Brownwood 48, San Angelo Central 31
By BILL HART
Senior Staff Writer
SAN ANGELO -- The Brownwood defense, struggling most of the game, came up with the big play just when the Lions needed it Friday night in their 48-31 victory over the San Angelo Central Bobcats.
The Lions had been stopped on fourth down at their 40-yard line with 5:57 to play and Brownwood in front, 34-31. But the Lions returned the favor four plays later at their 30.
Central's R.J. Hernandez needed less than a yard on fourth down to keep the drive alive, but Robert Lopez and Chad Evans hit him at the line and kept him from making a first down by inches.
"I was looking for the trap, they had run it a lot, and all I wanted to do was get there and stop him," Lopez said. "We had talked in the huddle before saying we wanted to kick some tail and there were a lot of guys there to stop the runner."
"All I wanted to do was stuff the hole and get the ball for the offense," Evans said. "It was a big play and it was a big team play. I think it took away their momentum."
Quarterback Colby Freeman, who is regarded as one of the top high school quarterbacks in the country, then put the game on ice. On third-and-4, he raced around right end and scooted 64 yards for a touchdown with 2:30 to play. He had 186 yards rushing in the second half alone.
"We knew we had to score after the defense had given us a shot," said Freeman, who rushed for 283 yards on 18 carries and completed 3 of 6 passes for 62 yards, all in the first half. "On the third down play, it was just a fake to Jason (George) and I kept it. We felt they would plug up the middle because we had been running him a lot there (on short yardage plays). I felt the option would be open."
The defense held once again and this time, Deacon Burns burned the Bobcats for a 44-yard touchdown with 58 seconds to play.
The Lions scored the first time they had the football, going 83 yards in nine plays. Freeman carried twice for 48 yards and completed two passes for for 14 yards and had a 53-yarder called back because of a penalty. Freeman ended the drive with a 6-yard toss to wide-open tight end Chance Pearce for the touchdown.
Sophomore Sol Southall, whose father Si was a quarterback at Brownwood in his high school days, drove the Bobcats 41 yards after a short punt to the tying score. He ran three times for 19 yards, but Ramon Cabello got the touchdown on a 4-yard run around right end with 1:13 left in the first quarter.
It didn't take the Lions long to go in front again as Freeman threw a pass to Shay Ratliff covering 50 yards six plays later. Ratliff worked his way behind the defense and apparently wasn't distracted when a Bobcat jumped, trying for the interception.
Brownwood built the lead to 21-7 two series later when George skirted right end from 32 yards out for the score 1:53 before halftime.
But the Bobcats were not through. On third-and-17, backup quarterback Jon Blann threw a short pass to Chris Smith, who got away from a pair of tacklers and ran down the middle of the field for a 53-yard touchdown with 36 seconds left in the half to pull San Angelo within 21-14.
Brownwood then built the lead to 27-14 on the first series of the third quarter when Freeman raced around right end for 19 yards and the only ones close to him were his two blockers.
But San Angelo never would go away. Michael Caracciolo booted a 43-yard field goal, and after Freeman fumbled at the Lions 10, Blann scored from the 4 to make it 27-24 with 3:31 left in the third quarter.
The Lions got that score back in nine plays when Burns went over from the 5 after Freeman had run 45 yards to the Bobcat 35.
Again the Bobcats got within three points when R.J. Hernandez scored from the 1 with 9:57 to play. But that was as close as they would get. The Brownwood defense had had enough.
"That fourth down play took the wind out of our sails," said San Angelo Central coach Gary Gaines. "Our offense did well at times, but the difference tonight was Freeman and the Brownwood offensive line. They controlled the line of scrimmage.
"I know we won't see another quarterback as good as Freeman the rest of the year, and I don't know if I have ever seen one as good as he is."
George had 127 yards for the Lions, who gained 487 yards on the ground. Cabello had 73 yards on 10 carries for the Bobcats.
Bill Hart can be reached at 676-6773 or sports@abinews.com.
Brownwood 7 14 6 21--48
Central 7 7 10 7--31
SCORING SUMMARY
Brownwood -- Chance Pearce 6 pass from Colby Freeman (Josh Franks kick)
Central -- Ramon Cabello 4 run (Michael Caracciolo kick)
Brownwood -- Shay Ratliff 50 pass from Freeman (Franks kick)
Brownwood -- Jason George 32 run (Franks kick)
Central -- Chris Smith 54 pass from Jon Blann (Caracciolo kick)
Brownwood -- Freeman 19 run (kick failed)
Central -- Caracciolo 43 field goal
Central -- Blann 3 run (Caracciolo kick)
Brownwood -- Deacon Burns 5 run (Franks kick)
Central -- R.J. Hernandez 1 run (Caracciolo kick)
Brownwood -- Freeman 64 run (Franks kick)
Brownwood -- Burns 44 run (Franks kick)
Brownwood Central
First downs 22 16
Rushes-yards 55-487 35-157
Passing yards 62 123
Comp-Att-Int 3-6-0 7-13-0
Punts 2-26 3-42
Fumbles-lost 1-1 2-0
Penalties-yards 6-38 5-42
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING -- Brownwood: Freeman 18-283, George 21-127, Burns 4-53, Barron 4-5, Ratliff 8-19. Central: Cabello 11-73, Clark 4-26, Southall 10-22, Hernandez 6-23, Howard 2-21, Blann 4-(-4).
PASSING -- Brownwood: Freeman 3-6-0, 62 yards. Central: Southall 2-6-0, 16 yards; Blann 5-7-0, 107 yards.
RECEIVING -- Brownwood: Ratliff 2-56, Pearce 1-6. Central: Smith 1-54, Rogerson 2-18, Spence Southall 1-24, Brooks 1-13, Clark 1-11, Cabello 1-3.