Digby and Thompson dominate as Cardinals beat Bronte, 59-20

HERMLEIGH — Junior Jonathan Digby said his performance in Hermleigh’s 59-20 homecoming win over Bronte was part of the “process.”
Digby finished with 182 yards rushing and another 189 through the air and was responsible for seven touchdowns — four rushing and three passing — as the Cardinals improved to 2-4 on the season. Hermleigh will take that momentum into the District 4-1A Division 1 opener on Friday against Aspermont at Cardinal Stadium.
“We knew we were better than them. It is all part of the process we are doing here,” Digby said. “We are getting hot right now and are starting to fall in love with football. Everyone is contributing.”
Head coach Sam Winters has instilled the “process” approach after reading a book by Alabama head coach Nick Saban.
“They are working hard and are starting to fall in love with the process. They are now believing in it,” he said.
It took a halftime pep talk for Winters’ message to sink in. The two teams were tied at 20-20 and Hermleigh’s defense, led by a 22-tackle performance of Tyler Thompson which according to Winters, is a new school record, shut down the Longhorn offense. In the third quarter, Hermleigh scored five times and finished with 169 total yards while the defense held Bronte to 15 total yards.
“That is how you come out and play defense,” Winters said. “We took it right at them and I am so proud of how these kids played.”
Winters admitted the tide changed in the second quarter when Rance Siler, Bronte’s leading rusher, left the game with an ankle injury. At the time of his injury, Siler had two touchdown runs of 47 and 65 yards and 150 yards rushing.
“That just shows what type of player he is. His injury changed the game. We knew then that we were going to be faster than them,” Winters said.
Bronte (1-5) got on the board first with a 17-yard touchdown run by Aiden Beck four minutes into the game.
The Cardinals took their first lead on a Mateo Clement 9-yard reception from Stetson Digby. Gavin Chavez caught Jonathan Digby’s one-point conversion pass to give Hermleigh the 7-6 lead.
With Bronte leading 12-7, Stetson Digby caught a 61-yard touchdown pass and Tyler Thompson later caught a 6-yard pass touchdown pass, both from Jonathan Digby, to give Hermleigh a 20-12 leadwith 5:34 left in the half.
Siler’s 65-yard touchdown run in the final minute, along with Teegan Minjarez’ 2-point kick, tied the game at 20-20.
Jonathan Digby scored on four touchdown runs in the third quarter and Patrick Carr added a 1-yard run which helped Hermleigh pull away, 52-20, heading into the fourth quarter.
Jonathan Digby had one scoring play left, a 24-yard pass to Thompson with 6:36 left in the game.
The Cardinals finished with 384 total yards in a game Winters called the best of the season.
“We played one of our best games of the season and it came at the right time,” he said.