No. 7 Brownwood survives third-quarter flurry, force four turnovers in 37-17 semifinal win
FORT WORTH - The No. 7 Brownwood Lions are back in the regional championship game for the first time since 2015 after forcing four Springtown turnovers, including a 95-yard interception returned for a touchdown, in a 37-17 win at Crowley ISD Stadium on Friday.
The Lions (12-1) took a 20-3 lead into halftime after two touchdown passes and a touchdown run from quarterback Ike Hall. The Porcupines (9-4) responded in the third quarter scoring 14 unanswered points to cut the lead to 20-17 going into the fourth quarter.
After Springtown's halftime counterpunch, the Lions turned back to Hall, who scored on a 1-yard touchdown rush to go back up by 10 with under six minutes left. The other two phases for Brownwood stepped up in the last quarter with defensive back Enrique Vazquez recovering a special teams fumble and linebacker Zakk Zabecki returning an interception for a 95-yard touchdown to ice the game.
Brownwood snapped a 13-year regional final drought with the win and will face off against Decatur in the next round. The teams will determine a time and place later.
How it happened
Springtown struck first in the second quarter with a 27-yard field goal to take an early 3-0 lead. Hall's first pass of the ensuing drive was intercepted, but Zabecki got the ball back for the Lions on their own 5-yard line after recovering a fumble. Brownwood responded with three unanswered scores: Hall hit wide receiver Carson Noe for a 19-yard touchdown pass, Hall rushed for a 9-yard touchdown run and connected with Noe again for a 9-yard touchdown pass on a quick out.
Springtown fired back in the third quarter scoring on two touchdown rushes in the third quarter to cut the lead down to 20-17. The Lions again scored 17 unanswered points on a 1-yard touchdown run from Hall, a 37-yard field goal and a 95-yard interception returned for a touchdown from Zabecki for the final score of 37-17.
They said it
Brownwood coach Sammy Burnett on how his team responded to Springtown in the second half: "I told them at halftime you got to come out and you got to play. It's only half a game. You've got to win the second half. I don't care how it happens or what happens. I don't care what adversity you face or what success you face. We got to win the second half, and we found a way to do that."
This article originally appeared on San Angelo Standard-Times: High school football: Lions advance to regional final in 37-17 win
