2009 Playoffs

Athens (4-6) vs. Waco LaVega (6-4)

2 p.m. Saturday, Mesquite’s Hanby Stadium



Brownsboro (8-1) vs. Lorena (7-3)

8 p.m. Saturday, Tiger Stadium, Corsicana



BROWNSBORO — It was every bit the heavyweight fight many envisioned it would be.

But in the end, the Brownsboro Bears — who have tasted defeat only once this season — had the punching power to outlast the Athens Hornets Friday night at Bear Stadium, 27-21.

The Bears (8-1, 4-1) clinched a co-championship in District 20-3A, sharing the title with Palestine, which hammered Westwood, 49-7, Friday. Strange as it sounds, Palestine needed that win to qualify for the playoffs.

The Hornets, who had already clinched a playoff spot with a win over Palestine last week, held a 21-6 first half lead before the Bears stormed back to score 21 unanswered points over the final two and a half quarters.

“I’m so proud. These kids have more character than any I’ve ever had here,” Brownsboro Head Coach John Settle said. “They just weren’t going to quit. They deserve this.”

Athens absolutely dominated the game in the first 20 minutes. The Hornets took the opening kickoff 75 yards in 11 plays and scored on Jack Barkley’s 11-yard touchdown pass to Courtney Whitehead. The Hornets then went up 14-0 on Justin Hofstetter’s 6-yard touchdown run on the first play of the second quarter.

By the middle of the second quarter, Athens had run 41 plays to just nine for the Bears (thanks, in part, to a lost fumble on a punt).

The Bears got on the board midway through the second quarter when quarterback Zach Bailey found Deondre Taylor on an 80-yard bomb right down the heart of the field, cutting the lead to 14-6.

Athens answered with another impressive drive, this one a 10-play, 62-yard march that ended with tight end Matt Jordan’s 21-yard touchdown catch from Barkley to make it 21-6.

But then the Bears — who had found new life on offense via their passing game — began to swing momentum in their direction.

Getting the ball back with 2:41 left in the second quarter, reserve quarterback Ryan Owens — who shares snaps with Bailey — completed all four of his passes on a drive that ended with his touchdown pass to tight end Brad McDonald. McDonald’s six-yard catch cut the lead to 21-13.

The Bears then got the ball first in the second half and made a few adjustments with a running game that had gained just 14 first-half yards. Cameron Warren, who has just 11 yards rushing in the first half, began taking direct snaps. Before long, it was the Bear offense that was moving the ball down the field and the Hornet offense that was struggling.

Still, both defenses held their own. Brownsboro finally broke through, however, on an outstanding throw and catch from Owens to Cody Strickland that tied the game at 21-21 as time in the third quarter expired. Owens, who was rushed heavily on the play, stepped up in the pocket and found Strickland down the right sideline for the score.

The Bears took the lead with 3:04 left in the game on Warren’s one-yard touchdown run on fourth-and-goal.

The Hornets had one more shot in the closing seconds to score and, with an extra point, take a lead. Athens drove from its own 35 to a first-and-goal situation at the Bear eight-yard line. A four-yard Hofstetter gain took the Hornets to the four, but he was stopped for just a one-yard gain on second down. The Hornets went to the air and threw incomplete passes at the goal line on third and fourth down.

“We had our opportunities, but (Brownsboro) just made some plays and we didn’t at the right time,” said Athens Head Coach Paul Essary, who has led the Hornets to the playoffs in his first season.



BEARS 27, HORNETS 21

AHS BHS

First Downs 20 17

Rushing Yards 106 114

Passing Yards 203 245

Total Yards 309 359

Passes Attempted 25 21

Passes Completed 16 14

Interceptions 0 0

Fumbles/Lost 0/0 5/1

Penalties 3/40 2/23

Punts 4/38.0 2/41.5

Score By Quarters

Athens 7 14 0 0 — 21

Brownsboro 0 13 8 6 — 27

Scoring Summary

AHS — Courtney Whitehead 11 pass from Jack Barkley (Zabdiel Mota kick)

AHS — Justin Hofstetter 6 run (Mota kick)

BHS — Deondre Taylor 80 pass from Zach Bailey (run fails)

AHS — Matt Jordan 21 pass from Barkley (Mota kick)

BHS — Brad McDonald 6 pass from Ryan Owens (Jose Mendez kick)

BHS — Cody Strickland 37 pass from Owens (Owens to Strickland pass good)

BHS — Cameron Warren 1 run (kick fails)