KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Despite struggling through a hard luck season, the proud Bradley Central football program didn't go down without a fight Friday, closing out the season with a tough loss at Region 2-6A runner-up Bearden.
"So proud of our kids showing the fight the did all season long. We had a ton of adversity all season long, but they just kept working to gotta and get better," declared veteran head coach Damon Floyd after the 31-22 loss.
"They fought til the end.
Thought there were some critical calls that really hurt last night, but we have to overcome that.
"We will find out who really wants to work to get better in the offseason. I appreciate the seniors and all they have for the program!"
Bradley's final 3-7 overall record marks the first sub-.500 mark in 15 years, plus snaps a string of 14 straight TSSAA Playoff berths, including last year's state semifinal run.
Despite the hosts scoring on the third snap of the game on a 64-yard pass from sophomore QB DJ Hunter to senior Drew Parrott, Bradley's spirits weren't dampened.
After the ensuing kickoff went into the end zone, the Bears methodically marched the needed 80 yards to even the score on a two-yard plunge by junior Kenyon Phelps.
Sophomore kicker Noah Samayoa knotted the game when he split the uprights with 2:05 left in the opening quarter.
Both teams also scored on their second possessions — Bearden on a eight-play, 56 yard march capped by junior Jayzon Thompson bulling in from the 1, while Bradley answered with a 10-play, 73-yard drive culminated by a 17-yard pass from freshman QB Tucker Cook to 6-foot-8 senior WR Tyrese Stovall.
While Samayoa made the PAT attempt, a flag backed it up five yards and the redo missed the mark with 6:27 to go in the half.
The Bulldogs made it 3-for-3 with another eight-play, 44-yard scoring streak with Thompson once again going over from the 1 and kick Daniel Kinney tacking on the extra point with 3:14 on the clock.
After the teams traded punts, the Bears were able to add a third scoring series of their own.
Getting the ball back with just 78 seconds remaining, on the fourth snap Bradley found the end zone when Cook connected with sophomore Brady Lewis who carried the ball 26 yards to paydirt, but once once again laundry on the field for offsetting penalties wiped points off the scoreboard.
A 15-yard penalty on the hosts on the redo moved the Bears within field goal range and Samayoa responded with a 30-yard boot as the clock ran out to cut the halftime deficit to 21-16.
The third quarter was scoreless despite turnovers on back-to-back plays when Bradley sophomore Zane McIntosh recovered a fumble, but the Bulldogs picked off a pass on the following play.
Bearden was able to put points on the scoreboard with a 40-yard TD toss from Hunter to Parrott on a scramble play that saw the QB take a hard hit as he fired the ball to the goal line, where the receiver was able to pull it in despite being hit as he fell into the end zone with 10:47 remaining in the game.
After forcing a three-and-out, Thompson broke free on a 35-yard run that Bear Paul Stokes was able to make a TD-saving tackle on.
After the "Black Hole Defense" stiffened to force the hosts backward for four yards in a trio of plays, Kinney came on the field to boot a 54-yard field goal that had plenty of extra distances on it to make the difference 31-16 with 6:20 on the clock.
Unwilling to go quietly into the night, the Bears responded with their final scoring drive of the campaign, going 78 yards on seven plays, with Cook hooking up with fellow freshman Kaden Cantrell for his third TD of the season, this one on a 51-yard catch.
Cook finished the night hitting 9-of-14 aerials for 124 yards and a pair of scores, with Cantrell pulling in a pair fo 60 yards, while Stovall had 34 on a trio of receptions.
Lewis, who has been a jack-of-all trades since transferring over from Cascade this year, pulled in four aerials for 30 yards, plus completed a 10-yard pass to junior Wiley Suskawicz on a fake punt from his own end zone for a first down.
Phelps toted the rock 21 times for 95 yards, while fellow junior Bra'shaun Beard gained 40 on nine carries.
Sophomore LB Andrew Carroll was in on 11 tackles including a trio fo solo takedowns behind the line of scrimmage.
Suskawicz had eight total takedowns, with a TFL, while TJ Jones was in on a half dozen tackles.
Thompson garnered 119 yards on 19 caries for Bearden, while Parrott pulled in four receptions for 122. Thompson went 10-for-18 for 167 yards on the night.
SCORING SUMMARY
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BRADLEY CENTRAL
|
7
|
9
|
0
|
6
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--22
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|
BEARDEN
|
7
|
14
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0
|
10
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-- 31
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First Quarter
B — Drew Parrott 64-yd pass from DJ Hunter (Daniel Kinney kick), 10:16
BC — Kenyon Phelps 4-yd run (Noah Samayoa kick), 2:05
Second Quarter
B — Jayzon Thompson 1-yd run (Kinney kick), 11:00
BC — Tyrese Stovall 17-yd pass from Tucker Cook (kick failed), 6:27
B — Thompson 1-yd run (Kinney kick), 3:14
BC — Samayoa 30-yd field goal, :00
Fourth Quarter
B — Parrott 5-yd pass from Hunter (Kinney kick), 10:47
B — Kinney 54 -yd field goal, 6:20
BC — Kaden Cantrell 51-yd pass from Cook (kick failed), 1:50
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TEAM STATS
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Bradley
|
Bearden
|
|
First Downs
|
14
|
11
|
|
Rushes-Yards
|
35-138
|
24-149
|
|
Passing Yards
|
134
|
167
|
|
Total yards
|
272
|
316
|
|
Passing (Comp-Att-Int)
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10-15-1
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10-18-0
|
|
Fumbles-Lost
|
1-0
|
1-1
|
|
Penalties-Yards
|
9-105
|
15-108
|
|
Punts-Avg,.
|
4-42.0
|
2-45.0
|
Individual stats
Rushing: Kenyon Phelps 22-96 TD, Bra'shaun Beard 9-41, Landon Scott 1-2, Brady Lewis 2-1, Tucker Cook 1- -2 (BC); Jayzon Thompson 19-119 2 TDs, DJ Hunter 2-12, Drew Parrott 2-10, Deameion Leavell 1-8 (B).
Passing: Tucker Cook 9-14-1 124 2 TDs, Brady Lewis 1-1-0 10 (BC); DJ Hunter 10-18-0 167 2 TDs (B).
Receiving: Kaden Cantrell 2-60 TD, Tyrese Stovall 3-34 TD, Brady Lewis 4-30, Wiley Suskawicz 1-10 (BC); Drew Parrott 4-122 2 TDs, Deameion Leavell 4-44, Jayzon Thompson 2-1 (B).
Defense: Andrew Carroll 3 solos, 8 asts, 3 TFL; Wiley Suskawicz 3 solos, 5 asts, 1 TFL; TJ Jones 6 asts; Ali Scott 1 solos, 4 asts; Jacob Gentry 3 solos, 1 ast; Zane Mc=Intosh 4 asts, 1 TFL, 1 FR (BC); Logan Lamont 4 solos, 5 asts; Kewshawn Mills 1 solo, 7 asts; Yashan Campbell 2 solos, 4 asts; Terry Beaufort 1 solos, 5 asts; Tra Dennard 6 asts (B).
Records: Bradley Central 3-7, 1-4 Region 2-6A; Bearden 7-3, 4-1 Region 2-6A.