GOLDTHWAITE – The Zephyr Bulldogs’ rise from the ashes in 2022 reached its conclusion, as the nine-time state champion Richland Springs Coyotes kicked off another postseason run with a 61-16 Class A Division II Region IV bi-district victory here Friday night.
Zephyr (9-2), the champion of District 15, saw its nine-game win streak halted as District 15 runner-up Richland Springs (8-1) – which did not claim a league title for the first time in 20 years – jumped out to a 22-8 lead after one quarter which grew to 46-16 by halftime.
Richland Springs finished with 374 yards of total offense – all on the ground – as the Coyotes attempted just one pass. Zephyr mustered 195 yards – 169 rushing and 26 passing – and coughed the ball up once, the same amount of times as Richland Springs.
Leading the way for the Coyotes offense was Billy Perry, who churned out 243 rushing yards and six touchdowns on 18 carries. Keston Lusty tacked on 95 yards and two trips to the end zone on nine rushes. Also contributing on the ground were Hutton Rogers with 27 yards, Cohen Tharp with 7 and Jayden Sutherland with two.
Cody Martin converted 5 of 10 two-point kicks for the Coyote offense.
Stalwarts of the defensive front for Richland Springs were Tharp with 8.5 tackles, Lusty with 5.5, Rogers with four, Sutherland and Kenny Triplett with 3.5 each, Perry with three, Jeremiah Beam with two, Jim Eckerman with 1.5 and Martin with one tackle.
For Zephyr, Tripp Ballard was the top rusher with 82 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries, while Karsen Floyd chipped in 59 yards and crossed the goal line once on seven totes. Eathan Gowin chipped in 16 yards, Waggoner Shelton finished with 7, and leading rusher Jayden Millican carried the ball just once for 5 yards.
Through the air for the Bulldogs, Bransen Bumguardner completed 3 of 10 passes for 26 yards – two to Shelton for 22 yards and a 4-yard gain to Ballard.
Jacob Nixon converted both two-point kicks for the Bulldogs.
Defensive standouts for Zephyr included Floyd with nine tackles, Ballard with seven, Shelton with three, Trapper Schoenhals with two and Corbin Brown, Corbon Gosnell and Ethan Byers with one tackle each.
Zephyr’s season concluded with nine victories after winning just once the past two campaigns, including a winless 2021.
Richland Springs’ year continues as the Coyotes will clash with District 13 champion Loraine (10-1) – a 56-0 winner over Panther Creek (4-7) Friday night – in the Class A Division II Region IV semifinals next week.
