Hornets use second-quarter surge to sting Warriors
MAYO, Fla. — Brookwood held Lafayette High’s high-powered offense in check for a quarter Friday night.
But Warrior miscues helped spark a big second quarter as the Hornets used four touchdowns in the period to roll past Brookwood 38-0 at Dale Walker Field.
A couple of turnovers in the second quarter by Brookwood helped accelerate the Hornets’ quick-strike offense. They scored 14 points in about 10 seconds to go up 17-0.
“I thought that was the biggest momentum swing, we missed some great opportunities,” Brookwood coach Shane Boggs said. “We had a couple touchdowns dialed up when it was zero zero. I’d love to see what would have happened if we hit one of those.”
The touchdowns started after a Brookwood punt, and Lafayette got the ball at midfield.
The Hornets raced down the field on a pass from quarterback Jackson Beach to Adam Perry and a 10-yard run by Beach to Brookwood’s 27-yard line; both plays for first downs. On a fourth-and-1 from the 16, Beach ran up the middle for six yards and on third-and-goal from the 2 ran it in for the first touchdown to put Lafayette up 10-0.
On the ensuing kickoff return Brookwood fumbled with Lafayette recovering. On the next play, Beach found Perry for a 20-yard TD pass.
On LHS’s opening drive a long gain was negated by a penalty before Beach ran out of the pocket for 29 yards to the Brookwood 13-yard line. But Lafayette was stopped and couldn’t convert on a fourth-and-12.
On the next drive Brookwood’s quarterback Dallas Forsyth connected with Landon Hall for a 20-yard gain, but the drive was stopped with a sack by the Hornets’ Mario Thomas.
Brookwood punted from its own 15-yard line and Lafayette took over at the Warrior 45-yard line. Penalties helped stop the drive and Beach kicked a short field goal to make it 3-0.
“We were trying to do a little too much,” Lafayette coach Mark Beach said about the Hornets’ offense being stymied. “Trying to put the ball in people’s hands, but it’s gotta be organic in the process. Just let it work out.
“Here’s the deal with us, we’re super young, we have guys that just need to play to gain experience.”
The yards weren’t coming easy for Brookwood but Forsyth was able to complete a few passes on the next possession. But the drive stalled and the Warriors tried a fake punt on fourth down that the Hornets stopped.
Down 24-0 late in the second quarter, Brookwood put together a nice drive aided by a 15-yard roughing call on a Hornet tackle. Then, running the ball, got a first down at the Hornet 22-yard line. But Thomas intercepted for Lafayette and Beach went right to work with a 50-yard completion to Nic’kel Freeman and a 16-yard TD pass to Perry and Lafayette led 31-0 at halftime.
“Our defense played hard,” Boggs said. “It was a tough task when they got players over there that can make you pay when you get out of position. I was pleased with how our defense played most of the time.
“We had some execution issues on offense, but you have to give the Hornets credit. They are coached well, and their playmakers made plays for them.”
Early in the third quarter, Beach got the Hornets moving again by mixing up the passing but Brookwood’s Mac Brandon got in front of Perry for an interception in Brookwood territory.
Brookwood put together a nice drive with a first-down pass from Forsyth to Hall and another penalty, pass interference, by the Hornets gave the Warriors first down on the Hornet 34-yard line. Then Forsyth was forced out of the pocket on a pass play but scrambled around the corner and got to the Lafayette 9-yard line. But the Warriors came up empty on a fourth-and-goal pass attempt after the receiver was gang tackled.
Hornet defensive coordinator Tim Hanson was happy with the unit’s performance.
“I felt that if we could get to them (by rushing) and make them throw it quick, it would be to our advantage,” he said. “We filled holes with linebackers and the defensive line I was really tickled with. We slanted real well and got our eyes on the backfield.”
Beach added the final score on a short touchdown run.