Hurricanes avenge devastating 2013 loss to Brack
AREA TEAMS INCLUDED: Brackenridge, Sam Houston.
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The resurrection of Sam Houston’s football program has more to do with the resurgence in the school’s enrollment than you might suspect.
Perhaps the best measure of how far and how rapidly the Hurricanes have progressed is found in comparing two years worth of scores against Brackenridge.
In 2013, the Eagles crushed Sam Houston 63-0. On Oct. 3 at the SAISD Sports Complex, the Hurricanes (4-2, 4-0) never trailed in seizing a 40-25 win that carried the District 28-5A lead with it.
“Four years ago, there was all that talk about closing the school and we didn’t get the numbers,” Sam Houston coach Gary Green said. “We’ve been essentially a JV team the last two years. We had eight seniors last year, and one of them was a transfer, and seven two years ago.
“These kids had a baptism by fire, and they’ve grown up. ”
Brackenridge (3-3, 3-1) had shared first place before the game. The Eagles couldn’t recover from a 20-point first-quarter deficit, despite falling behind by two or three touchdowns in each of the previous three weeks.
“We had too many mistakes to come back against an explosive ballclub like they have,” Eagles coach Willie Hall said. “We tried to keep up that pace, but we fell behind one too many times.”
Rushing yards were hard to come by, so both Brackenridge quarterback Antonio Lopez (322 passing yards) and Sam Houston quarterback Raymonte Prime (201 passing yards) relied on the aerial route to touchdowns. Each fired four scoring passes.
The Hurricanes claimed their 20-point lead with three touchdowns in the last 4:37 of the first quarter. Sophomore Jawon Anderson scored on a 26-yard reception from Prime and a nine-yard return of a punt out of the Eagles end zone that junior Chaye Williams timed perfectly for the block.
“I just thought to myself that I had to go very hard,” Williams said. “It was all or nothing. I had to do what I could for the team.”
DeWayne Brown (91 yards, 4 receptions) scored Sam Houston’s second touchdown on a 34-yard pass from Prime.
Lopez brought Brackenridge back to within 20-13 in the second quarter. The senior threw 22 yards to Jordan Beasley with 10:34 until halftime and the same distance to Jalen Davis (92 yards, 7 receptions) with 52 seconds remaining.
“I thought our kids stepped up to the plate,” Hall said. “In run defense and pass defense, they swarmed and made plays.”
After the kickoff, Sam Houston stormed 56 yards in two pass plays.
Prime found Travon Vaughns in traffic for a 12-yard gain. Then, to relieve a heavy Eagles pass rush on Prime, Devin Harris came back for a screen pass. The junior knifed toward the middle of the field and made an ankle-breaking cut at the 20 for a 44-yard score that gave the Hurricanes a 27-13 halftime advantage.
Sam Houston increased its lead to 33-13 with 7:45 left in the third quarter on a nine-yard fade pass from Prime to Anderson. It was the sophomore receiver’s third touchdown.
“If our offense was playing like this the first two games, we would be undefeated,” Green said. “Offense generally comes along a little slower. (The line) is probably the most improved part of our offense. They’re not only giving Raymonte time to throw the ball, they’re opening up some holes.
“We’re becoming a harder team to defend.”
Brackenridge battled to within eight points with 2:54 remaining on a 12-yard pass to Macco Marble (73 yards, 6 receptions) in the back corner of the end zone, but the Hurricanes’ Darius Davis scooped up the ensuing onside kick and ran 52 yards for a clinching touchdown.
“We were picked last (in 28-5A),” Williams said. “This was a championship game. It feels pretty good for the rest of the season.”
On a Brack touchdown with 4:04 left in the third quarter, scored by Lee Terrell (111 yards, 10 catches) on a 10-yard reception, the Eagles sustained a key injury. Senior kicker Jesus Millan was injured on the extra-point attempt and was carted off the field with a possible leg fracture.
Sam Houston finished with 323 total yards, including 122 on the ground. The Eagles had more total yards (410), but rushed for just 88 against a Hurricanes defense that surrendered six points in its first two 28-5A games.
“It’s execution and teamwork,” Williams said of the unit’s improvement. “It’s having more camaraderie.”
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