A defensive stop when it mattered most was the difference in the game as the Bridge City Cardinals claimed a 21-20 homecoming victory over the Hardin-Jefferson Hawks on Friday night at Larry Ward Stadium in Bridge City.
Big plays, ill-timed penalties and turnovers was the name of the game for both teams on Friday night as each team sought its first district win in District 11-4A Division II. Bridge City looked to be running away with the game by halftime.
After a scoreless first quarter, the Cardinals struck first as running back Kyler Garlaska had a dazzling 72 yard touchdown run passed the Hardin-Jefferson defense early in the second quarter and a 7-0 lead following the Victory Hernandez extra point.
The Cardinals defense put pressure on Hawks quarterback Brady Trotter much of the night, and it paid off on the next possession as his pass on third down and 16 was intercepted by Bridge City defender Harrison Gauthier.
The Cardinals only needed three plays to turn the possession into points as running back JS Bearden scooted up the middle for a 6-yard touchdown and a 14-0 Cardinals lead at the half.
The momentum shifted late in the third quarter as the Hawks running game finally found some traction and moved the ball 57 yards in just three plays, as Luke McCullough capped off the drive with a 30-yard jaunt up the middle to narrow the Bridge City lead, 14-7.
After trading possessions, Hardin-Jefferson started the fourth quarter with a 14-play, 61 yard scoring drive. The Hawks methodically moved the ball down the field with its stable of running backs, but it was workhorse Jacob Weldon who scored on a 7-yard run to knot the game at 14-14.
Cardinals quarterback Ethan Ocegeura had made plenty of big throws for big chunks of yardage, and even a couple of touchdowns on the night, only to see most of them wiped out by penalty or turnover but not this drive.
Ocegeura commanded the Cardinals offense with a steady mix of passes and running plays and moved the Bridge City offense down the field from its own 23 yard line. Facing first and 15 from the Hawks 31 yard line, Ocegeura dropped back and hit running back Noah Broussard on a short route. Broussard turned upfield, dodged a pair of Hawks defenders and raced passed the rest of the Hardin-Jefferson defense for a touchdown to put the Cardinals back in front, 21-14, with only 94 seconds remaining in the game.
It looked as if doom had struck for the Hawks on the kickoff as Weldon field the kick and then dropped the ball at the 10-yard line. However, he picked the ball up, hit the right sideline and roared downfield for a 90-yard touchdown on the return.
The Hawks lined up for the extra point kick, but a defensive penalty on the Cardinals put the ball closer to the goal line and lead Hawks Coach Dwayne DuBois to change his mind and go for the two point conversion and the victory.
However, the Cardinals defense, when it needed it most, came up with the big stop on the Hawks running play and gave Bridge City its 21-20 homecoming victory.
Bridge City (3-3, 1-1) will hit the road next week to square off against the Silsbee Tigers (2-4, 1-2). The Hawks (1-5, 0-3) return home to host the Hamshire-Fannett Longhorns (4-2, 1-1).
-Tommy Mann, KOGT-
HARDIN-JEFFERSON 20
BRIDGE CITY 21
HJ 0 0 7 13 20
BC 0 14 0 7 21
SCORING SUMMARY
BC — Kyler Garlaska 72 yard run, Victor Hernandez kick (9:46)
BC — JS Bearden 6 yard run, Hernandez kick (7:40)
HJ — Luke McCullough 30 yard run, Carson Labourde kick (1:54)
HJ — Jacob Weldon 7 yard run, Labourde kick (4:24)
BC — Noah Broussard 31 yard pass from Ethan Ocegeura, Hernandez kick (1:34)
HJ — Jacob Weldon 90 yard kickoff return, run failed (1:16)
HJ BC
First Downs 12 14
Rushes-Yards 40-165 28-86
Passing 58 218
Total Yards 223 304
Com-Att-Int 3-9-2 13-32-0
Fumbles-Lost 5-3 5-2
Penalties-Yards 6-45 8-56
Individual Stats
Rushing – HJ: Tyler Fountain 10-62, Luke McCollough 10-50, Jacob Weldon 9-46, Jude Flores 5-16, Colin Burns 3-2, Team 1-(-1), Brady Trotter 4-(-10); BC: Kyler Garlaska 16-125, JS Bearden 4-13, Jaden Martinez 1-(-3), Ethan Ocegeura 7-(-49);
Passing – HJ: Brady Trotter 3-9-2 58; BC: Ethan Ocegeura 13-32-0 218;
Receiving – HJ: Jacob Weldon 3-58; BC: Noah Broussard 3-88, Joey Murty 2-66, Braylen Collins 3-35, Jaden Martinez 2-27, Kyler Garlaska 2-2;
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