By Keith Brake
Montezuma Magazine editor
You Braves fans weren’t worried, were you?
Pay no attention to that superb young running back who is dancing past Braves players he just knocked down!
Owen Cook will have an answer soon . . .we . .hope.
Montezuma’s versatile offense needed an answer and quarterback Owen Cook had more than one in the Braves’ 60-38 win over Easton Valley Friday night, Oct. 28 at Badger-Gabriel Field.
That superb young running back – Charlie Simpson – ran for four touchdowns and 187 yards – in the first quarter – as the River Hawks raced out to a 30-7 lead.
But Cook started filling the air with footballs – to the tune of seven touchdown passes – as Montezuma went on a 53-8 rampage over the final three quarters to grab the Class 8 second round win.
Who does that? Owen Cook and the Braves find ways to win.
Montezuma (9-2) moves into next week’s quarterfinals at 11-0 WACO. The game will be played Thursday evening, Nov. 3, in Wayland. All Class 8 quarterfinals games are to be played on Thursday.
Simpson was uncontrolled early. He would use spin moves to break tackles and get to the sideline, then hit the afterburners for his scores, which came on darts of 47, 28, 60 and 14 yards.
One Braves answer was to get more defenders to the football and try to tangle the 6-foot, 220-pounder’s legs. Simpson had a fifth touchdown left in him, but it was Easton Valley’s only second half score.
Simpson finished with a stunning 389 yards on 32 carries.
Meanwhile, Cook and the Braves kept stretching the defense with long pass attempts, some of which hit paydirt.
Cook threw touchdown passes of 3, 5, 35, 30, 29, 12 and 11 yards. Wide receiver Garrett Watts ran under five of those.
Easton Valley led 30-25 at halftime, but Montezuma freshman Brady Boulton returned the second half kickoff 65 yards with a right-to-left run to give the Braves their first lead. That margin went to 37-30 after Cook passed five yards to wide-out Masin Shearer.
Simpson’s fifth score was on a 65-yard bash and dash down the boundary, and cut Montezuma’s lead to 37-36.
Montezuma gave up the lead on a safety, when Cook was called for intentionally grounding on a pass from his team’s end zone.
But Cook’s touchdown strikes of 35 and 30 yards to Watts had Montezuma up 50-38 with eight minutes left.
Easton Valley played without quarterback and defensive lineman Hayden Felkey, who was hurt early in last week’s win and didn’t return to that game.
Freshman Keagan Lee went the distance at quarterback for the River Hawks, who closed the books on a 7-2 season.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Easton Valley 30 0 8 0 – 38
Montezuma 7 18 18 17 – 60
Braves stats
Passing – Owen Cook 13-35, 270 yards, 7 touchdowns, 2 interceptions.
Rushing – Brett Plants 20-96, Broox Stockman 7-23, Owen Cook 13 – (-2).
Receiving – Garrett Watts 8-178, 5 touchdowns; Masin Shearer 4-83, 2 touchdown, Brett Plants 1-9.
Tackles – Brett Plants 11.0, Brady Ogan 10.5 (1.5 for loss); Kennen Roadcap 65. (1.5), Tod Geiger 5.0 (1.0); Broox Stockman 5.0, Carter Michalek 4.0, Landon Morrison 4.0 (0.5); David Rose 4.0, Brady Boulton 1.0, Garrett Watts 1.0, Eli Bustamante 1.0.
Fumble recoveries – Kennen Roadcap 2-0, Tod Geiger 1-0.
Interceptions – David Rose 1-15.
Kickoff returns – Brady Boulton 2-81, one touchdown; Masin Shearer 2-23.
Kicking – Owen Cook 12 kickoffs, 11 touchbacks, 603 yards; field goals – 1-1, 25 yards. PATs 3-5.
Punting – Owen Cook 4-135 (33.8 average).
Easton Valley leaders
Rushing – Charlie Simpson, 32-389, 5 touchdowns.
Passing – Keagan Lee, 14-26, 94 yards.