BCS Finishes Strong Season in Loss to Abilene Panthers
Bracken Christian met their match as they were 45ed by Abilene Christian at Zephyr, Texas last Saturday, 80-35.
“We ran into a team that was better than us,” Head Coach Lloyd Fields said. “We got the most out of this team than we could expect.”
“We had no depth and then when we got a couple injured in the second half we were dead in the water,” Fields finished.
This game started off as two heavyweights going to battle, as each offensive unit kept alternating scoring right up to halftime. Then the Panthers made a defensive stop and scored going into their locker room, which helped increase a four point deficit to 12 points, 40-28.
Two initial drives to start the game by both teams did not result in scores, but a one-play, 53-yard pass for the Panthers broke the ice halfway into that first quarter.
Bracken responded with a 68 yard run from Eli Achilles that brought BCS to within one point, 8-7.
On Bracken’s third drive, two Achilles-to-Preston-Koch passes for 35 yards helped set up another score, keeping the Warriors to within three points of the Panthers, 24-21.
An interception from Sam Hilgendorf (his first of two for this game), had the Warriors with a chance to take their first lead in this battle.
Early in that quarter Eli Achilles found John Colby on a dump pass giving your Warriors their first lead in this game, 28-24.
Unfortunately it would be Bracken’s last lead.
On Abilene Christian’s next drive, the Panthers drove 52 yards on six plays, when running back, JD Dos Santos, rumbled in from 12 yards out. Establishing a 32-28 advantage for the Panthers, all four points were based on bonus kicks.
Bracken could not answer, when on their next set of downs, Achilles was sacked for an 11 yard loss and this drive ended three plays later on a pass that was ruled incomplete to Colby.
That play would’ve had the Warriors with a new set of downs, but to no avail according to the striped shirts.
Achilles was playing in his last game and responded with 221 yards rushing, he passed for 122 yards to boot.
Jeremy Fasenmyer was also in his last hooray playing with a good defensive game as he led his defensive unit in tackles.
Bracken could not keep up with the depth of this deep Panther unit.
Abilene had 23 players on their roster compared to Bracken’s 14 with three of the BCS players watching while nursing injuries as the final seconds faded away in the fourth quarter.
Dos Santos for Abilene was such a hard runner to bring down that the grass hurt when he made his runs. That is something to be impressed with when you take into account that this field had artificial grass.
Twenty of those points for Abilene Panthers was on bonus kicks by Sophomore Bailey McCorkie as this weapon was hard to overcome for the Warriors.
Bracken threw more passes in this contest than any other game this season. In fact, BCS passed for more yardage than a team that relies on throwing the rock.
Six more passes and seven more completions when compared to ACH.
The Warriors also controlled the clock, but in six-man, that will many times mean the opposition is scoring much faster.
Bracken totaled 67 plays, while ACH finished with 35. Five of Abilene’s final drives lasted just one play.
1. Drive was a 28 yard pass play. 2. Bracken's Sam Hilgendorf had his second interception for the game. 3. Drive was a 22 yard DosSantos run. 4. Drive was a 41 yard DosSantos run. 5. Drive was a 14 yard Massaquoi run.
The wear and tear was on Bracken’s side of the ball as this game matured into the fourth quarter.
To say it succinctly, Abilene Christian was a superior football team and Bracken had gone 51 games since their last Mercy game that involved a Bracken team being a recipient.
Year Team Score Notes 2006 Bryan Christian Homeschool 56-06 1st game ever played. 2006 Austin Hill Country 64-16 6th game of the inaugural season. 2008 Rockwall Heritage 56-08 33rd game in '08 playoff tilt. 2012 Abilene Christian 80-35 85th game, second round of playoffs.
A lot of games played for a school that has avoided this sort of lopsided score. Bracken has only allowed more than 45 points 18 times and have won five of those contests.
Achilles finished strong in his final swan song in a Bracken uniform. Look at these numbers and digest the magnitude of his worth for the Warriors this year.
5 Interceptions returned for touchdowns. 10 Touchdowns scored in one game against Gustine. 12 Interceptions this season. 15 Average yards per carry. 15 Touchdown passes thrown. 59 Rushing touchdowns. 126 Tackles this season. 452 Single game record for rushing yards. This year in Gustine game. 1169 Passing yards this season on 73 receptions. 2646 Yards rushed for second place for a season in BCS history.
The name Warriors is a very fitting title for Bracken. This team started the season after losing seven seniors and battled through injuries and sickness with only two losses.
It is conceivable that those two losses Bracken had might be meeting in a State Championship game in two weeks.
Literally, Bracken left nothing on this field after walking off the Zephyr turf Saturday afternoon.
Abilene Christian was the better team in every sense and Bracken simply had nothing left in their tank.
Good game, good year, good kids, and a Great God!
Be proud of your accomplishments during your travails this season and live your life with that same intent.
That will make you a person that can handle life’s hard aches and turn a negative into positives.
Thanks for the opportunity of having The ReSporter cover your games.
1 2 3 4 Final Abilene Christian 24 16 16 24 80 Bracken Christian 14 14 0 7 35 Scoring Summary: ACH-Harrison Hancock 53 yard pass from Zach Jennings (McCorkie kick), 5:29, 1st BCS-Eli Achilles 68 yard run (Coy Zunker pass from Eli Achilles), 4:48, 1st ACH-Samai Massaquoi 34 yard run (McCorkie kick), 4:06, 1st BCS-Eli Achilles 8 yard run (Eli Achilles run), 1:41, 1st ACH-Massaquoi 57 yard run (McCorkie kick), 0:55, 1st BCS-Eli Achilles 12 yard run (Eli Achilles run), 8:58, 2nd BCS-John Colby 6 yard pass from Achilles (Eli Achilles run), 6:55, 2nd ACH-JD Dos Santos 12 yard run (McCorkie good), 5:06, 2nd ACH-Massaquoi 40 yard run (McCorkie kick), 2:11, 2nd ACH-Dos Santos 30 yard run (McCorkie kick), 5:45, 3rd ACH-Hancock 28 yard pass from Zach Jennings (McCorkie kick), 0:51, 3rd BCS-Connor Simmons 9 yard pass from Eli Achilles (Achilles run), 9:01, 4th ACH-Dos Santos 33 yard run (McCorkie kick), 8:53, 4th ACH-Dos Santos 41 yard run (McCorkie kick), 7:05, 4th ACH-Massaquoi 14 yard run (McCorkie kick), 5:22, 4th
Team Stats Panthers Warriors Total Yards 404 360 First Downs 11 15 Rushes/Yards 17/285 42/238 Comp/Att/Int 7/13/2 14/19/2 Passing Yards 119 122 Punts/Average 3/38.6 2/26.0 Fumbles/Lost 1/0 2/1 Penalties-Yards 5-40 5-35 TOP 9:56 24:42
Passing Comp Att Pct Yards TD Int Eli Achilles 14 19 .737 122 2 2
Rushing Att Yds Ave. Lg TD Eli Achilles 33 221 6.7 68 3 Preston Koch 8 14 1.7 5 0 Connor Simmons 1 3 3.0 3 0
Receiving No Yds Ave. Lg TD Preston Koch 4 49 12.2 28 0 John Colby 5 39 7.9 18 1 Davis Scott 1 13 13.0 13 0 Mason Anthony 3 10 3.3 12 0 Connor Simmons 1 9 9.0 9 1
