Brahmas Rally to Defeat Yoakum

The Hallettsville-Yoakum tussle was a game for the ages and one you had to see to believe.

The Brahmas rallied from deficits of 18-0 and 25-15 to defeat the Bulldogs, 29-25, to grab the third seed in 12-AAA, Division I here Friday night.

Hallettsville (7-3, 2-2) scored all of its points in the fourth quarter after the offense had been lost at sea for three periods. The game winner came on a 31-yard pass from quarterback Jorian Wilson to wide out Mycole Pegoda.

“I am certainly happy for the kids to get a big district win on the final game of the regular season,” head coach Levi Montgomery said “One of our goals was to be the best team in Lavaca County. Beating Shiner and Yoakum in the same year was important to us.

“Our kids continued to compete for all four quarters and the defense played well enough to keep us in the game.”

The first touchdown was scored at the beginning of the fourth period with a 67-yard, 8-play drive capped by a 24-yard pass to Layne Gerke from quarterback Wilson. The big play that sparked the drive was a 20-yard Wilson-to-Jashuan Price pass on a third down the twopoint conversion made it 18-8.

The second score came after a 71-yard, 6-play drive culminated by a 3-yard run by Wilson. Wilson had a big 46-yard run on another third down play to set up the touchdown.

But some Brahma fans began to leave after Yoakum halfback Qyion Wiliams broke a stadium record 96-yard run for a touchdown and a 25-15 lead with 4:23 left to play.

However, the resilient Brahmas came back with a 60-yard drive that took 9 plays with Price going in from 6 yards out. The big plays were a 10-yard pass to Price and a 16-yard pass to Gerke.

The winning touchdown was scored after defensive end Austin Lala intercepted a pass at the Bulldog 21.

“Our defense forcing turnovers late in the game was certainly critical. Austin sniffed out where the quarterback was trying to go and he scrambled and picked it off,” Montgomery said. “Austin is a smart kid and knew where the quarterback was going to dump it off.”

There was 1:34 and plenty of time for the Bulldogs to score, but an interception by Price at the Brahma 27 sealed the deal.

“In the second half, we were able to get things going on offense,” Montgomery said. “I think the turning point in the game was Wilson’s long run when he stiff-armed a Yoakum defender.”

The first half was an exercise in frustration. The Brahmas had two potential scoring drives stopped at the Yoakum 21- and 30-yard lines in the first quarter and another at the Bulldogs’ 17 when a field goal attempt was blocked.

Yoakum out gained the Brahmas 437 yards to 354 yards with Hallettsville amassing 229 yards its on scoring drives.

Yoakum led 12-0 at the half following a 15-yard touchdown run by quarterback Zach Taylor and a 3-yard run by Kadarius Price.

Williams scored in the third period on a 1-yard plunge to up the count to 18-0.

“We value toughness in our program, in the way our kids got gritty in the face of adversity demonstrated that,” Montgomery said.

RUSHING: Jorian Wilson 19-82, Jashaun Price 10-60, Damarion Austin 3-13, Layne Gerke 4-12.

PASSING: Jorian Wilson 12-25-1 187.

RECEIVING: Layne Gerke 5-70, Mycole Pegoda 4-82, Rashaun Sidney 2-10, Jashaun Price 1-25.