Chauncey Pedersen hoped to contain Bayard’s high flying attack by working the clock, keeping Tigers quarterback Brandon Stuart off the field.
But on the game’s first play, Longhorns running back Dalton Lockwood upset his coach’s plans—in the best way possible. Working out of the double wing, Lockwood took a handoff, sprinted toward the far side of the field then spotted a seam. A few seconds later, he crossed the goal line, completing a touchdown scamper of 69 yards.
It was the first of three scores by the senior on the way to a convincing 29-13 Kimball victory last Friday night. But the first play hardly set the tone.
A year ago, Stuart threw 51 times for 302 yards against the stronger Longhorns squad. This time, Bayard stayed on the ground five of their first six plays from scrimmage, showing multiple formations in an effort to confuse the Kimball defense. But assistant coach Gene Mohr emphasizes discipline and football IQ, recognizing matchups and adjusting accordingly.
“I told them to stick to the rules,” Mohr, Kimball’s defensive coordinator, says.
Bayard’s opening drive broke midfield then fizzled after an illegal procedure call.
Pedersen’s game plan was simple: hold onto the ball and run time off the clock. After Lockwood’s lightning strike, Kimball’s next two possessions were more methodical and time consuming—nine plays each time, the second drive extended by a fake punt, leading to a Henry Heeg field goal.
The fake was something they practiced during the week. Given the field position, Pedersen considered it a safe option.
“I figured if we didn’t get it, it wouldn’t make much difference,” he explains.
Staked to a 9-0 lead midway through the second period, Heeg and Trevan Hinton—the Longhorns alternating quarterbacks, engineered a long 14 play, 60 yard drive, consuming much of the quarter. While Lockwood and Todd O’Hare nipped off tackle, fullback Bernie Bridge bulled up the middle, often dragging several defenders along on important three or four yard gains. He was personally responsible for three first downs during the drive, which culminated in another Lockwood score, this time an easy romp from the six.
“We knew he was capable of doing that,” Pedersen says of his fullback, who ended up with 95 yards on 21 carries for the evening. “He’s a tough kid.”
Kimball led 16-0. Bayard’s only impression on the game had been a couple three and outs since their opening possession.
“Our offense started slow” Stuart admits. “But it’s kind of hard to score when you can’t get on the field.”
With 1:24 remaining in the half, it looked as if Pedersen’s squad could coast to the locker room.
Stuart’s arm suddenly came to life, however. He hit Kody Krantz, Allen Denton and Ryan Lohr on a series of bubble screens and quick slants, moving the Tigers into Kimball territory. Longhorn cornerback Austin Pile almost to an end to Bayard’s fledgling drive, but his interception with half a minute on the clock was nullified by offsetting penalties.
“Pile proved himself tonight,” Mohr says. The junior was starting in place of Jeff Greenwood, who didn’t suit up for the contest.
Stuart returned to work, leading the Tigers into the red zone. On first and goal from the nine, he found Krantz open a yard from paydirt—a walk-in, brought to a sudden, touchdown-saving halt by Heeg.
Left with eight-tenths of a second, thanks to precise hands in the scoreboard booth, the Bayard quarterback called his own number, but was met be a stampede of Longhorns. The ball popped loose and the threat ended.
Kimball forced five fumbles on the evening.
“Our defense did a great job,” Pedersen points out. “We knew they’d make the plays.”
This tenacious defense was the real key to Kimball’s victory—a stifling, hard-hitting effort led by Jake Reader. Time after time he and his pursuing teammates smothered Bayard drives. The visitors managed just one first down in the initial quarter and a mere six yards rushing in the half.
Of Stuart’s 125 passing yards in the first half, 27 came on a fluke. Heeg broke up a throw intended for Krantz. The ball careened into the arms of Bayard wide receiver Braydon Parriott to kick off the visitor’s dramatic, but ultimately futile final drive of the frame.
Kimball practically sealed the win in the opening moments of the second half.
After Reader stopped Denton for no gain on a screen and dragged Stuart down for a one yard loss, the Tigers Conner Maurer dropped back to punt. As if bent on single-handedly controlling the game, Reader burst through the Bayard line to block the kick. Bridge pounced on the ball in the end zone and Kimball led 22-0.
“Reader played one heck of a game,” Mohr says.
The score held into the fourth quarter and the Longhorns began shifting in some of their younger, less experienced defensive crew.
“It was a little dangerous,” Mohr explains of the decision to rotate in the second line players, “but I have to develop depth.”
With 6:30 remaining in the game, freshman lineman A.J. Spicer jumped offside on third and ten. Bayard took advantage, picking up a first on a swing pass to Lohr then charging quickly into Kimball territory. Again faced with a third and long situation, the Tigers resorted to a trick play. The hook and lateral, Stuart tossing to Krantz, who then flip the ball to Maurer, netted 12 yards and put them inside the red zone for only the second time.
From there, Stuart returned to a more conventional passing attack, hitting Michael Alfaro for their first score.
Now with 5:00 left, the visitors tried an onside kick. After some confusion—the referees first signaled Bayard’s direction before Daniel Valdez of Kimball emerged from the scrum holding the ball.
The Longhorns turned things over to Bridge, who carried on five of the next six plays, racking up 27 hardheaded yards and pushing the ball to Bayard’s 30.
From there, Lockwood took over for one last example of breakaway speed, slicing through the Tigers defense for another long touchdown run. He finished with a game high 148 yards on 15 carries.
Bayard managed one more score with time running out—using another hook and lateral along the way. But it came just before time expired.
“We didn’t stay focused,” Pedersen pointed out, sounding like a head coach. “But it was a great win.”
