Bracken Warriors Scores Big Win over Nueces Canyon, 86-41
Bracken Christian out lasted Nueces Canyon by scoring 22 unanswered points in the 4th quarter in win, 86-41.
“At the start of the game it was drizzling so the ball was kind of slippery for both teams which led to a few fumbles,” Head Coach Hosea Stredic said. “Defensively, I think we did enough to stay in the game but my safeties were trying to give me a heart attack whenever they threw the ball deep.”
The game did start sloppy as both teams were having trouble holding onto the ball as the first series for Nueces Canyon was a fumble and the Warriors scored first with a Presley Day scored from 7 yards out.
Kicking 9 out of 10 bonus points had the Bracken faithful thinking what this might mean for future games as Paul Nakalanga had the first try blocked but was perfect for the remainder of this contest.
Those point after kicks added up to 18 points or the equivalent of 3 more touchdowns and thus a
Reese Smith showing his worth early in the Season
weapon the Warriors will be able to ride for a prosperous season.
Add that huge stat for a transfer student (Nakalanga) and add his role for defense and playing against spread offenses as the nose guard and you have the makings of a star player.
Nakalanga was a constant threat as this student not only harassed the Panther’s quarterback but his never give up energy helped in getting tackles after a play continued.
“Paul (Nakalanga) played a great defensive game and also kicked the ball well on extra points and kick-offs,” Stredic continued praise. “Also, Cade (Middleton) played a great defensive game.”
Getting back to Nakalanga’s kicking exploits as The ReSporter would be remiss in not only praising a kicker but one that found the Panther’s returner looking into the sky as the balls passed over his head on many occasions on kick-offs.
Day would finish with 209 yards of total offense while crossing the goal line 7 times which last happened in 2012 when Eli Achilles scored 10 times in a game with Gustine.
player game year times scored
Eli Achilles Gustine 2012 10
Eli Achilles Sugar Land Logos 2012 8
Presley Day Nueces Canyon 2016 7
Grady Achilles Kerrville OLH 2010 7
Eli Achilles Boerne Geneva 2012 7
Grady Achilles Austin Hill Country 2010 7
Grady Achilles Marble Falls Faith 2010 7
Pretty good company being included with the Achilles brothers.
The wet weather was the main reason for many of the turnovers in this game. BCS scored on every possession that did not have a fumble or interception as a result. Which happened on three occasions.
Go Warriors
Five of the first 8 possessions to start this contest had a fumble rearing it’s ugly head from both teams combined.
That last fumble happened halfway into the second quarter and both teams would then start a night of countless touchdowns.
Bracken Christian scored first but lost that lead 3 plays later when a Panther fumble which had all 12 players touched being finally scooped up and run in for a TD from 35 yards out as Nueces Canyon led, 7-6.
Travis Wolf on the Panther’s next possession would hassle the Panther QB in their end zone where Wolf tied their QB up for a safety which happened for just the 6th time in Warrior history. Austin Wilkinson was the last BCS player to accomplish the feat.
Wilkinson leads this category as he got all 3 safeties during his one year of play during the 2010 season.
With the 8-7 lead for Bracken, the Warriors, would not relinquish this lead for the remainder of the evening.
The Club at Rebecca Creek says Go Warriors
Day would score the next two times by pass and run, as the Panthers would never have a chance of getting momentum as each of their scores would be answered by Bracken.
Lucas McCrum got into more action as he topped 100 yards rushing finishing with 125 with one of those carries going for 64 yards. McCrum also threw for 2 touchdowns as this player will have a say while his confidence grows with each passing (pardon the pun) game.
Bracken would have a 21 point lead going into the 2nd half, 48-27.
“We made some adjustments in the second half and put Brady (Beene) back at safety which stopped that (long completions),” Coach Stredic said strategically.
The Panthers did have a lot of success with their passing game by finishing with 363 yards thru the air.
There will certainly be some attention in this week’s practices as the Panthers had a 19 yard average per completion.
touchdown passes yards out
1st Panther Passing TD 60
2nd Panther Passing TD 70
3rd Panther Passing TD 50
Those numbers will give Coach Stredic some sleepless nights as the preparation for this coming Friday’s game against Medina comes to fruition.
Nueces Canyon had the longest drive in this game during the second half, when they used 13 plays in going 60 yards, scoring what would be the Panthers last touchdown, and the Warriors holding a 64-41 advantage.
BCS would then use their superior depth in scoring the final 3 touchdowns and got a mercy game, al-be-it withr just 1:06 left in the contest.
Reese Smith had his first rushing touchdown while being coupled with Beene to Day 36 yard pass and a Day 15 yard run to finish a game needing just 12 more points to tie the 98 point total in a game against Gustine in 2012.
top 5 scoring games opponent points year result Gustine 98 2012 win Nueces Canyon 86 2016 win Kerrville OLH 79 2011 win Kerrville OLH 76 2010 win CASA 74 2011 win
“Our offense was clicking the whole game,” Coach Stredic closed. “We did what we wanted and at least three players took the ball in the end zone as we mixed plays up effectively…..Overall we did what we needed to do to get a win, but we still have a ways to got to get us where we have to be in a few weeks.”
Bracken Christian will enter their next contest this Friday with Medina as this will be the 2nd UIL game in a row as the Warriors look to keep an unblemished record.
Go Warriors!!
1 2 3 4 Final Nueces Canyon 7 20 20 0 41 Bracken Warriors 8 40 16 22 86 Scoring Summary: BCS-Presley Day 7 yard run (pat failed), 5:48. 1st NCH-35 yard run (pass good), 4:38, 1st BCS-Travis Wolf tackled runner in end zone Safety, 0:46, 1st BCS-Presley Day 17 yard pass from Brady Beene (Paul Nakalanga kick), 9:26, 2nd BCS-Presley Day 7 yard run (Paul Nakalanga kick), 2nd NCH-Wesley Harmon 60 yard reception (kick failed), 5:11, 2nd BCS-Lucas McCrum 64 yard run (Paul Nakalanga kick), 4:01, 2nd NCH-Pass for 8 yards (kick good), 2:43, 2nd BCS-Reese Smith 38 yard pass from Lucas McCrum (Paul Nakalanga kick), 2:00, 2nd NCH-Pass for 70 yards (pass failed), 1:36, 2nd BCS-Brady Beene 5 yard pass from Lucas McCrum (Paul Nakalanga kick), 0:00 2nd BCS-Presley Day 3 yard run (Paul Nakalanga kick), 8:30, 3rd NCH-Pass for 50 yards (kick good), 7:19, 3rd BCS-Presley Day 35 yard run (Paul Nakalanga kick), 6:53, 3rd NCH-Pass for 5 yards (kick failed), 1:11, 3rd BCS-Presley Day 36 yard pass from Brady Beene (Paul Nakalanga kick), 9:51, 4th BCS-Reese Smith 5 yard run (Paul Nakalanga kick), 6:08, 4th BCS-Presley Day 15 yard run (no kick), 1:06, 4th Game Stats Panthers Warriors Total Yards 433 489 First Downs 13 18 Rush/Yards 18/70 39/324 Comp/Att/Int 19/30/1 6/9/1 Passing Yards 363 165 Punts/Average 0/0 0/0 Fumbles/Lost 4/2 3/2 Penalties-Yards 6-70 1-5 Passing Comp Att Pct Yds Int TD Brady Beene 4 7 .571 127 1 2 Lucas McCrum 2 2 1.000 38 0 2 Rushing Att Yds Ave Lg TD Presley Day 13 156 12.0 35 5 Lucas McCrum 12 125 10.4 64 1 Brady Beene 11 37 3.4 29 0 Reese Smith 1 5 5.0 5 1 Hunter Mitchell 2 1 0.5 4 0 Receiving No Yds Ave Lg TD Reese Smith 2 71 35.5 38 1 Presley Day 2 53 26.5 36 2 Slater Corey 1 36 36.0 36 0 Brady Beene 1 5 5.0 5 1
