DUBLIN – For the second time this season, an opponent reached the century mark in points against Richland Springs as the Coyotes’ hopes for a third straight appearance in the Class A Division II state championship game were dashed by the Strawn Greyhounds, 100-54, Friday night in state semifinal action.
Region IV champion and third-ranked Richland Springs (10-2) yielded touchdowns on 13 of 14 offensive possessions by Region III champion and second-ranked Strawn (14-0). Meanwhile, the Coyotes offense reached the end zone on just seven of 13 drives as three ended in turnovers, two were stuffed and the Greyhounds forced a punt as well.
Strawn generated 612 yards of total offense on 49 snaps, averaging 12.4 yards per play. The Greyhounds rushed for 521 yards led by 350 yards and seven touchdowns on 23 carries from Grayson Rigdon. Griffin Rigdon tacked on 117 yards and three scores on nine rushes, and Lorenzo Garcia contributed 54 yards and two touchdowns on the ground.
Through the air, Grayson Rigdon completed 3 of 4 passes for 93 yards while Evan Williams was 1 of 2 with a 33-yard scoring strike to Justice Baker. Williams led Strawn with two catches for 20 yards and Payton Harris hauled in a 21-yard reception.
Richland Springs compiled 374 total yards – 236 on the ground and 138 through the air – but committed 30 percent of its 10 turnovers for the season in the finale.
Jadeyn Bryant rushed for 182 yards and three touchdowns and completed 5 of 12 passes for 117 yards with three scoring tosses and an interception. Zane Capps chipped in 50 yards on the ground, completed 2 of 4 passes for 22 yards with an 8-yard scoring strike to Jayden Sutherland, and hauled in two receptions for 59 yards, including a 60-yard touchdown from Bryant.
Cohen Tharp led the Coyotes with three catches for 44 yards and a touchdown, Lane Garcia caught a 21-yard pass, Nick Nilson hauled in a 3-yard scoring reception, and Keston Lusty chipped in 4 yards on the ground.
The Greyhounds grabbed a quick 14-0 lead on touchdown runs of 23 and 5 yards by Grayson Rigdon to open the game, with a Richland Springs interception on its only snap sandwiched between.
Bryant’s 75-yard kick return for a touchdown put Richland Springs on the board, 14-6, and the Coyotes later trailed 22-14 when the lone defensive stop of the game was made with 1:05 left in the first period.
Richland Springs took over at its own 36 with a chance to draw even, and advanced to the Strawn 30. There, on fourth-and-1, an errant pitch back to Bryant resulted in a fumble – the Coyotes’ second giveaway of the first period. On the next snap, Grayson Rigdon scored on a 33-yard scamper to boost Strawn’s lead to 28-14, and Richland Springs got no closer than eight points the rest of the contest.
Trailing 52-34 at halftime, Richland Springs failed to produce points on its first three possessions of the third quarter, as Strawn padded its cushion to 72-34, essentially icing the outcome of the game.
The Greyhounds enforced the 45-point mercy rule with 3:49 left in the fourth period following a 53-yard scoring sprint by Griff Rigdon and Max Hopkins’ two-point kick.
The Coyotes ousted Strawn in the state semifinals in 2020 and 2019 – as Richland Springs went on to earn its state-record ninth six-man title two years ago. Richland Springs is now 229-13 in 18 combined seasons under head coach Jerry Burkhart.
Strawn will advance to face No. 1 Motley County (14-0) – a 66-20 winner over Klondike Thursday night – in the Class A Division II state championship game at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 15 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.
