Bell Game 2.0: Spartans tame Wildcats again in single-turnover nail-biter
EL CENTRO — In the first- ever playoff meeting in a century- old rivalry, the Central Union High School Spartans defeated the Brawley Union High School Wildcats 28-14 in a CIF- San Diego Section Division II Quarterfinals football game at Cal Jones Field here on Thursday night, November 10.
Having earned a CIF D- II playoff bye last week, the second- seeded Central Spartans were facing seventh- seeded Brawley. Brawley won their opening- round game last week for the second time in two weeks.
“It just happened to be Brawley in our quarter- final game,” Central Coach David Pena said. “We played them two weeks ago but it’s our [ biggest] rival and it was a great crowd, atmosphere and great game.”
Brawley Coach Jon Self noted that the game resembled most Brawley- Central matchups.
“I’m very proud of the effort that our Brawley team put out and everybody left it all on the field,” Self said. “It was a well- played game, and both sides played well playing for their school and community. It didn’t matter it was playoffs.”
As it has all season, the Central offense centered around senior running back Charlie Sullivan. Sullivan scored the first three Spartan touchdowns while amassing 259 yards on 27 carries in the game.
“Usually I start a little slow on a play and look for the hole, and then if I see daylight I’m gone,” Sullivan said.
Sullivan put the Spartans on the scoreboard first with about four minutes left in the first quarter when he took a snap from the wildcat formation at the Brawley three- yard line, sprinting untouched into the end zone.
Central senior place- kicker Mylas Rodriguez added the first of four successful PAT kicks giving the Spartans a 7- 0 lead.
Central forced a Brawley punt and found themselves at their own 14- yard line, where senior quarterback Damian Rodriguez found Sullivan on an 18- yard pass play.
Two plays later, Sullivan was able to break a tackle at the line of scrimmage and then outrace the Brawley defense on a 64- yard scamper, for the Spartans’ second touchdown with 8: 32 left in the second quarter.
“Going off of the last game it was close and both of us started slowly in that one,” Sullivan said. “I wanted it to start faster but we were more disciplined in the second half.”
Trailing 14- 0, the Wildcats rallied on their next possession driving 60- yards in five plays, capped by a 31yard touchdown pass from Brawley’s sophomore quarterback Matthew Gutierrez to senior Daniel Camillo, Jr.
Brawley senior place- kicker Nathan Urbano kicked the first of two PAT kicks, bringing the Wildcats to within a touchdown of the Spartans, 14-7 at half- time.
Brawley took the second- half kickoff and failed to move the ball before Central’s first possession ended in a shanked Spartan punt, giving the Wildcats the ball at Central’s 31- yard line.
Brawley’s Gutierrez connected with sophomore wide- out Brandon Porras for 25- yards, setting up an eightyard touchdown run by sophomore Matthew Moreno, to tie the game 14-14 with 6: 20 left in the third quarter.
“I got some great blocks from my O- Line and the hole was there,” Moreno said. “I ran early then we got behind and the game plan changed.”
Sullivan and Central answered the Brawley challenge on their next drive as Sullivan ran for first for 17- yards, then 21- yards, capping the drive in three plays by racing 44- yards for the go- ahead touchdown, Sullivan’s fifth against the Wildcats this season.
“It was again a tight game, tied at 14-14 and both teams brought it,” Pena said. “Our team responded well to the touchdown and scored ... they don’t panic and they usually rise up when challenged.”
Brawley then drove the football into Central territory before committing the Wildcat’s only turnover of the game, when Spartan junior Arturo Estrada intercepted a pass, giving Central possession at their 33- yard line.
Self acknowledged that the only turnover of the game, was the difference- maker.
“It was 14-7 and then we scored to tie it and we were driving,” Self noted. “But the turnover stopped the drive, and looking back, probably stopped our momentum too.”
The teams traded punts until a bad snap on a Brawley punt attempt left Central with great field position.
Rodriquez then faked a hand-off to Sullivan and shot a quick pass into the right flat to sophomore slot receiver Sergio Garcia, who raced 22-yards for a touchdown.
Rodriquez, who finished the night completing 13 of 20 passes for 133-yards, had confidence in the play.
“It was open a couple of times and I saw him and know what he is capable of,” Rodriguez said, noting the play followed one of many penalties that plagued the Spartans in the game. “At half-time we were talking about our mistakes and about cutting down on the penalties, which was what was helping keep the game close.”
Central’s defense held Brawley to a total offense of 164-yards, lead by seniors Skylar Cook and Rudy Lizaola, junior Malachi O’Con, and sophomore Jared Martin.
The Division II second-seeded Spartans (73, 4-0 IVL) will now host a semi-final game this Friday night against the third-seeded Ramona High Bulldogs (8-4) at 7:00 p.m.
“It’s great to host a semi-final game and we look forward to Ramona,” Pena said, whose 2018 team lost in the
CIF D-III championship game.
“We hosted a semifinal in 2018 and beat Santa Fe Christian and advanced to the finals, and that’s what we’re looking forward to doing this week,” he said.