The Hutto Hippos opened district play with a 63-49 shootout win over Cedar Ridge on Friday, Sept. 12, improving to 2-1 on the season.
Cedar Ridge struck first to take a 7-0 lead, but senior quarterback Kaden Stefek answered with a rushing touchdown to even the score at 7-7. The Raiders regained the lead on a 50-yard touchdown to make it 14-7, and after Hutto responded with a score but missed the extra point, Cedar Ridge held a 14-13 advantage. The Raiders extended their lead to 21-13 by the end of the first quarter.
Stefek cut the deficit with a five-yard touchdown run to pull Hutto within 21-19, but the Raiders countered with a 20-yard scoring pass to go up 28-19. The Hippos stayed within striking distance, punching in a touchdown and adding a two-point conversion to trim the gap to 28-27. Hutto then recovered an onside kick and scored two plays later to grab a 34-28 lead. Cedar Ridge answered just before halftime, capitalizing on a Stefek interception to take a 35-34 lead into the break.
The second half remained a back-andforth affair, but Hutto seized momentum out of halftime with a touchdown to move ahead 41-35 and never trailed again. The Hippos built their first doubledigit lead of the night at 49-35 before Cedar Ridge scored to cut it to 49-42 with 9:13 remaining.
Junior utility player Jaiden Fields delivered the dagger late, returning an interception 75 yards for a touchdown to put Hutto up 63-42 with 1:45 left. Cedar Ridge added a final score, but the Hippos’ offense proved too much in the district opener.
Junior utility player Dylan Owens was Stefek’s top target with multiple touchdown catches.
Hutto will return home to face Manor on Friday, Sept. 19, at 7 p.m.
