By Tim Fleischer
Editor-in-Chief

Salado Eagles will host the Academy Bees 7:30 p.m. Sept. 19 for the Eagles’ 2025 Homecoming game.
The Eagles improved to 2-1, beating the Giddings Buffaloes 42-14 at Eagle Stadium Sept. 12.

The Eagles drew first blood when Luke Bauser scooped up Giddings quarterback Corbin Medack’s to set up a short 36-yard drive topped by a 17-yard pass from Landen Owens to Landen Noske with 9:24 left in the first. Holder Gabe Merriman took the snap and scrambled his way to a two point conversion and 8-0 lead.
Fourteen seconds later Medack hit Peyton Grimm for a 70-yard strike. Eduardo Cardenas converted the PAT to trail Salado 8-7 with 9:10 left in the first.
The Eagles scored on a Cade Fenoglio fumble recovery in the end zone with 11:05 left in the first half. The PAT failed and the Eagles led 14-7.
Teams swapped possession before Giddings drove 42 yards, scoring on a 16-yard from Medack to Gunnar Fromme. Cardenas knotted the game at 14-all with 1:53 left in the half.
The Eagles drove 57 yards in two plays, a 16-yard Owens pass to Luke Bingham and a 41-yard pass to Noske with 1:15 left in the half. Max Gist’s kick gave Salado a 21-14 lead, which the Eagles carried into the locker rooms.
The Eagles scored on their first possession of the second half.
Noske returned the second half kick 32 yards to set the Eagles up at the Giddings 42-yard line.
Passes of 10 and 17 yards to Gabe Merriman kept the scoring drive going, capped by Bingham’s 4-yard dive with 8:34 left in the third. Gist made it 28-14.
A 57-yard Giddings punt buried Salado at the Eagle 7-yard line. Eighty of the 93 yards were accounted by back-to-back passes from Owens to Merriman, the first for 18 yards, followed by a 62-yard catch-and-run after Merriman shucked the first would-be tackler before streaking down the sideline. Gist made it 35-14 with 3:59 left in the third.
Salado stopped Giddings at midfield, forcing the Buffaloes to turn the ball over on downs, setting up the final touchdown.
Cruddas, after being stopped for no gain, then had carries of 15 yards and six yards before ripping through the Giddings defense for a 29-yard touchdown with 6:22 left in the game. Gist made it 42-14.

Individual stats
Passing: Salado: Landen Owens, 12-23, 226 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT; Giddings: Corbin Medack, 17-28, 165 yards, 2 TDs, 3 INTs.
Rushing: Salado: Luke Bingham, 15-80 yards, 1 TD: Caine Cruddas, 6-57 yards, 1 TD; Zack Adcox 5-26, Owens, 2-6 yards; Gabe Merriman, 1-3 yards; Damonte Foster, 1-0 yards. Giddings: Kyle Montgomery, 14-28 yards; Corbin Medack, 6-16 yards; Iris Wade Allen, 2-9 yards; Bryson McDaniel, 1-5 yards; Kyle Montgomery, 1-8 yards.
Receiving: Salado: Noske, 4-91 yards, 2 TDs; Merriman, 4-91 yards, 1 TD; Brayden Dildine, 2-25 yards; Bingham, 1-16 yards; Andrew Benavides, 1-3 yards.
Defense stats:
Damonte Foster, 12 tackles, one caused fumble; Zack Adcox, nine tackles; Cade Fenoglio, seven tackles, one fumble recovery; Max Gist, seven tackles, one pass defense; Mason Olson, six tackles; Ethan Robledo, four tackles; Dylan Jiminez, four tackles; Miller Gallia, three tackles, one tackle for loss; Tyson White, three tackles, one caused fumble; Owen Gunter and Gavin Marcotte, two tackles each; Hays Ramsey, one tackle, one interception; Luke Bauser, one tackle, one fumble recovery; Gabe Merriman, Brayden Dildine, Andrew Benavides, Hudson Oglesby, Angelo Soto, Jackson Tracy, Hudson Slimp, one tackle each, Robert Campbell, one interception.