BY NOLAN RUTH
X – @RealNolanRuth
WHITE SETTLEMENT— The playoff race is getting tight in district 3-5A Division 1. With half of the season remaining, games are meaning more with each passing week. The same was true when the Azle Hornets traveled just a few miles down the road to take on the Brewer Bears in a game that could have big playoff implications.
The Hornets took the lead less than a minute into the second quarter and ran away with it in the second half for a 42-21 win against their nearby rival. The win had added significance with it bringing Azle to a 4-0 start for the first time since 1985.
Head Coach Devon Dorris spoke about the hot start and keeping it going in a deep district.
“We’ve just got to keep going one game at a time, one practice at a time and one rep at a time. Our kids know what got us here to this point. It’s the preparation. I think the preparation builds the confidence. Not the wins.”
Brewer got the ball to open the game and quickly found itself in Azle territory. But the Bears ultimately stalled and Bryan Moya came up big for the Hornets by blocking a field goal attempt. The Azle offense took full advantage by driving 78 yards down the field in 12 plays, capped off by a three yard scoring run by Hagen Hughes. The Hornets tried to go for two but were not successful, leaving the score at 6-0 after one quarter of play.
Hughes rushed for 180 yards on 18 carries and a pair of scores, and added 45 yards on three catches.
The Bears had already driven well into Azle territory before the second quarter. Facing fourth down at the 13 yard line, Lucas Davis dropped back and softly lofted a pass to a wide open Jaiden Carrigan to give Brewer a 7-6 lead.
The Hornets only needed one play to respond, as Hughes went right up the middle and broke away for a 63-yard touchdown to reclaim the lead for good. The two-point conversion made it 14-7. After forcing a punt, it was time for King Stephens to make his impact as he broke through the line and outran the defense for 89 yards for the touchdown.
Stephens also had a big game on the ground, rushing for 152 yards on 13 carries and a touchdown.
Brewer got a response with a five yard scoring run by Kameron Coleman to pull within seven. However, it was quickly countered when Azle quarterback Derrek Vowell found Aiden Mackey for their first touchdown connection from 11 yards out, bringing the halftime score to 28-14 in favor of the Hornets.
Vowell and Mackey played big roles in the rest of the game as they connected twice more for touchdowns in the third quarter on fade patterns from 26 yards and 22 yards respectively.
Vowell finished completing 15 of 24 for 201 yards and three touchdowns. Mackey accounted for five of those completions, 94 yards and all three touchdowns.
The Bears could not muster much else in the remainder of the game. They scored one last time just before the third quarter ended on a 22-yard pass from Davis to Cameron Carr which brought the game to its final score of 42-21.
Azle (4-0, 2-0) will look to continue its perfect season alive at home against Birdville (2-3, 1-2) next Friday, while Brewer (0-5, 0-3) is still searching for that elusive win and will try to get it next Thursday on the road against Denton (1-3, 0-2).
