By Brian Gosset
X – @gosset41
X – @gmsportsmedia1
gmsportsmedia2023@gmail.com
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NORTH RICHLAND HILLS – A win Friday night didn’t automatically clinch a playoff spot for Brewer or Birdville, but with three weeks left in the regular season after this week, it sure would help.
Brewer came away with a 32-27 victory at Birdville FAAC and if the Bears go on to play a postseason game, they will remember the play senior defensive lineman Colton Plemons made in the final seconds.
The Hawks got the ball when Jacob Martinez picked off a Brewer pass with just over five minutes left. Martinez returned it inside the 10, but the ball was pushed back near midfield on a block in the back penalty from Birdville.
Still, the Hawks embarked on the potential game-winning drive – starting at the Brewer 42.
Birdville would eat up the clock and basically had the ball for the rest of the game. The Hawks eventually got it to first and goal from the 5 at the two-minute warning.
But Brewer’s defense came to life.
Birdville couldn’t produce one yard from there in four tries. The Hawks called a run play on first and second and goal and was stopped both times for no gain. On third and goal, QB Zach Wells got outside of the pocket, but couldn’t find anyone. He settled for a throw off his back leg. He had a man open, but it was tipped and nearly intercepted.
With one more chance on fourth and goal, Birdville went to another pass attempt, but Wells was sacked by Plemons. Brewer got the ball back and went into victory formation.
Plemons made the game-sealing play, but truthfully, the entire Brewer defense was stellar during that sequence. I mean, first and goal from the 5 and Birdville doesn’t gain one yard….that’s legit.
Brewer moves to 3-2 in district play while Birdville falls to 3-3. The rest of the district stands as follows: Aledo 5-0, Denton Ryan 5-1, Richland 4-1, Brewer 3-2, Birdville 3-3, Denton 2-3, Azle 1-4, Granbury 1-4 and Fossil Ridge 0-6.
Brewer ends the regular season vs Fossil Ridge, Ryan and Granbury while Birdville has a bye in Week 9 before closing it out with Fossil Ridge and Ryan.
Brewer got on the board first – finishing off an 80-yard drive with a Kameron Coleman touchdown run early in the opening quarter, but after good field position, Birdville tied it after Wells found Triston Spain on a 9-yard TD pass with eight minutes left in the first.
The Bears were trapped deep in their own territory when Jamal Ramsey got to QB Colton Ryals from his blind side and picked up a strip sack while jarring the ball loose. The ball ended up out of the end zone for a Birdville safety and 9-7 lead.
Birdville’s offense managed to get the ball back and inside the red zone, but on a fourth and 5, the Hawks turned the ball over back to the Bears. Coleman reeled off a long TD run, but it was called back on a Brewer flag. But Coleman and the Bears said BALL DON’T LIE as on the next snap, Coleman took the hand off again and broke multiple tackles for another long touchdown to give his team a 14-9 lead early in the second quarter.
After the Brewer D forced a punt, the Bears returned a punt for a touchdown, but that was called back for a block in the back. Birdville did get Brewer to punt and Ramsey was able to block the attempt while Hunter Grant recovered for the Hawks.
Birdville did get points off it when Wells and Spain connected for a second time. However, the extra point was no good and the Hawks led 15-14 midway through the second.
It didn’t take long for Brewer to go back in front when Ryals found a wide open Ty Salas for a 54-yard TD and Bears’ 20-15 edge with three minutes in the half.
Brewer was able to force another Birdville punt, but on that try, it was muffed and Ramsey picked it up. The Hawks couldn’t advance it, but did have first and 10 from the Brewer 39.
Birdville took a 21-20 lead into the intermission when Wells threw a touchdown pass to Braylin Montoya. Montoya hit a quick slant, caught the pass from Wells and absorbed a big hit while holding on to the reception.
After Birdville started off the third quarter with a three and out and punt, Brewer drove down field. Coleman rumbled down for a big gain and the Bears got into the red zone.
A Brewer pass was tipped and Birdville recorded the interception for Ramsey, who returned it inside the red zone on the opposite side of the field, but the Hawks were called for an illegal substitution – which brought the ball back for Brewer.
Brewer made good use of Birdville’s mistake as Ryals hit Jovan Sparkman on a short slant that gave the Bears a 26-21 lead midway through the third quarter.
However, on the ensuing drive, Wells and Spain connected for a third time – this from 35 yards out and Birdville led 27-26 with 2:45 left in the third quarter. But Brewer got a long TD pass and went back in front 32-27 entering the fourth.
Martinez picked off Ryals’ pass with 5+ minutes, but the Brewer defense did step up to keep the Hawks out of the end zone for the potential game-winning touchdown.
