ABILENE – “We looked like a JV team playing a 5A varsity team.”
Those were the words of Brownwood Lions fourth-year head coach Sammy Burnett following Friday night’s 49-21 loss to the Class 5A Division II Abilene Wylie Bulldogs in the 2021 pre-district finale.
Wylie (2-3) – coming off a 37-7 loss to Brownwood’s District 5-4A Division I rival Stephenville, a game in which the Bulldogs surrendered 590 yards of total offense – scored the first 42 points against the Lions (2-3) Friday, including 35 in the first half alone.
“Abilene Wylie came out and brought it to us,” Burnett said. “They were more physical, they played a faster game than we did. We weren’t lining up properly, we didn’t execute, we self-imploded with penalties, and it cost us. They came out ready to play and we didn’t.”
Wylie finished with 492 yards of total offense – including 328 rushing – as the Bulldogs amassed 359 yards in the first half, with 195 coming on the ground.
Behind the largest offensive line the Lions have faced all season, the Bulldogs received 100 yards and a touchdown from Trey Gomez, 73 yards and two scores from quarterback Aden Kincaid, 72 yards and two touchdowns from Josh Carpenter, and 70 yards and a trip to the end zone by Landry Carlton.
“Size played a factor,” Burnett said. “When you’re smaller and can’t get off them you it plays a lot into it, but you can’t make excuses. You have to find a way to get your job done. That’s just life.”
On the flip side of the ball, Brownwood produced just 109 yards in the first half – 50 rushing and 59 passing – as Konlyn Anderson, who was averaging 206 yards per outing, was limited to 36 yards in the first two quarters.
The Lions did finish with 320 yards overall, including 209 rushing, as Anderson churned out 126 yards and a touchdown and quarterback Chance Jones chipped in 81 yards on the ground.
Through the air, Jones connected on 12 of 21 passes for 111 yards a pair of touchdowns to Jason Jackson, who grabbed seven receptions for 66 yards. Jones was picked off the first time this season, however, ending Brownwood’s 10-quarter run without a turnover.
On the opening possession of the contest, the Lions failed to convert on third and fourth down and less than a yard from their own 29. After a turnover on downs, Wylie needed just four plays to reach the end zone as Kincaid’s 10-yard carry put the Bulldogs in front, 7-0, just 2:52 into the contest.
Wylie boosted its lead to 14-0 with 4:31 left in the first on a 18-yard carry by Gomez, which was set up by a 55-yard pass from Kincaid to Gomez.
The Bulldogs tacked on three more touchdowns in the second quarter on a 47-yard sprint by Kincaid, a 59-yard jet sweep toss from Kincaid to Braden Regala, and a 7-yard run by Josh Carpenter.
The Lions did force a fumble in the second period, as Ethan Pesina pounced on a loose ball at the Brownwood 44 with 3:38 left in the half. The Lions, however, were unable to convert the takeaway into points.
Down 35-0 at halftime, the Lions recovered an onside kick to begin the third period. But on Brownwood’s second snap of the half, Jones was intercepted by J.T. Thompson. Then, just three plays later, Carpenter scored from 9 yards out to give Wylie its largest lead, 42-0, just 1:43 into the second half.
The Bulldogs tallied one more touchdown, a 19-yard run by Carlton with 7:18 left in the game.
Brownwood finally lit up the scoreboard with 44 seconds left in the third period as an 11-play, 87-yard drive culminated with a 5-yard touchdown run by Anderson.
Then, in the fourth quarter, Jones connected with Jackson on scoring receptions of 22 yards with 6:09 left, and 28 yards with 57 seconds remaining in the contest.
“They’re fighters. They’re young and inexperienced, but it is what it is and you still have to step up and rise up and make plays,” Burnett said of his team’s second-half effort. “I’m proud of the fact that they didn’t quit. If you quit on yourself, you’re going to have a miserable life ahead of you. I’m proud of the way they continued to fight.”
Brownwood is off next week, then begins District 5-4A Division I action on Oct. 8 at home against Midlothian Heritage (4-1), a 49-13 winner over previously-unbeaten Springtown Friday night.
“We have to find ourselves and we have to grow quickly,” Burnett said looking ahead to the district opener. “We’re going to try and get healed up and be 100 percent. We’re going to give them a couple of days off. They’ve been grinding since the spring and maybe that will recharge their batteries. We have to go back to work and play a really strong Midlothian Heritage team, but if we don’t fix some things we can’t expect a different result.”
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Abilene Wylie 49, Brownwood 21
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Brownwood 0 0 7 14 – 21
Abilene Wylie 14 21 7 7 – 49
SCORING SUMMARY
W: Aden Kincaid 10 run (Grayson Bearden kick), 9:08, 1st
W: Trey Gomez 18 run (Bearden kick), 4:31, 1st
W: Kinkaid 47 run (Bearden kick), 10:13, 2nd
W: Braden Regala 59 pass from Kinkaid (Bearden kick), 8:44, 2nd
W: Josh Carpenter 7 run (Bearden kick), 0:18, 2nd
W: Carpenter 9 run (Bearden kick), 10:17, 3rd
B: Konlyn Anderson 5 run (Junior Martinez kick), 0:44, 3rd
W: Landry Carlton 19 run (Bearden kick), 7:18, 4th
B: Jason Jackson 22 pass from Chance Jones (Martinez kick), 6:09,4th
B: Jackson 28 pass from Jones (Martinez kick), 0:57, 4th
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TEAM STATS
B W
First Downs 21 24
Total Offense 320 492
Rushes-Yards 40-209 43-328
Passing Yards 111 164
Comp-Att-Int 12-21-1 8-11-0
Punts 6-29.1 2-33.5
Fumbles Lost 0 1
Penalties-Yards 4-40 10-90
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PLAYER STATS
RUSHING: Brownwood – Konlyn Anderson 24-126, TD; Chance Jones 15-81; Jason Jackson 1-2. Wylie – Trey Gomez 10-100, TD; Aden Kincaid 7-73, 2 TDs; Josh Carpenter 12-72, 2 TDs; Landry Carlton 7-70, TD; Kade Killion 3-12; Ashton Swanson 2-11; Kaden Long 2- (-10).
PASSING: Brownwood – Jones 12-21-1-111, 2 TDs. Wylie – Kincaid 8-11-0-164, TD.
RECEIVING: Brownwood – Jason Jackson 7-66, 2 TDs; Thad Hinds 2-20; Elias Huerta-Doud 2-18; Anderson 1-9. Wylie – Braden Regala 3-72, TD; Gomez 2-64; Harrison Heighten 1-15; Grayson Bearden 1-9; Carpenter 1-4.
