Staff writer
With 42 seconds left in the matchup between Peabody-Burns and Canton-Galva Friday night, it looked as though the Eagles would take their 20-18 lead to the locker room at the half. The Warriors however, had other plans.
Not only did PBHS offense generate another score with just seconds on the clock to give them the 24-20 edge at the break, but their defense dominated the rest of the competition, not allowing another Eagle score.
“Our defense figured out what they were doing just before the half,” said head coach David Pickens. “This team is so aggressive. They keep working until they figure out what needs to be done.”
The Warriors began the game with a 65-yard drive that ended with a Clayton Philpott 50-yard touchdown. Canton-Galva came back on the next series and earned six with 9 minutes, 16 seconds on the clock. The Eagles created a fumble on the next Warriors drive and finished with a touchdown to give them the 12-6 edge over the Warriors. Late in the first, Brooks Hodges recovered a fumble at the Eagles’ 20 to set up a 17-yard touchdown pass from Braxton Kyle to Kevin Baatrup. With three minutes left in the half, Baatrup recovered a fumble in the end zone to give the PBHS squad the 18-12 lead. The Eagles answered with a passing score and tacked on two to give the 20-18 edge to Canton-Galva.
With 42 seconds on the clock, Kyle connected with Hodges to set up a 15-yard Kyle score. PBHS took the 24-20 lead at the half.
“During halftime we made some adjustments but it was just a matter of the defense applying what they know,” said Pickens. “They are always in attack mode so sometimes it takes them a little while to adjust and get the job done. I like the fact that they are aggressive. It’s a great team trait.”
Four minutes into the third quarter PBHS added 6 on a Philpott 5-yard run. Kyle added a conversion and PBHS led 32-20. Three minutes later, Kyle connected with Hodges for a 45-yard score. Philpott caught the throw from Kyle for the extra points. Warriors defender Hodges intercepted an Eagles’ pass on the next series and gave the ball back to PBHS. It took a couple of tries but Kyle found Baatrup with a 43 yard pass. Baatrup added the conversion with a catch in the end zone and the Warriors were ahead 48-20. Dakota Reynolds intercepted an Eagle pass on the next series to set up a fourth and inches score by Kyle. Kyle had a keeper for the conversion and the Warriors led 56-20 early in the fourth quarter.
“Several of our big plays were called back with penalty flags. Some we earned, some we didn’t. We will work on what we need to clean that up,” said Pickens. “The offense scored well but the defense made the difference in the second half.”
Kyle was 8-for-14 for 217 yards and three scores. Baatrup caught six passes for 142 yards and two scores. Hodges had two receptions for 75 yards and a touchdown. Philpott had 23 carries for 186 yards and two touchdowns. Kyle rushed 12 times for 85 yards and two scores. Hodges had nine carries for 26 yards.
Kaden Gibson led the defense with 11 tackles. D. Reynolds followed with eight. Kyle and Kiefer Larsen had 7.5 each. Hodges earned 6.5 tackles and Philpott recorded 5. Colton Terronez had 3.5 tackles and Baatrup added 2. Austin Reynolds had 1.5.