Dayton and Waller squared off Friday night with a trip to the 4A state semifinals and the Class 4A Division II Region III title on the line. With seconds to go, the Dayton defense came up with a big hit and a fumble recovery to stop a potential game tying drive by Waller and come away with a 28-21 win.

Dayton was able to get on the board first when Paul Fontenot hauled in a 30-yard pass down the left sideline for a Bronco touchdown as they went up 6-0. The Dayton offense did their part early on, and not long after their first score, John Gable picked off a Jeremy Phillips pass and found his way all the way down to the Waller 7-yard line. Moments later Jeffery Summers scored on a 7-yard touchdown catch putting Dayton up 14-0.

Waller once again found the going tough as the Dayton defense kept the pressure on holding Waller on a fourth and two.  Dayton then took over and marched down the field on a 65-yard drive that was capped with a Gable 9-yard run at the 4:41 mark of the second quarter. The half soon came to a close and Dayton took their three-touchdown lead into halftime. 

In the second half Waller came out and scored three touchdowns to tie the game.  Dayton turned the ball over twice and Waller took full advantage by scoring 14 points off the turnovers. Seven of those points came on a third quarter Eddie Brown 1-yard touchdown run leaving the score at 21-6. The next Dayton turnover led to a Phillips 7-yard touchdown run and a Waller two-point conversion that left the Bulldogs down 21-14.

“We felt they would come out and make a run,” Dayton coach Jerry Stewart said. “They got the ball three times on our side of the fifty and we thought if we got them on our side of the field we would be alright because we could play some defense.” Waller’s defense chipped in by holding Dayton on their next possession and forcing a punt. Brown then finished off a 56-yard Waller drive with a 6-yard touchdown run that tied the game at 21-21 with just over 11 minutes left in the game. Dayton came fighting back and with 5:43 left in the game A.J. Dugat took a short pass and headed up field for a 32-yard gain leaving the Broncos with a first and goal at the Waller 2-yard line. The very next play Dugat gave Dayton the lead for good by scoring from 2-yards out. “We work hard year around and this is what we play for,” said Dugat.  Waller was able to take the ball deep into Dayton territory with under a minute left but Phillips fumbled after taking a tremendous hit. Dayton recovered and ran out the clock giving them the 28-21 win.

“I didn’t think they were going to come back like that but our defense held up in the end,” said Dayton’s Jonathan Pittsenbargar. 
Dayton

Passing: Gregory Charles -12-23, 191 yards – 2 TD

Rushing: John Gable - 7-32 yards, 1TD

Receiving: A.J. Dugat 5-89 yards

Waller

Passing: Jeremy Phillips - 9-19, 110 yards – 1 Interception

Rushing: Jeremy Phillips – 21-89 yards – 1 TD

Receiving: Joplo Bartu – 4-55 yards

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