Arp, Texas – The Arp Tigers delivered a decisive 54-7 victory over the Shelbyville Dragons in a non-district football game held Friday at Herrington Stadium. The win marked the Tigers' Homecoming celebration, where Kennedy Richter was crowned Homecoming Queen during pregame ceremonies.
Arp's strong performance pushed their season record to an undefeated 4-0, while Shelbyville sustained their first loss of the year, moving to 3-1.
Quarterback Ty Langley and running back Tanner Hunt were pivotal for the Tigers' offense. Langley completed 10 of 14 passes for 90 yards and one touchdown, while adding 105 rushing yards and another touchdown on nine carries. He also contributed a two-point conversion run. Hunt led the ground game with 158 yards and four touchdowns on 17 attempts. Receivers Layton Shelburne and Grayson Spoon contributed to the air attack, with Shelburne catching three passes for 32 yards and Spoon securing two receptions for 23 yards.
The Tigers established a quick lead, scoring 21 points in the first quarter, all within the final five minutes of the period. Hunt initiated the scoring with a 36-yard touchdown run at the 5:00 mark, followed by Grayson Spoon's extra point for a 7-0 advantage. Noah Beck then extended the lead with a 20-yard run into the end zone at 2:22. The subsequent extra point attempt was unsuccessful, making the score 13-0. On the quarter's final play, Langley scored on a 2-yard run, and Beck added the two-point conversion, bringing Arp's lead to 21-0.
Arp continued its scoring into the second quarter, as Langley connected with Spoon for a one-handed touchdown catch with 6:39 remaining. The extra-point attempt was blocked, setting the score at 27-0. Shelbyville responded when Gavin McDonald scored from the 1-yard line. Edwin Vasquez's PAT narrowed Arp's lead to 27-7 with 3:05 until halftime. Before the break, Hunt scored his second touchdown from the 3-yard line, and Langley added a two-point conversion, making the halftime score 35-7.
The Tigers further extended their lead in the third quarter with two more touchdowns from Hunt. He scored on an 8-yard run at 4:27, with Spoon converting the extra point, and again on a 42-yard run at 2:46, also followed by a Spoon PAT. This brought the score to 49-7. In the fourth quarter, Arp added five more points. A safety was recorded when a snap sailed over the Shelbyville punter’s head, making the score 51-7. Grayson Spoon then concluded the game's scoring with a 27-yard field goal, solidifying the 54-7 final score.
On the defensive side, Liam Lemmel and Hudson Orpineda each recorded a sack for Arp. Cale Bedard contributed significantly with an interception and also caused a fumble.
Arp is scheduled to play again on Friday, traveling to face Timpson (3-1) at 7 p.m. The Shelbyville Dragons will host Grace Community (1-3) on Friday, with kickoff also slated for 7 p.m.
