By Larnce Barker
Special Contributer
Eagle Stadium was packed Sept. 19 and the Salado Eagles Football team, Cheerleaders, Band, Twirlers, Starlets and the Eagle Fans set the stage for this Homecoming 2025 clash with the Academy Bumble Bees in the last football game before district starts. The Homecoming Court was the Halftime event in which Devonte Foster and Shelby Dodge were the 2025 Homecoming King and Queen.
Academy won the coin flip and elected to defer their option to the second half. The Eagles received the football in the south end of the field and Gabrielle Merriman had a 7-yard return to the Salado 18-yard line. The Eagles first play of the first series, In Shotgun formation, Salado QB Landon Owens took the snap and looking to throw was hit by an Academy defender and fumbled the football where the Bumble Bee linebacker Charlie Butler recovered the football to give Academy a short field at the 11-yard line. The Bees would score 3 plays later with RB Brian Grissom scored on a 3-yard TD run at 10:19 in the 1st quarter to the lead 6-0. The 2-point conversion failed for the Bumble Bees as a swarm of Eagles snuffed it out.
The Salado Eagles regrouped after the Academy Kick-off and on the second play of the second series, a little razzle-dazzle on the double reverse, receiver turned QB Brayden Dildine hooked up with TE Landen Noske with a 63-yard touchdown catch and run to even the score 6-6. Kicker Max Gist would add the PAT to give the Eagles the lead 7-6 at the 7:43 mark in the 1st Quarter.
After Academy would fair catch the Gist kick-off, Bumble Bees QB Brody Allen would connect with receiver Vincent Williams on a catch and run for 54-yard TD pass. Kicker Rylander Eidson would make the PAT and take the lead 13-7 with 8:20 left in the 1st Quarter.
The lead would be exchanged two more times between the Eagles and the Bumble Bees in the 1st quarter. The Eagles would take 5 play when Noske would line up in the Wildcat to take the direct snap and run 24 Yards to the endzone with great blocking from the offensive line and receivers down field to bring the score 13-13 and after the Gist PAT, Salado would increase the lead to 14-13 with 5:41 in the 1st Quarter. The Bumble Bees would drive the football down 65 yards on 9 plays with a Allen screen pass to Grissom for 45 yards for the TD and after the Eidson Kick and with 1:31 in the 1st quarter the score would be 20-14 Academy.
The second quarter was a battle back and forth with defenses playing tough to keep offensive scoring down. Academy would score with 0:22 seconds in the 2nd quarter when an Allen’s pass to Williams for 24-yard TD to make the 27-14 after the Eidson PAT and that would be the halftime score.
Salado scored at the 6:32 mark in the 3rd quarter with a 2-yard TD run from Luke Bingham who toted the pigskin great all night with 103 yards rushing on 17 carries. Max Gist would add the PAT for the score to be 21-27 in the 3rd quarter. Academy would score after a 75 yard-12 play drive with Grissom 3-yard TD run and with Eidson Kick the Bumble Bees score increased 34-21 with 1:10 in the 3rd quarter.
Salado QB Landon Owens would score on a 4-yard TD run to narrow the margin 34-28 after the Gist Kick with 11:16 in the 4th quarter. Academy would score at the 2:28 on the clock with a 24 yard Grissom rum and the Eidson Kick, the score, which would be the final 41-28.
The Eagle Defense played hard with Cade Fenoglio, Damonte Foster, Zack Adcox, Mason Olson, Ethan Robledo Miller Gillia, Luke Bauser and Hays Ramsey making tackles during the football game.
The Eagles finish the Non-District Schedule at 2-2 and open 4A-D2 District 13 with Lago Vista Vikings which will be a great match up as both teams made the playoffs last year. Kick-off will be 7:30 p.m. Sept. 26 at Eagle Field.
1 2 3 4 F
SHS 14 0 7 7 28
AHS 20 7 7 7 41
Aca — Brian Grissom 3 run (run failed)
Sal — Landen Noske 63 pass from Brayden Dildine (Max Gist kick)
Aca — Vincent Williams 54 pass from Brody Allen (Rylander Edison kick)
Sal — Noske 24 run (Gist kick)
Aca — Grissom 45 pass from Allen (Eidson kick)
Aca — Williams 24 pass from Allen (Eidson kick)
Sal — Luke Bingham 2 run (Gist kick)
Aca — Grissom 3 run (Eidson kick)
Sal — Owens 4 run (Gist kick)
Aca — Grissom 24 run (Eidson kick)
TEAM STATISTICS
SHS AHS
First downs 17 18
Rushes-yds 35-196 39-160
Passing yds 172 186
Comp.-Att.-Int. 9-23-1 8-17-1
Punts-average 2-34.5 2-48.5
Fumbles-lost 1-1 0-0
Penalties-yds 10-74 7-47
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING — Salado: Bingham 17-103, Noske 7-57, Gabriel Merriman 2-16, Owens 4-15, Caine Cruddas 4-3, Brayden Dildine 1-2; Academy: Grissom 32-145, Allen 6-20, Brayden Hoffman 1-(-5).
PASSING — Salado: Owens 9-22-0-172, Merriman 1-1-0-63 TD; Academy: Allen 8-17-1-186.
RECEIVING — Salado: Noske 5-102, Merriman 2-16, King Tobe 1-42, Dildine 1-12; Academy: Williams 4-124, Grissom 1-32, Preston Rowe 1-16, Kamron Barker 1-10, Tyler Hoffman 1-2.