MONTEZUMA – Quarterback Brady Boulton and the Braves had one play left. They made it a good one.
Trailing Bedford 28-25 with no timeouts left, the Braves were nearing the end of an historic drive in their Class 8 playoff game on Friday night, Nov. 1, at Badger-Gabriel Field.
Boulton had just completed passes to wideout Carter Michalek, then an 18-yarder to David Rose on Bedford’s six-yard line.
Boulton then started what looked like a run up the middle. Meanwhile Michalek got open just over the goal line. Boulton abruptly stopped, Bedford’s defense seemed to freeze in place, and Boulton flipped the ball to Michalek for the game-winner, which came with just 10 seconds left on the clock.
Nothing in this game ever seemed to be finished.
Bedford got the kickoff back to its own 32-yard line, then passed to Montezuma’s 39.
Three seconds were left now, and the Braves noticed Bedford had put in a different quarterback, a young man with a strong arm, intent on doing to the Braves what the Washington Commanders did to the Chicago Bears. But Montezuma linebacker Brett Plants came after him like a real bear chasing stolen honey, and sacked him at the buzzer.
Braves win! Braves win!!
Montezuma 32, Bedford 28!!
UP NEXT – at Lenox, at 7 p.m. on THURSDAY.
This was a match of clashing styles: Montezuma’s run-pass option, no huddle offense vs. Bedford’s old-school, smashmouth ground game.
This sides took turns drying to impose their wills on each other.
Early on, the Braves missed several wide-open opportunities in their passing game. Bedford had problems covering Montezuma’s wide receivers, but Boulton and his wideouts couldn’t make connections. Braves fans hoped those missed chances wouldn’t come back to haunt Montezuma on the night after Halloween.
Bedford pushed across a touchdown with 34 seconds and led 7-0 after one quarter.
A Boulton to David Rose flanker screen gained 37 yards, and all of a sudden, the Braves’ tempo offense clicked in. Fullback Brett Plants dived over the goal line from five yards out, and it was 7-7 with 10:39 left in the half.
The Braves overloaded a side on offense, clearing the way for some big runs by Broox Stockman, who finished the march with a nine-yard scoring run, and it was 13-7.
A big kickoff return, which became common the the Bulldogs later on, set up a Bedford touchdown that tied the game at 13-13.
Fighting clock late in the half, Boulton passed to Lars Taylor for a first down, then ran 19 yards for a touchdown and the Braves led 19-13 with 1:22 left in the half.
David Rose then intercepted and returned 14 yards, starting a near-miss drive for the Braves. Montezuma drove to Bedford’s 21, but a last-second pass to the end zone was tipped just out of Michalek’s reach.
The Braves led 19-13, and had already put up 272 yards of offense on Class 8’s statistically best defense. What’s more, they looked confortable doing it in the second quarter.
But in the third quarter, Bedford got just what it needed, a long, smashmouth drive – four yards a play – for a touchdown to take the lead at 20-19 with 8:47 left in the period. Running back Garrison Motsinger (#4) was especially tough running between the tackles.
But the Braves answered. Boulton dropped a dime over a linebacker to a streaking Carter Michalek, who made a move on two defenders and scored from 37 yards out. It’s now 25-20, Braves.
Bedford drove to Montezuma’s 7, then the Braves jammed a speed pitch toss sweep on fourth down, and took over on downs.
The Braves punched it out, but Bulldogs nose guard Cal Peterman intercepted Boulton and returned it 32 yards for a touchdown. A two-point conversion was good, and Bedford led 28-25 with 8:07 left in the game.
Stockman and Plants did some heavy running on the next drive before Brett Plants completed an 11-yard cross-field pass to Boulton for a first down at Bedford’s 16.
A call for holding stymied the drive, then Boulton misfied on a pass for Taylor, and it was Bedford ball with 2:37 left.
Montezuma used its last timeout with 1:31 left, and Bedford punted to the Braves’ 20. Boulton ran to the 27, then to the 34, then passed to Michalek for a first down at Bedford’s 35.
Things still weren’t looking the best for the Braves – but you know what’s coming . . .a Boulton run to the 30, a pass to Michalek at the 24, then the sideline pass to Rose at the 6. . .and then that big Boulton to Michalek pass for the game-winner with 10 seconds left.
Here are some key stats: Montezuma generated 472 yards of total offense on 80 rushing and passing plays. It was enough to bust what had been the state’s best defense.
Bedford totaled 220 yards on 55 plays. Motsinger gained 151 yards on 26 carries.
Boulton passed 35 times, but completed 15 for 224 yards and two touhdowns.
Stockman rushed 20 times for 129 yards, and Boulton gained 95 on 17 carries.
Rose caught 7 passes for 124 yards, and Michalek caught 6 for 88 – and the two biggest touchdowns of his career.
And the Braves will ride again!
(Braves stat box in separate story today).
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Bedford 7 6 7 8 – 28
Montezuma 0 19 6 7 – 32