Staff writer
Scoring points came fast and often for the Peabody-Burns Warriors in their first district match-up Friday night. The Warriors trampled Burlingame 52-6 in a contest that ended at halftime. Now 3-0, the team will have a homecoming competition with Canton-Galva.
Fred Winsor received the opening Bearcat kickoff and returned the ball 70 yards for the first score of the ballgame. Winsor added the conversion on a pass from Braxton Kyle. PBHS took the 8-0 led with just seconds ticked off the clock.
Xavier Jabary stopped the Burlingame kickoff returner at the Bearcat 15. Defensive stops by Kiefer Larsen, Winsor, Kyle Seeney, Clayton Philpott, and Dakota Reynolds held the Bearcats and forced a punt on fourth-and-7 from the Burlingame 34.
The Warriors’ offense struggled on the next series. With a gain of only four yards between Winsor and Seeney, PBHS and punted on a fourth-and6 from the Warrior 18.
On first-and-19 at the Bearcat 22, Jabary sacked the QB for a loss of 2. Philpott and Gibson teamed up on second down to hold the runner to a 1-yard gain. On third-and-11, a Kyle interception put the PBHS offense back on the field deep in Burlingame territory.
On second down of the series, Winsor found the endzone for a 6-yard score. Kyle called a keeper for the 2-point conversion. The Warriors were up 16-0 with 6:02 left in the first quarter.
PBHS defense swarmed the Bearcats on the next drive, pushing them back to their own 20. On fourth-and-22, Burlingame punted. Kevin Baatrup returned the ball to the Warrior 27.
Kyle connected with DeAndre Edmondson on first down for a 33-yard gain. Winsor finished the drive with a second down touchdown run from the PBHS 20. The conversion failed but the Warriors had the 22-0 lead with 3:35 left in the quarter.
With 1:20 on the clock, Baatrup set up the next score with a 55-yard catch on a Kyle pass. Kyle gained 4 on first-and-goal at the 10. Seeney finished the drive with a second-and-goal 6-yard run through the middle. Kyle added 2 with a keeper. With 2 seconds left in the first, PBHS led 30-0.
The defense got credit for the last score in the quarter when Baatrup returned an interception for a touchdown. With no time on the clock, Kyle ran a keeper for 2. The first quarter ended with a 38-0 edge for PBHS.
Scoring continued in the second. At the 10-minute mark, a 2 play drive ended with a sweep by Winsor for a 32-yard touchdown. The conversion failed, but the Warriors were up 44-0 with 9:42 left in the half.
The defense remained tough throughout the quarter. Plays by Kyle, Seeney, Winsor, Gibson, Baatrup, Jabary, Colton Terronez, Marcus Knight, Brandon Entz and Chris Terronez were recorded.
The next score in the contest was a safety. Two points were added on a bad snap that went into the endzone. PBHS was up 46-0 with less than 3:00 left in the half.
Just seconds later, Philpott snagged the free kick and returned it to the Bearcat endzone. The conversion failed but the Warriors led 52-0.
Burlingame got on the board late in the second with an 11-yard score. The conversion failed. With 22 seconds left in the game, PBHS led 52-6. Jabary received the last kickoff of the contest. Kyle took a knee to run out the clock. The Warriors defeated Burlingame 52-6.
“The players wanted to make a statement with a decisive first district game win,” coach David Pickens said.
“While we still have plenty to do to be polished, we have tremendous leadership at practice and on the field. We will have to work hard and stay focused. Tonight they gave it all. That’s all we can ask.”
Kyle was 5 for 7 for 103 passing yards. He ran 5 times for 15 yards. Winsor carried 6 times for 60 yards and 3 touchdowns. Seeney was 2 for 9 yards and 1 score. Baatrup caught 2 passes for 65 yards. Baatrup ran back an interception for a score. Winsor and Philpott each ran back a kickoff for a score.
Winsor led the defense with 7 tackles. Seeney followed with 6. Jabary and Baatrup each recorded 4. Kyle, Philpott and Colton Terronez each had 3 stops. Gibson, Larsen, Newman, Cody Partridge, Reynolds and Enrique Palazon each had 2. Gage Claassen, Entz and Edmondson each added 1.