San Antonio Express-News (Sunday)
Brackenridge 48, Burbank 14
Quick take: Behind a balanced attack that yielded 575 yards of total offense, Brackenridge extended its winning streak over rival Burbank to four games with a 48-14 victory Friday night at Alamo Stadium.
“We worked all week for that,” Brackenridge coach Larry Norman said. “We have goals internally that we’re looking to reach by the end of the year and this was one step in it. Our kids rose to the challenge and I was really happy with what we did.”
The Eagles amassed 288 yards on the ground and 287 yards through the air, executing equally well on the ground and through the air en route to their largest margin of victory this season. Highlights: Brackenridge (4-1, 3-0 District 13-5A) scored on its first possession of the game, when Xaviur Camargo took a handoff on a wide receiver sweep, turned upfield and used his track speed to glide into the end zone untouched for a 34-yard TD.
Brandon Garcia powered Brackenridge’s second touchdown drive of the evening, first torching a Burbank cornerback for a 51-yard reception, then taking a handoff 16 yards into the end zone to cap off a two-play, 67yard touchdown march that increased the Eagles’ lead to 14-0 midway through the first quarter.
A brief shift in momentum came when Burbank linebacker
Angel Juarez recovered a fumble at the 22-yard line, which the Bulldogs turned into six points on a short pass to the flat from Ramiro Salazar to Matthew Cortez, cutting the deficit in half early in the second quarter.
Eagles quarterback Richard Lopez tossed his second touchdown of the game on a skinny post route run by Marcquise Anthony, who blew by the Bulldog safeties and made the wide-open catch, jogging the rest of the way for a 58-yard touchdown.
Brackenridge snuck in another touchdown before halftime on
the second Lopez-to-Anthony end-zone connection of the evening, this time on a perfectly placed back-shoulder throw that Anthony secured before falling across the goal line with four seconds remaining in the half.
Burbank (3-2, 2-1) received the opening kick of the second half and went three-and-out, surrendering the ball to Brackenridge in favorable field position for its first drive of the third quarter. The Eagles mixed the run and pass effectively and punched in a touchdown on a quarterback sneak by Torrez to make it 34-7.
The only touchdown of the fourth quarter would be the final one of the game, with Garcia lunging forward for his third touchdown of the night to seal the 48-14 win for Brackenridge. What it means: The main question mark surrounding this Brackenridge team entering Friday’s game was whether its record reflected the quality of the team, having only recorded wins against teams with a combined 1-11 record. Those concerns were erased in a dominant effort against a team on track to finish in the top half of the district. If not for penalties and a couple of costly fumbles, the scoring differential could’ve been even more substantial, and Brackenridge coaches have to feel good about the potential of this team if it limits the self-inflicted wounds. Burbank’s defense looked lost at times, particularly in the secondary, and it will need to address those issues quickly to remain in playoff contention. Quotable: “He’s managing the game well right now,” Norman said of Lopez. “He’s starting to see things. I think it’s starting to slow down for him a bit, so he’s making better decisions. He’s doing a great job managing our offense and running it.”
Game balls: Lopez completed 17 of 24 passes for 287 yards and two scores to go with 13 carries for 71 yards and another touchdown on the ground. Anthony grabbed six passes for 108 yards and two touchdowns, while Garcia collected 184 all-purpose yards and three rushing touchdowns. For Burbank, Buentello was key in moving the chains with seven catches for 83 yards, while Matthew Cortez rushed 18 times for 78 yards.
Up next: Burbank returns home for a matchup against Highlands at 7 p.m. Oct. 1, at SAISD Sports Complex. Brackenridge will take on Sam Houston at 7 p.m. Oct. 1, at Alamo Stadium.