Waller 47, Conroe 24: Gaines Throws for 426 Yards, 4 TDs as Bulldogs Stay Perfect 3-0

Waller Sentinel (follow us on Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/WallerSentinel)

CONROE, Texas (Sept. 11, 2026) — The Waller Bulldogs walked into Buddy Moorhead Stadium at 2-0 and left 3-0 after a 47-24 non-district win over the Conroe Tigers on Friday night, the third straight week they have put up more than 40 points.

The official stats are the blunt version of what the crowd saw: 644 yards of offense, 426 of them through the air, and a 33-10 lead by halftime. Junior quarterback Tristin “TK” Gaines completed 16 of 21 passes for 426 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions, and ran for another score.

“Man, it’s a new age,” head coach Marcus Mendoza said about leading the Waller Bulldogs. “I always saw the diamond in the rough, and I told people that all the time. Some people think this was a place that would never win and never amount to anything, but I always saw what was coming and what would stay true when you start putting a standard together that kids believe in. These kids are taking over the team.”

How the 47 points happened

Conroe struck first. A 34-yard field goal at 8:27 in the first quarter made it 3-0. Waller answered in 20 seconds. Gaines found senior Glowin Mbobile for a touchdown. Junior kicker Omar Alvarez’s extra point was blocked, and the Bulldogs led 6-3.

Senior running back Dariyin Smith made it 12-3 on a rushing touchdown at 5:16. Alvarez’s PAT was blocked again. Gaines finished the quarter himself, keeping it 28 yards for a touchdown at 1:13. Alvarez converted that one. Waller 19, Conroe 3 after one.

Conroe cut it to 19-10 on a rushing touchdown at 8:54 of the second. Smith answered immediately. At 7:57 he broke a 60-yard run for his second score of the night. Alvarez made it 26-10.

With 34 seconds left in the half, Gaines hit senior Michael Tshitenge from 7 yards. Alvarez’s kick made it 33-10 at the break.

The only third-quarter score was Gaines to freshman Makhy Adams, 42 yards, at 4:36. Waller 40, Conroe 10.

Gaines’ fourth touchdown pass was a 33-yarder to senior Kyle Bice at 7:54 of the fourth. Alvarez’s kick put the board at 47-10, the number that held until Conroe scored twice late against Waller’s reserves. Final: Waller 47, Conroe 24.

Scoring by quarter

Statistics

Official Waller totals: 218 rushing, 426 passing, 644 yards. Conroe was held to 297 yards (184 rush, 113 pass). Turnover ratio even — one fumble each, no interceptions.

Gaines’ line as quarterback: 16-of-21, 426 yards, 4 TD, 0 INT, 76.2 percent, long of 82. He also ran seven times for 81 yards and the 28-yard score.

Smith carried nine times for 128 yards and two touchdowns (long 60). Adams caught three balls for 171 yards and a touchdown (long 66). Mbobile had four catches for 130 yards and a touchdown (long 82) and 179 all-purpose yards. Tshitenge caught six for 81 yards and a touchdown and added 124 all-purpose yards. Bice’s only catch was the 33-yard score.

Alvarez finished 5-of-7 on extra points after the two first-quarter blocks and kicked off eight times for a 47.4-yard average.

Scoring: Smith 12, Bice 6, Mbobile 6, Adams 6, Gaines 6, Tshitenge 6, Alvarez 5.

“(I) trust in my O-line. My O-line did great today. It gave me great protection,” Gaines said. “(I) trust in my receivers, building the chemistry in the offseason, spring ball. And then we just got to go out there and prove it. Like Coach Mendoza be saying — go out there and prove it.”

The 24 points, and what Mendoza actually saw

The final score does not match what Mendoza thought of his defense. He said the unit played well but still handed Conroe free chances in the first half.

“(The) defense is doing great,” he said. “The thing is, we had what I call ‘donkey moments’ in the first half of just giving them free opportunities to continue to move the ball and go down field. We had a fourth and long behind the 50, and we jumped offsides and gave them the ball back, which they started going down and got a field goal. The next one, we’re third and five, and then we do the same thing. I think we did it three times in one drive, and that’s the one that they went and scored on.”

Those are the plays he said will catch Waller later if they are not cleaned up before district.

“It’s that mental part, that toughness, that big moment with what we tell them,” Mendoza said. “The stuff that’s going to catch up with us later in the season if we don’t finish it right now.”

He also noted the late Conroe scores came after Waller rolled in the twos. “Those guys got to be able to make some plays as well. It’s a team game, so we got to count on everybody.”

Tackle leaders vs. Conroe:

• Trace Geigley — 14 tackles (5 solo, 9 assists), 1 TFL
• Mackenzie Dean — 7
• Deshune McGary — 7
• Dezma Fraizer — 6, 1 TFL
• Landen Ross — 5, 1 TFL (8 yards)
• Weston Hubertus — 5
• Traelon Jones — 4

Sacks went to Ross, Chase Harris, and Brinon Johnson, one each. McGary had two pass breakups. Ross led the team with three quarterback hurries and forced and recovered a fumble. Hubertus punted twice for a 30-yard average.

Through three games Waller has scored 128 points and allowed 30 (41-6 over Aldine Davis, 40-0 over Spring, 47-24 here).

“Waller’s coming”

Gaines is a Waller kid talking to a Waller crowd that made the hour-plus drive.

“I grew up here. I’m from a small town. My family’s born and raised here. I’m born and raised here,” he said. “So it’s amazing having the fans come out, (and) support us. The community’s awesome. So it’s amazing being a quarterback at Waller.”

Asked how many colleges have been in contact, he did not hedge.

“Right now, I have 25 Division I offers.”

He said some of the linemen have been blocking for him since his freshman year.

“We’ve been building big trust with each other. We’re all bought in. And we care for each other. We love each other like a family. We’re in a fight for each other. So that’s what it’s all about.”

His closer, unprompted: “Waller’s coming. We’re coming big. We’re coming strong.”

Mendoza pointed past the scoreboard to the same thing.

“The things that you guys don’t see that’s special is what they do off the field,” he said. “How great they are in the classroom, how great they are in the community, things they’re doing outside of just football. They’re being a true team and understanding the standard that we give them, and that’s why we’re seeing the success we have right now.”

He said the stands, the band, and the cheerleaders all felt louder than they used to, and that the program is traveling.

“Everybody is looking forward to the Friday nights,” Mendoza said. “It’s just an exciting time in Waller. Everybody is just talking about the football program. Our social media is just awesome. Our community, people in the stands. We travel really well. Even these last two weeks, it’s over an hour drive. But people are coming out because they want to see what we build and what we’re doing out here.”

“Kudos to the coaches. Kudos to the players,” he added. “Everybody tries to put a bubble around what I’m doing. It’s the staff and the buy-in from everybody else. That’s what’s making us great right now.”

Next: a bye, then district

Waller does not play next Friday. District 23-6A opens Sept. 25 against Fulshear. Currently, Dave Campbell’s Texas Football has the Bulldogs favored by a touchdown.

Mendoza’s two-week list is short.

“We’ve got to get healthy. We’ve been playing some physical football lately. And we’ve got to get our guys some rest,” he said. “We have a plan of what we’re going to do for the bye week. But still, not taking really too much off and then locking in on the execution part. That’s what we’re going to need to do in order to keep this run going. And once we start getting into district where it starts counting, these next games for the rest of the season are the big ones and the ones that are going to count.”

Gaines’ version of the same assignment: prove it, one week at a time.

“Going out there and proving to the district, to the state, that we’re the number one team in the district,” he said. “Just go 1-and-0 every week, prepare the right way, and just go out there and win.”

Waller is 3-0. Conroe is 1-2. The Bulldogs have scored 128 points and allowed 30 in three weeks.

Go Bulldogs.

Box (Waller vs. Conroe, official coaching staff sheet, through Sept. 15, 2026)

Score: Waller 47, Conroe 24
Site: Buddy Moorhead Stadium, Conroe
Quarters: Waller 19-14-7-7 — Conroe 3-7-0-14

Waller offense: 218 rush, 426 pass, 644 total
Waller defense: 184 rush allowed, 113 pass allowed, 297 total
Turnovers: Waller 1 fumble given, 0 INT; defense 0 INT, 1 fumble recovered

Passing: T. Gaines 16-21-0, 426 yds, 4 TD, LG 82
Rushing: D. Smith 9-128, 2 TD, LG 60; T. Gaines 7-81, 1 TD, LG 28; M. Tshitenge 2-6; D. Jesse 2-3
Receiving: M. Adams 3-171, 1 TD, LG 66; G. Mbobile 4-130, 1 TD, LG 82; M. Tshitenge 6-81, 1 TD, LG 49; K. Bice 1-33, 1 TD; K. Silas 2-11
Kick scoring: O. Alvarez 5-7 PAT

Scoring summary (sideline log)
Q1 8:27 — Conroe 34 FG. Conroe 3-0
Q1 8:07 — Gaines pass to Mbobile (PAT blocked). Waller 6-3
Q1 5:16 — Smith rush TD (PAT blocked). Waller 12-3
Q1 1:13 — Gaines 28 run (Alvarez kick). Waller 19-3
Q2 8:54 — Conroe rush TD. Waller 19-10
Q2 7:57 — Smith 60 run (Alvarez kick). Waller 26-10
Q2 0:34 — Gaines 7 pass to Tshitenge (Alvarez kick). Waller 33-10
Q3 4:36 — Gaines 42 pass to Adams (Alvarez kick). Waller 40-10
Q4 7:54 — Gaines 33 pass to Bice (Alvarez kick). Waller 47-10
Q4 4:58 — Conroe TD. Waller 47-17
Q4 0:45 — Conroe TD. Waller 47-24

Reported from Buddy Moorhead Stadium in Conroe, Texas.