KERRVILLE, Texas — On a night with deep meaning for Kerrville and Kerr County, Tivy High School’s football team came out fast on Friday night, held on through some ragged stretches in the third quarter, and ultimately rolled to a 41-20 over Del Rio season-opening victory in front of a near-capacity home crowd at Antler Stadium.
Quarterback Collin Rose led the Antlers by throwing for two touchdowns and running for a 69-yard score in the fourth quarter that sealed the win in coach Curtis Neill’s debut at Tivy.
Emotional Pre-Game Ceremony
The 2025 season opener carried special significance for the Kerrville community. The pre-game festivities, which included a flyover by Texas National Guard helicopters that were heavily involved in rescuing people during the July 4 flood, helped draw a large crowd of dignitaries, elected officials, and first responders. However, nature had other plans as the game was delayed nearly 30 minutes as lightning moved through the area.
Fast Start Sets the Tone
When it did start, Tivy wasted little time electrifying the crowd when senior running back Steven Collier raced 54 yards on the opening play to put the ball on the Del Rio 21-yard line. Five players later, Aiden Zavala scored from 10 yards out, one of three touchdowns for the junior running back.
The Antlers continued their offensive assault on their next possession. Rose found Zavala for a 2-yard passing score that capped a 17-play, 87-yard drive. Despite the success, penalties proved costly throughout the game.
Penalty Problems
Coach Neill acknowledged his team’s discipline issues after the victory. “We’re going to work on personal fouls,” Neill said. “That’s uncharacteristic for us.” The Antlers had nine penalties for 90 yards, but three were personal fouls.
An illegal man downfield call cost the Antlers a spectacular catch and run score by senior receiver President Calamaco, who erupted for a 69-yard catch that was negated. Despite the penalty, Calamaco was impressive with 10 catches for 115 yards and a 25-yard scoring catch that helped the Antlers to build a 21-0 lead with 10:39 left in the first half.
Del Rio’s Third Quarter Rally
Del Rio started to claw its way back in the third quarter after scoring a late first-half score to cut Tivy’s halftime lead to 21-7. Del Rio scored on its second and third possessions of the third quarter to cut Tivy’s lead to 24-20.
The momentum shift was brief as the Antlers answered with a 50-yard kick return by Brodie Dale that helped set up the last of Zavala’s three touchdowns.
Sealing the Victory
The Antlers put the game away in the fourth quarter with key scores. With 6:59 left in the game, Jake Zirkel connected on a 22-yard field goal to give the Antlers a 34-20 boost. Zirkel converted on a 37-yard field goal earlier in the half and he made all five extra points.
Rose then delivered the knockout punch with his 69-yard touchdown run that sealed the victory for the Antlers.
Statistical Dominance
Rose finished the game 24-of-30 passing with 222 yards. The Antlers rolled up 522 yards of total offense, dominating the game time of possession by running 70 plays against the Rams.
Coach Neill’s Debut
“I absolutely love it for our kids,” Neill said after his successful debut as Tivy’s head coach. The veteran coach saw his team overcome early penalties and a third-quarter scare to deliver a convincing victory in front of the home crowd.
Looking Ahead
Tivy hits the road next week to face Comal Davenport in a non-district matchup. With 522 yards of total offense and a balanced attack featuring multiple playmakers, the Antlers have shown they have the tools to compete at a high level in 2025.
The emotional victory, played in front of a community still recovering from summer floods, provided a perfect start to what promises to be an exciting season under Coach Neill’s leadership.
The Antlers will travel to face Comal Davenport next Friday in their second game of the 2025 season.
