CLEVELAND, Tenn. -- For nine years Walker Valley has had to take a “wait until next year” attitude after it's last win against Bradley Central. This time, however, the Mustangs finally turned the tables on the Bears to break the decade old losing streak with a solid 28-7-win Thursday inside Bear Stadium.
Walker Valley's last win against Bradley came in a 17-14 win. The Bears still hold a commanding 18-2 mark over the Mustangs in the series.
“I'm so happy for our community,” said a happy Mustangs head coach Drew Akins, still soaked from a Gatorade bath. “We've been really close so many times and I thought we were gonna give it away again, honestly. Silly right there before halftime. We should've been smarter there.
The mistake by the 10th-ranked Herd just before halftime was really the only blemish on an otherwise outstanding night.
With just over one minute left in the first half, a Walker Valley (3-1) fumble was recovered by the Bears at the Mustang's 18-yard line. Bradley (1-3) took quick advantage of the mistake on the next play with an 18-yard Braden Goode to Tyrese Stovall to cut a 14-7 Walker Valley lead to 14-7 at halftime.
The Mustangs scored on the first play of the second quarter on a 31-yard Dosen Stum connection to Roma Eulo that gave the visitors a 7-0 lead.Walker Valley made it a 14-0 game on another Stum to Eulo hookup, this time for 35 yards.
The 'Stangs rolled off a dozen offensive plays on their first possession of the second half and seven plays on their next but were held out of the end zone by a solid Bears defense.
Walker Valley proved to be just as stingy holding Bradley to just four plays in the quarter. Overall, the Mustangs allowed only 101 total yards, 82 on the ground and 19 through the air and gave up just five first downs.
“Defense played unbelievable tonight,” said Akins. “I felt like we really dominated the game up front, it was kind of our game plan, we wanted the offensive line to be able to go through and dominate the football game. We had a couple of fourth down conversions that really helped us keep drives alive. Then finishing the one right after the third quarter putting up 14 kind of gave us some breath.
““They (Bradley) weren't explosive enough. Our defense was able to hold them from being explosive,” Akins continued. “That's what didn't happen last week and that's what did happen this week. We were making sure we did what we needed to do with the football and protect the quarterback. I think our offensive line played really well.
Offensively, the Mustangs rolled up 319 total yards with Stum throwing for 122 and 197 picked up by the Walker Valley running backs.
The Mustangs made up for the empty third with a touchdown just two plays into the fourth. Javan Hall raced in from seven yards out to up the Walker Valley lead to 21-7.
The Mustangs caught one last break with 7:34 left in the game when a Bradley pass to the left flat was ruled a backward pass that was not caught and became a fumble. Walker Valley pounced on the ball and took over possession at their own 44-yard line with 7:44 on the clock.
The Herd moved to the Bradley six-yard line where the Bears stood tough holding Walker Valley out of the end zone for three plays. Looking at a fourth-and-1 with time running out, Eulo took the direct snap and followed his offensive front to the goal line where he leapt into the air with just enough momentum to get the ball over the line with 1:32 on the clock and a 28-7 lead.
“They are good defensively. They're a strong defensive team. They held us a couple times where I thought we had really good run plays and they did a really good job stopping them,” praised Akin. “Down here even (late in the fourth quarter) they really tried to bow their backs and that shows what kind of character they have and what kind of pride they have in what they do. As always, I have a ton of respect for coach (Damon) Floyd. They fought their tales off and I knew they would. They have too much pride not to fight us. They fought us tooth-and-nail. I'm really proud of our guys for continuing on.”
The Bears will be on the road next week to Innovation Academy, in Springfield, while the Mustangs open Region 4-5A play at home against Ooltewah.
“We have Ooltewah in Game 1 of our region. Now we are in to games that matter. We've got to make sure we re-lock in and refocus on that.”
GAME SUMMARY
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WALKER VALLEY
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0
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14
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0
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14
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-- 28
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BRADLEY CENTRAL
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0
|
7
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0
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0
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-- 7
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Second Quarter
WV — Roman Eulo 31 pass from Dosen Stum (Noah Campbell kick), 11:52
WV — Eulo 35 pass from Stum (Campbell kick), 4:20
BC — Tyrese Stovall 18 pass from Braden Goode (Noble Rojas kick) 0:25
Fourth Quarter
WV — Javan Hall 16 run (Campbell kick), 11:03
WV — Eulo 1 run (Campbell kick), 1:32
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STATS
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WV
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BC
|
|
First Downs
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20
|
8
|
|
Rushes-Yards
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49-197
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22-82
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|
Passing Yards
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122
|
19
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|
Total yards
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319
|
101
|
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Passing (Comp-Att-Int)
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10-16-0
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5-10-0
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|
Penalties-Yards
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9-85
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8-63
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|
Punts-Average
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2-29.0
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6-12.0
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|
Fumbles-Lost
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1-1
|
1-1
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HIGHLIGHTS
Rushing: Hall 22-120 TD, Eulo 14-44 TD, Spencer Makuck 9-36 (WV); Bra'Shaun Beard 12-39 (BC).
Passing: Stum 10-16-122 2TD (WV); Brady Lewis 4-9-20, (BC).
Receiving: Eulo 3-72 2TD, Luke Hayden 3-21, Makuch 1-16 (WV); Tyrese Stovall 2-17 (BC).
Records: Walker Valley 3-1; Bradley Central 1-3.
(Contact Richard Roberts at richardvol55@yahoo.com)