Judson Defeats Wagner 56–27 in Return of Hammer Bowl

CONVERSE, Texas — Judson delivered a dominant performance Saturday morning, defeating Wagner 56–27 at D.W. Rutledge Stadium in the return of the Hammer Bowl.

The Rockets entered the matchup at 1–2 and were coming off a 51–41 victory over Clemens. Wagner entered at 1–2 after falling to Steele the previous week. By the final whistle, Judson had picked up its second consecutive victory and improved to 2–2, while Wagner dropped to 1–3.

The matchup marked the return of the Hammer Bowl after a six-year absence. The rivalry began when Wagner High School opened, and a large hammer trophy was created to symbolize the winner of the annual matchup. With UIL realignment placing the two schools in the same district, the rivalry returned Saturday.

Judson's offense controlled the game throughout the afternoon, scoring a season-high 56 points. The Rockets' balanced attack was led by running back Kayden Graham, who rushed for 234 yards and three touchdowns on 19 carries. Quarterback Joseph Dimando also had a standout performance, throwing for 302 yards and five touchdowns on just 16 pass attempts.

The Rockets continued to build on their offensive momentum from their previous two games, averaging 53.5 points across their last two victories. Judson had scored 51 points against Clemens the week before Saturday's rivalry matchup.

Wagner struggled to keep pace with Judson's offense as the Rockets maintained control throughout the game. The Thunderbirds ultimately finished with 27 points but were unable to take the lead at any point during the matchup.

The victory gave Judson the Hammer Trophy in the rivalry's return and moved the Rockets to 2–2 on the season. Wagner fell to 1–3 following its second consecutive loss.

Both teams will have an extra week to prepare for their next games. Judson will face Pieper at 7:30 p.m. on October 9, while Wagner will take on East Central at 7:30 p.m. that same night.

Saturday's matchup brought back one of the area's longtime football rivalries, and Judson made the most of its return. The Rockets' high-powered offense and strong passing and rushing performances helped them secure a 56–27 victory and take the Hammer Trophy back to Judson.