Football Rallies to Victory

Brunswick’s Kevonne Wilder’s 53-yard punt return for a touchdown broke a 14-14 tie against Hotchkiss with 1:54 left in regulation, as the Bruins held on for an Erickson League road win, 21-14.

 

After a scoreless first quarter, Brunswick (2-0, 1-0) took the lead on a one-yard touchdown run by Jalen Madison, capping a two-play, four-yard drive. The Bruins earned the excellent field position following an interception by Colin Mulshine deep in Bearcat territory.

 

At the 8:53 mark of the second quarter, Hotchkiss tied the game at 7-7 on a 35-yard touchdown reception.

 

Later in the frame, the Bruins collected their second defensive takeaway, as Liam Fairback intercepted a Hotchkiss pass and returned the ball to the Hotchkiss 26-yard line. But the Brunswick offense did not capitalize, as the two teams went into the half deadlocked at 7-7.

 

In the third quarter, following a Brunswick turnover deep in their own territory, Hotchkiss took the lead at 14-7 on a scoring run from 11 yards out with 10:46 left in the frame.

 

Following a recovered fumble by Aidan Redahan on a Hotchkiss punt return, the Bruins offense took over on the Bearcats’ 27-yard line. Three plays later, Brunswick quarterback Nick Winegardner scrambled to his right and found Bernard Zoungrana in the back of the endzone for a 27-yard touchdown pass. Chris Chavez added the extra-point kick to tie the game with 3:05 remaining in the third quarter.

 

Neither offense could muster a sustained drive in the fourth quarter, as the teams alternated possessions while the game clock rolled down to under two minutes left in regulation in the 14-14 contest.

 

On the decisive punt return by Wilder, the speedster set up several blocks on the first 10 yards of the run. After breaking loose near midfield, Wilder ran to daylight on the right sideline and evaded a diving tackle by the Hotchkiss punter inside the 20-yard line on the way to pay dirt.

 

Holding the 21-14 lead, the Bruins forced Hotchkiss to turn the ball over on downs on the Bearcats’ 20-yard line, as the Brunswick offense ran out the clock.

 

Brunswick      0    7    7    7        21

Hotchkiss       0    7    7    0        14