If you’re an eight-man defense facing the Montezuma Braves, you had better tie yourself to something sturdy.
The Braves are blowing a fierce blue wind across the Iowa prairie!
Winfield-Mt. Union and the Braves were locked in a sprint race, tied 20-20 after one quarter and at 26-26 with 4:31 left until halftime.
Montezuma didn’t blink. The Braves outscored the Wolves 50-22 over the game’s final 28:29.
That added up to a 76-48 win in front of a Hall of Fame Night crowd Friday, Sept. 13, at Badger-Gabriel Field. “John Beck, our offensive coordinator, did a great job of calling plays and putting us into position to be successful,” Braves Coach Pat O’Brien said.
The Braves, ranked seventh in eight-man ball coming in, advanced their record to a lofty 3-0. They continued to add team depth, too, working more and more players into their rotation on both sides of the ball.
Montezuma quarterback Eddie Burgess threw for eight touchdowns and ran for one. He completed 15-of-22 pass attempts for 297 yards. The 6-2, 215-pound sophomore rushed 21 times for 151 yards.
What’s more, he ran for five two-point conversions, intercepted a pass and was in on six tackles.
He had accomplices!
Wide receiver Trey Shearer caught seven passes (178) yards, with five of them going for touchdowns.
Wide receiver Cole Watts caught six balls for 116 yards – and three touchdowns.
The Braves did it on the ground, too, with a pair of 100-yard rushers. In addition to Burgess, Brayden Arendt pounded out 102 yards on 20 carries, including a touchdown.
As a team, the Montezuma juggernaut gained 565 total yards on 66 offensive plays.
The Braves played defense, too, but dominated possession time more in this game than in their previous two. “I just believe the kids’ heart showed,” said O’Brien. “They capitalized off turnovers and fought through some adversity to show we weren’t going to quit.”
Watts had eight solo tackles and eight assisted for 12.0 total.
Ben Jorgensen had eight and six for 11.0 total.
Five other Montezuma defenders were between 3.0 and 7.5 tackles. “Defensively, we did what we needed to do in order to win,” O’Brien said. “We forced them to punt, forced turnovers and made some huge fourth down stops!”
Stats may sound dull, but the Braves are anything but.
They are a motion machine.
UP NEXT – The Braves host WACO, which extended defending state champion New London to overtime, on Friday, Sept. 20, in Montezuma’s homecoming game.
Braves stats
Passing – Eddie Burgess was 15-for-22 for 297 yards and 8 touchdowns. He threw one interception.
Rushing – Eddie Burgess 21-151 (7.2 avg.), one touchdown; Brayden Arendt 20-102 (5.1), one touchdown; Trey Shearer 2-16 (8.0) one touchdown; Kodie Strong 1-(-1) (-1.0).
Receiving – Trey Shearer 7-178, five touchdowns; Cole Watts 6-116, three touchdowns; Kodie Strong 1-6, Brayden Arendt 1-(-3).
Team rushing – 44-268
Total offense – 66 plays, 565 yards.
Tackling – Cole Watts 8 solos, 8 assisted (12.0 total); Ben Jorgensen 8 and 6 (11.0); Brian Diaz 5 and 5 (7.5); Eddie Burgess 3 and 6, (6.0); Connor Van Zee 2 and 4 (4.0); Joey Kercheval 2 and 2 (3.0); T.J. Townsend 2 and 2 (3.0); Kodie Strong 1 and 2 (2.0); Brayden Arendt 1 and 2 (2.0); Chandler Carl 0 and 3 (1.5); Camden Michalek 0 and 1 (0.5); Trey Shearer 0 and 1 (0.5).
Interceptions – Eddie Burgess 1 for 0 yards.
Fumble recovery – Brian Diaz, 1 for 0 yards.
