After a playoff win against San Marcos in the regional semifinals, varsity football will face off against Dripping Springs in the round four quarterfinals at the Alamodome in San Antonio on Saturday, Dec. 6. The Tigers are a familiar opponent, beating the Vipers 41-14 in the season opener back in August. 

This game will likely come down to the defensive side of the ball for the Vipers. If they give up 41 points like they did in week one, it may be a challenge for the team to come away with a win. Dripping Springs has been an offensive force in the playoffs up to this point, scoring an average of 45 points per game. However, the Viper defense looks to be much improved since their early season matchup, only giving up about nine points per game in the playoffs. This will be strength versus strength, and whichever group wins this matchup may play a key role in deciding the game.

Part of the reason for the Vipers’ defeat in their early season matchup with Dripping Springs was their inability to run the football, with no player rushing for more than 32 yards. This was not something that the team was used to doing, as they averaged 164 yards per game on the ground during their run to a state title last year. Since that game, the team found a way to get back on track running the ball, averaging 170 yards per game in the playoffs. Part of the reason for this has been the emergence of sophomore running back Evan Williamson, who has run for 200 yards and three touchdowns combined in recent wins over Brandeis and San Marcos.

The game is predicted to be closer than the week one matchup, as the teams are only four spots apart in the TXFB Varsity Insider rankings. If the team is able to continue running the ball and playing defense like they’ve been doing in the playoffs, combined with playoff experience from a season ago, can potentially lead the Vipers to a big-time playoff win on Saturday. However, if the same factors that led to the week one loss appear again, a similar outcome from that game could be in the cards.