In a disheartening loss to the Round Rock Dragons on Friday, Oct. 18, the Warriors went their seventh year in a row without winning the battle of the bell. This rivalry tradition began in 1981 when Round Rock High School split into two with the new foundation of Westwood. The battle for the bell was originally over the old Round Rock High School bell and is a testament to which Round Rock School truly is the one to deserve the bell that began it all. 

“It was definitely a very high-energy game,” Tillman Subocz ‘26 said. “We were ready to play, but sometimes it doesn’t work out the way you planned.”

Once the yearly pomp and circumstance of the homecoming festivities came to an end, the crowds on both sides of the field were electrified, cheering as each team emerged from the tunnels where the ball game began. Receiving the first kick, the Warriors prepared their offense for a powerful first drive to take the lead in a game with such high stakes. However, two dropped passes and a forced fumble put the Dragons on the 20 with a head full of steam. But the Warriors would not let them score so easily. The secondary stepped up blocking out two of Round Rock’s passes, forcing a turnover on downs at the three, and preventing any early points from the Dragon Offense. This cycle continued through the first quarter as neither team could find a foothold to get themselves on the board, eventually ending the quarter 0-0 as each team left points on the field.

“We were planning on executing more on the offensive side,” Subocz said. “[We were] in the hopes of turning things around, [but] unfortunately, we did not have too many completions [to back it up].”

In the second quarter, the Warrior defense faltered, and the offense could not pick up the slack. The second play of the quarter ended in a touchdown pass by the Dragons to score the first seven points of the game. These misplays did not stop here as the Warriors gained four yards over their next two possessions. The low yardage and reactive plays by the Warriors’ secondary gave way to another touchdown by the Dragons. Fortunately for the Warriors, pressure from the special teams caused a missed point after attempt, which set the game 13-0. With their biggest attendance of the year and the crowd waiting for a big moment, the Warriors had to make a comeback,  A defensive stand and a bad snap in the last minute of the half gave the Warriors the ball in Dragon territory with one goal: to score. Finally, in a wildcat formation, Drew Norrell ‘27 at quarterback slammed in the first touchdown, setting the score 13-7 at the end of the half.

“We just had to maintain our focus,” Coach Dezmunn Williams said. “We missed some plays that we should have made, but sometimes that’s just how the play goes up.”

Unfortunately for the Warriors, once the homecoming court had been announced at the half, neither the offense nor defense could seem to get a grip as Round Rock scored three touchdowns throughout the third quarter, the first of which on the primary kickoff to start the half. Continuing the Warriors’ string of bad luck, this unforgiving play style they had to face shifted the momentum for the rest of the game. The Warriors continued to fumble the ball and drop passes each drive they had, ending any hope of a comeback before the game was even close to over. Crestfallen, the Warriors took the field for another quarter, but no progress was made, even as the stands rumbled and passes began to be completed. Fighting hard to stay on the field, Subocz continued to zip passes at his receivers steadily moving downfield. But still, the Warriors were not able to score, eventually ending the game 37-7.

“Everyone else’s focus was on the battle of the bell,” Coach Williams said. “To us, it’s just another game on the schedule where we had to go out there and play football.”

The Warriors will play once more against the Stony Point Tigers on Friday, Oct. 25 at Stony Point to try and secure one last win before the imminent end of the season.