Football 2006: Gallatin vs. Braymer (Quarterfinals)

Gallatin’s running game did what Braymer’s passing attack could not. Get the ball into the end zone.

Stephen Wood and Nic Burrell combined for four touchdowns, behind a hard-working and determined Bulldog line, to propel Gallatin to a 39-9 victory Monday night in the Class 1 quarterfinal played at R-5 school.

Gallatin, with a school-record 12 wins, travels to Shelbina on Saturday (1:30 p.m.) to take on the 11-1 South Shelby Cardinals in Class 1 semifinal action. The Cards downed previously unbeaten Orrick, 39-20, Monday night to earn their second straight trip to the semifinal round.

Marionville, unbeaten and ranked #1 in Class 1, plays Lone Jack Saturday in the other state semifinal. Marionville beat South Shelby, 21-14, in overtime, a year ago before bowing to West Platte in the state championship game.

Braymer’s inability to run the ball <197> the Bobcats gained only 127 yards on the ground, including 56 meaningless yards against Gallatin’s second unit at the end of the game <197> ultimately proved to be their undoing. The Bobcats completed 13 of 37 pass attempts for 188 yards, but were stopped time and again by defensive plays in the Bulldog secondary.

The Bobcats, in effect, ran 24 offensive plays that gained no yards, while at the same time struggling to jump start their running game.

Gallatin slowly won a battle of field position, thanks to Justin Duffy’s booming 58-yard punt that pinned the Cats inside their own five-yard line. The Bulldogs failed to score on their next series, but with just over 10 minutes left in the first half, were poised for success on the mid-field stripe.

Gallatin fans, waiting for something to happen, saw Wood burst through a crease in the line and race 48 yards to the end zone. Corey Lee kicked the extra point to stake the Dogs to a 7-0 lead.

Braymer responded well with a drive to the Bulldog one-yard line, but the Dogs stiffened and gave up only a 23-yard field goal by Tyler Phillips.

Wood brought the home crowd to its feet again on the ensuing kickoff when he took the ball up the middle of the field, cut to the Bobcat sideline, and outran pursuit on a 78-yard return. Lee’s point-after attempt missed but the Bulldogs were gaining momentum with the 13-3 lead.

Braymer tried to kick-start its offense through the air with a 22-yard gain, but Burrell and Andy Ward defended two more aerials and forced a punt.

Gallatin put together an 8-play, 58-yard drive by mixing the pass and run. Burrell completed both pass attempts, to Andrew Adkison and Brett Wilkinson, then polished off the series with a three-yard plunge. Lee’s PAT upped the ante to 20-3 with just over a minute left in the half.

The Bobcats fought back chucking the football with quarterback Quinn Brown and halfback Tyler Phillips each picking out Kyle Kelley and tight end Miles Owen as their favorite targets.

Braymer moved the ball to Gallatin’s 14 after a 31-yard completion to Owen, but Brown next threw incomplete in the face of the Bulldog rush. Burrell nearly intercepted a second-down pass attempts. Kevin Chadwick broke up a third down pass, and the Cats exited the half with a missed 31-yard field goal try.

Gallatin made it a four-possession game with 3:01 left in the third quarter when Burrell ticked off runs of 38 yards and 25 yards for the score.

Braymer scored its only touchdown early in the fourth quarter when Brown carried over from the one. A successful on-side kick gave the Bobcats another quick crack at the ball, but penalties and strong Bulldog defensive play ended the Cat series on a fourth and 23 in completion.

Wood scored his third TD of the night with 7:07 left in the game when he slashed through a gap created by point-of-attack blocks from center Brandon Meseberg and tackle Colt Bohannon. Lee kicked the extra point to provide the final 39-9 margin of victory.

Wood finished with 134 yards on 14 carries. Burrell added 107 yards on 12 tries, and completed four of eight passes for 38 yards.

GALLATIN 39, BRAYMER 9

Score by Quarters

SCORING SUMMARY

G: Wood 48 yd. run (Lee kick).

B: Phillips 23 yd. field goal.

G: Wood 78 yd. kickoff return (kick failed).

G: Burrell 3 yd. run (Lee kick).

G: Burrell 25 yd. run (conversion failed).

B: Brown 1 yd. run (conversion failed).

G: Croy 9 yd. run (kick blocked).

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Rushing: Gallatin — Wood 14-134, Burrell 12-107, Love 8-42, Croy 2-11, Rains 1-1. Braymer — Phillips 5-40, Smith 6-20, Wiper 3-15, Corbin 2-15, Wiedmier 4-13, #35 1-13, Brown 9-11.

Passing: Gallatin — Burrell 4-9-38. Braymer — Brown 8-28-99, Phillips 5-8-89, Corbin 0-1-0.

Receiving: Gallatin — Adkison 2-19, Wilkinson 2-19. Braymer — Kelley 4-96, Owen 2-25, Corbin 4-36, Brown 2-20, Smith 1-11.

GHS takeaways: Interception — Ward. QB sack — Lee.

Class 1 Quarterfinal Results

Marionville 14, St. Vincent 7

Lone Jack 20, Adrian 6

South Shelby 39, Orrick 20

Gallatin 39, Braymer 9

Class 1 Semifinal Schedule

Nov. 18, 1:30 p.m.

Marionville (12-0) @ Lone Jack (11-1)

Gallatin (12-0) @ South Shelby (11-10)

About the South Shelby Cardinals

11-1 (6-1, 2^nd, Clarence Cannon Conf.)

Head Coach: Kent O’Laughlin

2005 Record: 11-1

Lost 14-21 (OT) to Marionville (semifinal)

2006 Regular Season

W 38-0 over Mark Twain

W 21-0 over Macon

W 33-7 over Monroe City

L 7-35 to Centralia

W 48-7 over Louisiana

W 28-0 over Palmyra

W 44-0 over Highland

Class 1, District 16

W 48-0 over North Shelby

W 53-0 over Paris

W 49-0 over Knox County

Class 1 Sectional

W 42-0 over Putnam County

Class 1 Quarterfinal

W 39-20 over Orrick

Top Offensive Players

Aaron O’Lauglin, 5-8, 165, RB, Sr. 1,585 yds. rushing, 18 TDs

Ethan Harris, 5-10, 180, RB, Jr. 1,569 yds. Rushing, 27 TDs

Top Defensive Players (stats thru Sect.)

Bryce Johnson, 6-0, 180, LB, So. 142 tackles

Jordan Bowman, 5-11, 185, LB, Jr. 113 tackles, 4 sacks

Justin Wilt, 6-0, 190, LB, So. 105 tackles

Zech Bowman, 6-5, 225, DE, Sr. 72 tackles, 6 sacks

Joe Ridpath, 6-4, 250, DE, Sr. 71 tackles, 5 sacks

Luke O’Laughlin, 5-9, 155, DB, Jr. 11 interceptions

South Shelby vs. Orrick

Orrick ended South Shelby’s 24-quarter shutout streak with a first quarter touchdown, and led, 20-19, entering the fourth quarter, but wore down under the weight of a crushing Cardinal running attack. South Shelby amassed 500 yards total offense, including 257 yards rushing from junior Ethan Harris and 231 yards from senior Aaron O’Laughlin. Orrick was held to a season-low 136 yards on the ground, but managed 173 yards in the air, despite a pair of interceptions.