Hardin-Central will forfeit
This website brought to you in part by the following sponsor:
Find out how to advertise here - Email us! [email protected]
Hardin-Central will forfeit
Quarterback Nic Burrell ran for two touchdowns and threw for two more, and halfback Drayson Leeper scored twice and came up with a big interception to propel Gallatin to a 39-14 win in Friday night’s opening round of Class 1, District 11 football action.
The Bulldogs need only win over Wentworth Military Academy on Friday to capture the district title. R-5 athletic director Chris Elbert made it official Monday that Hardin-Central would be forfeiting all its district games. A Gallatin victory this week would give the Bulldogs extra time to prepare for a Class 1 sectional home game on Nov. 10.
As much as the Bulldogs dominated on the offensive side of the ball Friday night — over 480 yards total offense — it was the GHS defense that stole Braymer’s wind in the fourth quarter.
With Gallatin nursing a 27-14 lead on the sloppy field, Braymer pounded away with 11 straight running plays that chewed up 58 yards to the Bulldog nine-yard line. Facing third down and four yards to go for a first down, Bobcat quarterback Quinn Brown handed off to senior fullback Chance Guffey. Gallatin’s defensive surge, led by Zach Gutzmer, Adam Strein and Jason McGee, killed the play for a one-yard loss. A fourth down carry by junior Jake Houston was stopped short by McGee, Justin Duffy and Clayton Baker.
Duffy recovered a fumble that set up a Bulldog insurance touchdown with 5:56 left to play. Leeper’s interception would lead to another Gallatin score less than two minutes later. A fumble recovery by Kyle Hefley erased any doubts about the outcome as Gallatin’s junior varsity was then able to run out the clock.
The Bulldogs jumped out to a 21-0 lead late in the first half. Burrell ran 52 yards for a first quarter score after tight end Andrew Adkison threw a block on Chase Hunt that sealed off the sideline. Burrell threw 22 yards to the end zone and Hefley beat his defender to the pylon. Leeper squirted threw a hole made by Adkison and Jacob Gardner and dashed 30 yards for another touchdown.
Braymer cut the lead to 21-7 at intermission on a three-yard scoring pass from Quinn Brown to Tyler Phillips. Chance Guffey capped Braymer’s first series of the second half with a 10-yard run on a fourth down carry.
Runs of 15 yards by Leeper and 29 yards by Duffy helped the Bulldogs tack on a TD that gave them a better cushion, 27-14. Burrell tucked in behind center SeanWood for a one-yard plunge on fourth and goal.
Gallatin emerged from a flurry of turnovers with two more scores in the fourth quarter. Leeper scored from 11 yards out to cap a 60-yard drive aided by a 22-yard Burrell to Adkison completion. A Burrell to Hefley connection of 23 yards helped lead to a 12-yard scoring reception by Adkison with 4:01 left to play.
McGee finished with 142 yards on the ground on 13 carries. Leeper picked up 89 yards on just eight carries. Duffey gained 88 yards in six tries. Burrell rushed for 53 yards in nine attempts.
Defensively, Wood sacked Braymer’s quarterback twice. Twenty-two of Braymer’s 50 rushing plays on the night netted one, zero or negative yards.
Gallatin’s junior varsity Bulldogs closed out their season Monday night with a 42-0 thrashing of Princeton.