If you could script the Rudder Rangers' victory over Brookshire Royal, it couldn't have been written more perfectly than it turned out Friday.

The 21-19 victory had a fourth-quarter rally. And it was highlighted by some of the same players who were stalwarts in last year's inaugural 0-8 season when Rudder's upperclassmen were all sophomores.

Tre Hammond scored the game-winning touchdown, and Matt Fritsche intercepted a pass to preserve it.

There was even a delay to add to the drama of what goes down as the original win for the Rangers.

"We didn't get started until 8:15," Rudder head coach C.M. Pier said of a lightning delay. "The kids handled that well. They are starting to grow up. They are starting to understand how important Friday night is. I've told them that all along, but now they truly understand it."

Rudder eventually won it with the kicking game, which provided the most remarkable turnaround story. The Rangers forced only one punt throughout the entire 2008 season with offenses having their way with the young squad.

On Friday, Rudder forced eight punts -- one more than the Rangers kicked -- and handled other areas of special teams well enough to beat Royal.

"The kicking game won it for us, with two blocked extra points and a two-point conversion," Pier said. "We had a bobbled snap, and Mike Jones picks it up and runs it in. That's the game. David Wilganowksi blocked the first PAT, and Domonique Robison blocked the second one.

"Tre Hammond did a good job on the punt return for us, which is something we didn't have last year."

The first victory had many contributors, though.

[Royal runior running back Brandon Williams] got loose a couple of times on us," Pier said. "I was really pound of ol' [Timothy] Kindle running him down on the 2, and we kept them out of the end zone. That was huge. [Williams] doesn't get caught, and I'm sure he was shocked. That's the kind of effort we needed."

It led to an excitement that Rudder players had never experienced.

"After Fritsche got that interception, you could feel the kids just trembling with excitement about what's getting ready to happen," Pier said. "When it happened, the lid just came off. They were so happy. It's hard to put it into words, really, after what those kids have been through. It was a good feeling."

Pier was greeted before the game by former Bryan coaches Marty Criswell and Sam Smith.

"[Marty] gave me some words of encouragement, and I appreciated that," Pier said. "It was a good night. It was good for the school and good for the community."

Pier was greeted after the game with a cold bath, splashed by his players with water. By Saturday morning, the Rudder head coach was collecting video on Hearne and evaluating his team's progress.

"It's all going up, from their football IQ, their physical ability and their thought process as it relates to the game," Pier said. "Fritsche's interception was a big-time part of that. Coach [Calvin] Hill had him there, and he did exactly what he was taught to do."

The celebration will probably carry though the weekend, admitted the Rudder coach.

"I told the kids to go home, enjoy yourself and enjoy this, but Monday, you've got to get ready for Hearne."