Lakeway – A dominant third quarter carried Lake Travis to a 52-24 win over Buda Johnson to open District 26-6A play Friday night.

Sparked by a fourth-down sack of Johnson quarterback Carson McMullin by linebackers Everett Underhill and Markus Boswell, 8th-ranked Lake Travis (3-0, 1-0) broke open a closer-than-expected game that saw the Cavaliers lead 24-10 at the half in which the Jaguars (1-2, 0-1) rolled up 248 yards of offense.

“We went into the locker room knowing we should have been blowing these guys out,” a confident Underhill said. “(Defensive coordinator Ryan) Luedecke told us we had to take our pretty gear off and just go hit them in the mouth, so that’s what we did.”

After Underhill and Boswell’s sack, Lake Travis outgained Johnson 162-12 and scored 21 straight points.

“The defense stepping up and getting that stop really motivated us,” Lake Travis quarterback Kadyn Leon said.

“It was important for us to respond after halftime and make sure that we squashed any momentum that they might have had after we got stopped going into the half,” Lake Travis coach Hank Carter said. “I think the coaches made some good adjustments on both sides of the ball and the kids put them into action.”

Leon rushed for a 55-yard touchdown and hit Seth Galbraith for a 32-yard score in the quarter, but sophomore running back Vann Hopping stole the show.

Added the varsity roster on Thursday when the Cavaliers learned they’d be without top running backs Nico Hamilton and Marcion Williamson, Hopping enjoyed a varsity debut that left his more experienced teammates – not to mention coaches – smiling.

‘Vann Hopping is a dog,” Leon said. “He stepped up into that role tonight and he did great with three touchdowns in his varsity debut, which is pretty cool.”

“We have a ton of confidence in Vann,” Carter said. “We wanted to let the game come to him and I think he proved tonight why he got the opportunity he did.”

Hopping gained 102 of his 128 yards after halftime and scored three touchdowns, an outing that lived up to his wildest dreams. He set up his final touchdown with a 43-yard run to convert a third down.

“I like to dream big, so I thought something like this might happen,” Hopping said after the game. “They told me that I might get a lot of reps tonight. I liked getting the consistent yards but that last one definitely got me excited.”

Hopping’s performance came in the Cavaliers’ best offensive game of the young season. After scoring just 33 points in wins over Arlington Martin and Cibolo Steele, Lake Travis scored on its first four drives of each half, and Leon passed for a season-high 181 yards and two scores, numbers that might have been better if not for a few drops on well-thrown passes. He completed 13 of 20 but had four passes go off his receivers’ hands. He didn’t let it affect him.

“Coming off of the last two weeks, our plan was to throw it more,” Leon said. “I need to get the ball out quicker and get it to the playmakers, and that’s what we focused on and that’s what we did.”

Seth Galbraith caught three passes for 84 yards and a score and Dylan Cullers made a season-high three catches for 48 yards, including a key 22-yard grab to convert a 3rd and 15 early in the third quarter.

“I told the receivers that I was going to keep coming to them,” Leon, who also rushed or 119 yards and two scores, said. “I don’t worry about the drops. I trust them. They are my guys.”

Kael Hadnot had a big game for Buda Johnson, rushing for 198 yards, including a 56-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter, on 20 carries. He also opened the game with a 38-yard completion to Hudson Taylor on a trick play.