Highlanders get past Bryan

BRYAN, Texas – Chris Andritsos scored two touchdowns and The Woodlands High School football team came away from Bryan with a hard-fought 21-14 victory to remain unbeaten in District 14-5A play.

Andritsos scored on a 1-yard run in an explosive second quarter that saw both teams score twice. He added an 18-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter for what proved to be the margin of victory.

The Highlanders improve to 6-2 overall and 4-0 in district play while the Vikings slip to 2-7 and 0-5.

But it didn’t come easy.

Andritsos broke a scoreless tie with a short touchdown run. He set up the score with a 25-yard pass completion to Tyler Patrick. Andritsos completed nine of 19 passes for 110 yards. Patrick accounted for 78 of those yards on five catches.

The drive was set up by a Geoffrey Keating interception, the first of two Highlanders picks. Tyler Murphy got the other.

However, a pick-six the other way put Bryan on the scoreboard. The Highlanders were able to block the PAT kick attempt and hang on to a 7-6 lead.

That lead increased to 14-6 after the Highlanders drove 60 yards late in the second quarter. The scoring drive is capped off by a 6-yard touchdown run from Sterling Scott.

But the Vikings answered with a 31-yard touchdown pass in the final minute of the first half and then tied the game with a successful two-point conversion pass.

However, Andritsos answered with the game-winner late in the third quarter. The junior quarterback rushed for a game-high 142 yards on 24 carries.

Patrick Carr also added 106 rushing yards on 20 carries.

The Highlanders defense held Bryan to just 48 yards on the ground over 27 rushing attempts.

The Woodlands takes on College Park (4-4, 1-3) at 7:30 p.m. Friday in Woodforest Bank Stadium.