked to carry on the momentum against Irving. Earning a record of 2-0 in district play, the Rangers hoped to keep the win streak alive under the Friday night lights.
Coach Thompson, the varsity outside linebackers coach, thought that “the energy of the players was apparent in the second quarter and you could see it in their performance.”
First Half:
Jesuit came out the tunnel hot, scoring a touchdown just 4 minutes into the game after an explosive 76-yard run by Jake Musso ‘23. Later in the first quarter, after a couple of Jesuit punts, the Tigers started piecing together a nice drive which ended in a 35-yard field goal attempt blocked by Tristen Bird ‘24. The Ranger’s defense continued to dominate Irving, forcing 4 consecutive punts after the drive which ended in a field goal attempt. However, the Ranger’s offense was forced to punt two consecutive times after Musso’s touchdown, but they picked up lots of momentum going into halftime after scoring three touchdowns in just three minutes. The touchdowns consisted of 2 touchdown runs from quarterback Charlie Schmidt ‘23 and a 60-yard touchdown catch from wide receiver Cooper Cutler ‘24.
Junior defensive back Bobby Musso ’24 also added, “we were excited for this game since it gave us the opportunity to really show how talented we are. In these games, it’s about avoiding mental mistakes, which I think we did a really good job doing.”
Second Half:
The Rangers never looked back after their efforts in the first half. Irving quickly turned the ball over on downs which led to a 30-yard touchdown run from running back Cam Martin ‘23. Another Irving punt then led to another rushing touchdown from Jake Musso ‘23. Exactly halfway through the third quarter, Jesuit regained possession after an interception from Tristen Bird ‘24 at Irving’s own 25-yard line. However, the Tigers would intercept a pass just a minute later which was returned for a touchdown leading to Irving’s only points of the night. The defense continues to thrive though forcing 3 more punts along with a forced fumble by linebacker Ashton Krug ‘24 which was recovered by defensive back Fred Lucky ‘24. The offense would also add 2 more touchdowns after a 43-yard touchdown run from running back Zane Williams ‘25 and a 9-yard touchdown run by running back Willis Zemanek ‘23.
Junior safety Logan Thompson said that “it was a fun game and it’s always good to create some momentum coming into a big matchup. When guys who usually don’t get a lot of playing time get opportunities and make plays I really think it brings the team together. Now we just need to focus on preparing for next week.”
Recap:
Quarterback Charlie Schmidt went 11/20 0n the night passing for 132 yards and 1 touchdown along with 11 rushes for 105 yards and 2 touchdowns. Jake Musso finished with 145 yards rushing on just 5 attempts for 2 touchdowns along with 3 receptions for 15 yards. Cam Martin rushed for 53 yards on 8 attempts for a touchdown. Zane Williams and Willis Zemanek rushed for 69 yards and 2 touchdowns combined on the night. Cooper Cutler led the team in receiving with 2 catches for 60 yards and a touchdown while Matty Wagner and Luke Fawcett each had 2 receptions which combined for 45 yards.
Blake Miller led the team in tackles on the night totaling 8 with 3 solo and 5 assisted. Luke Selner ’23 was not far behind totaling 6 tackles on the night. There were 2 turnovers on the night after a Tristen Bird interception and an Ashton Krug forced fumble, recovered by Fred Lucky. Tristen Bird also blocked a field goal attempt.
What’s Next:
The Rangers will travel to Highlander Stadium on September 30th for a huge district matchup that could determine district champs. Expected to be a huge game with an estimated attendance of over 10,000 people, the Rangers look to knock off the Number 10 ranked Highland Park Scots in this heated rivalry.
