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The Elgin Wildcats held off a late rally by the Pflugerville Panthers to secure a thrilling 38-35 victory Friday, Sept. 27.
Sophomore quarterback Dylan Owens led the Wildcats with a stellar performance, throwing for 165 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for 97 yards.
Elgin struck first with a touchdown to take a 6-0 lead, but Pflugerville quickly responded, scoring on a touchdown drive and returning a fumble for another, making it 14-6.
Elgin answered right back, as Owens tossed a touchdown pass and a successful two-point conversion tied the game 14-14. Owens stayed hot, connecting on two more touchdown passes to give the Wildcats a 28-14 lead heading into halftime.
However, Pflugerville roared back in the third quarter, scoring twice to even the score at 28-28. The Wildcats regained control with a pivotal touchdown and field goal to go up 38-28 before their defense locked down in the fourth quarter, allowing just one more Panthers touchdown.
Owens' top target was junior wide receiver Gary Jefferson Jr., who racked up 125 receiving yards and a touchdown. On defense, senior defensive back Noddyn Bailey led the charge with 12 tackles, including two for loss.
With the win, Elgin improves to 2-3 overall and remains undefeated in district play at 2-0. After a bye week, the Wildcats will face a tough road test against Liberty Hill Friday, Oct. 11 at 7:30 p.m.
Upcoming games
• Oct. 4 BYE
• Oct. 11 at Liberty Hill 7:30 p.m.
• Oct. 18 vs. Austin Crockett 7:30 p.m.
