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San Saba lost to the Mason Punchers last Friday night 27-26. San Saba led 26-7 at halftime, but a 2:30 stretch in the third quarter saw Mason score 20 points for the win. The Dillo offense and defense had good games, but special teams allowed Mason to block a PAT, a field goal and punt during the game. The blocked punt was returned for a touchdown and that was the difference in the game.

Mason received the opening kick. They gained one first down before the Armadillo defense forced a punt. The punt only traveled 17 yards before sailing out of bounds at the San Saba 45.

Gary Gant broke loose on the Dillos first play from scrimmage and was finally tackled at the Puncher 16 for a 39-yard gain. Three plays later, Jack Whitten scored on a 2-yard run. Diego Gonzalez came on the PAT but Mason blocked the kick. San Saba had a quick 6-0 lead.

A great kickoff by Gonzalez pinned Mason deep in Puncher country at the 11. Gonzalez kept Mason pinned deep on kickoffs all game. The best starting position after a kickoff was the 25. The Dillo defense quickly forced a fumble and Whitten recovered at the Mason 16.

After a penalty, Ryan Plumley took an inside hand off and got to the 4-yard line. Whitten scored on the next play. This time, the Armadillos went for the 2-point conversion but the pass was broken up and San Saba had a 12-0 lead midway through the first period.

Mason started at their 10 after another good kickoff. Plumley ended the drive when he intercepted a pass and returned it to the Mason 16. Three plays only netted 5 yards and Gonzalez was called on the try a 28-yard field goal. The Punchers broke through and blocked the try, returning the block to the 47.

Mason running back Jared Hudson got loose on 46-yard touchdown run. Hudson also kicked the PAT with 28 seconds left in the opening stanza. The score was 12-7 Armadillos after the opening quarter.

San Saba started in good field position on their next drive but it stalled at the Puncher 23. The defense got the ball back on the next play when Jack Whitten hit Hudson forcing a fumble that Tucker Cromer recovered at the Mason 20. Gary Gant went up the middle on the next play for the 20-yard score. Diego Gonzalez kicked the PAT pushing the score to 19-7.

Mason started the next drive at the 25. Another fumble gave the ball back to San Saba at the Puncher 42. Four run plays and completions to Plumley and Joseph Henry put the ball at the 9. Whitten connected with Henry on another pass for the touchdown. Gonzalez was true on the kick and the 26-7 lead.

On the ensuing kick, Braden McBee was hurt and laid on the ground for several minutes. As of press time, the diagnosis was only a concussion. The Dillo defense stopped Mason on downs and ran out the clock to end the first half with the 26-7 lead.

San Saba started the second with the ball. The Punchers forced a punt. Max Palacio came on to do the punting. Mason almost blocked the punt and it rolled dead after only 13 yards.

Four plays later, Mason QB Justin Yonker found a wide open Dustin Tatsch on a 40-yard pass for the score. Jared Hudson kicked the PAT and the lead was 26-14 with 7:45 left in the 3rd period.

An Armadillo fumble on the first play after the kickoff was recovered by Mason at the Dillo 15. Hudson ran it in from there on the Punchers next play. The PAT hit the left upright and Mason trailed 26-20.

San Saba was unable to garner a first down and Palacio was on to punt again. This time Mason blocked it and Stephen Marquez scooped it up and scored. Hudson added the PAT and Mason led 27-26 with 5:15 to go in the period. Mason had scored 20 points in 2:30.

The remainder of the quarter and all the 4th period saw no scoring as both defenses bent but held on 4th down plays. The Dillos last chance was highlighted by a 45-yard pass from George Long to Ryan Plumley but an incomplete pass on the last play ended the game and a disappointing loss for San Saba.

Both sides of the ball played well. Offensively, Gary Gant had 94 yards rushing and a score. Jack Whitten added 40 yards with two touchdowns and threw for another. The panel voted Whitten as the offensive player of the game (a new feature added last week but due to an email not being received, no one read it). Defensively, it was a team effort. Dustin Morgan, Whitten, Joseph Henry, Hayden Oliver, Chase Key, Gant, Bobby Pairett, Pete Torres, Tucker Cromer, Ryan Plumley and Willie Wiley having good games, but the panel voted the defensive player of the week to Anthony Salinas who was in the Mason backfield all night disrupting plays and forcing plays wider than designed.

In other district action, Coleman and Brady remained perfect, Early rebounded against Wall, Bangs lost to Llano while Dublin and Comanche dropped to 0-2. This week sees the annual “Battle of the River” as Goldthwaite comes calling at Rogan Field. The Eagles are 2-0 after beating Hamilton 26-6 last week. Kickoff is set for 7:30 but getting to the game early is advised as seats will go fast.