Fort Bend Ridge Point 25, Fort Bend Hightower 17

September 17, 2022

Mercer Stadium, Sugar Land

In what would decide the 20-6A district title on a muggy Saturday night in Sugar Land, the Ridge Point Panthers pulled off one of the more unlikely victories over district rival Hightower with a come from behind 25-17 win in front of a sold-out crowd at Mercer Stadium.

Hightower would jump out to an early 3-0 on the opening drive of the game as Hudson Dumphy drilled a 32-yard field goal to cap a nearly eight minute drive to open the game. Ridge Point would throw an interception on their next series as HHS DB Makhi Davis would make a sensational interception tipping the pass and then while on his back catching the ball before it hit the ground to give the Hurricanes the ball back. Hightower would capitalize on the big defensive play, taking a 9-0 lead early in the second quarter as sophomore QB Joseph Stewart would hook up with junior WR Zion Kearney for a 24-yard touchdown pass.

Ridge Point would march all the way down to the Hightower two-yard line on the ensuing series, but the Hurricanes defense would be up to the task stopping the Panthers on 4th and goal with 3:38 left in the second quarter to preserve their 9-0 lead. RPHS would force a Hightower punt with under a minute left in the half and the Panthers would move into field goal range as the half ended, but Ridge Point didn’t attempt the field goal as a Hightower sack would cause time to run out as Ridge Point had burned all their timeouts.

Hightower would force a Ridge Point three and out to open the third quarter and then Hurricanes would move to the Ridge Point 34 yard-line before turning the ball over on downs with seven minutes left in the third quarter. Hightower’s defense would dominate forcing another three and out and after taking over on their own 25-yard line the Hurricanes would need less than two minutes to march 75-yards to add to their lead on a 35-yard touchdown run from Austin Bowen, Khaleb Davis would get the two-point conversion and Hightower would lead 17-0 with 3:38 left in the third quarter.

The Ridge Point special teams would make the first of three massive plays on the night as on the ensuing kickoff, Mason Dossett would go 100-yards for a touchdown to give the Panthers some life, cutting the Hightower lead to 17-6. On the ensuing kickoff Hightower would not field the pooch kick cleanly, resulting in a Ridge Point recovery. One play later, Ezell Jolly would score from 33-yards out and within twenty seconds Hightower’s 17-0 lead was cut to 17-12 with 3:11 left in the third quarter.

Hightower would have a response on their next drive moving all the way to the Ridge Point nine-yard line, but the Panthers defense would tighten up and force a Hightower field goal try. This is where the Panthers special teams again made their presence felt as Taylor Davis would block the Hightower field goal attempt, scoop up the loose ball and race 77-yards down a stunned Hightower sideline to give the Panthers their first lead of the night at 18-17 with just over eight minutes remaining. After stopping Hightower on the next drive. Ridge Point with just over two minutes remaining would add to the lead on an eighteen-yard touchdown run from QB Austin Carlisle. Hightower would make one last ditch effort to try and tie the game but it was to no avail as the Ridge Point defense was up to the task, getting the much needed stop and sending the Panthers to the top of the district standings where they’d never look back.