Hargrave charged into the playoffs with a night that highlighted their star running back, obtaining a 57-43 win over Livingston Friday in Huffman.
Livingston's final football action of the year was a fun one if you enjoy offense. Touchdowns were scored on 14 of the 26 total drives. Both teams had success on the ground, but the Falcons were nearly unstoppable late in the contest.
Livingston (4-6, 1-5) kept pace in the first quarter, matching a pair of Hargrave touchdowns. Quarterback Jax Ruiz finished off the first Livingston drive with a two-yard run, while Taylor Haynes went for 47 yards in the opening moments of the second quarter, tying the game at 14.
The Falcons’ (5-5, 4-2) spread offense would end the half with a couple of scores to make it 28-14 at the break.
The first possession of the third quarter produced points for the Lions, as Ruiz tossed to Zayden Martin for 54 yards on 3rd-and-long to close within a touchdown.
However, Hargrave began to serve a lot of Bacon.
Senior back Drayden Bacon scored four of his six touchdowns in the second half. He would end the game with 338 yards on 27 carries. That topped his production versus the Lions last season, when he ran for a mere 320 yards and four touchdowns.
Add in 231 yards and two touchdown passes from the district's leading quarterback in senior James Nevil, it would prove to be a winning combination.
Lion second half end zone entrances included Zyleer King on a 43-yard run, a second touchdown from Haynes from 39 yards out, and a 17-yard screen pass to Haynes. Passes were completed to Robert Pullido for two-point conversions on each of the final two touchdowns.
Haynes led the team with 148 yards in 14 totes. King also ran the ball well, totaling 99 yards in just seven carries. Ruiz had more rushing attempts than he has all year, with 72 yards on 10 carries. After a slow first half going 2-for-6 with 11 yards in the air, he found receivers with consistency in the final two periods. The sophomore finished with 138 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.
Another season complete, the Lions doubled their win total from 2025 and registered a district triumph. The defense made large strides in one year. They were the reason for a few wins and kept the team in some of the games where they fell short. A big portion of the offensive and defensive lines graduate, but many skill position starters should return to build for 2027.
