Broncos rally comes up short in 42-28 loss to Cubs

BRENHAM - The Dayton Broncos return trip to the playoffs was not the turnout they expected as the Brenham Cubs jumped out to a big third-quarter lead and then held on after a late Dayton rally for a 42-28 win on Friday night at Cub Stadium in a Class 5A Region III Bi-district contest. 

     Leading 21-7 at the break, Brenham extended their lead to 28-7 early in the third quarter with a 99-yard drive that saw Rylan Wooten score from 32-yards out with 8:41 left in the third quarter. The Cubs then made it a 35-7 game with 2:43 left in the third quarter, with Ricky Brown scoring on a 2-yard run. 

     Dayton wasn't going anywhere, and the Broncos put together a nice 67-yard 9-play drive as Vernon Harrison scored on a 3-yard run, and the score was 35-14 with :28 seconds left in the third quarter. 

     The Dayton defense then forced a fumble and Jonah Hearne recovered the football at the 44-yard line. Three plays later, it was Harrison scoring on an 11-yard run and all of a sudden, the Broncos were within 35-21 with 10:49 left in the game. 

      After forcing a Brenham punt, the Dayton offense had the ball again but a sack on third down ended the drive and that would force a Broncos punt. The Cubs then put the game away with a 47-yard drive, Jaylon Ward scored from 6-yards out, and the advantage was back to 42-21 with 3:39 left. Dayton did get one final score as Carson Horton connected with Jaxon Day from 8-yards out with 1:04 left in the contest. 

     The wind played a big part in the first half. The Cubs drove to the Broncos 5-yard line midway through the first quarter and lined up for a 22-yard field goal, but the snap was bobbled, keeping the game scoreless. Dayton had to punt twice into the teeth of the wind and Brenham took over at the Broncos 48-yard line following the second punt. The Cubs needed seven plays to reach the scoreboard and Wooten busted one up the middle for a 25-yard touchdown run to give Brenham a 7-0 lead with :17 seconds left in the opening quarter. 

      Dayton then had the wind in the second quarter and would even the score at the 8:59 mark on a Horton 27-yard score and after the Brayan Montes PAT was true, the score was tied at 7-apiece. 

      The Cubs then took advantage of a pair of Bronco turnovers for their next two scores. The first one was a Grant Mayfield interception at the Dayton 40-yard line. Five plays later, it was Wooten scoring from 8-yards out and Brenham had retaken the lead at 14-7 with 5:07 left in the first half. Kicking off into the wind, the Cubs recovered the high pooch kick and they were in business again at the Broncos 45-yard line. Wooten scored from 14-yard out a few plays later and the Cubs had a 21-7 lead at the half. 

      Horton finished the night with 135-yards passing and added another 67 on the ground. Harrison rushed for 76-yards on 8-carries. C.J. Hubert caught three passes for 37-yards. Jerimiah Stevens added a fumble recovery for the Broncos. 

     Wooten led Brenham with 143-yards rushing on 25-carries.

BRENHAM - The Dayton Broncos return trip to the playoffs was not the turnout they expected as the Brenham Cubs jumped out to a big third-quarter lead and then held on after a late Dayton rally for a 42-28 win on Friday night at Cub Stadium in a Class 5A Region III Bi-district contest. 

     Leading 21-7 at the break, Brenham extended their lead to 28-7 early in the third quarter with a 99-yard drive that saw Rylan Wooten score from 32-yards out with 8:41 left in the third quarter. The Cubs then made it a 35-7 game with 2:43 left in the third quarter, with Ricky Brown scoring on a 2-yard run. 

     Dayton wasn't going anywhere, and the Broncos put together a nice 67-yard 9-play drive as Vernon Harrison scored on a 3-yard run, and the score was 35-14 with :28 seconds left in the third quarter. 

     The Dayton defense then forced a fumble and Jonah Hearne recovered the football at the 44-yard line. Three plays later, it was Harrison scoring on an 11-yard run and all of a sudden, the Broncos were within 35-21 with 10:49 left in the game. 

      After forcing a Brenham punt, the Dayton offense had the ball again but a sack on third down ended the drive and that would force a Broncos punt. The Cubs then put the game away with a 47-yard drive, Jaylon Ward scored from 6-yards out, and the advantage was back to 42-21 with 3:39 left. Dayton did get one final score as Carson Horton connected with Jaxon Day from 8-yards out with 1:04 left in the contest. 

     The wind played a big part in the first half. The Cubs drove to the Broncos 5-yard line midway through the first quarter and lined up for a 22-yard field goal, but the snap was bobbled, keeping the game scoreless. Dayton had to punt twice into the teeth of the wind and Brenham took over at the Broncos 48-yard line following the second punt. The Cubs needed seven plays to reach the scoreboard and Wooten busted one up the middle for a 25-yard touchdown run to give Brenham a 7-0 lead with :17 seconds left in the opening quarter. 

      Dayton then had the wind in the second quarter and would even the score at the 8:59 mark on a Horton 27-yard score and after the Brayan Montes PAT was true, the score was tied at 7-apiece. 

      The Cubs then took advantage of a pair of Bronco turnovers for their next two scores. The first one was a Grant Mayfield interception at the Dayton 40-yard line. Five plays later, it was Wooten scoring from 8-yards out and Brenham had retaken the lead at 14-7 with 5:07 left in the first half. Kicking off into the wind, the Cubs recovered the high pooch kick and they were in business again at the Broncos 45-yard line. Wooten scored from 14-yard out a few plays later and the Cubs had a 21-7 lead at the half. 

      Horton finished the night with 135-yards passing and added another 67 on the ground. Harrison rushed for 76-yards on 8-carries. C.J. Hubert caught three passes for 37-yards. Jerimiah Stevens added a fumble recovery for the Broncos. 

     Wooten led Brenham with 143-yards rushing on 25-carries.