Week 1 LYN Game

Blocked punt for TD and ‘Pick 6’ in first half aids Bees in opening win over LCA

Brookville H.S., Lynchburg, VA – The first game of the year can often be sloppy and wanting for action. That wasn’t the case at Stinger Stadium on Thursday night’s game between Brookville and Liberty Christian. The Bees came out on top in the end 25-14, but both teams showed pretty well considering how little time their teams have had together. This year’s Spring Football schedule can be challenging. Both Brookville and Liberty Christian Academy experienced that tension, as they drew each other to play in their first game. Two strong teams expected to be in the running for the Seminole District championship this year having to meet on the first night is tough. LCA Coach Rocco was disappointed and encouraged both. “We just haven’t had our guys to practice (post season basketball, and wrestling success kept kids in winter sports longer.) Mistakes killed us today, but in many ways I thought we played really well.”

 

Brookviille Coach Jon Meeks talked about their reaction when they saw that first game this spring. “We saw that (game) on our schedule and our staff agreed that’s a brutal way to start.  For all intent and purposes, for me it felt like the first round of the playoffs. out of the gate with no scrimmage I felt like we were in a playoff game tonight with the caliber team they were.”
The Bees of Brookville came out on top 25-14 over the Bulldogs in a game that was much closer than the final score.  The Bees forced two timely interceptions and blocked a punt for a score. One of those ‘picks’ was DB 28 Tashaun Butler’s one hundred and eight yard ‘pick six.’ The Junior crossed the goal line with no time left on the clock right before half. 

 

Brookville Coach Jon Meeks knew his speedy DB could turn that interception into something special right away.
That momentum swinging swipe and score made it 12-7, after the two point try was no good. For a first game of the season, Brookville’s defense made the needed plays to get the win.

First Quarter – Liberty Christian’s offensive line is impressive with Junior OL 50 Zach Rice anchoring the trenches for the Bulldogs. Early on, LCA showed their ability to move the ball on the ground, but turnover’s thwarted the Bulldog’s efforts all night.

LCA made the first scoring threat of the night on their first offensive series. The Bulldogs  made it to the Bees seven yardline, but Brookville DB 4 Caleb Christian made the big INT near the goal line to stop LCA in their tracks.

LCA’s defense was stifling early on in this one, but the Bee’s defense may have gave up some early yards, but they didn’t give up any points. On LCA’s second possession, Brookville’s defense pinned the Bulldogs deep in their own territory and then brought the pressure. The result was a blocked punt. After a mad scramble for the ball, DB/WR 1 Jahee Blake ended up with it in the endzone for the games first points

Second Quarter – LCA went ahead early in the second quarter on a four yard TD run by QB 7 Davis Lane. With only :08 off the clock in the quarter, the Bulldogs had taken the lead 7-6 with the extra point. After that, the defenses settled in until turnovers started the LCA offense moving again. DB/WR 1 Jaylin Belford  mishandled a Brookville punt at the LCA twenty four which Brookville recovered. But the Bees gave it right back when RB/LB 3 Lance Blankenship was stripped at the thirteen. Bulldop LB 22 Connor Hill made the recovery. That exchange led to Liberty’s drive to the end of the half and consequently, DB 28 Butler’s big defensive play on the last play of the first half. Meeks had praise for the young man. “Tayshaun (DB 28 Butler) s special. When he caught it, I ain’t going to lie, I thought he had a chance (to take it back all the way). Then you worry about someone catching him from behind or running out of gas, but he didn’t. He got a nice block from Lance (LB 3 Blankenship)…really helped spring him. That’s just a kid making an unbelievable play.”

Third Quarter – Liberty Christian regrouped at half and came out in the third swinging. On their first second half drive, the Bulldogs drove it fifty yards on ten plays to take the lead. QB 7 Davis hit RB/LB 22 Hill in the flat on first down on the Bee’s ten yardline.

The Senior  rolled into the endzone. The point after by K 16 Chase Dupin  put the visitors up 14-6.  Credit Brookville Coach Meeks for regrouping quickly. It took the Bees only three plays to retake the lead. QB 7 Drake McDonald found WR 11 Nikolas Dunford  over the middle on a post pattern.

Dunford made the catch between two defenders, kept his feet and dashed the balance of the 65 yards to paydirt. Brookville went for two but LB 9 Will Wycoff picked off QB 7 McDonald near the left front pilon. Brookville’s lead was 18-14. 

 

Fourth Quarter – That’s the way it would stay until halfway through the final quarter. RB 2 Silas Rucker  motored in from four yards to in essence put the game out of reach. The point after by K 23 Ethan Brown was good, 25-14 Brookville. LCA attempted to throw their way back into the game from there, but the Bee defense pinned their ears back and went after QB 7 Lane. After an incompletion on first down, LCA’s Junior QB  was sacked again, this time for a seven yard loss by LB 6 Chad Pouncy at the Bulldog thirty four. On third down, LB 1 Blake got back into the action with a sack of his own. That was the third sack in that seven play series, as both LB 6 Pouncy and LB 1 Blake combined for a QB tackle for a loss a few plays earlier. LCA was forced to punt and the Bees were able to run out the clock and escape with a big Seminole District win. Coach Meeks was happy with his teams determination, “We respect them. We knew they were going to be a tough team. “ Coach Rocco likes his team this year. You get that impression but he gave credit where credit is due to his opponent this night. “They (Brookville) are a really good team.

It’s a shame we had to play them right out of the gate without the preparation. My hats off to them. They play hard. They are tough kids. As well as we did tonight and moved the ball, they proved to be the tougher team tonight.
In a football schedule never seen or tried before, Virginia high schools are continuing to push the limits of achieving a six game season in a few weeks. Brookville (1-0) will play Liberty-Bedford (0-1) next Friday. LCA (0-1) returns home to take on Jefferson Forest (1-0).  

Offense: Rushing– Brookville – Rucker 10-44, TD, McDaniel 1-17, Butler 4-(-7), Blankenship 1-3, Pouncy 1-2 LCA– C Wycoff 11-59, Belford 3-58, Lane 7-6, TD, Murphy 3-9, Davidson 5-8, W Wycoff 1-1  Passing– Brookville – McDaniel 5-9, 143, TD, INT  LCA – Lane 9-18, 84, TD, 2-INTs  Receiving– Brookville – Duford 2-104, TD, Blake 2-38, Butler 1-1, Rucker 1-0 LCA – W Wycoff 3-49, Stowers 2-20, Belford 3-15, Hill 1-10, TD  Punting– Brookville– Pauley 3-25  LCA Stowers 3-35

Scoring:

• BRK: Blake TD on a blocked punt into the end zone; Brown PAT blocked
• LCA: Lane 4-yd TD run; Dupin PAT
• BRK: Butler 108-yd INT for TD; Brown PAT missed
• LCA: Lane 10-yd TD pass; Dupin PAT
• BRK: McDaniel 65-yard TD pass to Dunford; 2pt attempt failed
• BRK: Rucker 2-yrd TD run: Brown PAT

           – Cap’n Crunch & The Machine