Big plays benefit Bearkatz’s victory

3A-2 MELBOURNE 33, MOUNTAIN VIEW 30

MELBOURNE — Melbourne quarterback Trey Wren ran 16 times for 106 yards and was 12-of-14 passing for 165 yards and a touchdown to lead the Bearkatz over the Mountain View Yellowjackets 33-30 on Friday night at Bearkatz Stadium.

Wren threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to Chayse Beene to give Melbourne (63, 3-2 3A-2) a 26-22 lead late in the third quarter. Mountain View was forced to punt to start the fourth quarter. A high snap over his head caused the Yellowjacket punter to go after the ball and when he tried to pick it up, he was hit and fumbled the ball into the end zone where Nathan Woodall recovered it for a touchdown and give Melbourne a 33-22 lead

Mountain View quarterback Elijah Carlton led a 12play drive to set up a 3-yard touchdown run from Trampas Stubbs. Carlton threw to Kenner Gray for the 2-point conversion to close the gap to 33-30 with 5:45 to play.

Wren passed for 12 yards Robert Langston, who broke a tackle to get the first down. A few plays later, Carter Bray broke free for a 26-yard gain for another Melbourne first down, which allowed the Bearkatz to take the victory position to end the game.

“We were fighting for our lives out there,” Melbourne Coach Casey Moreland said. “We had some self-inflicted penalties. We have to do a better job of holding on to the ball and getting off the field on third down. They gave us their best shot. We had a couple of breaks in the second half that were huge.”

Melbourne scored on its first drive of the game with Wren running for 17 yards and Bray catching a 22-yard pass. Holden Hutchins ran for 17 more yards and then scored from 2 yards out. Fernando Ventura kicked the extra point for a 7-0 Bearkatz lead.

Mountain View (5-5, 1-4) ended an eight-play drive with a 41-yard touchdown catch by Dustin Irwin. Bray blocked the extra point to make it 7-6 with 11:51 to go in the second quarter.

The Bearkats increased their lead when Wren found Malachi Cruz for a 34-yard gain to set up an 8-yard touchdown run by Bray. The Yellowjackets blocked the extra point to leave Melbourne leading 13-6 with 1:33 remaining in the first half.

Carlton ran for a 50-yard score to open the third quarter for Mountain View and Carlton added the 2-point conversion for a 14-13 lead with 9:52 to go in the quarter. A 1-yard dive for a touchdown three minutes later by Cruz put Melbourne up 19-14. The Yellowjackets came right back with a 27-yard touchdown pass from Carlton to Irwin and Carlton added the 2-point conversion for a 22-19 Mountain View lead.

“We had a big play whenever they were going to punt and the ball went over his head,” Moreland said. “Bray called it and said he was going to rush it and it went over his head and we ended up scoring on the play.”