A big fourth quarter allows Breck to pull away
It took nearly three quarters, but the Breck Mustangs' offense finally got going at home against the Patrick Henry Patriots. Down 9-7 to start the fourth quarter, the Mustangs rallied to win going away 28-9.
It was a first half of mistakes and penalties for both teams. The first points of the game would come via a Henry safety when backed up near their own goal line, Breck's punt snap was low. The ball went through the punter's legs and rolled out of the back of the end zone.
Patrick Henry would take over near midfield after the free-kick and quickly extended the lead. Patriots' quarterback Crispin Jackson faked a handoff to the left, pulled the ball back and ran around the right side for a 66-yard touchdown run and a 9-0 lead.
Breck got a big break to set up their first score. They were facing a third and long near midfield, and quarterback Alex McKenna was sacked, but the Patriots were flagged for unnecessary roughness. The fifteen-yard penalty came with an automatic first down. Because of a penalty on Breck, the Mustangs were looking at a first and twenty-one. McKenna found Carter Theissen down the sidelines for a thirty-four-yard gain and a first and goal. McKenna would finish the drive a couple plays later with a three-yard touchdown run.
Both defenses would continue to dominate the game. After Henry's Datelle Straub picked off McKenna, the Patriots' offense would start just outside the red zone. Like they did all game, the Mustangs' defense stood firm. They forced a holding penalty, and then defensive back Beau Courneya picked off a fourth-down pass.
"Our defense has been playing well all year," Breck head coach Jon Martin said. "We have been giving up an average of six points a game. This is as good of a team defense as I have had the thirteen years I have been here. It has been a lot of fun to watch."
Backed up inside their five-yard line, Breck hit a big play. Standing in his own end zone, McKenna fired a ball down the middle of the field to Will Ott. Sixty yards and a fifteen-yard horse-collar penalty later, the Mustangs were a threat to score. Just before the safety in the first half, Ott nearly caught a pass on a similar route that might have gone for a touchdown. This time, Ott would put the Mustangs in a position to take the lead.
However, the Patriots' defense had other ideas. Henry's defense would stand strong and stop the Mustangs in the red zone.
The Patriots would have to punt again, and Derek Turner's punt return would give the Mustangs good field position in Patriots' territory. Facing a third and long, the Mustangs got a break and picked up a first down via penalty. McKenna would score a short touchdown a few plays later to give the Mustangs their first lead early in the fourth quarter.
"Penalties were a thorn in our side in the first half," Martin said. "We came out and executed better in the second half. Because of that, we were able to sustain a few drives and put a couple in the end zone."
After forcing a three and out, Breck's offense continued to click. McKenna threw a fade into the end zone that Theissen hauled in for a 17-yard touchdown. The score gave Breck a two-score lead at 20-9.
"The second half, we played physical and played with a better attitude," Turner said. "Blocks were getting picked up. We figured out how they were defending our sweeps and made some adjustments that worked out."
Breck's offense would continue to pour it on with one more score – this time from Turner, whose 15-yard touchdown run. The two-point conversion would make the final score 28-9.
Breck ended the regular season with a 7-1 record, and Henry finished with a 5-3 record.
