SAN ANTONIO — For the fans of Ingram Tom Moore High School football, the waiting and wondering of when the Warriors would finally break through with a signature win had their wishes fulfilled on Friday night with a superb 24-17 victory over 8-2 Hondo in the bi-district round of the UIL 3A Division I playoffs on Thursday night at Comlander Stadium.

Ingram’s defense turned in a dominating performance against a Hondo team that handled some of the Warriors’ previous nemeses, including Blanco and Crystal City, which raced past Ingram during the non-district season.

However, this is a different Ingram team, shaped by its defense and junior quarterback Logan Spalding, who finished the night 24-of-37 passing for 313 yards and three touchdowns. Ingram’s defense held the Owls to 191 yards of total offense, including 75 yards in the second half.

It was a joyous celebration for the Warriors, who won their first playoff game since 2014 and their only fifth playoff win in the program’s 45-year history.

“I mean, they played their hearts out, didn’t they?” said Ingram Tom Moore, coach Tate DeMasco, who has guided the Warriors to back-to-back playoff appearances. “We had a lot of three-and-outs (on defense) and that gave time for the offense to get their footing.”

Neither team had a remarkable first half, but Hondo converted a field goal late in the second quarter to take a 9-7 halftime lead. Ingram took advantage of a fumbled kick return to open the second half and then marched down the field to see Christian Carranza confidently boot a 38-yard field goal to give the Warriors a 10-9 lead with 10:36 left in the third quarter.

Hondo scored later in the third quarter when Mason Martinez scooped up a Spalding fumble and made a short run into the endzone. The Owls scored on a 2-point conversion for a 17-10 lead with 4:04 left in the third quarter.

Ingram answered back with back-to-back scoring drives, the first capped with a 20-yard touchdown pass from Spalding to Josh Woodruff and the final touchdown of the night on a 28-yard strike from Spalding to Hunter Cobb.

Then there were the unsung heroes, including receiver JJ Stewart and running back Will Symm. Both kept drives alive with key first downs, including Symm’s backbreaking 29-yard run that practically sealed the win for the Warriors in the waning minutes of the fourth quarter.