Tripp Henderson put up video game-like numbers in the first half for Lago Vista Friday night.
The Vikings’ passer picked the Taylor secondary apart for 329 yards and five touchdowns, including 224 yards and four touchdowns in the first half alone, during his team’s 48-7 rout of the Ducks at the Duck Pond.
Three of Henderson’s five touchdown passes were to Brock Morton, who had seven catches for 190 yards. Morton had four catches for 150 yards and all three scores in the first half.
Aaden Vasquez and Casey Rothenbury had the other touchdown receptions for Lago Vista (2-1). The Vikings’ defense also forced four turnovers on downs, two lost fumbles and a missed field goal from Taylor (0-3).
The Ducks were led by Johnny Guzman, who threw for 153 yards, and Jeremiah Caldwell, who threw for 86 yards and Taylor’s only touchdown. Caldwell also caught a 54-yard pass and Zavier Stokes caught four passes for 96 yards and the Ducks’ only score.
It didn’t take long for Lago Vista to strike. After forcing a threeand- out on the opening drive, Vikings’ quarterback Henderson found Vasquez for a 56-yard touchdown pass on their first play from scrimmage to take a 7-0 lead at the 9:23 mark of the first quarter.
Taylor drove into the red zone on the ensuing drive with 32 yards rushing from Eric Walker II and a 19-yard pass from Guzman to Stokes. But a missed field goal left the Ducks scoreless.
Four plays later, Lago Vista made Taylor pay. Henderson hit Morton for a 72-yard score to increase the Vikings’ lead to 14-0 with 1:40 remaining in the opening frame.
The Ducks had another promising drive with Walker running for 17 yards and catching a 24-yard pass to put his team back in the red zone. But a lost fumble killed the drive, and Lago Vista took over at its own 28-yard line.
The Vikings followed with their longest drive of the night – eight plays, 72 yards – and finished with a 12-yard scoring toss from Henderson to Morton at the 4:46 mark of the second quarter. Henderson also hit Rothenbury for seven yards to convert a fourth-and-six situation.
A three-and-out forced by the Lago Vista defense led to another quick score. Henderson and Morton connected for a 49-yard touchdown to increase the Vikings’ lead to 28-0 with 2:19 remaining in the second quarter.
A lost fumble by Taylor set Lago Vista up at the Taylor 19. But the Ducks kept the Vikings out of the end zone and the visitors settled for a 34-yard field goal from Zeke Moore with 1:48 left before halftime.
Lago Vista continued to pour it on in the third quarter. Henderson connected with Rothenbury for passes of 20 and 22 yards, respectively, with the latter going for the only score of the third quarter.
The Vikings added a 25-yard field goal from Moore and a 24-yard touchdown run from Archer Houston in the fourth quarter to cap their scoring. Caldwell hit Stokes for a 47-yard score with four minutes left in the contest to put Taylor on the scoreboard.
The Ducks visit La Grange at 7:30 p.m. Friday. It will be the final nondistrict contest for Taylor.
