Bruins ride early 24-point advantage to state semis
Beaumont West Brook survived a desperate second-half surge by Cypress Creek to win 31-21 in the Class 6A Division II Region III final at NRG Stadium on Saturday.
“I thought the defense played an unbelievable game,” West Brook coach Eric Peevey said. “I think that’s the most wins in school history and the kids are excited about that.”
West Brook (12-2) dominated out of the gate en route to the state semifinals.
The Bruins scored the game’s first 24 points, not allowing an offensive touchdown until 27 seconds remained in the third quarter.
Quarterback La’Ravien Elia found receiver Deonte Simpson on the first play of an second-quarter drive and then again on its final play for a 17-yard touchdown pass to to put West Brook ahead 10-0. Linebacker Daniel Coleman returned a fumble by Cy Creek’s Eddie Jimerson 41 yards for a touchdown at the 4:31 mark. Two minutes later, Simpson hit an open Thaddeus Johnson on a 46-yard touchdown on a receiver pass play to go up 24-0.
But Cy Creek recouped some of the momentum before halftime. On a Bruins’ fourth-down play, Cougars linebackerr Josh White tackled and stripped the punter, before scooping up the ball and returning it for a 13-yard score.
“Heck, we’re used to coming from behind the last couple games,” Peevey said. “This one you go in up by (17) points. I don’t know what the deal was, but we had opportunities.”
West Brook capitalized on one of those opportunities to draw first blood in the second half on a 17yard strike from Elia to Johnson. But White and the Cy Creek defense limited the Bruins the rest of the game while the Cougars scored on TD passes to Jimerson and Jaden Gray.
“Once we got in a rhythm, they had a hard time dealing with it. I thought our defense played lights out,” Cy Creek coach Greg McCaig said. “I thought the kids did a great job of hanging in there. At any point in the season we could’ve folded up our tents and went home, but I’m very, very proud of them.”
White registered a game-high 16 tackles plus a sack. Cougars quarterback Julian Brown threw for 309 yards and two touchdowns with an interception.
For West Brook, Elia threw for 151 yards and two scores. Linebacker Markel Clark recorded eight tackles and 2½ sacks.
Saturday’s regional final is the deepest Cy Creek (8-6) has gone in the playoffs. It was a feat made all the more impressive by the fact that the Cougars only qualified thanks to a fourth-place district tiebreaker with Cypress Ridge.
“We went farther than any team in school history, and this could be a great catalyst for things going forward,” McCaig said.
West Brook awaits the Region IV winner between Austin Westlake (12-1) and San Antonio Brandeis (11-2) in the state semis.
The Bruins hadn’t been to a state semifinal since the 1982 season when they won state. The title season came the same year Forest Park and Hebert High Schools merged to become West Brook.
“We have good players, too,” Peevey said comparing the two teams. “I think we’ve got to make our own destiny and do our own thing and continue to play our game.
“The kids are just playing their tails off. I really feel good about where our team’s at.”