Brophy 24
Westview 21
By Michael Moroney ’13
THE ROUNDUP
With just 1:53 remaining in the game, Brophy kicker Zach Hudson ’12 kicked a 46-yard field goal giving the Broncos a 24-21 lead over the Westview Knights Friday, Oct. 6.
That lead would be enough to win the game and allow Brophy to maintain its undefeated record this season.
“The whole game, as it was going back and forth, I kind of knew eventually that it would be coming down to a kick, or something close,” Hudson said. “The whole time I was trying to stay loose and as soon as they called me out I was just trying to give it my best kick.”
Jake Faust ’12 then sealed the game on Westview’s first play of the next drive with an interception. Robert Relf ’13 deflected the pass and Faust came down with the ball.
“I noticed the guys behind me, but I was in a different zone, I was like ‘I’m going to try and get to the ball,’” Faust said. “I think it was Relf who tipped it up and I was lucky I got the ball.”
The Broncos had the ball back with 1:40 left in the game off the interception and ran the ball on four consecutive plays to melt the clock down to just 0:02.
Westview then had possession at their own 33-yard line after the turnover on downs. The Knights were able to move the ball 24 yards on the last play before being taken down by Brophy’s defense.
Immediately following the last play, the Brophy crowd stormed the field in celebration. The win moved the Broncos to 7-0 on the season.
“We never quit. We battled back and we really made plays when we had to make plays,” said head coach Mr. Scooter Molander. “Our defense got some huge stops in the second half that gave us some opportunities.”
The Brophy offense went 73 yards in just five plays in the first drive of the game to take an early lead. Tyler Bruggman ’13 hit Fred Gammage ’12 on a 30-yard pass to cap off the drive.
After the quick touchdown, Westview took control for the remainder of the first half.
Early into the second quarter, Westview’s Shayne Miller scored on a three yard touchdown rush to end a nine play drive for the Knights.
Bruggman threw his first interception of the season in the ensuing possession.
The Knights started their next possession on the Brophy 26-yard line. Then, with 4:44 remaining in the first half, Miller scored again on a five yard run, making the game 14-7.
The Broncos came out fast in the second half by forcing a quick Westview three and out. The offense then tied the game back up at 14 with another Bruggman to Gammage touchdown.
“We made some adjustments,” Mr. Molander said about the second half comeback. “We did some things that were not in our game plan and our guys were smart.”
Later in the third quarter, Andrew Curtis ’13 recovered a fumble at Brophy’s three-yard line by Westview quarterback Blake Hahn.
Brophy scored their final touchdown of the night on an 82-yard one-handed catch by Gammage from Bruggman with 1:38 left in the third quarter. The score put the Broncos up 21-14.
Bruggman and Gammage hooked up for all three Brophy touchdowns. This was Gammage’s second consecutive game with three touchdowns and Mr. Molander described his performance as “huge.”
The Knights converted a 60-yard touchdown pass from Hahn to receiver Ivan Townsend with 11:12 left in the game to tie the score.
Westview nearly shifted the momentum in their favor after recovering an onside kick early in the fourth quarter, but the Knight kicker missed a 41-yard field goal that would have given them the lead.
Bruggman finished the game 8 for 28 with 233 yards and three touchdowns. His main target on the night was Gammage, who ended with 5 catches with 188 yards and three touchdowns.
D’Amani Grayer ’13 led the Bronco rushing attack with 66 yards off 11. Andrew Simon ’12 came in during the fourth quarter and got 25 yards.
More photos from the game:
