BELLE PLAINE – In a match of two high-powered offenses, Montezuma’s defense made turning point kinds of plays as the Braves beat Belle Plaine 62-48 in an important Class 8 district game on Friday night, Sept. 29.
The Braves’ defense stopped Belle Plaine on downs once in each half, and also forced two second half fumbles which Montezuma recovered.
The Braves also added some details – like scoring two-point conversions after seven of their eight touchdowns.
On offense, Montezuma ran the ball effectively, with fullback Brett Plants and quarterback Brady Boulton eating up yardage and clock.
The win lifted the Braves to 4-3 overall and kept them alive in the district chase.
Belle Plaine fell to 3-3, and will need help if the Plainsmen are to secure one of the district’s three playoff berths.
Belle Plaine scored first on a 33-yard run, but didn’t convert after the touchdown.
Montezuma answered on Boulton’s 45-yard touchdown run, then his pass to tight end Cruz De Jong gave the Braves an 8-6 lead – a lead Montezuma kept the rest of the way.
Montezuma’s first big stop came after Belle Plaine drove to the Braves’ six-yard line and faced fourth and goal. The Braves stopped the next play for no gain.
A Boulton-to-De Jong pass put the Braves on Belle Plaine’s 22, then Boulton called his own number on the next play. He ran for a two-pointer as well, and the Braves had a two-score working margin for most of the rest of the way.
Montezuma led 30-18 at halftime after Garrett Watts intercepted a pass in the end zone.
Belle Plaine suffered a blow when star quarterback Ty Alcott suffered an injury with 3:25 left in the third quarter and Montezuma leading 46-18. He did not return at quarterback.
But the Plainsmen rallied with a 52-yard touchdown run on the next series.
Then, the Plainsmen did a scoop-and-score after a high snap by Montezuma’s offense. That cut the Braves’ lead to 46-32 with 2:15 left in the third quarter.
The Braves tried an onside kick, but Belle Plaine recovered, then got to Montezuma’s 8-yard line after a pass interference call on the Braves.
But on a play that started from Montezuma’s five-yard line, the Braves tore the ball loose and Broox Stockman recovered for Montezuma.
The second big non-turnover stop of the night for the Braves came when they held on both third and fourth downs, and took over with 5:23 left and leading 54-32.
Montezuma failed to convert on fourth-and-three from midfield, put Watts’punt made the Plainsmen start from their 8.
The Plainsmen fumbled it away on first down, with Landon Morrison recovering for Montezuma.
The Braves added some icing when Boulton ran eight yards for a touchdown, and threw to Watts for two points and a 62-32 lead with 3:33 left to play.
Montezuma rushed for 275 yards and passed for 134. Boulton threw for three touchdowns and ran for three more. Brett Plants rushed for two touchdowns and caught a pass for a third.
Briar Simpson had a breakout game on defense, leading the Braves with 10 tackles. Carter Michalek, Morrison and David Rose had eight stops each, Broox Stockman had 7.5 and Brett Plants had seven.
Cruz De Jong had three of the Braves’ seven two-point conversions.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Montezuma 16 14 16 16 – 62
Belle Plaine 6 12 14 0 – 48